Social Perspective Research Articles

Internet of Things - Novel Application in Agriculture

Abstract: In the Present Era, the world is experiencing a strong rush towards modern technology, while specialized companies are living a terrible rush in the information and Communication technology towards the so-called Internet of things IoT or Internet of objects, which is the integration of things with the world of Internet, by adding hardware or/and software to be smart and so is able to communicate with each other and participate effectively in all aspects of daily life. By enabling new forms of communication between people and things, and between things themselves, that will change the traditional life into a high style of living. But it won’t be easy, because there are still many challenges and issues that need to be addressed and have to be viewed from various aspects to realize their full potential. The main objective of this paper is to provide the reader with a detailed discussion from a technological and social perspective. The various IoT aspects, definition and architecture, challenges and issues were discussed. Furthermore, a description of several sensors and actuators and their smart communication. Also, the most important application areas of IoT were presented with a case study. This work will help readers and researchers understand the IoT and its potential application in the real world

Option of last resort or pragmatic solution? Social perspectives on onsite wastewater treatment systems in northern Argentina

ABSTRACT The unplanned and rapid expansion of metropolitan areas reduces accessibility to existing and often outdated centralized water and wastewater systems. In this context, sanitation policies that focus exclusively on centralized systems become expensive and unfeasible. Using Q methodology, we identified three different social perspectives on onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) in the metropolitan area of the Lerma Valley in northern Argentina. We focused our analysis on the legal, environmental, and technical aspects of onsite sanitation. The perspectives found were: ‘OWTS have advantages’, ‘Hard path for sewerage’, and ‘Process before technology’. We describe the perspectives identified and we provide an analysis of their differences and similarities to discuss their possible policy implications for our study area and comparable regions in the country and beyond.

Leader spirituality and organizational innovativeness as determinants of transformational leadership and project success: behavioral and social learning perspectives

PurposeWe examine the relationships among leader spirituality, organizational innovativeness, transformational leadership style and project success. Integrating principles of behavioral learning and social learning theories, we argue that spiritual leadership style is positively linked to project success, and this relationship is mediated by transformational leadership. Furthermore, the relationship between leader spirituality and transformational leadership is moderated by organizational innovativeness.Design/methodology/approachData are collected from 180 individuals working in seven large project-based organizations from the telecom sector in Pakistan. The individuals comprise engineers, functional managers, dedicated project managers and individuals who have led and/or worked in project teams. Data are analyzed using variance-based structural equation modeling.FindingsResults suggest that the relationship between spiritual leadership style and project success is positive and is partially mediated by transformational leadership. Furthermore, organizational innovativeness positively moderates the spiritual leadership and transformational leadership relationship.Originality/valueResearch calls for examining the relationship between leadership styles and project success. We address this call through examining the role of spiritual leadership style (which is rather ignored in project management literature) for project success. Furthermore, we take a novel evolutionary approach of integrating different leadership styles and indicating determinants as well as contingencies to leadership development.

Unveiling the psychological mechanisms of mutual help groups for addiction recovery: The role of social identity factors.

The effectiveness of mutual help groups (MHGs) in promoting addiction recovery has been widely acknowledged. However, the psychological mechanisms underlying the impact of MHGs remain somewhat uncertain. Drawing on a social identity perspective, this study investigated a sequential mediation model in which social support is posited as a driving factor that enhances abstinence maintenance through group identification, recovery identity, and self-efficacy. A sample of 820 smokers, participating in a 6-month collective smoking cessation programme which included access to an online help group, completed measures of social support, group identification, smoker/ex-smoker identity, and self-efficacy at the programme's outset. Smoking abstinence was assessed 6 and 9 months later. The findings supported the proposed model, indicating that social support was positively associated with MHG identification, which, in turn, was related to a stronger recovery identity. Subsequently, recovery identity was associated with increased self-efficacy, and indirectly, with smoking abstinence at both measurement times. Additional analyses testing alternative mediation models further supported the validity of the proposed model. These findings suggest that social identity factors play significant roles in accounting for the effectiveness of MHGs for addiction recovery.

