Definitional Dilemma Research Articles

Sharing economy as a field: Revisiting debates and introducing new research avenues

AbstractThis article offers a state‐of‐art review of previous research in the field of sharing economy. It explores the definitional dilemma and presents the research field of sharing economy as a contested one. In an attempt to contribute to the numerous efforts of ordering, summarizing and characterizing sharing economy, the article further unpacks the debates driving the emergent sharing economy field. First, it is a debate on the role and place of ICT and platform technologies in sharing economy. Second, the article explores the role and place of economic interest in sharing economy, placing the empirical reality of sharing economy along a broad spectrum from for‐profit enterprises to non‐profit community sharing projects. Third, the paper analyses the question of ownership and its transfer in sharing economy, exploring its positioning vis‐à‐vis gift economy, and short‐term renting and lending. It further analyses relationships between stakeholders (private individuals and business actors) participating in sharing economy, presents the overview of literature on the three transactional models in sharing economy, Business to Consumer (B2C), Business to Business (B2B), and Peer to Peer (P2P). Finally, the paper suggests future research avenues. This study highlights the lack of research looking at sharing outside of the purview of market exchange. It is suggested that the definition of sharing economy and research in the field should focus on P2P activities. Furthermore, it is suggested that the configuration of the sharing economy should be understood from a field perspective. Field‐level studies of issues that bring together various actors in debates on sharing economy should allow for understanding further development of sharing economy.

The definitional dilemma of gender in language

Current theories of linguistic gender define any language with a requisite system of nominal classification as having gender, in turn defining languages that manifest gendered distinctions in other ways as genderless. These definitionsfail to capture the many ways that binary gender can be encoded in the grammar and lexicon crosslinguistically.Drawing from data on twelve typologically distinct languages, I argue that a reimagined theory of gender in language which centers the concept of social gender must be constructed in order to empirically situate the concept of gender-inclusivelanguage. Data on the realization of gender-inclusivity in different languages is essential in this task, as it identifies the features of language that speakers determine to mark gender and signals the capacity of a gendered language to change.

The Dilemma of Wildfire Definition: What It Reveals and What It Implies

This paper presents the results of an explorative survey, based on a questionnaire sent by email, about how wildfire experts, operating in different countries, perceive wildfire and express their mindset by defining “wildfire” from a list of 14 terms and how they justify their preference for the term selected as the most important. Using a five-point Likert Scale, results from 221 valid replies indicate a general convergence toward a reduced number of terms. Six of them exhibit a mean >3.20 (Disturbance, Natural hazard, Climate-sensitive hazard, Socio-ecological hazard, Socio-ecological disturbance, andSocial-ecological hazard). The three most preferred terms (i.e.,Disturbance, Natural hazard, andClimate-sensitive hazard)reflect wildfire as a natural process or phenomenon (about 59% of the replies). The three terms characterized by both the social and ecological adjectives (i.e.,Socio-ecological hazard, Socio-ecological disturbance, Social-ecological hazard) occupy relatively less favorable positions in the ranking. For each term, a synthesis of the explanations given by the respondents is provided, together with a critical comment. Our findings show very different perceptions of wildfires inclusively within the same disciplinary field. In addition, for the same term selected, different definitions are often presented. This reflects sectorial, disciplinary, and personal perspectives of the wildfire phenomenon and the lack of a common understanding of wildfire “nature” (i.e., its own identity). The different perceptions on wildfire concept influence the knowledge that can be used by decision makers to improve wildfire management policies. This work puts into perspective one of the most widespread problems in science: the lack of appropriate and similar terminology across different scientific fields dealing with the same problem. A common conceptualization of the nature of wildfires and the creation of a common language across different scientific fields related to wildfires is of paramount importance to address the complexity of the existing problems, and enhance an interactive communication not only among scientific community but also with stakeholders and citizens.

