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Older adults often experience loneliness as a vicious circle, in which loneliness builds more loneliness. Breaking this cycle is key to minimize the experience of loneliness. MOAI LABS is a European project that adopts a codesign process to develop digital solutions to address loneliness in older adults. This study aims to adopt a solution-based approach to capture solutions that community-dwelling older Portuguese adults who feel loneliness already experience in their lives.

Six individuals (aged 64–86 years) answered two solution-based questions: miracle and exceptions. Findings were obtained from one group discussion session that was audio-recorded, transcribed and submitted to qualitative analysis.

Main findings suggest that participants feel comfort in imagining their desired scenarios that involve being with their loved ones, better health conditions, adequate housing settings and contact with nature.

The findings highlight that leaving loneliness alone seems to be a path that may be facilitated by digital solutions that display solution-based questions, such as online platforms for social connection, virtual care and monitoring, design of smart home devices and the creation of immersive virtual reality experiences to explore nature, complemented by psychosocial support.

This article aims to analyze the anthropocentrism vs ethics of care positions of a group of undergraduate students at a private university in Mexico to test gender variable differences in their perspectives. There are two hypotheses: (1) there is a statistically significant difference between male and female genders related to anthropocentrism vs ethics of care positions, and if so, (2) the differences are attributable to women having a more ethics of care position than men. Participants were 561 undergraduate students from a private university in Mexico (257 female, 304 male). The findings demonstrated that both hypotheses were supported by the ethics of care, where the individual rights perspective is set aside to seek collective and holistic well-being.

T-tests were performed to test gender differences in anthropocentrism and ethics of care.

The results showed statistical differences based on gender (sig.000) and that women are less anthropocentric (or more oriented toward an ethics of care than men (female:1.64 and male:1.94). Ethics of care of female position is more defined than that of men. As a conclusion, men are more oriented to anthropocentrism, which reflects a lack of environmental connection by not assuming themselves as part of it and by defending the right of resources exploitation. On the contrary, women tend to respond from an ethic of care that means a more harmonious relationship with nature. In addition, women tend to assume a relationship with the environment, without hierarchy or supremacy towards it, and tend to reject the demand for the exploitation of the planet's resources as part of a right that human beings have historically assumed.

One of the limitations of this study is that it has been carried out in a university educational context with exclusively undergraduate students. It would be interesting to validate these anthropocentric vs ethics of care positions in different university groups, including professors and academic managers. Studying this concept in diverse contexts such as business, government and civil society would also be engaging. In addition, the authors recognize that the study is limited by its small population, which means that a balance between men and women or disciplines could not be guaranteed. However, the authors believe that although the results may not be considered exhaustive or conclusive, the results shed light for possible new studies in which the population is expanded. This is an exploratory study.

These results have practical implications for universities. In the classroom and in the university environment, students can learn to question the way they relate to the environment. Anthropocentrism (more accentuated in men) is assumed to be separate from the environment and with the right to its exploitation. Contrary to anthropocentrism, it is necessary to explore other positions such as the ethics of care or feminine ethics, more pronounced in women. Universities can develop environmental sustainability projects under the leadership of women, without claiming to be exclusive to them. In this way, the ethic of care approach can be put into practice and thus begin the necessary change for a new environmental relationship perspective.

Universities are required to provide an educational orientation towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) particularly those that respond to the climate crisis. To this end, it is necessary to promote a new environmental awareness that critically question anthropocentric models based on the supremacy over the environment. The ethics of care or feminine ethics, contrary to the previous position, assumes that the person is part of the environment and is oriented to its care and healing of the damage caused to restore this network of the human being with nature. The originality of this study lies in demonstrating how women exhibit a different relationship with the environment, oriented to the ethics of care, and how their posture shows a difference with anthropocentrism, which is stronger in men.

Building on the attitude–behavior relationship model, this study aims to contribute to customer orientation literature by suggesting that service employees’ commitment (i.e. personal attitude) affects their customer orientation via the effect of their participation in knowledge sharing with colleagues (i.e. employees’ behavior).

The empirical analysis has been developed around survey data, collected from 165 service workers of Italian museums. The hypotheses are tested through the SPSS PROCESS macro plugin.

Drawing on the importance of human capital to tourism organizations, this study illustrates that affective commitment has a positive and significant influence on employees’ customer orientation, and that this relationship is fully mediated by knowledge-sharing behaviors.

As attitudes are more stable than behaviors, the findings suggest that managers of tourism organizations implement appropriate selection and recruitment techniques, together with adequate involvement and empowerment activities, to identify and support individuals whose attitudes fit the organizational goals.

Acknowledging the contribution that workers can give to service organizations’ success, this paper enriches the understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the relationship between employees’ attitudes and their orientation toward the customer. Building on the cognitive dissonance theory, it adds to extant research on the individual antecedents of employees’ customer orientation by shedding light on the attitude–behavior relationship in tourism organizations.

Nel definire e delimitare il turismo si propende verso due teorie: l'una lo vuol classificare quale fenomeno sociale, ossia sotto il profilo dei moventi che lo determinano; l'altra lo preferisce inquadrare sotto l'aspetto economico, ossia considerandolo dal punto di vista degli effetti cui esso dà luogo nel dar vita all'organizzazione ricettiva e nell'alimentare l'attività di quelle industrie e di quei servizi che la costituiscono.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the availability and use of IT solutions for strategic knowledge management (SKM) and the universities’ performance, measured in terms of scientific production.

Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and the knowledge-based theory, the authors develop a conceptual framework for exploring the effect of SKM based on IT on the organisation’s performance that they empirically test by applying panel data methodology to a sample of 70 Spanish universities over the period 2011-2014.

The authors confirm that the SKM based on IT influences the university’s performance. This effect is positive in the case of the IT solutions referred to the infrastructure of data grouping and more evident when the university’s performance is measured by indicators more directly related to scientific quality. Contrary to expected, the percentage of training and research staff that uses institutional tools of collaborative work is negatively related with the universities’ capacity of publication.

The authors followed the system dynamics approach to identify a causal diagram and a flow sequence that lets them group universities in three different profiles in the knowledge management (KM) flow diagram.

First, the authors develop a conceptual framework for exploring the effect of SKM based on IT on the organisation’s performance that could be applicable to analyse the case of other knowledge-driven organisations. Second, in contrast with the large number of studies dealing with SKM and performance focused on firms, the authors analyse universities. Third, the authors’ empirical approach used the panel data methodology with a large sample of universities over the period 2011-2014.

Il ministro italiano dei Lavori Pubblici, ing. Romita, ha dichiarato recentemente che i danni di guerra subiti dall'Italia ammontano all'astronomica cifra di 3 000 miliardi di lire, secondo dati non ancora del tutto completi e al valore attuale della lire: se tale valore continuerà a declinare andremo naturalmente più su.

Through an empirical study, this research proposes a multi-dimensional assessment method for Sustainable Building Design (SBD). This approach is adopted to investigate and evaluate the current practices of SBD and to provide a basis for refining such processes while reducing existing shortfalls. In doing so, a holistic sustainable framework for rating the sustainable performance of buildings is proposed.

To achieve the aforementioned purpose, this research (1) investigates the most current trends in SBD including the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM); (2) examines the practical issues of SBD; (3) proposes a multi-dimensional assessment method; and (4) compares 18 separate case studies in the three countries of Australia, United Kingdom and USA, as part of the SBD implementation. To compare these case studies, an additional SBD tool, Green Building Rating and Certification System (GBELS) was carefully selected and applied. Five core values of SBD were identified based on functionality, accessibility and productivity, which align with the GBELS outcomes.

This research found that, for the 18 examined buildings, the main issues in SBD in the three countries concerned environmental and ecological issues. These included the impacts of buildings on the environment, as well as issues concerning the buildings' life cycle analysis and assessment. It was also determined that energy usage, pollution reduction and climate change concerns were important inclusions in establishing these buildings, particularly in the USA.

To support the research aim, this paper explores the most innovative trends in SBD assessments including their Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), grade (stars) classification, Relative Weight (RW) and particularly GBELS. GBELS was selected for this research, since it is relatively new and there is little available literature discussing its adaptation. Accordingly, this research further evaluates the application of GBELS as a part of versatility in SBD multi-dimensional assessment method. As the basis of these tests, a total of 18 separate case studies are closely evaluated.

The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating effect of learning orientation on the market orientation and business performance of industrial Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the metal-mechanic and wine sectors in southern Brazil, an emerging economy country.

Survey data were collected from 309 Brazilian managers of SMEs in the metal-mechanic and wine sectors. The study analyzed overall model fit and causal relationships by confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.

The survey results show that there is a positive and significant relationship between the variables market orientation, learning orientation and business performance in the investigated sectors. Learning orientation mediates the relationship between market orientation and business performance.

This article provides insight to guide industrial managers of Brazilian SMEs in the metal-mechanic and wine sectors in a prosperous region with a thriving economy. The mediating effect of learning orientation can help managers in their commitment to learning, market vision and open-mindedness in teams that work with multiple orientations.

Few studies focus on analyzing the mediating effect of learning orientation in industrial SMEs in the metal-mechanic and wine sectors. This article differs from others due to the relationships between the constructs, LO mediation over MO and BP, relevance of the investigated sectors for the region and multiple guidelines for managers of the investigated SMEs. Previous studies are scarce on the indirect effect of LO on MO and BP in developing countries.

This cross-sectional survey captured educational leadership preparation programs' (ELPPs') relative emphases on 12 evidence-based school leadership competences and related pedagogical approaches to identify the gap between optimal performance per the literature base and actual practice reported for US ELPPs.

A survey with closed and open-ended questions was sent to all program coordinators of US-based ELPPs.

Results indicate instructional leadership and use of data are especially emphasized competences, and readings and class-based work were the most prevalent modes of instruction. The most prevalent teaching methods are text and class-based work, and residencies/internships. The least prevalent are instructional tools associated with practice and rehearsal, such as simulations.

The data were collected prior to the world-wide shift in educational delivery associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. While they do not capture during-pandemic approaches, the national-level findings provide an impetus for altering or strengthening approaches to leader preparation based upon the shortcomings these results suggest.

There has been no previous inquiry into all US ELPPs regarding how their curriculum aligns with empirically based leadership competences, what their pedagogical approaches include or the needs they identify to further improve their program's quality.

Several works have focused on defining an organisation mission. Ansoff, Levitt and Drucker, among others, have made seminal contributions. However, globalisation has brought new challenges and changes, in terms of both new risks and new opportunities. Thus: How does globalisation impact on how a firm should define its business? What remains valid, as before, and what must be adapted? And why? are questions to be answered. This study aims to accomplish this.

This paper discusses the task of defining an organisation mission on a global age.

One of its main conclusions is that, more than ever, defining a business mission, requires now that one incorporates location in the definition. Location includes three different things: geographical area, distribution channels, and time location.

It may seem paradoxical that, as globalisation advances, location becomes more important in a business definition. This paper explains why.