Social Goals Research Articles

Exploring the Moderating Role of Perceived Supervisor support in the Effect of Employees’ Workplace Loneliness on Intention to Quit From the SDGS Perspective

Objective: The main purpose of this study is to investigate the moderating role of perceived supervisor support in the effect of workplace loneliness on intention to quit. Theoretical Framework: The underpinning theories of this study is organizational support theory (OST) and social exchange theory (SET). This study focuses on decent work and economic growth goal, one of the Social Development Goals (SDGs), as it contains examining if the different work conditions due to the COVID 19 pandemic may cause different attitudes and behaviors. Method: This study employs a survey technique, one of the quantitative research methods, on 200 employees working for a cruise tourism company. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS statistical programs. Results and Discussion: As a result of the findings, it was found that emotional deprivation has no effect on employees’ intention to quit while the lack of social companionship has positive and significant effect on intention to quit. In addition, it was determined that perceived supervisor support has a moderating effect on the association between emotional deprivation and intention to quit whereas no moderating role of perceived supervisor support on the relationship between lack of social companionship and intention to quit was found. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by testing the theories of OST and SET in terms of diferent sectoral characteristics in the business world. Questioning the theories of organizational support and social exchange widens the scope of related literature. While enriching the existing literature by conducting such a research, a new explanation has been provided for the associations between variables.

Identifying stakeholder preferences for rebuilding a Canadian Atlantic redfish fishery—limitations and benefits of different opinion survey approaches

Fisheries management authorities seek to improve the incorporation of stakeholders’ preferences into decision-making but conventional approaches to assessing stakeholder viewpoints may risk under-representing a diversity of opinions. In Atlantic Canada’s units 1 and 2 redfish fisheries, there are competing visions about re-developing the fishery following historical overfishing. A management strategy evaluation (MSE) sought to identify which fishery objectives should guide the formulation of performance metrics. Following the MSE, we carried out a study to further sample the social, economic, and ecological objectives for the fishery using multiple questioning methods: i.e., workshops, questionnaires, and interviews. Results of interviews and questionnaires identified areas of consensus and complexity of opinion among the different groups (commercial, government and Indigenous), and showed that the workshop-based performance metrics defined in the MSE underrepresented the diversity of stakeholder preferences, particularly regarding social and economic goals. Multi-method and multi-disciplinary approaches to formalizing objectives are resource-intensive. However, there is value in applying multiple methods to systematically develop and formalize performance metrics that accurately reflect a diversity of stakeholders’ priorities for the fishery.

Behavioral Event Interview Through Lego Toy Models: Explaining the Socialization Process in A Public Company

This article discusses the use of behavioral event interviews and Lego® toy models in the socialization process of a Brazilian public company. The primary goal of socialization is to help new employees understand the company's values, objectives, and expectations. Successful socialization can increase job satisfaction, productivity, and team unity. By combining these two methods, this article benefits students, interviewers, academics, managers, and other professionals, stimulating the consideration of interpretive and naturalistic approaches and enhancing our understanding of in-depth interviews.

Managing the threat of decoupling in the U.S. affordable housing industry

AbstractDecoupling, or the practice of communicating different organizational values and goals than those rigorously pursued, is a concept discussed in the organization theory literature. Organizations engage in it when their legitimacy hinges on obtaining the support of stakeholders with disparate interests, and they attempt to appease some stakeholders with words and others with actions. One problem with decoupling is that it can lead organizations to operate in ways that are not reflective of their stated missions. With this concern in mind, the analysis presented here explores the prevalence of decoupling in the U.S. affordable housing industry and considers how, when, and why it occurs, and to what effect. Thematic analysis of interview data collected from industry practitioners suggests decoupling is common, comes in multiple forms, and must be effectively managed if municipal governments hope to partner with for-profit and nonprofit affordable housing providers to achieve their social policy goals.

Leveraging global south sports mega events to advance sport for development and peace theory and practice

AbstractThe article aims to contribute to the relationship between sport for development and peace (SDP) and sports mega‐events (SMEs) as viable platforms for accelerating human development and social change goals at local, regional and international levels. Recently, there has been a notable increase in the number of emerging economies in the global South demonstrating their aspirations to bid and (if successful) host SMEs. The article argues that the SDP‐SME nexus can be strategically utilised to redress some of the criticisms levelled against the nature of deployment of SDP activities, particularly in the global South. Therefore, the article argues for leveraging global South SMEs to advance SDP theory and practice. However, leveraging SMEs by the global SDP field requires a fresh strategic direction. The article employs qualitative approaches by drawing upon data from two roundtable discussions and Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup 2022 panel discussions held in New York and Doha. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to analyse the transcriptions of the discussions. The article is unique in its advocating for the role that global South SME actors can play in advancing global SDP policy and practice that supports southern agency. The article therefore contributes to a more nuanced understanding of leveraging global South SME hosting towards addressing limitations in global SDP praxis.