A Review of Employability Skills Expected of New Graduates in the Hospitality Industry

The objective of this study is to review the hospitality education literature. We analyze work on hospitality education and its justification utilizing a stakeholder perspective by evaluating its effect on employability skills in the hospitality industry. In this, we analyzed existing papers addressing various philosophical structures, metrics and samples for evaluating the present state of the sector, combining results, defining deficiencies and recommending avenues for potential studies. It explores the definitional dilemma, the phenomenon of education and the key theories used in the literature. It analyses the three stakeholders (industry, educators and parents) and their role in the students’ production of employability skills. We’re discussing various aspects of this business. This synthesizes the problems presented by employment in hospitality. This illustrates the difference between the educational establishments, understanding of the students, and business. Finally, we have the ramifications of this study and propose directions for potential studies.

Prosumers in times of crisis: definition, archetypes and implications

PurposeThis paper defines prosumers in light of the COVID-19 crisis and other contexts. It addresses how prosumers helped overcome challenges caused by COVID-19 and is the first paper to develop a taxonomy of prosumers, their differentiating characteristics and the degree to which they are useful in overcoming the challenges of COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachWe conducted a literature search of the prosumer literature using the Web of Science and Scopus databases.FindingsThis study solves a definitional dilemma of prosumers and develops six prosumer archetypes displaying the nuances of prosumers. The study shows that the six prosumer archetypes vary in their usefulness in addressing challenges caused by COVID-19. The findings demonstrate the micro (individual), meso (organizational) and macro (societal) benefits offered by prosumers in times of crises.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some clear implications for the prosumer literature, the services literature and the crisis literature by clarifying the role of prosumers in times of crisis.Practical implicationsThis paper offers several implications at the micro (individual), meso (organizational), and macro (societal) levels that are offered by prosumers in times of crises. The benefits of prosumers afford individuals, service practitioners and other organizations ways to remain resilient and strong in the face of significant crises such as COVID-19.Originality/valueThis paper makes three specific contributions. First, it contributes to the service literature by highlighting the role and value of prosumers in crises, an area currently under-researched. Secondly, it developed six prosumer archetypes displaying the nuances of prosumers, contributing to the prosumer literature by sharpening the focus of this versatile phenomenon and demonstrating the differential value of each type of prosumer in times of crises. Lastly, the study advances the prosumer literature by resolving the definitional dilemma of prosumers and by providing a broad, yet specific definition of prosumers that captures the different perspectives evident in the prosumer literature.

Sharing economy: A comprehensive literature review

Abstract The objective of this study is to review the extant sharing economy (SE) literature. Applying a systematic literature review approach, this study thematically synthesizes the findings of 219 articles on sharing economy. It explores the definitional dilemma, sharing economy as a phenomenon and key theories used in the literature. It analyses the stakeholders and their motivations for participating in SE, which is mainly present in the accommodation and transportation sectors. We discuss various facets of these two sectors. The study shows how SE firms operate with novel business models with unique revenue streams. It synthesizes the challenges that SE faces. This study points out SE’s economic, social, and environmental impacts. It highlights the lack of regulations and policies for SE around the world. Finally, we provide the implications of this work and suggest future research avenues.

Sharing Economy: A Comprehensive Literature Review

The objective of this study is to review the extant sharing economy (SE) literature. Applying a systematic literature review approach, this study thematically synthesizes the findings of 219 articles on sharing economy. It explores the definitional dilemma, sharing economy as a phenomenon and key theories used in the literature. It analyses the stakeholders and their motivations for participating in SE, which is mainly present in the accommodation and transportation sectors. We discuss various facets of these two sectors. The study shows how SE firms operate with novel business models with unique revenue streams. It synthesizes the challenges that SE faces. This study points out SE’s economic, social, and environmental impacts. It highlights the lack of regulations and policies for SE around the world. Finally, we provide the implications of this work and suggest future research avenues.

Introduction: The Power of Place at the U.S. Overseas Research Centers, Heritage Diplomacy, and Archaeology

Introduction: The Power of Place at the U.S. Overseas Research Centers, Heritage Diplomacy, and Archaeology

Justice Scalia: Tenured Fox in the Democratic Hen-House?

