Scarcity Theory Research Articles

Examining the Relationship between Work Environment and Students' Academic Performance in Mandera East Sub-County, Kenya

The objective of the study was to establish the relationship between work environment and students' academic performance in Mandera east sub-county, Kenya, this study was anchored on Scarcity theory. The research employed a pragmatic research philosophy and adopted a survey research design. The target population was 62 (comprising 54 teachers and 8 principals of secondary schools in Mandera East Sub-County). While the teachers responded to the questionnaire, the principals participated in interviews as key interview informants. Since the target population wase small, manageable and accessible the study used a census where the sample size was 62 respondents; comprising the 54 teachers and 8 principals of secondary schools in Mandera East Sub-County. Interviews and questionnaires were used in secondary schools in Mandera East sub-county, Kenya, as a data collection method. The questionnaire was tested for validity using content validity and reliability using Cronbach’s Alpha. The study revealed that at α=0.05, work environment, was an estimators of students’ academic performance in Mandera east sub-county, Kenya. The study recommends that schools in Mandera east sub-county, Kenya should; create strategies for enhancing their work environment by providing incentives to drive teacher’s satisfaction with the work environment, review their strategies on supply of teachers through ensuring that they have the number of teachers they require at any given time and develop strategies to mitigate teacher turnover strategies.

Beyond the numbers: unveiling the environmental impacts of international tourism and the role of renewable energy transition

ABSTRACT In pursuit of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 objectives for a sustainable and low-carbon future, this study examines the intricate dynamics between carbon emissions and key variables crucial to the nation's decarbonisation strategy. Grounded in the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) Theory, the chosen variables – sustainable tourism, renewable energy demand, and natural resource management – take centre stage. Applying Markov switching regime regression to data spanning 1990–2022, our findings reveal a positive association between international tourism and carbon emissions, aligning with the Tourism-induced Environmental Impact theory. Incorporating the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), our results illustrate a U-shaped relationship. Renewable energy consumption (REC) exhibits a negative impact, supporting EKC's premise that economic development and cleaner energy adoption mitigate environmental degradation. Identified as influential factors affecting carbon emissions, Economic growth and natural resource capital find theoretical backing. The second power of economic expansion positively influences carbon emissions, while the square of natural resources has a negative impact, aligning with resource scarcity theories. Granger causality estimates validate Tourism-led Growth, Resource Capital, and Emissions-led Growth hypotheses. Integrating insights from the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) and stakeholder theory, this study provides actionable insights for policymakers steering Saudi Arabia toward a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Consumer’s Re-Participation in Online Flash Sale after Service Failure: A Moderated-Mediation Study

Online flash sales (OFS) have gained significant popularity in recent times. Interestingly, despite encountering service failures such as server errors, stockouts, and website crashes due to heavy online traffic, many consumers opt to re-participate in future OFSs offered by the same provider. Our study delves into the underlying reasons for such behavior. We formulated and tested our model based on scarcity theory and consumer deal proneness literature. We employed a 2 (deal type: planned vs. incidental) × 2 (consumer motivation: utilitarian vs. hedonic) between-subjects design. We used SPSS PROCESS Macro to test the moderation and moderated mediation effects. Findings indicate that deal-prone consumers tend to overlook service failures and choose to re-participate in online flash sales. Consumer competition mediates the relationship between deal proneness (DP) and re-participation intention (RPI). The effect of deal proneness on re-participation intention is decreased in incidental OFS compared to planned OFS, with the indirect effect moderated by the deal type. Additionally, consumption motivation moderates the main effect, with hedonic motivation significantly attenuating the effect compared to utilitarian motivation. Our research makes a significant contribution to the literature by highlighting the boundary conditions—namely deal type and consumer motivation—that influence the impact of deal proneness on re-participation intention in the context of OFS. This study offers a process-oriented view, highlighting the mediating role of consumer competition in the OFS landscape. We also illuminate new avenues by examining the impact of consumer motivation on the link between deal proneness and re-participation intention. Specifically, our findings related to the moderating effect of deal type present a fresh perspective to the existing body of knowledge. This study provides valuable insights for practitioners, particularly concerning segment targeting and the strategic incorporation of competition to bolster overall OFS participation. Moreover, our research underscores the importance for online retailers to pay heightened attention to service failures during incidental OFS, as these can significantly undermine their profitability.

