Urban Pilgrimage On The Roofs: Analysing The Tourism Potential Of Rooftop Shrines In Ginza, Brigitta Pécsek

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the relaunch of inbound tourism in Tokyo in a sustainable way focusing on rooftop shrines. The centre of this research is the shopping district, Ginza that is full of hidden shrines nestled among and on top of the high-rise buildings. The research aims to find out to what extent tourists in Tokyo are aware of these shrines and whether the ‘Luxurious Ginza’ brand constitutes a barrier to view it as a spiritual space. The mixed methodology used is of qualitative nature, including content analysis of sites, ethnography as well as a …

Passion Plays And Their Touristic Utilisation: Authenticity Or Commercialisation?, Dimitrios Mylonopoulos, Polyxeni Moira, Elli Terzoglou

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Tourism development and the economic benefits that come from tourism have led to the increase and revival of religious celebrations and festivals in the form of events and performances, especially during the Holy Week. Many events such as Passion Plays of Jesus, due to their enduring existence in time, ‘authenticity’, particularities, originality and the emotions they evoke, capture the attention of both religious people and tourists. These Passion Plays are specific religious-cultural events that consist of depictions of scenes from Jesus Christ’s passion, following the biblical narrations (e.g. the Teaching, the Passion, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection). According to UNESCO (2014), …

Connecting Lighthouses To Spiritual Tourism: The Case Of The Hellenic Lighthouse Network, Polyxeni Moira, Paraskevi Kakaroucha

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Lighthouses operate as carriers of cultural value and encapsulate universal connotations. They are harmoniously integrated in unspoilt landscapes, some of which are considered dystopian. Their delicate albeit resilient structure, settled within dynamic geophysical fields, elicits philosophical quests and metaphysical concerns. Lighthouses are connected to narratives of heroism, solitude, self-efficacy and lunacy, with altruistic keepers and divine or supernatural entities starring in plenty of them. Moreover, lighthouses have been associated with religious facilities and rituals for many centuries. Therefore, they attract people pursuing transformative experiences away from mass tourism locations and could unsurprisingly be included in alternative spiritual tourism itineraries.

Greek …

Impact Analysis Of Religious Events: Medjugorje As A Pilgrimage Destination, Igor Stamenkovic, Ivan Dodig, Dajana Vukojević

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Medjugorje is one of the most well-known and attractive pilgrimage sites for Roman Catholics. The phenomenon of Medjugorje is linked to the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to six children, which, according to the children’s claims, began in June 1981, after which this town has become one of the most visited destinations in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tens of thousands of pilgrims attend the International Youth Festival “Mladifest”, a religious gathering that has been going on for more than thirty years. The purpose of this paper is to research and explain how this religious event impacts a …

The Impact Of Prophet Ibrahim’S Supplications In The Qur’An On The Flourishing Of Islamic Pilgrimage, Tariq H. M. Elhadary, Razaq Raj

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The supplications of Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) in the Qur’an have had a significant impact on the flourishing of Islamic Pilgrimage and have also provided spiritual guidance for those who visit these sacred sites. Through his supplications, Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh) expressed his love for the sacred places associated with the Islamic faith. His prayers for both the visitors and residents of these places, are believed to invoke divine blessings and protection upon them. Prophet Ibrahim’s supplications in the Qur’an also encouraged Muslim pilgrims (often referred to as religious tourists) to visit these holy sites by reminding them of the great rewards …

Dark Tetrad Personality And Earnings Management: The Moderating Effect Of Corporate Reputation, Alan Diógenes Góis, Gerlando Augusto Sampaio Franco De Lima, Márcia Martins Mendes De Luca, Giorgio Gotti

School of Accountancy Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the moderating effect of corporate reputation on the relationship between the Dark Tetrad personality and earnings management.

Method: Two approaches were adopted: one archival and one experimental. In the archival approach, 434 firms (2,645 observations) headquartered in the US were analyzed, covering the period 2010-2017. Earnings management was proxied by accruals quality, reputation was proxied by the score on the ranking of the World’s Most Admired Companies, and Dark Tetrad personality was based on CEO speech and ‘Big Five’ personality analysis. In the experimental approach, we used a 2x2 between-subjects design …

Ethical Challenges For Same-Day Delivery Contractors, Chun-Miin (Jimmy) Chen, Xinwei Chen

Faculty Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Tourism: A Bridge Between Religions, Deša Karamehmedović

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Interreligious dialogue is crucial for cultural, economic, and social progress, fostering cultural development through activities like tourism. To address misunderstandings and biases, continuous development and promotion of interreligious dialogue is essential. This two-way process emphasises the importance of ‘listening and telling’, while respecting differences. Religious tourism serves as a valuable tool for encounters and understanding among diverse communities. This paper tries to address the question of whether there are for interreligious dialogue in tourism that have yet to be applied and could be implemented? The findings from tourism theory indicate that religious encounters primarily take place in sacred places, sacred …

