scholarly journals Governance of Social Innovation in Forestry

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Ludvig ◽  
Todora Rogelja ◽  
Marelli Asamer-Handler ◽  
Gerhard Weiss ◽  
Maria Wilding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Comparative Research ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Research Topics ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Social Innovations ◽  
Insight Into

Over the last decade, the term social innovation has received increased attention as a potential solution to address complex global social problems and to add collective values to society. The forest sector has great potential for fostering employment, community development and reducing increased emigration from rural to urban areas. This potential is not always realised, especially in economically weak and remote rural areas. Hence, this paper tackles the question of how social innovations in forestry are able to succeed under adverse circumstances and contribute to respond to some of the before mentioned challenges? To answer this question, we first identified four very different cases across Europe that are compatible with the criteria of social innovation. Proceeding from this starting point, comparative research was undertaken with the aim to identify the cases´ specific features and key criteria for success. In the cases considered, it is evident that the sheer determination and voluntary investment of time and effort by key individuals, who were convinced of the value of the idea for the community, provided indispensable impetus to all four social innovations. In drawing its conclusions, this paper highlights the principal areas that need consideration and that hence have implications when developing supportive policies. Furthermore, we provide some insight into future research topics that would allow us to better understand the positive impacts of social innovation in the forest-based sector.

scholarly journals Specialists for Crumble Cakes? The German LandFrauen Organizations in Social Innovation, and as Educational, Social, and Political Institutions

2021 ◽  
pp. 77-107
Author(s):  
Laura Suarsana
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Fields ◽  
Horizontal Structure ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Key Characteristics ◽  
Deep Integration

AbstractThis chapter presents empirical results on the German LandFrauen clubs and associations as contemporary elements of German civil society from the conceptual perspective of social innovation, as an approach which is expected to hold high potential particularly for rural areas. The analysis shows that the German LandFrauen clubs and associations are highly engaged in initiating change and development in rural Germany by uniquely addressing women’s needs through social, cultural, and educational offers. Here, the members’ social interactions function as a basis and starting point for further activities providing impulses in local development.As prerequisites that enable the LandFrauen to pursue their activities, two key characteristics were identified: (1) Their practices are integrated into specific local fields and highly adaptive to local needs and interests through the deep integration of the large and diverse base of members in their local villages and rural society, which allows for functions as local initiators, catalysts, and multipliers in regional development. (2) The institutional frame of clubs and associations allows for support, cooperation, and exchange across the vertical and horizontal structure, and provides access to resources and a broad network to external partners.

Geodetic benchmark displacement measurements following the 2020 Petrinja earthquake in Croatia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Branko Kordić ◽  
Matija Vukovski ◽  
Marko Budić ◽  
Marko Špelić ◽  
Josip Barbača ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Postseismic Deformation ◽  
Vertical Displacements ◽  
Geodynamic Processes ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Deformation Area ◽  
Absolute Shift

<p>The earthquake with magnitude ML=6.2 that occurred on 29th December 2020 has caused significant material damage to objects and infrastructure in the towns of Petrinja, Sisak,Glina and the surrounding area. According to the satellite interferometry data, the coseismic and postseismic deformation area covers around 500 square kilometers. The existing geodetic benchmarks have been set in the affected towns, and their coordinates have been determined based on previous GPS campaigns. The GPS network was set up and adjusted at the State Geodetic Administration's request for geodetic monitoring of infrastructure and cadastral projects. These points are not primarily intended for high accuracy measurements at the level of a few millimeters, so their accuracy and the absolute shift concerning geodynamic processes in the region should be taken into account. Nevertheless, the data obtained by their observation after the earthquake can provide valuable information about the horizontal and vertical displacements with a certain level of confidence. The field survey has detected disappearance of a large number of benchmarks and some valuable information has been lost. Still, 58 points were found and observed and it has been concluded that 52 points are reliable and can be used for future research. Because the network of benchmarks is not developed in rural areas, there is a gap in the distribution of benchmarks in affected area. Therefore, the additional data was collected using the benchmarks established for the engineering and cadastral projects and studies. From a total of 67 points that have been found and observed, 42 points will be used. Along with the data collected in urban areas, there will be a total of 94 benchmarks. The accuracy of the geodetic benchmark measurements is at the centimeter level, while the values of deformation are at the level of a few decimeters. Therefore, the obtained data can be used to better assess the displacement recorded during the 29 December 2020 event. In the future, field research will focus on finding additional benchmarks to reach a better spatial distribution.</p>