Conceptualization of time poverty and its impact on well-being: From the perspective of scarcity theory

Conceptualization of time poverty and its impact on well-being: From the perspective of scarcity theory

Herders-Farmers Conflicts over Farmlands: Implications for Human and Food Security in Nigeria

Farmers and herders conflicts have remained an issue of public discourse in recent years, due to the violent dimensions the confrontations have taken. There are cases of human killings, destruction of farms and violent retaliations between herders and farmers in various parts of Nigeria. These have often contributed to human and food security challenges. While the native farmers accuse the nomadic herders of allowing their cows to destroy cultivated crops, the herders point accusing fingers at the farmers for blocking grazing routes. As a result, the groups are found in perpetual violent conflicts, leading to destruction of lives and properties. The attendant implication of this development has always been shortage of farm produce, leading to food insecurity. The study examined how struggles between nomadic herders and crop farmers have threatened human and food security in Nigeria. The study relied on secondary data and employed environmental/resources scarcity theory as a framework of analysis. The study concluded that there is need for the Nigerian government to review the existing laws as they relate to accessibility to land by members of community and strangers.

From scarcity to security: Participant well‐being in the first 2 years of a basic income pilot

AbstractThis article describes the mental well‐being outcomes of participants in the HudsonUP pilot, a 5‐year basic income initiative for low to mid‐income residents of Hudson, NY. The study employs a mixed‐methods approach, including both quantitative surveys and qualitative phenomenological interviews, to better understand participants' experiences 2 years into the pilot. Through the lens of the psychological theory of scarcity, findings indicate that the HudsonUP program has improved the overall mental well‐being of the participants by reducing the stress and anxiety associated with financial insecurity and helping them to meet their basic needs, pursue further education, and career opportunities. Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic and inflation, participants expressed gratitude for the “undercurrent of stability” provided by the program.

Franchising Arrangements and Marketing Performance of Textile Industries in South – East Nigeria

This study investigated the relationship between franchising arrangements and marketing performance of textile distributors in South-East, Nigeria. The study was anchored on Transaction Cost Theory (TCT) and Resource Scarcity Theory (RST). Convenient sampling was employed in order to reach the study objectives. The analysis revealed positive and significant relationship between the two variables that was investigated. The findings revealed that franchising arrangement is a factor that motivates entrepreneurs to remain in franchising chain. Franchising has a strong relationship with customers’ satisfaction and market share, and protects entrepreneurs against competitor. Conclusively, Franchising Arrangements have positive and significant relationship with marketing performance. It was recommended that textile distributors in South-East Nigeria should fully adopt the practice of franchising arrangements in order to boost their business activities.

DETERMINANTS OF SUCCESS FOR SELF-SERVICE LAUNDRY FRANCHISES IN SAMUT SAKHON: A STUDY OF CRITICAL FACTORS, FRANCHISOR-FRANCHISEE RELATIONSHIPS, AND RESOURCE SCARCITY THEORY

The self-service laundry industry has witnessed significant growth and popularity, with self-service laundry franchises emerging as a lucrative investment option. This research investigates the critical success factors (CSFs) and resource scarcity theory that influence the success of self-service laundry franchises in Samut Sakhon, Thailand. The study employs a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth interviews with 25 franchisees operating in the region.
 The findings reveal key CSFs that significantly impact franchise success, including strategic location selection, equipment quality and maintenance, competitive pricing, effective marketing strategies, outstanding customer service, and hygiene standards. The franchisor-franchisee relationship, characterized by mutual support, open communication, and shared values, is also found to play a crucial role in franchise performance. Moreover, resource scarcity theory influences franchisee decision-making, providing access to established brands, operational expertise, and technology. Franchisors' resources, such as training, brand recognition, and marketing support, synergistically combine with franchisee resources to enhance overall performance.