Towards A European Governance Framework For Pilgrimage Routes: Challenges, Opportunities And Recommendations, Maria Laura Gasparini, José A. Cortés Vázquez

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

Beyond its religious and spiritual traits, pilgrimage is gaining momentum as a sustainable tourism practice, while contributing to several EU priorities, including cultural heritage enhancement, intercultural dialogue, and economic development, particularly in rural areas suffering from depopulation and youth drain. Yet, their potential is hindered by a lack of coordination among the stakeholders involved at interregional and transnational levels, resulting in a far from homogeneous experience along pilgrimage routes. This paper maps out the existing policies and governance frameworks related to pilgrimage in seven European countries (Hungary, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Spain), identifying gaps between regions and opportunities …

Pilgrimage And Tourism Marketing Concepts, Prospects, And Challenges In Two Developing Countries: Bangladesh And Ghana, Md. Javed Kawsar, Michael Evans, Rashed Khan

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

This contextual paper analyses the significance of pilgrimage and tourism marketing concepts, prospects, and challenges in two developing countries, Ghana in the West of Africa, and Bangladesh in the South of Asia. The focus of this study is to assess the present marketing and promotion of tourism in the two countries which are different in population size, economy, and tourism contribution towards each country’s GDP.

Within the context of nature-based tourism initiatives in Bangladesh, it is imperative to measure future prospects of tourism marketing ventures related to pilgrimage. The development of marketing for tourism can be helpful for delivering stability …

Increasing The Attractiveness Of Hungarian Religious Pilgrimage Routes, The Case Of Rurallure, Ákos Lencsés, Ildikó Kádárné Kelemen, Ildikó Csepregi, Zsófia Galgócziné Szabó

International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage

The paper discusses the regional variations and attractiveness of pilgrimage routes in Europe, focusing on the Way of Mary. The Horizon Europe project rurAllure aims to use innovative techniques, such as narrative techniques of cultural heritage and mapping non-religious points of interests, to expand the area around the route and attract younger and spiritually-seeking pilgrims. The study introduces the selection criteria, workflow, and technologies used to enhance the tourism experience along the route, exploring alternative route variants and narrative creating techniques. For this, we describe and analyse the data of Points of Interest (POIs), narratives, and recommended trips generated as …

2024-12-02 Letter From The Dean Of The College Of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., Sylvia Henneberg

Faculty Senate Records

A memo sent by Sylvia Henneberg, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences, to faculty members of the college on December 2, 2024, titled "Changes/Transition in Caudill."

Unlocking The Nexus: Ownership Structures, Nursing Staff, And Quality Of Care In Nursing Homes - A Quantitative Study, Paget Rawlins

Theses & Dissertations

Through its comprehensive examination, this quantitative study provides a thorough assessment of the association between nursing home overall quality rating, nursing home ownership structures, RN staffing, and the impact that RN staffing has on long-stay quality measures. This study examined the secondary Minimum Data Set assessments from Texas nursing homes (N=1,062). This data set was obtained from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Provider (CMS) Information website. The first linear analyses indicated there is no statistically significant association between nursing homes with better organizational structures and overall quality ratings. The second linear analysis indicated that there is a statistically …

Research Report: Housing, Heather Akin, Cheryl A. Burkhart-Kriesel, Mary Emery, Katelyn Larson, Bradley Lubben, L. J. Mcelravy, Timothy Meyer, Rebecca J. Vogt

Nebraska Rural Poll

Executive summary

Most rural Nebraskans support a variety of housing programs and priorities. The support for these various programs was similar to that found in 2016. At least three-quarters of rural Nebraskans would somewhat support or strongly support the following in their community: developing programs to help seniors age in their current home; offering low-interest loans or grants for repair, rehabilitation or home improvement; providing affordable rental housing; establishing a local program that would purchase and remove dilapidated houses making lots available for building; developing senior housing; purchasing, rehabilitating and reselling vacant housing; and establishing a local program that would …

Bank Competition Amid Digital Disruption: Implications For Financial Inclusion, Erica Xuewei Jiang, Yang Gloria Yu, Jinyuan Zhang

Sim Kee Boon Institute for Financial Economics

We study how digital disruption impacts bank competition, considering consumers’ heterogeneous digital preferences. We find that the rollout of 3G networks contracts bank branch networks and leads to divergence in branching and pricing strategies across banks. These developments benefit young consumers but increase the unbanked rate for poorer and older consumers. A structural model shows that the higher perceived digital quality by younger borrowers mainly prompts these adjustments, causing significant surplus losses for older savers. Counterfactual exercises illustrate that subsidizing older savers opting for mobile banking effectively offsets these disparities at minimal cost, facilitating a smoother digital transition.

