Corporate image: a service recovery perspective

This article explores direct and indirect antecedents that contribute to corporate image formation in a service recovery context. Two studies were carried out in Egypt. Study 1 comprises 29 semistructured interviews with complainants of mobile phone network service providers in Egypt. Study 2 encompasses a mail survey of another 437 complainants. Findings reveal the importance of perceived justice, namely, interactional justice, in corporate image formation, as well as the mediating role of satisfaction with service recovery in the perceived justice-corporate image relationship. Results also reveal two empirical relationships: problem solving as a determinant of distributive justice and follow-up as a driver of procedural justice. Accordingly, this study contributes to the service field by providing the first empirical evaluation of new direct and indirect antecedents of corporate image formation in a service recovery context. Managerial recommendations are provided that encourage service practitioners to emphasize perceived justice and satisfaction with a service recovery process to enhance the company’s image. Additionally, companies should invest in implementing problem solving and follow-up as service recovery strategies since both significantly enhance perceived justice

More than 10,000 pre-Columbian earthworks are still hidden throughout Amazonia

Indigenous societies are known to have occupied the Amazon basin for more than 12,000 years, but the scale of their influence on Amazonian forests remains uncertain. We report the discovery, using LIDAR (light detection and ranging) information from across the basin, of 24 previously undetected pre-Columbian earthworks beneath the forest canopy. Modeled distribution and abundance of large-scale archaeological sites across Amazonia suggest that between 10,272 and 23,648 sites remain to be discovered and that most will be found in the southwest. We also identified 53 domesticated tree species significantly associated with earthwork occurrence probability, likely suggesting past management practices. Closed-canopy forests across Amazonia are likely to contain thousands of undiscovered archaeological sites around which pre-Columbian societies actively modified forests, a discovery that opens opportunities for better understanding the magnitude of ancient human influence on Amazonia and its current state

Online Learning and Teaching: The Perceptions of Off-Campus Postgraduate Management Students

The aim of this study was twofold: First, to determine students' perceptions regarding the positive and negative aspects of online learning and, second, to identify the activities students have experienced when learning online and to determine their perceptions regarding the way these activities were managed by lecturers. An online survey (developed using Qualtrix) was emailed to 474 off-campus students who are pursuing a postgraduate coursework degree in management. So far we have received 62 responses, which indicates a response rate of 13%. Results show that these students consider that the most important benefits of online learning are its flexibility and the learning management system, whilst lack of interaction, traditional approaches to learning, poor feedback and low usage of online learning tools are the most negative ones. With regards to experience with online learning tools, students are more familiar with discussion boards, emails and chat rooms while few students had experience with podcasts and vodcasts. In relation to the management of online learning activities, the tools identified as being most beneficial were the ones that were less frequently used by lecturers, whilst emails (which were widely used) were ranked least beneficial. There was no significant difference related to the level of competence with the online environment, number of subjects completed, type of internet access or gender

Poker Machine Wars: Social Responsibility and Marketing

The paper discusses the "business" of poker machines in Australian casinos, clubs and hotels and the role that marketing has played in this controversial issue. In particular, the paper focus on proposed legislation that aims at reducing the amount of money problem gamblers spend on poker machines. First, the paper discusses the role of marketing in promoting poker machine gambling. Then the paper moves to analyse the role of key stakeholders, such as, gambling venues, sporting associations and the gamblers themselves. Finally the paper discusses some social responsibility implications

Poker Machine Wars: Social Responsibility and Marketing

The paper discusses the "business" of poker machines in Australian clubs and hotels, and the role that marketing has played in this controversial issue. In particular, the paper focuses on the current public debate surrounding poker machines, their social impact and the role of the Federal Government in regulating poker machine gambling. First, the paper discusses the role of marketing in promoting poker machine gambling. Then the paper moves to analyse the role of key stakeholders, including gambling venues, sporting associations and the gamblers themselves. Finally the paper raises relevant questions that need to be addressed in order for an informed debate to occur

Lecturers' Social Presence and Personality in the Online Environment: The Perceptions of Off-Campus Postgraduate and On and Off-Campus Undergraduate Management Students

The first aim of this chapter is to present a literature review regarding two very important concepts for the online learning environment: social presence and personality. The second aim is to present the findings of an exploratory study that measured students' perceptions regarding different aspects of their experience with the online learning environment including social presence and personality of lecturers in the online environment in particular. An online survey (developed using Qualtrix) was emailed to 474 off-campus postgraduate and 699 undergraduate students who are pursuing a coursework degree in management. To date, 62 responses from postgraduate and 41 from undergraduate students have been received, which indicates a response rate of 13 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively. Results show that social presence is not being successfully developed by lecturers, with discussion boards and chat rooms showing relatively low evaluations. In terms of lecturers' personalities in the online environment, results show that some lecturers do not have a clear structure for their discussion boards and chat rooms and that the language used by lecturers in the online environment (especially discussion boards and chat rooms) differs from their language in face-to-face contexts. Other online learning tools, such as special podcasts and special vodcasts, show less difference in the personality of lecturers in the online and face-to-face contexts, especially in terms of language and tone of voice used by lecturers

Promoting engagement and interaction through a technology supported learning activity

In this paper we describe a technology supported learning activity that was developed, implemented and evaluated in a postgraduate, online unit of study offered by the University of New England in 2011. A learner analysis and an analysis of the learning outcomes of the unit informed the development of this activity. The online activity was created within a Wiki and students completed it in the first few weeks of the teaching period. This design was intended to build social presence by encouraging ongoing interaction and engagement in the unit. A constructivist approach was utilised to facilitate this authentic activity in line with theories for learning futures. The activity provided scaffolding for subsequent assessment tasks in the unit. Students' outcomes and their feedback on the activity suggested it was successful in achieving the intended goals

Social Presence in the Online Learning Environment

This paper presents one aspect of the findings of an exploratory study conducted at UNE during 2010 that measured the perceptions of management students regarding their online learning experiences, particularly the development of social presence by lecturers in this environment. An online survey was emailed to postgraduate, off-campus students and undergraduate, on- and off- campus students who are enrolled in a coursework degree in management. Results suggest that social presence is not being successfully developed by lecturers, with discussion boards and chat rooms receiving relatively low evaluations

Enhancing Distance Education Student Outcomes Utilising Learning Analytics: A Case Study

In this paper we identify strategies, informed by learning analytics, which lecturers can adopt at the subject level to ensure students have the best possible opportunity to successfully complete their studies. This approach also has the potential to enhance outcomes for the institution through increased student satisfaction and decreased attrition. Our aim is to identify key points in the teaching period for interventions that will have the most impact on student outcomes and describe appropriate interventions. We focus on one particular subject as a case study, however, our findings are likely to be generalisable across a range of subjects and disciplines

Using Learning Analytics to Inform Interventions for 'At Risk' Online Students

This paper describes a project designed to explore the use of learning analytics in real time to enhance students' learning experience. The approach was designed to be implemented by individual subject coordinators during the teaching period using student data which is readily available from the learning management system. This project demonstrates how a simple approach to tracking students' activities and timely implementation of interventions for 'at risk' students can encourage engagement and result in an enhanced online learning experience