Willingness to include: Enabling pro-social strategies in private settings

This paper examines how private firms can align financial and social goals by including disenfranchised populations as beneficiaries. Using a quasi-experimental study in a Brazilian private for-profit school, we explore whether enfranchised (non-vulnerable) and disenfranchised (income-constrained) students benefit from interacting in more diverse settings. First, we find that diversity improves the educational outcomes of enfranchised students. Second, as a socially desirable ripple effect, we observe an increase in the willingness of their families to support social inclusion through donations. Our results demonstrate that private firms can connect disenfranchised and enfranchised groups, fostering mutual value creation and aligning social and commercial objectives. We conclude by discussing the conditions that facilitate these mechanisms in various organizational settings.

Social Objectives of Microfinance Institutions and Evaluating its Implementation: A Systematic Review

This research explores the social goals of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), emphasizing their role in empowering underserved groups, including women, rural populations, and micro-entrepreneurs through financial services. Despite their noble intentions, the commercialization of MFIs, influenced by large banking entities, has shifted the focus towards profitability, potentially undermining their mission to alleviate poverty. A systematic literature review conducted from 2010 to 2020 discloses mixed results regarding the relationship between financial sustainability and outreach depth for microfinance institutions (MFIs). The study explores such as balancing financial sustainability and social outreach, mission drift, regulatory hurdles, and governance shortcomings. It underscores the necessity for collaborative regulation, financial literacy, and enhanced governance to maintain the sustainability and efficacy of microfinance efforts. The study highlights the need for MFIs to balance financial sustainability with their social missions, advocating for enhanced governance, regulatory cooperation, and financial literacy to optimize their impact on poverty alleviation and economic inclusion. Academically, it calls for continued research into the trade-offs between profitability and social outreach, and the effectiveness of innovative microfinance interventions.

Emotion socialization in early childhood education and care – How preschool teachers support children's emotion regulation

Children’s emotional experiences during early childhood education and care (ECEC) are important for children’s emotional development and the socialization of this development by teachers. One central goal of emotion socialization is that it should help children acquire reflective regulation of their emotions, resulting in socially acceptable and age-appropriate experience and behavior. The current study is based on emotionally challenging situations of children in ECEC and aims at investigating, first, associations of teachers’ emotion coaching and co-regulation with children’s self-regulation, and, second, how teachers’ emotion coaching and co-regulation are linked with characteristics of the specific emotion episode and the involved child. Based on extensive video observations in the preschool setting (N = 19 groups), this study analyzed episodes with teacher interventions (N = 48 teachers) following a negative emotion expression by one or two children (N = 213 children aged 2–6 years old). Multilevel results show, first, that teachers’ initial emotion coaching and co-regulation through meta-cognitive prompts were associated with children’s independent self-regulation. Second, teachers’ emotion coaching and co-regulation were systematically associated with characteristics of the emotion episode, especially emotion quality and intensity. The findings support the assumption that emotion coaching and co-regulation are especially valuable tools to support self-regulation. However, emotion coaching and the different co-regulation levels and strategies do not turn out to be universal strategies that are used indiscriminately, but teachers use them depending on individual child and situational characteristics.

Microfinance Institutions and Corporate Social Responsibility. A scientometric study

This study investigates the integration of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in relation to Sustainable Development Goals. Through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis of 281 Scopus-indexed articles from January 1999 to November 2023, we delineate seven essential thematic clusters that define the CSR paradigm in MFIs: performance dimensions, balanced social and financial goals, improved social performance, qualitative perspectives, mission drift determinants, environmental sustainability, and funding sources and lending techniques. The study uncovers emerging research areas including the impact of digital-fintech innovations, climate change adaptations, the rise of Islamic microfinance, and explores significant gaps such as internationalization, corporate governance, gender diversity, and alternative funding mechanisms. These insights are pivotal for framing future research and offer critical guidance for policymakers and practitioners aiming to maximize the societal impacts of MFIs. Our analysis not only maps the current landscape but also sets a comprehensive agenda for enhancing CSR’s role in achieving sustainable development, thus providing a strategic framework for ongoing empirical and theoretical advancements.

