The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on the Decision-Making Process of Music Festival-Goers: Findings from a Survey-Embedded Experiment

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received pronounced interest at both the academic and industry levels, associated with the recognition that businesses have responsibilities towards society beyond profit making (Othman & Othman, 2014). The tourism industry relies heavily on environmental and cultural resources within tourist destinations (Sheldon & Park, 2011), requiring businesses to actively engage with social and environmental issues (Henderson, 2007). While there is an increased interest in CSR in the tourism sector at both the academia and business levels, CSR tourism research is underdeveloped (Coles, Fenclova, & Dinan, 2013; Sheldon & Park, 2011; Wells, Smith, Taheri, Manika, & McCowlen, 2016). Moreover, little academic attention has been paid to CSR among major tourism attractions, with the exception of casinos (Coles et al., 2013). Consumers generally act as drivers for CSR activities (Kotler, 2011), making it important for businesses to understand how tourists respond to different types of CSR. However, assessing consumer responses to CSR is still in its infancy as a research area (Marchoo, Butcher, & Watkins, 2014). To address the gaps found in the literature, this study focused on examining festival-goers\u27 behavioral intentions and desires related to different CSR initiatives (environmental, social, and economic) at music festivals. This study employed experimental design to investigate festival-goers\u27 behavioral intentions and desires towards CSR activities undertaken by music festivals. Specifically, this study placed three CSR initiatives (environmental, social, and economic) within the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB), thereby forming an Extended Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (EMBG). The data was collected via an online survey-embedded experiment through Amazon Mechanical Turk (Mturk). The results revealed that environmental CSR initiative was effective in predicting behavioral intention and desire; however, when environmental CSR initiative variable was combined with the MGB, the effect of environmental CSR on desire lost its significance. The results indicated that both the MGB and the EMGB were effective in explaining festival-goers\u27 behavioral intentions and desires for the EMGB. Accordingly, the process of extending the MGB was successful and environmental CSR initiative was the only significant predictor of desire and behavioral intention among the three CSR initiatives

Tour Guide and Tourist Loyalty Toward Cultural Heritage Sites: A Signaling Theory Perspective

Built upon the signaling theory and the well-documented stimulus-organism-response framework, the purpose of this study is to examine how tour guides at Petra World Heritage Site act as a signal to influence tourists’ experience and satisfaction, which in turn influence tourists’ loyalty. Using the structural equation modeling technique, the study empirically tested a conceptual model with a convenience sample of tourists who visited Petra World Heritage Site in Jordan. Findings reveal that tour guides have significant direct and indirect effects on tourists’ loyalty. Moreover, the findings showed that tourists’ experience and satisfaction significantly mediate the relationship between tour guides and tourists’ loyalty. The present study’s unique contribution lies in its examination of the role of the tour guide in increasing tourists’ loyalty in the heritage tourism context. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed considering the empirical findings

How Spiritual Leadership Influences Creative Behaviors: the Mediating Role of Workplace Climate

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between spiritual leadership and creative behavior with workplace climate as mediating variable in the Jordanian banking.   Theoretical framework: The purpose of this study, which extends the theories of intrinsic motivation and social exchange, is to acquire a deeper knowledge of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between spiritual leadership and innovative workplace behavior.   Design/methodology/approach: The study used quantitative research approach through a survey based on random sampling method from (n= 358) employees of 13 Jordanian commercial banks in Amman. For purposes of analysis, structural equation modeling was then utilized for the examination of the research hypotheses.   Findings: The results of the research indicated that workplace climate mediates the link between spiritual leadership and creative behavior. Specifically, greater levels of creative behavior among employees were related to spiritual leadership, as was a favorable working environment.   Research, Practical & Social implications: The study offers managerial and theoretical implications while considering the study’s limitations to provide guidance for the future.   Originality/value: The study identifies the magnificent influence of spiritual leadership and the workplace climate by delineating how these factors stimulate creative behaviors among employees. Specifically, the study focuses on how spiritual leadership and the workplace climate stimulate creative behaviors among employees. We examine the consequences of these findings for both research and practice

