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Cultural Environment (cultural + environment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Psychology	23%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	23%
Medical Sciences	15%
Engineering	15%

Selected Abstracts

Problems of Indigenous Community Councils in North Australia

AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, Issue 4 2006
Chris Adepoyibi
Since 1978 community councils have been able to directly qualify for Northern Territory government funding. Community councils have therefore become instruments for community governance as well as being responsible for delivering municipal services to Northern Territory Indigenous communities. The effectiveness of these councils are influenced by the community/cultural environment and the strategic environment. A community council plays an important role in negotiations between these two environments. The article observes that there is a strong separation of responsibilities in communities between those relating to municipal services and those relating to community/cultural issues and suggests a realignment of supervisory authority and de-concentration of responsibilities within community councils. [source]

National Culture and the Composition and Leadership Structure of Boards of Directors

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2008
Jiatao Li
ABSTRACT Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question/Issue: How and to what extent does national culture influence the composition and leadership structure of the boards of directors of multinational firms? Research Findings/Insights: Societal norms about corporate structure are treated as components of national culture. Hofstede's measures of national culture were shown to predict the board composition and leadership structure of firms based in that culture. The hypotheses were tested with data on 399 multinational manufacturing firms based in 15 industrial countries. The results suggest that national culture can have strong effects on corporate governance and should be considered in any transnational study. Theoretical/Academic Implications: The predictive accuracy of the culture variables provides strong support for the argument that norms embedded in a society's culture affect organizational structure, at least at the board level. The results of the study contribute to our understanding of institutional theory in explaining observed variations in corporate board composition and leadership structure across countries. By linking board composition to the cultural environment, institutional theory provides an explicit framework for analyzing variations in board structure across national boundaries. Practitioner/Policy Implications: When considering board composition and leadership structure, it is important to consider national culture norms. The findings of the study also have important implications for multinational firms setting up boards for their subsidiaries in different countries. [source]

Cultural differences in conceptual models of ride comfort for high-speed trains

HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS IN MANUFACTURING & SERVICE INDUSTRIES, Issue 2 2009
Joo Hwan Lee
This study focuses on an analysis of the difference in cultural experiences for similar services through analyzing the difference in conceptual models of ride comfort for passengers of KTX (Korea Train eXpress) and TGV (Train a Grand Vitesse). These trains operate with identical platforms; KTX was introduced by K-TGV (Korea-TGV) based on TGV (French high-speed train). For the conceptual models of ride comfort, this study surveyed 200 KTX passengers on the Seoul--Busan line (duration: 2 hours 30 minutes) and surveyed 150 France TGV passengers on the Paris--Marseilles line (duration: 2 hours 40 minutes). The conceptual models of ride comfort were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). In the results of the study, though there were differences in cultural environment (e.g., physical environment, body size, etc.) and cultural mentality (e.g., preference, unconscious rule, etc.), the models of ride comfort for both countries shared similar critical factors. However, there were significant differences in loading values of ride comfort for these critical factors. In particular, there were differences of 1.5 to 2 times between the two models regarding the subfactors seat factor and human fatigue factor. In conclusion, this study elicits that experience factor is the most influential on ride comfort, and cultural factors are applied as essential variables in ride comfort improvement. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Relationship marketing, audience retention and performing arts organisation viability

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NONPROFIT & VOLUNTARY SECTOR MARKETING, Issue 2 2002
Ruth Rentschler
Marketing strategy in performing arts organisations has become particularly important in the increasingly competitive environment in which the arts operate. Since the late 1980s there has been a necessary shift in focus to audience development away from product development. This change in focus is being encouraged to ensure the long-term viability of performing arts organisations (PAOs) and micro-economic reform. While government reports have recommended strategies aimed at building audience-based recognition, this is an expensive approach for many PAOs and does not produce short-term returns. Little attention has been paid to building enduring relationships with existing audiences as a way of having a more dramatic impact on PAOs' long-term viability. This paper explores this theme through relationship marketing and the implication of retaining existing audiences. The paper identifies the changing cultural environment which has led to the importance of marketing. It then explains the concepts of relationship marketing and its pertinence to PAOs' viability by presenting a loyalty ladder. The structure is modelled as a dynamic conceptualisation of the relationships (audience and organisation) to assist arts managers to decide whether to focus their efforts on catching or keeping customers to maximise earned income. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications [source]

Introduction: between cultures and natures

INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 187 2006
Marie Roué
How can indigenous peoples react to a situation of change that has a particularly strong effect on their youth? This article attempts to understand whether young Crees, who today find themselves all too often in a situation of double social exclusion, can complete their schooling, thus qualifying for work in the dominant society, while at the same time gaining command of the knowledge and know-how of their own society. Among the James Bay Cree Indians, some elders welcome youngsters after a period of delinquency and who are having problems into their hunting camps, and by initiating them to life "on the land" succeed in restoring their relationship with the world. This exemplary experience makes it possible to imagine solutions for helping indigenous youth fully to benefit from the two worlds in which they have roots. The elders, by inventing a healing process based on an initiation to the natural and cultural environment, offer a modern-day shamanism. [source]

Healing the wounds of school by returning to the land: Cree elders come to the rescue of a lost generation

Escaping the Regulatory Net: Why Regulatory Reform Can Fail Consumers,

LAW & POLICY, Issue 4 2005
HENRY ROTHSTEIN
This paper considers the impact of recent reforms to the UK food safety régime and considers whether the reforms have been able to deliver their promised benefits and if not, why not. Empirically, the paper examines the UK Food Standards Agency's (FSA) reforms to the régime managing food allergen risks, and the extent to which those reforms have reflected the FSA's guiding principle of "putting consumers first". The paper finds that the operationalization of that guiding principle was mitigated by a number of factors, including: interpretative flexibility in representing consumer interests; the institutional structure and character of the régime; the political and cultural environment in which the régime operated; and normative uncertainties about the allocation of rights and responsibilities in managing risks. The paper concludes that risk regulation reforms are likely to fail in prioritizing consumer interests unless such factors are taken into account. [source]