Appropriateness of Standard Accounting Tools in Measuring Social Innovation in the New Global Economy

2020 ◽  
pp. 332-348
Author(s):  
Sanja Franc ◽  
Mirjana Hladika
Keyword(s):  
Global Economy ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Needs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Third ◽  
New Approaches ◽  
Research Perspectives ◽  
Social Innovations

The global economy brings about new trends, challenges, and needs, which require new solutions. Social innovations can have a major role in satisfying unmet social needs and increasing overall well-being. Measuring social innovation is therefore an important task with the purpose of informing the stakeholders about the performance value that an innovation creates. Standard accounting tools often neglect social or environmental impact, and thus, new or adjusted methods need to be developed. The objective of this chapter is to analyze methods of measuring social innovation and discuss advantages and disadvantages of traditional measures versus new approaches with the purpose of better understanding the significance of social innovation in the global economy. The chapter consists of six parts. After the introduction follows the literature review. The third part of the chapter discusses different approaches to measuring innovations while the fourth part suggests some new approaches to measuring social innovations. The fifth part describes future research perspectives. The final part is the conclusion.

scholarly journals Social Innovation as a Prospect for the Forest Bioeconomy: Selected Examples from Europe

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludvig ◽  
Zivojinovic ◽  
Hujala
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Green Economy ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Forest Owners ◽  
Eu Policy ◽  
Urban Economic Development ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
Rural And Urban

Very recently, social innovation has become a subject of investigation in forest research. Earlier on, social innovation turned into a term used in EU policy strategies for addressing social issues and the self-empowerment of local people, as well as for tackling economic, social, or environmental challenges. The question of how the forest bioeconomy might profit from social innovation remains. The article examined the forest bioeconomy from the perspective of social innovation features: How is social innovation reflected in the forest bioeconomy? The forest sector is identified as one principal supplier sectors in the updated European Bioeconomy Strategy. In the strategies’ general objectives of job creation and employment through the green economy, we detected some links to social innovation. In contrast, the EU Social Innovation Initiative includes social aspects via addressing collective action, integration of vulnerable social groups, and rural and urban economic development, without mentioning explicitly the forest sector. In order to make use of both EU policy documents, it is necessary to enquire on the overlaps. This research focused on the communalities in their policy goals as a reference framework for systematically identifying specific forest bioeconomy activities fitting into both realms. With example of these activities, we showed how the forest bioeconomy plays a unique role in addressing hitherto unmet needs with the development of new types of services. There is rich potential in the forest bioeconomy for private forest owners and producers with activities that range from social biomass plants to collectively organized charcoal (biochar) production in remote rural areas. Most of these are service innovations, while some combine services with product innovations. Our findings challenge positions that regard economic and social issues as strictly separated. As a result, they are identified as two combined complementary sources of income for Europe’s forest owners.

scholarly journals Social innovation drivers in social enterprises: systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 775-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iraci de Souza João-Roland ◽  
Maria L. Granados
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Innovation ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Generic Model ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Management Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point

PurposeIdentify the drivers of social innovation (SI) that bring together the main management tools and approaches associated with the creation of SI in social enterprises (SEs).Design/methodology/approachA systematic review was developed in the Web of Science, Scopus and EBSCO databases, using the keywords: social innovation, social enterprise and management. After analysis of quality and application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, 54 articles were selected for full analysis.FindingsSI process was systemised into four steps: mapping and development, consolidation, scaling up and evaluation. The drivers of SI were mapped and classified into three main factors: contextual, organisational and managerial.Practical implicationsIn organisational factors, business model was emphasised, as well as partnerships, participatory culture and intrapreneurship, adequate levels of bricolage and continuous learning. The management factors included the characteristics of the entrepreneur/innovator and managerial practices, where those that facilitate teamwork and the participation of all involved are best suited. In contextual factors, the highlight was the need for support from policy makers; community participation and demand for innovations that consider local context and usability.Originality/valueThis study connects previously scattered knowledge in a generic model of SI, highlighting routines and processes used, and provides a starting point for innovators and social entrepreneurs in the complex, uncertain and often unknown process of SI. Additionally, several research gaps were identified to be addressed by future research in the context of SI management.