Development and Validation of Online Social Achievement Goals Questionnaire for College Students

An accurate assessment of online social achievement goals requires a new measure, tailored to the unique nature of online social contexts. Using the data collected from 366 U.S. college students, the online Social Achievement Goals Questionnaire (oSAGQ) was developed and validated. The oSAGQ includes three types of social achievement goals: Online social development, online social demonstration-approach, and online social demonstration-avoidance goals. Strong construct validity evidence was obtained through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. The oSAGQ showed strong psychometric properties, including high reliability and strong item discrimination index. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that online social achievement goals were empirically distinguishable from in-person goal constructs. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that online social achievement goals had explained unique variance in online prosocial and antisocial behaviors after controlling for in-person social achievement goals. Both online and in-person social development goals were positively related to online prosocial behavior. However, the effect of in-person social demonstration-approach goals on online antisocial behavior disappeared once online counterpart was entered in the model, suggesting the superior predictive power of online social demonstration-approach goals for online antisocial behavior. Future research topics using oSAGQ were suggested.

CURRENT APPROACHES TO ECONOMIC SCIENCE. THE COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY VERSUS THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

This paper examines the current approaches to economic science, particularly on collaborative and circular economies. Economic science is closely related to the concept of limited resources. This is because economics is concerned with managing limited resources to satisfy unlimited human needs and wants. The idea of limited resources is central to economic science because it influences every aspect of how people make economic decisions and manage economic activities. Effective management of these resources is essential to achieving long-term economic and social goals. The collaborative economy and the circular economy are two key economic concepts that address how resources are used and distributed sustainably and efficiently in society. Both concepts are frameworks that aim to address the challenges of sustainability and resource efficiency, albeit in different ways. The collaborative economy is characterised by individuals and organisations sharing resources through digital platforms, such as goods, services, or information. This model promotes resource optimisation, cost-sharing, and social cohesion. On the other hand, the circular economy is an economic model that seeks to systematically reduce waste and maximise resource efficiency by designing products, services, and systems that prioritise the longevity and recyclability of materials. The paper explores collaborative and circular economies' theoretical foundations and practical applications. Although they have some overlap, these two concepts have different perspectives and approaches regarding resource management and sustainable economic growth. While the collaborative economy focuses on sharing and exchanging existing resources, the circular economy focuses on reshaping systems and products to reduce waste and sustainably optimise resource use. The study findings are based on a comprehensive literature review and empirical research on collaborative and circular economies. The analysis reveals that collaborative and circular economies have unique strengths and limitations. However, they also share common objectives, such as promoting sustainability, resource efficiency, and social inclusivity. These concepts have the potential to complement each other and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient economy.

Community organizing in social work and progressive urban planning – interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities

ABSTRACT This article examines aspects of community organizing within social work and progressive or transformative planning within urban planning, with an implicit question as to whether these two practices within their respective professions can work together to achieve progressive goals. For each profession, I first review the professional histories and the ethical codes of each discipline, next discuss how these more activist trends emerged, and then compare the two practices to suggest possibilities for joint efforts toward the social justice goals embedded in each defining statement. I discuss the context for both types of work, as well as the means by which individuals in each discipline work toward progressive goals. Questions I consider include how similar the social justice orientations within their disciplines are, and how community organizers and progressive planners can work together for social justice goals.

Intellectual capital through decarbonization for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 8: a systematic literature review and future research directions

PurposeThe aim of this study is to review the literature on how intellectual capital (IC) contributes to the decarbonization efforts of firms. It explores how carbon accounting can measure the components of IC in decarbonization efforts to balance profitability with environmental and social goals, particularly in promoting decent work and economic growth (Sustainable Development Goal [SDG] 8 and its targets [2, 5, 6, 8]). Moreover, it emphasises the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships for sharing knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources (SDG17-Target 17.G) to meet SDG8.Design/methodology/approachAs a consolidated methodological approach, a systematic literature review (SLR) was used in this study to fill the existing research gaps in sustainability accounting. To consolidate and clarify scholarly research on IC towards decarbonization, 149 English articles published in the Scopus database and Google Scholar between 1990 and 2024 were reviewed.FindingsThe results highlight that the current research does not sufficiently cover the intersection of carbon accounting and IC in the analysis of decarbonization practices. Stakeholders and regulatory bodies are increasingly pressuring firms to implement development-focused policies in line with SDG8 and its targets, requiring the integration of IC and its measures in decarbonization processes, supported by SDG17-Target 17.G. This integration is useful for creating business models that balance profitability and social and environmental responsibilities.Originality/valueThe integration of social dimension to design sustainable business models for emission reduction and provide a decent work environment by focusing on SDG17-Target 17.G has rarely been investigated in terms of theory and practice. Through carbon accounting, IC can be a key source of SDG8-Targets 8.[2, 5, 6, 8] and SDG17-Target 17.G. Historically, these major issues are not easily aligned with accounting research or decarbonization processes.