Treatment of Lifelong Vaginismus in Traditional Islamic Couples: A Prospective Study

THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009
Aziz Yasan MD
ABSTRACT Introduction., As sexual values and the meaning of sexuality are culturally dependent, the efficacy of sex therapy models may not necessarily be similar across cultures. Aim., The aim was to address two questions; the first was to identify whether a group of patients with lifelong vaginismus living in traditional Islamic culture benefited from the sex therapy. The second question addressed was how Muslim culture affects sex therapy in the treatment of vaginismus. Methods., Data were obtained from all patients with lifelong vaginismus who attended an outpatient clinic in the course of 1 year. Forty-four couples were investigated in the initial session. Thirty-six couples who completed the treatment were assessed after 3 months. Main Outcome Measures., In the final evaluation, pleasurable full vaginal penetration after active penile insertion was accepted as a successful outcome treatment for the present study. Results., In the study, 36 patients who had completed treatment were determined, 29 of whom had successful outcome of treatment, while eight dropped out. The model building process variable resulted in "married by matchmaker without consent (OR = 0.060, CI = 0.046,0.771, P = 0.031)" and "not allowing pelvic examination (OR = 0.124, CI = 0.016,0.941, P = 0.044)" as negative predictors for successful outcome of treatment. Conclusion., Sex therapy is a feasible method of treatment for vaginismus within the cultural environment investigated, although some modifications may be needed in some setting such as for those married by matchmaker without their consent. Yasan A, and Akdeniz N. Treatment of lifelong vaginismus in traditional Islamic couples: A prospective study. J Sex Med **;**:**,**. [source]

Influence of the cross,cultural environment on the perception of aging and adult development in the developing world: A study of Bahrain, Brazil and Indonesia

ASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2003
Frank Eyetsemitan
The present study examined the perceived characteristics associated with the different stages of adulthood in developing societies. Respondents from three societies, Bahrain, Brazil and Indonesia, identified those characteristics that are typical of the early, middle and late adulthood stages in their respective societies. Although developing nations, these societies differed in their levels of modernization or on the UN human development index score and respondents identified characteristics that were both common and different. On the whole, the characteristics identified reflected the influence of a cross,cultural environment (which included the global, developed and developing dimensions) on the perception of aging and adult development in developing societies. [source]

Development of pictograms for dynamic traffic control systems in South Korea

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION, Issue 1 2008
Jaisung Choi
This study developed a set of pictograms for lane control systems, to provide additional information to drivers on weather and traffic incidents. The results suggest that in the design of traffic signs, it is important to consider local context and not simply adopt standards and practices that are developed elsewhere. The differences in the social and cultural environments may affect the ease of reading and comprehension by local drivers. However, the study also showed that not all locally developed signs were rated higher for their ease of reading than others, Since some design characteristics are more salient, whereas others tend to be more dependent on the local context, it is important to conduct simple experiments and exploratory research to find the optimal designs to be used. [source]

Exploring barriers to teaching behavioural and social sciences in medical education

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2008
Andrea Litva
Context,Tomorrow's Doctors provides guidance about what is considered core knowledge for medical graduates. One core area of knowledge identified is the individual in society: graduates are required to understand the social and cultural environments in which medicine is practised in the UK. Yet, despite the presence of the behavioural and social sciences (B&SS) in medical curricula in the UK for the past 30 years, barriers to their implementation in medical education remain. Objective, This study sought to discover medical educators' perceptions of the barriers to the implementation of B&SS. Methods, Medical educationalists in all UK medical schools were asked to complete a survey identifying what they felt were the barriers they had experienced to the implementation of B&SS teaching in medical education. Results, A comparison of our findings with the literature revealed that these barriers have not changed since the implementation of B&SS in medical education. Moreover, the barriers remain similar across medical schools with differing ethos and strategies. Conclusions, Various agendas within the hidden curricula create barriers to effective B&SS learning in medical education and thus need further exploration and attention. [source]

The Secret Life of Things: Rethinking Social Ontology

JOURNAL FOR THE THEORY OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, Issue 3 2003
Iordanis Marcoulatos
Despite a recent resurgence of interest in social ontology, the standard conceptualization of social/cultural objects reiterates dichotomies such as nature and culture, subjectivity and objectivity: the objective components of a social/cultural environment are usually divided into their (symbolically vacuous) material substratum, natural or manufactured, and their imposed or assigned social import. Inert materiality and subjectively or intersubjectively assigned meanings and functions remain distinct as constitutive aspects of a reality that is intuitively experienced as a whole. In contrast,by means of examining a broad range of natural/cultural entities,I propose an experiential or visceral ontology of the social, which addresses the comprehensive nature of our experience of cultural objects, as well as their perpetual transmutability within the space between nature and culture, objectivity and subjectivity. This perspective allows for a cathexis of meaning in the material constitution of cultural entities,in contrast to a mere imposition of detachable layers of meaning,and suggests a reconsideration of our unexamined perception of social/political action as editorial supervision and correction. Moreover, I point out the centrality of the concept of practice for recovering the lived sense of social things, since practice, by virtue of its inalienable informality, constitutes the field of Protean renewal of this sense. I understand my approach as complementary to the body-turn in contemporary social theory, since I extend the postulation of meaningfulness in the objective aspect of subjective existence (i.e. the body) towards its lived surroundings, which are here perceived as engaged in a process of meaningful practiced reciprocations with corporeal subjectivities. [source]