Locating the locale of local food: The importance of context, space and social relations

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 563-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brídín E. Carroll ◽  
Frances Fahy
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Food System ◽  
Local Food ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Spatial Proximity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas

AbstractLocalization is one process/outcome that is proffered as key to the ‘grand challenges’ that currently face the food system. Consumers are attributed much agency in this potential transformation, being encouraged from all levels of society to exert their consumer muscle by buying local food. However, due to the social construction of scale it cannot be said that ‘local food’ is a definite entity and consumers understand the term ‘local food’ differently depending on their geographic and social context. As such, the research upon which this paper is based aimed to provide a nuanced understanding of how consumers in the particular spatial and social contexts of urban and rural Ireland understood the concept of ‘local food’. A specific objective was to test the theory that these consumers may have fallen into the ‘local trap’ by unquestioningly associating food from a spatially proximate place with positive characteristics. A three-phase mixed methodology was undertaken with a sample of consumers dwelling in urban and rural areas in both Dublin and Galway, Ireland: 1000 householders were surveyed; 6 focus group discussions took place; and 28 semi-structured interviews were carried out. The results presented in this paper indicate that for most participants in this study, spatial proximity is the main parameter against which the ‘localness’ of food is measured. Also, it was found that participants held multiple meanings of local food and there was a degree of fluidity in their understandings of the term. The results from the case study regions highlight how participants’ understandings of local food changed depending on the food in question and its availability. However, the paper also indicates that as consumers move from one place to another, the meaning of local food becomes highly elastic. The meaning is stretched or contracted according to the perceived availability of food, greater or lesser connections to the local producer community and the relative geographic size of participants’ locations. Our analysis of findings from all three phases of this research revealed a difference in understandings of local food among participants resident in urban and rural areas: participants dwelling in rural areas were more likely than those in urban areas to define local food according to narrower spatial limits. The paper concludes with an overview of the practical and theoretical significance of these results in addressing the current dearth of research exploring the meaning of local food for consumers and suggests avenues for future research.

Reproduction and denning by urban and rural San Clemente Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis clementae)

2011 ◽  
Vol 89 (10) ◽  
pp. 976-984 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.P. Gould ◽  
W.F. Andelt
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Human Disturbance ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Channel Islands ◽  
California Channel Islands ◽  
Urocyon Littoralis ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
San Clemente Island

Island foxes ( Urocyon littoralis (Baird, 1858)) have experienced severe reductions in populations on 4 out of 6 California Channel Islands. Although numbers of foxes on San Clemente Island (SCLI; Urocyon littoralis clementae Merriam, 1903) have remained relatively stable, data on reproductive success in urban and rural areas are necessary to better understand population dynamics of foxes and manage the population if it sustains declines. Determining locations and characteristics of den sites will also assist in minimizing possible impacts of humans on foxes. We found that 10 female foxes produced at least 19 kits during 2008. Female foxes that spent a greater proportion of time within an urban area had greater probability of reproducing compared with foxes that infrequently utilized urban areas. However, these “urban” foxes often selected den sites nearer to roads, which may expose them to increased mortalities. We located 23 den sites on a mean of 17°–18° slopes with 40% having westerly facing aspects. We recommend avoiding human disturbance to these areas from February through June, which may minimize potential impacts on foxes. Our study should provide insight into managing island foxes, especially in respect to urban areas on other Channel Islands.

Customer perspectives on the acquisition of local artisanal companies

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 3601-3622
Author(s):  
Tiffany Shin Legendre ◽  
John Thomas Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Craft Beer ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Partner Types ◽  
Local Company ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide insight into customers’ psychological processes and behavioral responses after merger and acquisition (M&A) of an artisanal brand. Design/methodology/approach Study 1 adopts a qualitative approach to understand how craft-beer customers perceive M&A decisions. In Study 2, a two-conditioned (M&A types: local and local company M&A vs local and national company M&A) between-subjects design experiment was executed. Findings The findings of this study show M&A’s of artisanal brands cause identity stigmatization, resulting in customers’ identity dissonance and coping strategies. Which coping strategies a customer uses depends on their brand identity, product-category identity and M&A partner types. Research limitations/implications This was an exploratory study that serves as a starting point for future research. Future research could investigate the model proposed in this study by testing the effects of potential moderators and mediators. Practical implications The findings of the study enable companies to better anticipate post-M&A customer behavior, thereby enabling them to enhance their brand positioning when a competitor is acquired by a large company. Originality/value The popularity of locally produced and craft hospitality products has attracted the attention of large companies that acquire artisanal brands. There is a paucity of research investigating post- M&A customer reactions of locally owned artisanal companies by large companies.