Analysing inhibitors to BIM implementation: a social network theoretical perspective

Purpose Building information modelling (BIM) implementation in the design, construction and operations (DCO) industry is increasingly becoming essential. While BIM has been adopted on a larger scale in many developed economies, its acceptance is still in the embryonic phases for developing nations in the DCO industry. This study aims to identify the inhibitors to BIM implementation through the social network theoretical lens, intending to understand the associations among the barriers in the Indian context. Subsequently, recommend strategies to mitigate the barriers from the academic practitioner’s perspective. Design/methodology/approach A mixed methods research was adopted, commencing with comprehensive literature reviews to recognise various inhibitors to BIM implementation. These identified barriers were further examined through the questionnaire survey (n = 71). BIM implementation barrier network (BIBN) was created using University of California at Irvine Network (UCINET) is a powerful social network analysis software that functions on the principle of social network theory. The experts’ opinions were captured through the BIBN network through interviews. Network properties such as eigen vector centrality, betweenness centrality, degree centrality, in-degree and out-degree and clustering coefficient were computed, and the metrics were analysed further. Findings Twenty-six BIM implementation barriers were initially identified. A questionnaire survey was conducted. The chain reaction can be minimised by prioritising and regulating these barriers. The issues were categorised into fourfold clusters (standardisation, policy and process, cultural and human resources, change management and operational) issues were generated from the exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The obstacles and barriers resulting from the other main barriers associated with it can be minimised by reducing the challenges with high eigenvector centrality but low betweenness importance. Practical implications This study proves to accelerate sustainable BIM implementation growth in developing nations; this research study assists BIM stakeholders in developing coping mechanisms to monitor and remove BIM implementation barriers. Originality/value Analysing the associativity of the BIM implementation barriers through sociograms for developing nations is a novel concept with this research.

Populist Authoritarian and Catholic Political Ethics: A Framework for a Moral Review

Can there be an ethics of politics or political ethics in authoritarian populist democracies? Given that politics operates under potentially risky and morally ambiguous methods that involve strategic calculations with some elements of irrationality, developing an ethics of political leadership can be an abstruse exercise. The frequent mismatch between political methods, objectives, and outcomes exemplifies the complexity of political reality and its unpredictability. The existential tension between utilitarian and deontological approaches to ethics frequently arises in politics. However, to address the failures of democracy in political leadership, it is imperative to explore the ethical implications of authoritarian populism. By scrutinizing how authoritarian populism undermines democratic principles and polarizes societies, one can better understand its moral challenges and work towards developing a more ethical framework for political leadership. This article discusses Catholic political ethics in response to populist authoritarianism from three different perspectives: first, it analyzes what populist authoritarianism entails and its limitations in political governance; second, it discusses diverse components of political ethics, highlighting realistic dilemmas in the application of each component; and third, it makes an ethical evaluation of populist authoritarianism from the Catholic social ethics perspective, emphasizing human dignity, common good, and solidarity as key to countering populist authoritarianism. The article makes two ethical suggestions in line with Catholic political ethics to address populist authoritarianism. The first is the principle of social cohesion, aimed at addressing the social, ethnic, racial, political, economic, and religious divisions that characterize populist authoritarian leadership. The second is the principle of social recognition, used as a strategy for safeguarding the common good by centralizing human dignity.

Structural Inequalities in Namibia and South Africa: A Critical Social Work Perspective

Namibia and South Africa share land and maritime borders and the interrelated structural challenges of poverty and socio-economic inequalities amidst progressive economic growth that are rooted in their apartheid past and contemporary economic development trajectories. Such inequalities are defined along racial, class, gender and other social locations that either grant privilege, power and access to socio-economic opportunities or result in marginalisation, oppression and resource deprivation. The rationale for this article is linked to the historic call for social work to intensify efforts in promoting social and economic equality. Despite Namibia and South Africa’s geographical proximity and their intertwined histories, there is a dearth of social work studies that offer a comparative critical social work perspective on structural inequalities in these former apartheid strongholds. While social work should actively engage in contesting the structural contradictions of poverty and inequalities amidst abundant resources, the reality is often that of the uncritical acceptance of existing socio-political inequalities, such that the profession’s enunciated commitment to social justice becomes perimetric. Thus, the article argues for the inclusion of critical social work approaches in social work education and practice against a backdrop of ideological divides, political trends and contextual factors that limit social workers’ critical and structural level engagement.