A meta‐analysis on the effects of product scarcity

AbstractProduct scarcity can influence purchase decisions, but this relationship is multifaceted due to the influence of various cues. This study aims to integrate knowledge of this subject through a meta‐analysis. The findings suggest that the likelihood of purchasing a scarce product is greater under (i) scarcity conditions of excessive demand (rather than restricted supply) and variety (rather than a category), but not urgency (limited quantity and limited time) scarcity, and (ii) product conditions of enduring luxuries (as opposed to transitory luxuries) and the presence (rather than absence) of social signaling and seasonality. From a theoretical standpoint, this study offers a typology of product and scarcity cues and employs a meta‐analysis to enhance our understanding of the relationships between product scarcity, product and scarcity cues, and purchase decisions, resulting in the establishment of a heterogeneous theory of product scarcity. From a managerial standpoint, the study suggests that product scarcity can affect purchase decisions and can be ethically utilized as a marketing strategy.

Applying Resource Scarcity Theory to Franchising: The Effect of Industry Choice and Age on Franchise Success and Satisfaction

This study investigates the impact of industry category and age on franchise business ownership and job satisfaction. The selection of industry choice and age of a franchise business owner could be explained through resource scarcity theory. The decision to become or not become an entrepreneur is based on access or possession of resources. In addition, resource scarcity might explain the type of industry chosen to pursue entrepreneurship. This quantitative study used a comparative research model to gauge whether industry category and age of the franchise business owner impact satisfaction on franchise ownership. Findings reported in this study indicated that, in contrast to previous research on non-franchisee entrepreneurs, age was not correlated to higher satisfaction in owning and operating a franchise. Moreover, significant differences in job satisfaction were identified across industries.

Linking supply-demand balance of ecosystem services to identify ecological security patterns in urban agglomerations

Ecological security patterns (ESP) is an effective approach to identify the priority conservation areas and maintain regional ecological security. The previous ESP studies only focused on the supply of ecosystem services (ESs), but ignored the supply-demand interaction of ESs. In this study, a novel large-scale ESP framework was proposed by introducing the supply-demand scarcity of ESs to revise identification of ecological sources. According to the scarcity theory “the severer ESs imbalance, the higher priority of protection”, the ESs scarcity supply capacity (ESSSC) was reconstructed by combining ESs supply with two adjust factors of the urgency of regional eco-protection (UEP) and the priority of ESs type (PET). Finally, ecological sources integrating ESSSC and ecological sensitivity, ecological corridors, and ecological nodes were identified to establish a cross-regional ESP. The results show: (1) the reconstructed ESSSC approach significantly increased ecological sources areas of developed cities in urban agglomerations with the severer overall and structural imbalance, and effect of PET exceeds UEP; (2) appropriate allocation of key protection areas in regions with low supply but high demand and the priority protection of the severely imbalanced ESs types can alleviate environmental injustice; and 3) the extracted 160 ecological corridors and 16 ecological nodes effectively enhanced connectivity among ecological sources (36.2% of the study area), and formed a complete and connected ESP. The scarcity idea for regional coordination can guide the trans-administrative ecological decision making.

The effect of vaccination during the COVID-19 for the restaurant industry

The purpose of the study is to determine whether vaccination rates and the use of franchising have an impact on the volatility of stock returns in the restaurant industry. Based on the agency and resource scarcity theories, this study first examines the effect of vaccinations against COVID-19 on a restaurant firm’s stock return volatilities caused by uncertainty during a crisis. The study further investigates whether firm-specific vaccination rates more greatly reduce stock return volatilities as the degree of franchising increases. With a two-way fixed-effects model, the study finds that the firm-specific vaccination rate reduces volatilities of the firm’s stock returns. However, the study also finds an opposite direction to the moderating effect of franchising in that the more a restaurant firm franchises, the further the risk-reduction effect of its vaccination rate diminishes. Theoretical and practical implications along with limitations are discussed.