Examining The Impact Of Workplace Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Programs On Marginalized Groups: A Focus On Lgbtqia Employees, Lisa Garcia Rodriguez

Theses & Dissertations

Research Focus. The research aims to understand the experience of LGBTQIA individuals in the workplace and identify strategies for promoting their inclusion. The study will draw on prior research and best practices for promoting the inclusion of individuals in the workplace to contribute to the development of more inclusive work environments that benefit both employees and organizations. Examining the impact of workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on marginalized groups, the question to be answered is: What are the impacts of diversity, equity, and inclusion DEI initiatives in the workplace, and how can organizations create more equitable and inclusive environments? …

Fixed Income Fund Report, December 2024, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Investigating The Relationship Between Employee Financial Literacy Education And Small Business Performance In The Southwest Region Of Texas, Blake Beltran

Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Investigating the Relationship Between Employee Financial Literacy

Education and Small Business Performance in the Southwest Region of Texas

December 2024

Blake Beltran, Doctor of Business Administration

University of the Incarnate Word

Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Ernesto Escobedo

This study addressed the relationship between employee financial literacy education and the performance of small businesses in the Southwest Region of Texas, focusing on critical performance indicators, such as revenue growth, cost efficiency, and net profit margins. The researcher aimed to assess how financial literacy education among employees can impact the financial decision-making processes and, consequently, the performance metrics of small …

Using Llms To Establish Implicit User Sentiment Of Software Desirability, Sherri Weitl-Harms, John D. Hastings, Jonah Lum

Research & Publications

This study explores the use of LLMs for providing quantitative zero-shot sentiment analysis of implicit software desirability, addressing a critical challenge in product evaluation where traditional review scores, though convenient, fail to capture the richness of qualitative user feedback. Innovations include establishing a method that 1) works with qualitative user experience data without the need for explicit review scores, 2) focuses on implicit user satisfaction, and 3) provides scaled numerical sentiment analysis, offering a more nuanced understanding of user sentiment, instead of simply classifying sentiment as positive, neutral, or negative.

Data is collected using the Microsoft Product Desirability Toolkit (PDT), …

Physiological Positioning And Its Effects On Seated Vs. Standing Workers, Carlos Gautreaux

Theses & Dissertations

In the digital era, distractions in the working environment significantly impede professionals’ ability to maintain attention during the workday. Recent studies underscore the benefits of adjustable desks that allow for transitions between sitting and standing, highlighting improvements in workers’ physical and psychological health. Specifically, it has been noted that standing enhances cognitive function, focus, and mental acuity while alleviating stress. Despite these insights, research has yet to systematically explore the impact of standing while working on attentional performance. Moreover, the effect of standing while working may vary between on-site and remote working environments due to differences in ambient distractions. This …

Exploring The Linkages Between Organizational Resilience, Corporate Diversification Strategy, And Slack Resources, Ahmad N. Abuzaid

An-Najah University Journal for Research - B (Humanities)

Objective: Organizational resilience is crucial for the success of any business. However, the existing research on the subject is limited, and a more well-defined and unified paradigm is needed. Therefore, the central goal of this research study is to inspect whether the level of slack resources significantly influences the association between diversification strategy and the organization’s ability to build resilience. Methodology: The investigation analyzed a study sample of 291 employees from three different telecommunications firms in Jordan using a quantitative, descriptive, and correlational design to achieve its objectives. Structural Equation Modeling with the Amos 26 software was used to test …

Financing White Rule: How Luxembourg Became A Banker For The Belgian Congo And Apartheid South Africa, Samuel Weeks

College of Humanities and Sciences Faculty Papers

In this article, I offer a historical analysis of how bankers in Luxembourg came to be important service providers to borrowers in the Belgian Congo and Apartheid South Africa. I demonstrate how a series of unique political and cultural factors linking Luxembourg and these two (neo)colonial regimes account for the financial activities that developed between the three jurisdictions. As such, I show that officials in the Belgian Congo and Apartheid South Africa were able to count on their Luxembourg-based bankers for a variety of finance-related services, including the provision of Eurocurrency loans and the formation of offshore companies. In doing …

Possible Implications Ofmergers And Acquisitions In The Healthcare Industry, Nicholas Aversano

Bridges: A Journal of Student Research

Beginning in 2020, the healthcare infrastructure returned to the forefront of the American people's consciousness. Questions about cost, access, and quality of care are being asked daily. Are consumers benefiting as large companies move in to or out of the healthcare industries (such as hospitals, doctors' offices, research firms, or pharmaceutical companies) through mergers and acquisitions? Would a monopoly in healthcare be beneficial or even advantageous for the average American? Do economies of scale exist in this industry? This paper explores and consolidates studies published to help answer questions regarding the impacts of healthcare mergers and acquisitions. In addition to …