Educational Institutions Role in Enhancing National Belonging Values: A Social Service Perspective Study

Educational Institutions Role in Enhancing National Belonging Values: A Social Service Perspective Study

Addressing Pedagogical Challenges in Teaching Social Justice Issues: Are We Scared Yet?

ABSTRACT While films are popular as teaching tools in social work education, to critique social inequalities, horror films have not been the conventional genre. This teaching note describes the creation and deployment of a course that uses horror films to address social justice issues as part of different critical reflection, which is linked to practice wisdom. The author describes the structure of course, readings, activities, and reflections for expanding the use of this genre and well as limitations. The use of horror films can be a useful and salient tool to engage students to draw upon social constructions of what it means to be fearful or scared, and teach about infractions to human nature from a social work perspective. Broad implications are discussed, including other genres and the availability of resources to replicate this course in other settings.

Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da Filmi Bağlamında Türk Toplum Yapısında Bürokrasi, İktidar ve Kadın Görünümü

Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" explores social dynamics and authority relations around a murder investigation set deep in Anatolia. The movie offers a good example of reading Turkish social structure through themes such as authority, hierarchy, bureaucracy and female innocence. Throughout the film, Power and hierarchy in the Turkish social structure reveals the authority structures and authority relations in the village society, while at the same time criticizing the bureaucratic structure in the society through bureaucracy, obstacles and dysfunction in the investigation process. Instead of the usual bureaucratic structure, Turkish society's perspectives, views and understanding of bureaucracy, authority and hierarchy relations and the manifestations of these concepts in society are seen. At the same time, it emphasizes the innocence of women, the powerlessness of female characters and the obligation to conform to social norms, thus opening up for discussion gender roles and the position of women in society. It tries to explain the Turkish social structure's perspective on women in the context of concepts such as innocence and punishment, as well as in the context of women and gender roles. In a general context, the relationship between concepts such as dichotomies, power, authority, bureaucracy and the Turkish social structure is revealed. The quiet and isolated village life of Anatolia actually harbors the complexity of social dynamics and power relations. By reflecting this complexity, the film allows for a deeper understanding of Anatolian society. "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" is not just the story of a murder investigation, but rather a social and sociological portrait that examines the complexity of social structures and relations. Keywords- Authority Bureaucracy, Turkish Social Structure Woman

Mitigating Identity Threat in Health Messaging: A Social Identity Complexity Perspective

ABSTRACT Health messages aiming to reduce red meat consumption may threaten multiple social identities because people’s dietary choices are intertwined with personal, social, and cultural aspects of their lives. Leveraging social identity theory and the concept of social identity complexity, this experiment tested how identity-threatening messages affect people’s intention to reduce red meat consumption and how the effect of identity threat may be moderated by messages highlighting the relationships between multiple identities that define a person. Participants (N = 409) read messages that varied identity threat (i.e. the extent to which people feel devalued because of their membership in a social group) and identity complexity (i.e. the extent to which people perceive multiple identities as independent). The study found that identity-threatening messages decreased intentions to reduce red meat consumption when people perceived their dietary identity as overlapping with other identities, but increased the intentions when the dietary identity was seen as independent from other identities. Further, the effects of identity threat and complexity were limited to people with high (vs. low) levels of red meat consumption. We discuss the role of identity complexity in alleviating identity threat and increasing persuasion.