“Mirrors and windows:” a case study of educators’ culturally responsive teaching aspirations and syllabi transformation in the arts

This qualitative case study explored educators’ aspirations to transform arts pedagogy into a culturally sustaining praxis. Twenty-four educators engaged in a 20-h online training, including engaging with prints in the Artura.org print collection, reading culturally sustaining scholarship, dialoguing, and decolonizing lesson plans. Twenty educators participated in dyadic interviews, revealing a deeper understanding of cultural identities and pedagogical changes to shape positive cultural identities for students. Findings highlight how art contributes to social justice teaching goals emphasizing intentional educator self-reflection to anticipate challenges and avoid cultural exploitation. Recommendations include utilizing online art databases with diverse artists in teacher professional development.

Contract award criteria in public procurement procedures – The possibility of improving the situation of society from the perspective of the European Union and Poland

Background Public tenders are vital for a country’s GDP and citizens’ quality of life, enabling public administration to achieve various goals. Developing and developed countries allocate over 10% of their GDP to public procurement. This highlights the significant societal support public tenders can provide, making it important to consider how they can further benefit society. Policy and implications Public procurement can achieve policy objectives and benefit society by selecting tenders based on criteria beyond price, such as economic advantage and social benefits. This approach, endorsed by EU directives since 2014, encourages innovation and socially responsible practices. Contracting authorities in the EU can use social, environmental, and qualitative criteria to determine the most advantageous offers. Poland’s Public Procurement Law (PPL) allows contract award criteria based on quality and price, including social aspects. Contracting authorities can specify criteria like employing marginalized groups, though these criteria often face scrutiny and legal challenges. Non-price criteria aim to enhance competition and achieve social, environmental, and economic goals. Recommendations EU and Polish laws permit and encourage using social aspects as contract award criteria in public procurement. However, contracting authorities must analyze priorities, risk balancing, time constraints, and departmental coordination to effectively implement these criteria. This approach can improve the social situation and support specific groups. Conclusions Public procurement significantly influences a country’s economy and quality of life, with EU and Polish laws allowing social criteria in contract awards. Directive 2014/24/EU supports tenders based on economic and social benefits. Poland’s PPL aligns with this, emphasizing marginalized group employment. Effective implementation fosters job creation, social integration, and improved living standards.

Relevance of the Socialization Process in the Brazilian Public Sector: A Review

This article explores the socialization process in companies through an extensive literature review. Socialization refers to how new employees are integrated into the company culture. This process can take many forms, including orientation sessions, training programs, mentorship arrangements, and team-building activities. The primary goal of socialization is to help new employees understand the company's values, goals, and expectations. Additionally, it aims to facilitate building relationships with colleagues. In conclusion, a successful socialization process can lead to greater job satisfaction, increased productivity, and stronger team cohesion, which is helpful to scholars, human resource managers, and other practitioners.

Changing Trends of Marriage: Emerging Complication, Paradoxical Thinking and Social Transformation

Marriage is one of the most ancient, indispensable, significant and universal social institution in all societies and cultures which has constructed since the beginning of human civilization. Marriage is a universal social phenomenon and it is a permanent bond between husband and wife which is intended to fulfill the economic, social, cultural, biological and emotional goals. Similarly, marriage establishes a new family which supports in giving facilities for the reproduction and upbringing of children. In changing context, individual freedom is greater matter rather than marital burden and partner’s ambiguity. In this modern era, there are various marriage allied complications, contradictions and changing trends. Sociological observations of marriage have brought out multifaceted marriage systems and its challenging transformations. Similarly, the change in gender relationship and independence between men and women has resulted in a considerable rise in the instability of marriage and its implication in the society. In this circumstance, this paper tries to analyze the conceptual and rational debates of orthodox and customary established marriage, marriage practice and its social, cultural, biological and emotional implications. Likewise, this study provides an analysis of contradictory thinking and declining trends of marriage in this contemporary society.

A Critical Review of Executive Compensation Policies Grounded in ESG Principles

High executive salaries often lead executives to prioritize short-term gains over long-term ESG benefits. This review explores how reducing executive compensation, influenced by environmental regulations, impacts innovation in sustainable technologies. As shareholders demand more ESG-focused models, the traditional compensation model is shifting to link compensation with environmental and social goals. The literature focuses on greenhouse gas emissions, employee satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. This review covers global ESG-based incentives, followed by country-specific approaches in China, France, Germany, India, Italy, South Africa, Sweden, and the United States. It concludes with alternative frameworks from financial institutions. Executives are more likely to engage in environmental initiatives when personal gains are tied to these goals. Equity-based incentives are favored over salary-based bonuses. Concepts like the parity pill aim to increase investor trust and transparency. As investors become more environmentally conscious, they expect companies to align with these values. Executives are encouraged to prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term personal gains.