Abstract This paper examines Justice Scalia’s approach to campaign finance adjudication, in particular his skepticism of legislative motive. Three distinct strands of skepticism are identified: power-grabbing, incumbent-bracing and speech-preventing. As regards democracy Justice Scalia is identified as being caught in definitional dilemma whereby his campaign finance jurisprudence appears to serve a particular vision of democracy, which is, itself, the identifiable creature of his approach to constitutional adjudication. Ultimately, it is argued that, whilst a liberal dose of mistrust of government might well be warranted in cases concerning the devices of democracy, in the task of scrutinising campaign finance regulation and reform, a strong argument emerges for suspicion of judicial motives too since there is as much danger to democracy posed by the tenured fox as by the incumbent one.

Bishops Who Live Like Princes: Bishop Tebartz-van Elst and the Challenge of Defining Corruption

This article contributes to the debate on defining corruption. Rather than attempting to provide a definitive definition, it uses the case of Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, a German bishop from the diocese of Limburg who stepped down in 2014, to illustrate that the disciplines of law, political science, economics, and anthropology all make important contributions to understanding what corruption is and how it should be conceptualized. Seen through these different lenses, the article argues, the case of “Bishop Bling” can be understood in strikingly different ways. This has ramifications not just for the case itself but also for how analysts understand corruption more broadly. Adopting an overtly interdisciplinary approach does not represent a way to “solve” the definitional dilemma, but it can help analysts understand more about corruption’s multiplicity.

Temptations of fluency and dilemmas of self definition: Stutterers' usage and avoidance of new media technologies

Media technologies, such as telephones, often challenge stammers. Other media, especially applications such as SMS and social networks, enable stammers to express themselves fluently. This study looks into the multifaceted meanings of the encounter between stammers and new media, focusing on applications which enable speech through writing, and a Stammers forum website, as a site for reflexive debate on the meaning of new media opportunities. The study focuses on questions such as anonymity, the “noise” of various media and the ways in which new media helps to improve the users quality of life, but at the same time might lead them to reduce their social life to an alternative “verbal ghetto”, confined to the borders of the new media platform.

Intersectionality's Definitional Dilemmas

The term intersectionality references the critical insight that race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nation, ability, and age operate not as unitary, mutually exclusive entities, but rather as reciprocally constructing phenomena. Despite this general consensus, definitions of what counts as intersectionality are far from clear. In this article, I analyze intersectionality as a knowledge project whose raison d'être lies in its attentiveness to power relations and social inequalities. I examine three interdependent sets of concerns: (a) intersectionality as a field of study that is situated within the power relations that it studies; (b) intersectionality as an analytical strategy that provides new angles of vision on social phenomena; and (c) intersectionality as critical praxis that informs social justice projects.

From Strategic Partnership to Strategic Alliance?: Australia-Japan Security Ties and the Asia-Pacific