The Rise and Decline of the Liberal World Order and the Multilateral Trade System: A Critical-Constructivist Synthesis to International Regime Analysis

This article devises an analytical framework that synthesizes neo-Gramscian and social constructivist perspectives to dissect international regimes amid global hegemonic shifts. It portrays regimes as intersubjective constructs with unique social purposes within the broader hegemonic fabric, shaped by dominant ideologies and power distributions. The study examines the transition of the trade regime from General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) to World Trade Organization (WTO) through the Uruguay Round (1986-1994) and the Doha Round’s deadlock since 2001. The article posits that the Uruguay Round marked a pivotal hegemonic transformation, transitioning the regime from embedded liberalism to neoliberalism by transforming its social purpose, norms, and generative grammar. Yet, this shift, which precipitated a legitimacy crisis within the WTO and was exacerbated by the Doha Round’s failure to regenerate neoliberal hegemony with a fresh synthesis of free trade and sustainable development, arguably rendered the WTO directionless and contributed to the fragmentation of global trade governance amidst emerging regional pacts and varied ideological visions of economic liberalism.

The Bhagavad Gita and Quran – Two Sides of the Same Coin?

For decades, India has been plagued by communal violence between Hindus and Muslims. This article is a comparative study of The Bhagavad Gita and Quran, the sacred scriptures for Hindus and Muslims respectively, analyzing them from philosophical, social, economic, and political perspectives. While the Gita and Quran differ in views on charity, sacrifice, education, and social mobility, they share several similarities in the domains of detachment to material possessions, intolerance towards non-believers and monotheism. Additionally, both texts broadly preach similar principles such as peace, unity, and respect. However, there are certain teachings which may be outdated.

Sociopolitical Genealogy of Populist Conspiracy Theories in the Context of Hyperpolitics

The wide circulation of conspiracy narratives and their frequent intertwining with populist rhetoric is both an element of concern and a topic of intense scientific and philosophical debate. The depth of the link between conspiracy theories and populism represents a crucial issue whose comprehension can facilitate understanding their specific nature and the factors behind their diffusion in public communication. To this end, it is necessary to cultivate an interdisciplinary approach and great critical attention, eschewing monocausal explanations. This paper addresses the question of the essentially political nature of conspiracism, confronting the recent epistemological debate that, by putting the positivist paradigm aside, has sought to explore and understand the socio-cultural roots of conspiracy rhetoric, with its sceptical, antagonistic and hermetic traits. By integrating the reflections of epistemologists such as Cassam or Harris with the considerations of political scientists such as Taggart and with Schmitt’s radical reflections on politics, it is perhaps possible to reintegrate the different approaches to populist conspiracism into an overall social genealogical perspective, thanks also to recent demographic elaborations. Thus, we could ascribe the spread of conspiracism to the prevalence in societies of a hyperpolitical discursive regime, i.e., founded on the principle of opposition, without the possibility of compromise, between different groups and interests. At the basis of such Manichaeism, it is plausible to place in the first place the growing inequalities and related social disintegration, which hinder the circulation of trust and recognition between individuals and groups, thus ending up undermining democracy at its roots, as a political system that legitimises and thus peacefully regulates conflict.

Exploring strategic multi-leveraging of sport tourism events: An action-research study

Strategic planning of sport events should promote the maximisation of local communities' benefits. Among other dimensions of interest to the host destination's stakeholders, given the aim of sustainable development, sport events leveraging must integrate economic, social and environmental perspectives, justifying its multidimensional extensiveness. The general objective of this study was to stimulate and understand the process of planning and implementing strategic multi-leverage of international open water swimming events hosted in Portugal, in 2022, addressing the economic, social, environmental, partners and sport dimensions.This study employed a case study approach within an action-research methodology. The research design covered three action-research stages: planning, implementation and analysis. The data collection combined nominal group sessions, field observation, document analysis and interviews. The qualitative analysis used the triangulation of the data collected, and the content analysis was performed using the NVivo software.Actions were strategically planned targeting economic, social, environmental, partners, and sport dimensions, albeit with a prominent focus on economic and sport leverage. Excluding sport, the implementation of strategic actions ensured all dimensions' operationalisation. Six constraints (e.g. little adherence from local partners) and three drivers (e.g. commitment and authority of the leverage coordinating team) conditioned the strategic leverage implementation. The strategic planning of future sport events should outline actions that intensify the destination’s image, focusing the attention of stakeholders on valuing the natural attributes. This study strengthened knowledge about the multi-leverage approach applied to two sport events, reinforcing the need to implement cross-leveraging among the aforementioned dimensions to enhance the success of strategic leverage.