Innovating Under Pressure? Regulatory Intensity And Corporate Innovation, Christy Mak

Honors Projects in Finance

We investigate the impact of regulatory intensity on innovation outcomes. We examine U.S. publicly listed firms, utilizing a novel firm-level measure of exposure to all federal regulations. The study reveals that highly regulated companies tend to exhibit lower patent value, a reduction in patent filings, and a decrease in patent citations. The results suggest additional costs imposed on firms burdened by heavy regulations. Furthermore, financial distress and political connections mitigate this negative effect. Overall, the paper uncovers a previously undiscovered connection between regulation at an aggregate level and innovation, emphasizing circumstances where regulations may impose costs that outweigh potential benefits.

Impact Of Safety Training On Employee's Perceptions Of Organizational Safety Culture, Brooke Reid-Graves

Dissertations

Workplace safety and well-being are vital for all workers, regardless of their profession (Young et al., 2022). Studies show that providing employees with training focused on recognizing hazards and implementing safety practices is essential for reducing occupational risks (Namian et al., 2020; Rose & Rae, 2017). Research underscores the importance of fostering a positive organizational safety culture for risk reduction (Berry et al., 2020; Downey, 2019). Understanding the impact of safety training on shaping an organization’s safety culture is key to promoting safe working environments (Mahjoub, 2013).

This study utilized the perspectives of high school staff regarding safety training and …

How The Russia & Ukraine War Is Contributing To Raw Materials Shortages In The Aerospace Industry, Ava Magness

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

The aerospace industry, a key driver of the global economy, generates annual revenues exceeding $750 billion and is projected to reach $1.38 trillion by 2030. A substantial portion of this revenue—approximately $300 billion—stems from raw materials, which are integral to the manufacturing of aerospace components. These materials, including titanium, aluminum alloys, palladium, and neon, are essential due to their unique properties, such as lightweight strength, heat resistance, and suitability for extreme conditions.

However, the industry's dependence on limited geopolitical suppliers has exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains. The Russo-Ukrainian War has significantly disrupted the availability of critical materials like titanium, …

Supply Chain Management Internship – J.B. Hunt Transportation Services, Inc., Kroopa Gandhi

Supply Chain Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

Transportation is all over the world as it is a part of our daily lives. It connects the supply chain from sourcing raw goods from suppliers to delivering finished products to stores. Whether by road, rail, air, or sea, transportation bridges the geographical gaps that separate markets and economies, ensuring the timely delivery of essential goods, and fostering economic growth and development. Since beginning of my fall semester of 2023, I had the opportunity to intern at J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. as an Intermodal Appointment Intern. My experience has deepened my appreciation for the complexities of the industry and …

The Influence Of Pro-White Bias On The Leadership Self-Efficacy Of Minority College Students, Stacy Roland

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Analyses of changing demographics in the United States project that the collective racial minority will comprise over 50% of the United States population by 2045. Yet, racial minorities hold only 20% of the most powerful and prestigious positions in the United States, demonstrating that racial minorities are underrepresented in leadership positions. The literature indicates that due to the existence of pro-White bias, racial minorities do not fit the prototypical image of a leader. This quantitative study investigates the influence of pro-white bias on the leadership self-efficacy of minority college students. A random sample of students from a liberal arts college …

Safeguarding Virtual Healthcare: A Novel Attacker-Centric Model For Data Security And Privacy, Suvineetha Herath, Haywood Gelman, John Hastings, Yong Wang

Research & Publications

The rapid growth of remote healthcare delivery has introduced significant security and privacy risks to protected health information (PHI). Analysis of a comprehensive healthcare security breach dataset covering 2009-2023 reveals their significant prevalence and impact. This study investigates the root causes of such security incidents and introduces the Attacker-Centric Approach (ACA), a novel threat model tailored to protect PHI. ACA addresses limitations in existing threat models and regulatory frameworks by adopting a holistic attacker-focused perspective, examining threats from the viewpoint of cyber adversaries, their motivations, tactics, and potential attack vectors. Leveraging established risk management frameworks, ACA provides a multi-layered approach …

Improving Student Outcomes Using Automated Feedback In A First-Year Economics Class, Sinead Huskisson, Tom O'Mahony, Seán Lacey

Dept. of Management & Enterprise Publications

The assessment literature advocates utilising formative assessment strategies to support and enhance student learning. This study uses online practice tests with inbuilt feedback, that students could repeatedly use, as a formative feedback strategy in a first-year introductory microeconomics module. The key question explored is whether repeated engagement with online practice tests had a statistically significant impact on students’ subsequent performance on a summative assessment. Quantitative engagement and performance data (N = 223) were collected from a cohort of first-year students. An analysis of this data reveals that engaging with the online practice test multiple times has a statistically significant impact …