"If you don't buy it, it's gone!": The effect of perceived scarcity on panic buying

<abstract> <p>To identify the mechanisms by which perceived scarcity affects consumers' panic-buying behaviours and to explore the underlying reasons for panic-buying. Building on signalling theory and scarcity theory, we constructed a model of panic-buying behaviour. In total, 361 sources of valid data were collected via online questionnaires, and partial least squares structural equation modelling was employed for the empirical analysis. In the context of COVID-19, perceived scarcity significantly and positively influenced the macro signals, for example, by impacting perceived value and perceived competitiveness. Furthermore, perceived scarcity significantly affected consumers' micro signals, such as their perceived anxiety and perceived uncertainty. In combination, perceived value, perceived competitiveness, perceived anxiety and perceived uncertainty significantly and positively influenced consumers' panic-buying behaviours. Trust in the government also played a significant role by regulating consumers' micro signals and macro signals. The originality of this paper lies in its in-depth exploration of the multiple impacts of scarcity on consumer perceptions and it reveals the reasons for panic-buying behaviours. In doing so, it provides practical guidelines and understanding for consumers, businesses and the government.</p> </abstract>

How theory can help to understand the potential impact of food environment policies on socioeconomic inequalities in diet: an application of Bourdieu's capital theory and the scarcity theory.

Government policies that promote healthy food environments are considered promising to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in diet. Empirical evidence of effects on these inequalities, however, is relatively scarce and, with a few exceptions, tends to be inconclusive. We use two contemporary theories that help to understand socioeconomic inequalities in health and health-related behaviours (Bourdieu's capital theory and Mullainathan and Shafir's scarcity theory) to reason how policies influencing food environments may differentially impact lower and higher socioeconomic groups. In essence, these theories enable us to understand how specific elements of broader daily living conditions (e.g. social practices that lead to habitus formation, material conditions that shape experiences of scarcity) may lead to a greater benefit of certain food environment policies for the healthfulness of diets of lower or higher socioeconomic groups. We conclude that the application of theories on the mechanisms underlying socioeconomic inequalities in health can help to guide future empirical studies in testing theory-based hypotheses on differential effects of policies, and thereby enhance the development of effective policies tackling socioeconomic inequalities in dietary intakes.

Scarcity and the Mindsets of Social Welfare Recipients: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Abstract Financial scarcity is a fundamental condition for recipients of social welfare. We draw on scarcity theory to suggest that the condition of scarce resources may have a range of important psychological consequences for how welfare recipients’ cope with their problems, navigate citizen–state interactions, for their perceived ability to deal with their problems, and for their psychological well-being. In a field experiment using Danish unemployed social assistance recipients (N = 2,637), we test the psychological consequences of scarcity by randomly assigning recipients to be surveyed either shortly before payment of their social assistance benefits, shortly after, or mid-month. We find no impact of the scarcity manipulation and thus our main findings run counter to the idea that short-term changes in scarce financial conditions influence the mindsets of social welfare recipients. However, a series of exploratory cross-sectional regressions show that subjective scarcity, that is “the feeling of having too little”, is associated with an increased focus on solving problems, but negatively associated with psychological well-being, sense of mastery, and job search self-efficacy. We conclude that these correlates may reflect more long-term consequences of scarcity but that more and stronger causal evidence is needed given the cross-sectional nature of these data.

Challenges affecting Mzongwana cattle farmers to commercialise livestock production in Eastern Cape, from a local economic development perspective

Background: Rural cattle farmers in Mzongwana, Matatiele, Eastern Cape, face a scarcity of resources preventing them from commercial farming and contributing to local economic development (LED) and eradicating unemployment.Aim: This study compares resource constraints associated with livestock farming contained in the Matatiele Local Municipality’s LED strategy with those identified by the cattle farmers in Mzongwana villages, linked to the agricultural economic theory of scarcity of resources.Setting: The Matatiele area has an estimated unemployment rate of 39%. This article focuses on LED interventions to commercialise livestock farming practices in Mzongwana villages located in the Matatiele Local Municipality, in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa.Methods: A quantitative survey was conducted using a researcher-completed structured questionnaire with 34 of the 65 cattle farmers from Mzongwana.Results: The results revealed that major constraints affecting Mzongwana livestock farmers include stock theft, a dearth of bulls for breeding, inadequate water infrastructure and limited equipment to perform various cattle functions, such as scaling, loading, separating, clamping and sorting of cattle.Conclusion: The LED strategy of the local municipality should be revised to provide training and skills capacity building related to cattle breeding and to address these major constraints affecting the commercialisation of livestock farming in Mzongwana. It is recommended that the Matatiele Local Municipality assist in the combating of stock theft, provide training in artificial insemination, ensure water availability by building dams and drilling boreholes, and arrange for financial support for cattle farmers to purchase cattle equipment.