Impact of microcredit on the short-term finances of microentrepreneurs

PurposeThe study focused on the impact of microcredit on the short-term finances of microentrepreneurs at the Galerías Shopping Center in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia, from 2019 to 2023.Design/methodology/approachThe design of the paper is empirical-analytical, focusing on the tangible and unique aspects of reality that can be fragmented for measurement. This approach privileges the use of data from the study population’s experience, which is treated analytically through statistics to establish frequencies and correlations between variables. The research involved a structured questionnaire based on bibliographic references and considering the operational framework of the variables, which underwent expert review, necessary adjustments, a pilot test and subsequent validation in 2019 and 2023. The reliability of the instrument was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, ensuring a reliable indicator when equal to or greater than 0.7 in each analysis period. This methodology aimed to identify practices and how the financial profile influences short term.FindingsThe findings from the survey conducted with the microentrepreneurs at Galerías Shopping Center reveal several significant connections to the theoretical framework. The study revealed that many microentrepreneurs relied on their personal funds for business financing, indicating a limited understanding of financial principles. Additionally, a significant portion of microentrepreneurs mitigated investment risk by securing loans from financial institutions, yet none utilized government subsidies like entrepreneurship loans, pointing to a lack of advice. The findings underscore the importance of financial education and suitable financial services for business development.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation of this study is the lack of detailed data on the financial structure of microentrepreneurs' businesses, as well as specific information on interest rates and the terms and conditions of the microcredit used. These limitations may affect the generalization of the results and the comprehensive understanding of the impact of microcredit on the short-term finances of microentrepreneurs. Future research could include a larger sample size and more accurate data on the financial structure of businesses, as well as a detailed investigation of interest rates and terms and conditions of microcredit, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the financial impacts for microentrepreneurs.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study have practical implications for microentrepreneurs in the Galerías Shopping Center. The research emphasizes the need for improved financial knowledge, accounting practices and debt management among microentrepreneurs. It also highlights the importance of financial education and access to suitable financial services for business development. The study’s insights can guide the development of training programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing financial literacy and financial management among microentrepreneurs, leading to more informed decision-making and improved financial outcomes.Social implicationsFrom a social perspective, this research contributes to promoting economic development and financial inclusion. By addressing the mismanagement of microcredit by microentrepreneurs and providing insights into their short-term finances, the study aims to foster economic empowerment and sustainable development within communities. The findings underscore the significance of microfinance in driving economic growth, reducing poverty and promoting social inclusion. The research emphasizes the importance of equitable access to financial services, which can contribute to narrowing the gap between the financially excluded population and the conventional financial system.Originality/valueThis research adds originality and value to the academic community by addressing the incidence of microcredit on the short-term finances of microentrepreneurs in the specific context of the Galerías Shopping Center in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. By characterizing the financial profile of microentrepreneurs, establishing the relationship between microcredit characteristics and the financial profile and proposing an action plan, the study provides valuable insights for decision-making in both the academic and microfinance fields. The research contributes to the existing literature on microfinance and financial inclusion, offering a unique perspective and potential solutions for optimizing the use of microcredit-funded resources by microentrepreneurs.

Social identity and narrative perspectives

Balázs Kézdi, in his work entitled Identity and Culture (2001), draws attention to the fact that the concept of identity is ambiguous and overdetermined not only in social science discourse but also in psychology because the concepts of "self" and selfdefinition are often mixed up with the concepts of self-definition. Different theories emphasise different characteristics depending on whether the self is a personal or a social self-definition and whether the process of identification is interpreted as static or situational. Over the last few decades, the psychological literature on identity has increasingly emphasised the narrative nature of identity. This means that people form their interpretations of the world through narratives (including self-narratives), and these narratives are inseparable from the concept of self-determination (László, 2005). The following paper discusses the particular case of collective identity and significant group identification, including the issue of national identity and the role of collective memories. Accordingly, it focuses first on the psychological and cultural approach to the process of peer self-determination, followed by the group history and the resulting theoretical considerations.