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThis article examines developing security relationship between Australia and Japan and assesses implications for U.S. and region.MAIN ARGUMENTBased on series of unprecedented developments, Australia and Japan have greatly enhanced their direct bilateral security ties to forge what they now describe as partnership. This new form of security alignment is not intended to be traditional alliance pact, but rather represents novel and versatile mechanism for diplomatic, security, and cooperation. Both states seek to pragmatically advance their national interests in tandem and to multiply their capabilities to meet joint security challenges in Asia-Pacific. In this case, however, strength and significance of is further buttressed as consequence of their adjunct status as quasi-allies-through their independent defense pacts with U.S.-and their combined participation in Trilateral Strategic Dialogue.POLICY IMPLICATIONS* The rapid emergence and subsequent strengthening of Australia-Japan is one of most significant recent developments in regional security landscape, and especially within context of U.S. hub-and-spoke alliance system.* The is actually new form of security alignment whose nature, function, and dynamics are not well appreciated or understood. A robust debate is developing among community in Australia regarding desirability of deepening this security relationship and whether it portends treaty-based military alliance pact.* The impact of this on regional security environment is seemingly inconsistent. On one hand, this intra-allied cooperation appears to reinforce overall U.S. alliance system in Asia-Pacific. On other, it could represent nascent effort by key middle powers to hedge against breakdown of this system.In 2014, Prime Ministers Tony Abbott and Shinzo Abe held two groundbreaking summits in quick succession: The first took place in Tokyo in May, and second in Canberra in July. The two leaders addressed one another's national parliaments, and Abbott also spoke to Japan's new National Security Council. After concluding free trade (or economic agreement in Japanese nomenclature) at first summit, and committing to defense technology cooperation at second, Abbott and Abe went on to announce that a new special relationship has been born.1Above all, these bilateral summit meetings were occasions to cement Australia and Japan's rapidly deepening strategic partnership. The was institutionalized through Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (JDSC), signed in 2007, and subsequently consolidated through an acquisition and cross-servicing (ACSA) in 2010 and an information security (ISA) in 2012. In tandem with these formalized annual leadership summits, two partners have also been holding 2+2 foreign and defense ministers' meetings for almost decade. Notably, there was much mutual approbation on display during 2014 meetings, including obvious chemistry between conservative leaders Abbott and Abe, who have repeatedly characterized their countries as best friends and even strong allies.2 From this rhetoric, Clint Richards observed that the two countries might be drifting toward more formal alliance.3 Certainly this prospect has sparked an energetic debate among commentators in Australia, which will be discussed in this article. But can current Australia-Japan genuinely be considered an alliance, and if not, is it likely to develop as one in future?This article is organized into four sections as follows:~ pp. 84-88 address problematic definitional dilemmas surrounding terms strategic partnership and alliance. …

Rethinking countering violent extremism: implementing the role of civil society

The current state of countering violent extremism (CVE) in Australia and other Western nations is characterised by definitional dilemmas around its relationship to the concepts and practice of counterterrorism (CT) and security. While attempts have been made to engage the civil society sector in CVE through programmes that provide funding for community groups, these attempts have largely been focused on empowering Muslim communities in Australia and the promotion of social harmony between these communities and the broader Australian community. Such programmes certainly have a place within all multicultural, multifaith societies, but the conflation of social harmony with security and protection from terrorism has had a counter effect resulting in the securitisation of diaspora Muslim communities. In order to efficiently target the root causes of violent extremism (VE) a reconceptualisation of the paradigm constituting CVE is required. Such a paradigm should be detached from the traditional focus on CT and apply a multidisciplinary and multi-layered approach that engages the voices of unorthodox stakeholders such as formers and victims alongside those of policy-makers and law enforcement. Using a theoretical framework based on “smart power”, this article argues that one way to achieve a more diffuse and broader approach to CVE is by incorporating grassroots citizen driven initiatives in the formulation of policy-driven CVE.

Blurred Lines? Responding to ‘Sexting’ and Gender-based Violence among Young People

The emerging phenomenon of youth ‘sexting’ presents a range of unique legal, policy and educative challenges. In this article we consider four key issues in recent responses to youth sexting behaviours: (1) the definitional dilemmas surrounding the term ‘sexting’; (2) the inadequacy of existing legislative frameworks for responding to these behaviours; (3) the problematic messages conveyed in anti-sexting campaigns; and (4) the relative silence around gender-based violence in non-consensual and abusive encounters. We argue that the non-consensual creation and distribution of sexual images has largely been framed in public debates as a problem of youth naiveté, with the effect of censuring young women's ‘risky’ sexual behaviour, and leaving unproblematised gender-based violence. We suggest that more nuanced understandings of sexting that distinguishes between the consensual and non-consensual creation and distribution of sexual images must inform legal, policy and education-based prevention responses to the misuse of new technologies.