Investigating Why And When COVID-19 Triggered Psychological Distress Relates to Work Behaviors

The COVID-19 (C-19) pandemic promulgated psychological distress among employees across the United States, necessitating the examination of its consequential negative impact on employees’ engagement and work behaviors. Drawing upon conservation of resources (COR) and scarcity theory (ST), this research develops a theoretical model that demonstrates how employees’ psychological distress triggered by the C-19 pandemic (C-19PD) sways their task performance and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) via work engagement. Additionally, we also investigated the moderating roles of optimism and telecommuting intensity. In a sample of 275 employees from four public universities in the U.S., we found support for the mediation effect of work engagement and the moderating effect of optimism. Theoretical and practical implications and future research are also discussed.

A tutela do voto: clientelismo, chaguismo e outros dilemas da política no Rio de Janeiro

This article aims to discuss the subject of the guardianship of the vote. Our aim is to use a structured exploratory methodology based on an analysis of cases located in the state of Rio de Janeiro to discuss several mechanisms allowing Brazilian democracy to be directed within these parameters, within a historical dynamic featuring the relativization or kidnapping of citizen autonomy. First, we raise the question of guardianship based on the concepts of clientelism, mandonismo [bossism], and Chaguism, before providing a typology of candidates useful in a reflection on the profiles to be henceforth considered as representative of Rio’s political elite. In the second part of the text, we outline the particular structural features we understand as the particular pathos of Rio de Janeiro state politics, by means of analyzing two cases. First, that of smuggler Toninho Turco, which provides a useful illustration of the clash between the public machine and organized crime in the state. Second, the mayor of Duque de Caxias, Washington Reis (MDB), appears as a synthesis of the two archetypes of political elite revealed in the state of Rio de Janeiro. This reflection results in an effort to contest the theory of scarcity of supply, or, in other words, that the crisis in the state stems from a lack of electoral alternatives. Finally, we analyze the guardianship by means of the connection between the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary Powers, as well as the connection between such authorities and organized crime, using the concept of Litigância Militante [militant litigation] to reflect on the search and seizure operations carried out by the Public Ministry in an election year, with a focus on the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Job search in the presence of a stressor: Does financial hardship change the effectiveness of job search?

• SDT, COR and Scarcity Theory predict financial hardship reduces quality of job search. • We test this effect of hardship on search effectiveness in a PS matching analysis. • We control for confounders and the effect of financial hardship on search intensity. • Using Australian data, hardship reduces—through search quality—search effectiveness. • We show the importance of controlling for confounders in labor market research. Following a group of 2,973 Australian unemployed job seekers over time, we confirm predictions from Self-Determination Theory, Conservation of Resources Theory and Scarcity Theory that the presence of financial hardship during job search adversely affects job search quality and subsequently job search effectiveness (measured one year later). We show the importance in labor market research of controlling for a range of confounding factors including the impact of financial hardship on job search intensity. The implemented controls allow more precise inferences of the effect of financial hardship on job search quality/effectiveness, than so far achieved in this emerging body of literature.

Climate change, migration and farmer–herder conflict in Ghana

AbstractClimate change, migration, and conflict have been featured prominently in academic and policy literature. While Africa remains the major reference point, studies on key conflict hotspots fail to adequately examine empirical demonstrations of how climate change forces migration, and consequently major conflicts. Drawing on semi‐structured interviews, focus group discussions, and employing the scarcity theory in a study of Agogo (Ghana), we illustrate how regional and local climate/environmental variability and scarcity trigger and sustain migration and farmer–herder conflicts. The findings offer insights into how other non‐climatic and ecological conditions reinforce the so‐called climate‐induced conflicts, exposing the limitations of the scarcity‐theory. Importantly, this study has provided an illustrative argument centered around the contextual dynamics of the nexus between climate change and farmer–herder conflict in Agogo to contribute to national, regional, and continental discussion on this critical topic.