Protestant Business Ethics Through a Matrix: the Bible, H. Richard Niebuhr, and Management-Labor Relations

Organized labor has been largely absent from discussions of management-employee relations in Protestant business ethics, which lacks a magisterium that would encourage such discussion. Given the Protestant reliance on the Bible as the main moral source for Christian business ethics, any effort to incorporate labor into business ethics needs to link the Bible to how business organizations function and to the history of labor management relations. This article first grids out Protestant approaches for using the Bible, then explores ideas drawn and developed from H. Richard Niebuhr, a U.S. theologian active in the middle of the twentieth century. His ideas of responsivity, center of value, covenant, contingency and influence are applied using fields of organizational knowledge, while being connected with the Biblical and labor history. The virtue of this ‘integrative-interpretive’ approach is that it permits determinative judgements to be made from within a thematically cohesive framework of analysis

Exploring the Untapped Workforce Potential of Employees With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Hotel Industry: Where to Start

The hotel industry struggles with high employee turnover and labor shortages. Employing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (EIDD) offers a solution, providing benefits such as improved loyalty, reduced turnover, and greater workplace diversity. Successful integration of EIDD requires addressing challenges like communication barriers, stigma, and the need for tailored support. Key to success are job coaches, who provide on-the-job training, support, and communication between EIDD and supervisors. They also educate coworkers to foster a more inclusive environment. Hotels should implement structured onboarding, provide reasonable accommodations, and offer socialization opportunities to ensure long-term success. Regular job coaching, performance feedback, and clear job roles promote retention. Managers can leverage job coaches to provide personalized training and create a culture of inclusion. By aligning EIDD employment with corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals and partnering with external agencies, hotels can reduce turnover, improve workforce stability, and enhance their public image

Conical Radon Transform for Medical Imaging

The 2D Conical Radon transform is an alternate approach to medical imaging that is more efficient than the conventional method used in the PET Scan. Here, a 2D Conical Radon transform is used to reconstruct a function or image from a line integral on a 2-dimensional cone with a fixed angle and axis of symmetry at each data point. Implemented in MATLAB, this method uses a single Reimann Sum to produce images in a faster and less computationally expensive way. The V-Line transform is an alternative understanding of the 2D Conical Radon transform in which it is theoretically proven that a function enclosed in a circle of fixed radius can be retrieved using the transform. This proof works with the basic setup of single scattering optical tomography (SSOT)

The Dirty Work of Faith-washing in a Faith-friendly Business

Drawing on faith/spirituality at work and organizational legitimacy literatures, a case study of a large global meat company is used to deconstruct the concept of faith-friendly business and explore how faith-washing can provide a business with legitimacy and potentially distract stakeholders from irresponsible activities. In particular, I focus on the faith-friendly communications and initiatives in relation to treatment of non-salaried employees as a primary stakeholder of the company. I highlight a disconnect from religious social thought on meaningful and dignified work and many of the concepts found in the modern faith/spirituality at work literature, as well as societal expectations on health and safety in the workplace. Implications are provided for practice and research, including theoretical development in the areas of strategic legitimacy management and faith-washing in organizations

Factors Motivating Clothing Choice: Environmental Impact of T-Shirts

Second only to oil, the fashion industry is one of the most pollutive industries globally. Due to the rise of fast fashion, this environmental issue is continually growing. The level of production has dramatically increased while quality of apparel has decreased, causing shorter garment lifespans. This research utilizes life cycle assessment to identify the environmental impacts of various textiles used in the production of t-shirts, including cotton, polyester, viscose, and elastane. The research scope focuses from material extraction through garment disposal. The life cycle assessment research is paired with a community survey to determine consumer behavioral patterns surrounding clothing consumption and sustainability. Of the four fibers studied, viscose was found to be the most emissive. The drying phase of the t-shirt’s life cycle was found to be by far the most impactful stage, accounting for more than half of a shirt’s total emissions. Results from the community survey determined that individuals who were more willing to mend their clothes reported a higher care for sustainable clothing. Focusing efforts on promoting alternative drying methods will produce the greatest short-term reduction in emissions related to fashion. Conducting further research to better understand how long individuals actually retain clothing items in the era of fast fashion and how to promote reduced consumption is needed elicit long-term change for the sustainable fashion industry

Classroom Teachers\u27 Approaches to Values Education: Exploring Explicit and Implicit Strategies for Teaching and Modeling Values

Abstract This study explores the approaches Nigerian secondary school teachers in Anambra State use to teach values through explicit and implicit methods. Recognizing the need to understand how values are effectively communicated in the classroom, this research delves into the dual strategies employed by educators and their impacts on student moral development. The research used a qualitative interview study approach, which included semi-structured interviews with ten experienced secondary school teachers and a document analysis of teaching resources. This method allows one to investigate the explicit instruction and implicit modeling strategies applied in values education in depth. Findings reveal that teachers teach values using explicit methods, such as direct instruction and structured discussions, alongside implicit strategies, including behavioral modeling and manipulating the classroom environment. These approaches are strategically used to instill core values such as honesty, respect, and responsibility among students. The study highlights the effective integration of explicit and implicit methods in fostering an environment conducive to moral and ethical development. However, it also identifies challenges, such as the potential rigidity of explicit methods and the inconsistency of values transmitted through implicit means. The research underscores the need for teacher training that balances direct teaching with the subtleties of modeling behavior. Recommendations include developing policies that support a comprehensive values education framework and enhancing teacher awareness of the hidden curriculum\u27s impact. This study contributes to the broader discourse on improving values education in Nigerian schools by advocating for a holistic approach that merges structured teachings with behavioral examples