scholarly journals A Systematic Literature Review on Online Medical Services in Malaysia

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (06) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Nohman Khan ◽  
Muhammad Imran Qureshi
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Exclusion Process ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exclusion Criteria ◽  
The Past

<p>The aim of the study reviews online medical services in Malaysia. The paper reviews the improvement in Malaysian Medical services in the past five years. In this paper, we systematically reviewed literature from the year 2014 to 2018. We selected the web of science database for the literature search to make the process more transparent and clearer, every process is recorded on the excel sheets and all studies were screened through rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria. Final 48 papers were selected for this systematic literature review and all irrelevant papers are excluded from the study. For the selection and exclusion process, PRISMA 2009 is used. The results revealed that Literature is heavily focusing on the medical services towards the urban areas, but rural areas were largely neglected. Many studies are discussing the importance of online medical services; However, implementation mechanisms have not been discussed. The systematic review recommends that future research should be focused more on holistic patterns of implementations of the online medical services in Malaysia.</p>

scholarly journals Remaining Connected with our Graduates: A Pilot Study

10.28945/4243 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 043-057
Author(s):  
Joy Penman ◽  
Eddie L Robinson ◽  
Wendy M Cross
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Educational Aspirations ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Postgraduate Study ◽  
The Future

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to determine where nursing students from a metropolitan university subsequently work following graduation, identify the factors that influence decisions to pursue careers in particular locations, ascertain educational plans in the immediate future; and explore the factors that might attract students to pursue postgraduate study. Background: The global nursing shortage and high attrition of nursing students remain a challenge for the nursing profession. A recurrent pattern of maldistribution of nurses in clinical specialities and work locations has also occurred. It is imperative that institutions of learning examine their directions and priorities with the goal of meeting the mounting health needs of the wider community. Methodology: Qualitative and quantitative data were obtained through an online 21-item questionnaire. The questionnaire gathered data such as year of graduation, employment status, the location of main and secondary jobs, the principal area of nursing activity, and plans for postgraduate study. It sought graduates’ reasons for seeking employment in particular workplaces and the factors encouraging them to pursue postgraduate study. Contribution: This study is meaningful and relevant as it provided a window to see the gaps in higher education and nursing practice, and opportunities in research and collaboration. It conveys many insights that were informative, valuable and illuminating in the context of nurse shortage and nurse education. The partnership with hospitals and health services in providing education and support at the workplace is emphasized. Findings: Twenty-three students completed the online questionnaire. All respondents were employed, 22 were working in Australia on a permanent basis (96%), 19 in urban areas (83%) with three in regional/rural areas (13%), and one was working internationally (4%). This pilot study revealed that there were varied reasons for workplace decisions, but the most common answer was the opportunity provided to students to undertake their graduate year and subsequent employment offered. Moreover, the prevailing culture of the organization and high-quality clinical experiences afforded to students were significant contributory factors. Data analysis revealed their plans for postgraduate studies in the next five years (61%), with critical care nursing as the most popular specialty option. The majority of the respondents (78%) signified their interest in taking further courses, being familiar with the educational system and expressing high satisfaction with the university’s program delivery. Recommendations for Practitioners: The results of the pilot should be tested in a full study with validated instruments in the future. With a larger dataset, the conclusions about graduate destinations and postgraduate educational pursuits of graduates would be generalizable, valid and reliable. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research to explore how graduates might be encouraged to work in rural and regional areas, determine courses that meet the demand of the market, and how to better engage with clinical partners are recommended. Impact on Society: It is expected that the study will be extended in the future to benefit other academics, service managers, recruiters, and stakeholders to alert them of strategies that may be used to entice graduates to seek employment in various areas and plan for addressing the educational needs of postgraduate nursing students. The end goal is to help enhance the nursing workforce by focusing on leadership and retention. Future Research: Future directions for research will include canvassing a bigger sample of alumni students and continuously monitoring graduate destinations and educational aspirations. How graduates might be encouraged to work in rural and regional areas will be further explored. Further research will also be undertaken involving graduates from other universities and other countries in order to compare the work practice of graduates over the same time frame.

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