Determinants of the profitability of Sheltered Workshops: efficiency and effects of the COVID-19 crisis

The socio-labor inclusion of people with disabilities represents a substantial social challenge in European countries, particularly in Spain. Sheltered Workshops (SWs), a type of Work Integration Social Enterprise, are companies specifically designed to provide employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities, offering ongoing support throughout the integration process. SWs need to be profitable to sustain their social contributions. This study investigates the determinants of profitability for SWs in Spain, analyzing a sample of 1133 entities from 2010 to 2020. Using a static panel data model (random effects) and a dynamic panel data model (Generalized Method of Moments, GMM system), we estimate, among other factors, the impact of efficiency on profitability, with efficiency scores calculated via data envelopment analysis (DEA). Our findings reveal that the positive effect of operational efficiency outweighs the negative effect of social efficiency, resulting in a net positive impact of overall efficiency on profitability. The SWs were able to operate effectively to meet the needs of people with disabilities while achieving financial viability by combining social and economic goals. The study shows no significant differences in these effects when considering the legal status of the SWs (for-profit vs. non-profit). Additional factors influencing SW performance include size, low risk, and leverage, which have a positive impact, while age, liquidity, and tangibility generally have a negative and significant effect. During both the financial and COVID-19 crises, SWs experienced lower profitability; however, a positive and significant relationship between efficiency and profitability was observed during the COVID-19 crisis. The robustness of our results was confirmed through alternative measures of efficiency and performance and by addressing potential endogeneity issues. Understanding how financial and social factors influence profitability helps policymakers develop growth and sustainability policies for SWs and enables practitioners to identify strengths and weaknesses, facilitating better decision-making.

Descriptive evaluation of a camera-based dairy cattle lameness detection technology

Lameness in dairy cattle is a clinical sign of impaired locomotion, mainly caused by painful foot lesions, compromising the US dairy industry's economic, environmental, and social sustainability goals. Combining technology and on farm data may be a more precise and less labor-intensive lameness detection tool, particularly for early detection. The objective of this observational study was to describe the association between average weekly autonomous camera-based (AUTO) locomotion scores and hoof trimming (HT) data. The AUTO data were collected from 3 farms from April 2022 to March 2023. Historical farm HT data were collected from March 2016 to March 2023 and used to determine cow lesion history and date of HT event. The HT events were categorized as a regular HT (TRIM; n = 2290) or a HT with a lesion recorded (LESION; n = 670). Events with LESION were sub-categorized based on lesion category: digital dermatitis (DD; n = 276), sole ulcer (SU; n = 79), white line disease (WLD; n = 141), and other (n = 174). The data also contained the leg of the LESION, classified as front left (FL; n = 54), front right (FR; n = 146), rear left (RL; n = 281), or rear right (RR; n = 183) leg with 6 events missing the leg. Cows' HT histories were classified as follows: cows with no previous recorded instance of any lesion were classified as TRIM0 (n = 1554). The first instance of any hoof lesion was classified as LESION1 (n = 238). This classification was retained until a subsequent TRIM occurred - recorded as TRIM1 (n = 632). The next unique instance of any lesion following a TRIM1 was classified as LESION2 (n = 86). Any LESION events occurring after LESION1 or LESION2 without a subsequent TRIM were considered a hoof lesion recurrence and classified as LESIONRE1 (n = 164) and LESIONRE2 (n = 22), respectively. TRIM events after LESION2 or LESION2RE (n = 104) or LESION events after LESIONRE1 or LESIONRE2 were classified as LESION_OTHER (n = 160). The AUTO scores from -28 to -1 days prior to the HT event were summarized into weekly scores and included if cows had at least 1 observation per week in the 4 weeks before the event. For all weeks, LESION cows had a higher median AUTO score than TRIM cows. Cows with TRIM0 had the lowest and most consistent median weekly score compared to LESION and other TRIM classifications. Before HT cows with TRIM0 and TRIM1, both had median score increases of 1 across the 4 weeks, while the LESION categories had an increase of 4 to 8. Scores increased with each subsequent LESION event compared to the previous LESION event. Cows with SU lesions had the highest median score across the 4 weeks, WLD had the largest score increase, and DD had the lowest median score and score increase. When grouping a LESION event by leg the hoof lesion was found on, the AUTO scores for four groups displayed comparable median values. Due to the difference between TRIM and LESION events, this technology shows potential for the early detection of hoof lesions.