Child-to-parent Violence: Challenging Perspectives on Family Violence

Until relatively recently, the focus of research, policy and intervention responses to abuse and violence within families has been almost exclusively on the behaviour of adults rather than on the violence within families carried out by children and adolescents. As a consequence, the aggressive and violent behaviour of children and adolescents at home has received scant attention in practice, policy and research literature and this form of family violence remains poorly understood. This paper aims to broaden discussions about violence and abuse in families by examining the use of violence by children and young people at home towards parents through a review of the relevant literature. Dilemmas of definition will be explored, including distinctions between abusive behaviour and what could be termed as “normal” conflict between parents and their children during adolescence. Social and cultural factors contributing to the lack of attention to child-to-parent violence will be explored. The “Tackling Violence at Home” Strategy in Northern Ireland and the “National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence 2010–2014” in the Republic of Ireland will be examined for policy and practice guidance in relation to child-to-parent violence. It will be suggested that conventional social and cultural assumptions in relation to children, power and violence within families lead to challenges in the detection and development of effective responses to child-to-parent violence. Attention will also be drawn to the potential that may lie within established domestic violence frameworks for policy and practice development and to promising research and practice interventions.

Definition of Age

The PRISCUS list lacks a vital piece of information. The issue under discussion is inappropriate medications for elderly patients, but age is specified neither in terms of years nor in terms of a clinically more adequate characterization. This means that the dilemma of imprecise definition persists. The definition of age has been the subject of academic discussion for years and urgently requires clarification and agreement. Further, the PRISCUS list suggests risperidone as a therapeutic alternative to neuroleptic drugs in patients with dementia. However, risperidone has not been recommended for this group of patients since 2005, and the summary of product characteristics makes this explicit. A meta-analysis of the licensing authorities has shown a trend towards higher mortality in older dementia patients (risperidone 4.0%, placebo 3.1%) (1). Even though the use of risperidone may be a therapeutic option in view of the limited alternatives, it has to be borne in mind that the pharmaceutical company with its product information rules out its own liability. Nonetheless, the development and publication of the PRISCUS list means an important step towards improved pharmacotherapy of elderly patients. A useful addition to the PRISCUS list is the list of suitable medications published by Stefanacci (2). As a next step, a prospective evaluation should be planned to find out whether intake of the PRISCUS preparations is really associated with a higher rate of problems. The medium term goal is to implement the elements from the PRISCUS list that have received a positive evaluation into the national disease management guidelines and into doctors' prescribing software.

The definitional dilemma in family business research: outlines of an ongoing debate

Family business research has been considered as a distinct field from mainstream research. It has been pointed out the lack of a shared theory able to provide a strong conceptual framework, originating following limitations for empirical research. Various definitions of family business have been employed, limiting comparisons and generalisations of findings across studies. Therefore, the first concern researchers need to deal with is the definition of family business, for overcoming a basic limitation of the field of research. This paper aims to highlight, by a literature review, how recent perspectives may represent useful contributions towards theory building and empirical research. Although some uncertainties still remain in terms of trade-off between objective and subjective characteristics, they suggest new directions to address studies for overcoming the definitional dilemma.

Global Civil Society and Democratization of World Politics: A Bona Fide Relationship or Illusory Liaison?

For over a decade, scholars have been studying and debating the role and influence of non-state actors in democratizing global politics. The sheer volume of studies calls for assessing the current state of this area of research. It also invites systematic analysis of differences in the collected evidence on outcomes of the democratizing efforts of global civil society associations. In this review, I (1) expound the concept of global civil society and point to definitional dilemmas surrounding this term; (2) propose a new analytical framework for examining an association between global civil society and democratization; (3) apply the proposed framework for assessing the findings of empirical studies; (4) discuss the nature of differences and the sources of discord in the analysts’ conclusions; and (5) make recommendations for advancing our knowledge in this important area of research. A principal theme that runs throughout this essay is that the field of global civil society and democratization has ample avenues for further conceptual, theoretical, and empirical work. Our ability to speak credibly of global civil society as a viable democratizing force would be improved with the development of empirical theory, conceptual elaboration, and more rigorous methodologies of research.

Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms Syndrome: the Dilemma of Definition

Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms Syndrome: the Dilemma of Definition