Linking corporate social responsibility to organizational commitment: the role of employee job satisfaction

Purpose This study aims to examine the impact of an organization’s internal and external corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the social identity perspective, the authors proposed and tested a mediation model to understand the psychological mechanisms underlying the effects of CSR. The study sample comprised 263 employees from Italian manufacturing firms. Findings Our findings indicate that external CSR orientation is positively associated with employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the mediating effect of job satisfaction partially explains the positive relationship between external CSR orientation and organizational commitment. Moreover, we found that the positive impact of external CSR on employee outcomes is strengthened when combined with internal CSR. Practical implications This research has practical and theoretical implications for organizations seeking to enhance employee engagement and commitment through CSR initiatives and sheds light on how CSR can shape employee attitudes and behaviors toward the organization. Originality/value This study brings a novel contribution to the field by examining the impact of both internal and external CSR initiatives on employee job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

Perceiving Media Change as a Form of Media Literacy: Using a 360-Degree Video to Analyze the Mediatization of Social Life

This study focuses on the subjective perception of complex mediatization processes. To encourage the study participants to reflect on everyday media practices, a self-produced, interactive 360-degree video was used as a qualitative stimulus to make typical after-work encounters tangible before these were discussed in a group setting. Based on a qualitative evaluation, a total of 20 perceptions illustrate how people perceive media change primarily in communicative actions that are characterized by a change in empathy, which we refer to as communicative avoidance or communicative attention. By applying several dimensions of media literacy, we can conclude that communication actions are perceived from a cognitive, affective, social, and critical-reflective perspective, meaning that people can reflect, justify, and react to communicative actions or draw results from them. It shows that some aspects of media change are more apparent than others and that the level of media literacy determines the extent to which people can perceive mediatization processes.

Exploring leader’s unethical proorganizational behavior and follower attitudes toward knowledge hiding and sharing in the service industry: a social learning perspective

Purpose Grounded in the framework of social learning theory (SLT), the current study explores the impact of leaders’ unethical proorganizational behavior (UPB) on their subordinates’ self-management and moral self-efficacy, which, in turn, affect knowledge hiding and sharing among followers. This study aims to examine how instrumental thinking influences the relationship between leader UPB and subordinate behaviors, shaping knowledge sharing and hiding. Design/methodology/approach Using a longitudinal approach, this research uses a two-wave data collection strategy with a one-month interval. The study cohort comprises 378 employees drawn from technology service firms situated in China. Findings Empirical findings confirm that leader UPB is linked to increased follower self-management and knowledge hiding, as well as reduced moral self-efficacy. Instrumental thinking moderates these effects, amplifying knowledge hiding and diminishing moral self-efficacy while reducing knowledge sharing. Research limitations/implications The study contributes to the existing literature on UPB by offering insights into the distinct consequences of leader UPB on knowledge-related behaviors of followers. Furthermore, the exploration of employees’ instrumental thinking in the context of leader UPB underscores the strategic manipulation of knowledge to fulfill individual goals, thereby enriching the underpinnings of the SLT. The study underscores the imperative for organizations to grasp the implications of UPB and underscores the necessity for stringent ethical frameworks to mitigate its deleterious impact. Practical implications The study contributes to the existing literature on UPB by offering insights into the distinct consequences of leader UPB on knowledge-related behaviors of followers. Furthermore, the exploration of employees’ instrumental thinking in the context of leader UPB underscores the strategic manipulation of knowledge to fulfill individual goals, thereby enriching the underpinnings of the SLT. The study underscores the imperative for organizations to grasp the implications of UPB and underscores the necessity for stringent ethical frameworks to mitigate its deleterious impact. Originality/value The present study addresses a gap in the current literature by elucidating the multifaceted outcomes of leaders’ UPB on paradoxical behaviors related to knowledge sharing and hiding among followers. This nuanced examination underscores the need to comprehend the intricate contingencies that accentuate the effects of UPB, particularly in the realm of leadership dynamics. Grounded in SLT, this study delves into leadership dynamics and ethical decision-making.