Nexus of Strategic Thinking, Knowledge-Oriented Leadership, and Employee Creativity in Higher Education Institutes

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine strategic thinking and knowledge-oriented leadership influence employees' creativity in the setting of Jordanian private universities.   Theoretical framework: The study employed Path Goal Theory to clarify the interaction of the variables used in Higher Education Institutes to address the issue.   Design/methodology/approach: The research used a “partial least squares-structural equation modeling” approach to examine the gathered data. For analysis purpose, was developed and empirically verified with data (n = 143) obtained from a random sample of private universities in Jordan.   Findings: The result found that Strategic thinking promotes and increases employee creativity. However, knowledge-oriented leadership moderates the causal association between strategic thinking and employee creativity.   Research implications: The results are presented taking into account the relevant research as well as the practical implications for higher education administrators.   Originality/value: The novel theoretical contribution that was made by this study is its emphasis on knowledge-oriented leadership as a moderator in the link between strategic thinking and employee creativity

Computational prediction of glass-forming ability and crystallization tendencies

The Third Annual FPTP Network Meetin

Prevalence and Characteristics of Self-Reported Hypothyroidism and Its Association with Nonorgan-Specific Manifestations in US Sarcoidosis Patients: A Nationwide Registry Study

Little is known about the prevalence, clinical characteristics and impact of hypothyroidism in patients with sarcoidosis. We aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical features of hypothyroidism and its relation to organ involvement and other clinical manifestations in patients with sarcoidosis. We conducted a national registry-based study investigating 3835 respondents to the Sarcoidosis Advanced Registry for Cures Questionnaire between June 2014 and August 2019. This registry is based on a self-reported, web-based questionnaire that provides data related to demographics, diagnostics, sarcoidosis manifestations and treatment. We compared sarcoidosis patients with and without self-reported hypothyroidism. We used multivariable logistic regression and adjusted for potential confounders to determine the association of hypothyroidism with nonorgan-specific manifestations. 14% of the sarcoidosis patients self-reported hypothyroidism and were generally middle-aged white women. Hypothyroid patients had more comorbid conditions and were more likely to have multiorgan sarcoidosis involvement, especially with cutaneous, ocular, joints, liver and lacrimal gland involvement. Self-reported hypothyroidism was associated with depression (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.3, 95% CI 1.01–1.6), antidepressant use (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1–1.7), obesity (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.4–2.1), sleep apnoea (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.2), chronic fatigue syndrome (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–2) and was borderline associated with fibromyalgia (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1–1.8). Physical impairment was more common in patients with hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism is a frequent comorbidity in sarcoidosis patients that might be a potentially reversible contributor to fatigue, depression and physical impairment in this population. We recommend considering routine screening for hypothyroidism in sarcoidosis patients especially in those with multiorgan sarcoidosis, fatigue and depression

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Molecular Drivers of Crystallization Kinetics for Drugs in Supersaturated Aqueous Solutions

In this study, we explore molecular properties of importance in solution-mediated crystallization occurring in supersaturated aqueous drug solutions. Furthermore, we contrast the identified molecular properties with those of importance for crystallization occurring in the solid state. A literature data set of 54 structurally diverse compounds, for which crystallization kinetics from supersaturated aqueous solutions and in melt-quenched solids were reported, was used to identify molecular drivers for crystallization kinetics observed in solution and contrast these to those observed for solids. The compounds were divided into fast, moderate, and slow crystallizers, and in silico classification was developed using a molecular K-nearest neighbor model. The topological equivalent of Grav3 (related to molecular size and shape) was identified as the most important molecular descriptor for solution crystallization kinetics; the larger this descriptor, the slower the crystallization. Two electrotopological descriptors (the atom-type E-state index for -Caa groups and the sum of absolute values of pi Fukui(+) indices on C) were found to separate the moderate and slow crystallizers in the solution. The larger these descriptors, the slower the crystallization. With these 3 descriptors, the computational model correctly sorted the crystallization tendencies from solutions with an overall classification accuracy of 77% (test set)