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Smart Organizations in the Public Sector: Sustainable Local Development in the European Union (Citizenship and Sustainability in Organizations)

How does a smart organization model enable self-governments to lead local and regional development in a sustainable and resilient manner? What are key aspects of smart organizations impacting the success of self-governments in attracting and retaining residents, entrepreneurs, and investors? Smart organizations became a relevant construct in economic and management sciences. They supply many practical applications for self-governments and public sector organizations that are looking for effective ways to leverage their resources and capabilities in the local and regional development process. This research monograph indicates how factors of smart organizations in local administration lead to sustainable and resilient development processes. In parallel, the monograph is a practical guide for local government managers looking for the best, international practices in collecting, researching, and interpreting data for making decisions that influence the competitiveness and market position of locations they govern.

Smart Organizations in the Public Sector: Sustainable Local Development in the European Union (Citizenship and Sustainability in Organizations)

How does a smart organization model enable self-governments to lead local and regional development in a sustainable and resilient manner? What are key aspects of smart organizations impacting the success of self-governments in attracting and retaining residents, entrepreneurs, and investors? Smart organizations became a relevant construct in economic and management sciences. They supply many practical applications for self-governments and public sector organizations that are looking for effective ways to leverage their resources and capabilities in the local and regional development process. This research monograph indicates how factors of smart organizations in local administration lead to sustainable and resilient development processes. In parallel, the monograph is a practical guide for local government managers looking for the best, international practices in collecting, researching, and interpreting data for making decisions that influence the competitiveness and market position of locations they govern.

The Social Archetype: Realizing Society's Threefold Unity, A New Goetheanism

We live in a time of multiple challenges to our rights and freedoms – not only in authoritarian regimes but also in liberal democracies around the globe. As the storm clouds of crisis gather, Rudolf Steiner's social vision – now a century old – offers a clear way forward. Radical in his time and still so today, Steiner's 'social threefolding' is not conceived as a logical 'system'. Rather, his picture of society as a living threefold unity, as a social 'organism', is an artistic insight that needs to be grasped imaginatively. To understand its three dimensions – the economic, the political-legal and cultural-spiritual spheres – and how they relate to each other, is to experience them inwardly. This requires a living, creative thinking that is able to enter the archetypal forces behind the concepts: a modern-day, truly Goethean approach to the social sciences. In an illuminating study, Hoffmann's dynamic presentation enables us to develop precisely such an artistic–imaginative understanding of the threefold social organism. He achieves this through clear descriptions of its principles and practical governance, whilst offering wise advice regarding the adaptation of education – at school and tertiary levels – for a threefold society.

Social Brand Management in a Post Covid-19 Era (Routledge Focus on Business and Management)

As activity significantly reduced during mandatory lockdown periods aiming to contain the spread of Covid-19, the relationship between organizations and their stakeholders became almost strictly digital. While some brands already have developed digital channels and made a smooth transition, others struggled to remain connected to their consumers and in the process created a panoply of new digital strategies and practices. This book discusses how the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way consumers relate with brands and how brands can reinvent, improve, or optimize themselves to meet new needs, expectations, and preferences of consumers. Drawing on empirical data about how consumers are connecting with brands in a Covid-19 recovery period, this book suggests becoming a social brand as a strategy for coping with changes in consumer behaviour. A social brand has two main dimensions: it is sociable (active on social media, humanized, and empathic) and it is socially committed (transparent and sustainable). In this concise book, the authors examine case studies of brands that coped successfully with Covid-19 and positioned themselves strongly in this post-pandemic retake period to suggest good practices. It offers an informed discussion on how brands can adapt to changes in consumer behaviour and build stronger connections with consumers. Social Brand Management in a Post Covid-19 Era provides an accessible yet comprehensive overview of brand management in a post-pandemic environment that will be of interest to marketing and communication academics, researchers, and students.

Social Brand Management in a Post Covid-19 Era (Routledge Focus on Business and Management)

As activity significantly reduced during mandatory lockdown periods aiming to contain the spread of Covid-19, the relationship between organizations and their stakeholders became almost strictly digital. While some brands already have developed digital channels and made a smooth transition, others struggled to remain connected to their consumers and in the process created a panoply of new digital strategies and practices. This book discusses how the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way consumers relate with brands and how brands can reinvent, improve, or optimize themselves to meet new needs, expectations, and preferences of consumers. Drawing on empirical data about how consumers are connecting with brands in a Covid-19 recovery period, this book suggests becoming a social brand as a strategy for coping with changes in consumer behaviour. A social brand has two main dimensions: it is sociable (active on social media, humanized, and empathic) and it is socially committed (transparent and sustainable). In this concise book, the authors examine case studies of brands that coped successfully with Covid-19 and positioned themselves strongly in this post-pandemic retake period to suggest good practices. It offers an informed discussion on how brands can adapt to changes in consumer behaviour and build stronger connections with consumers. Social Brand Management in a Post Covid-19 Era provides an accessible yet comprehensive overview of brand management in a post-pandemic environment that will be of interest to marketing and communication academics, researchers, and students.

Social Capital: Evolution, Contestation, Application and Digitization (Emerald Points)

Is our understanding of social capital consistent with development interventions and the digital world? Social Capital: Evolution, Contestation, Application and Digitization delves into the intricacies of social capital and its digital dimensions, examining its historical evolution, contemporary contestation and practical applications. Introducing a refurbished conceptualization of social capital, Mudit Kumar Singh introduces case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, including the USA, the UK, Europe, India, Latin America and Africa to build a sound understanding of social capital and its evolution in the age of social media and online community. Critically examining the debates and controversies surrounding the concept, forms and application of social capital, Dr. Singh briefly discusses how social capital has been used for positive social change, including its role in civic engagement and economic welfare. Highlighting successful examples of its application in development interventions, chapters also explore the darker sides of social capital in the digital era, including the spread of misinformation, echo chambers and online polarization, before turning to its positive influence in the digital realm. Providing practical recommendations for leveraging social capital for social good, this is a valuable, thought-provoking and timely exploration of the multifaceted concept of social capital in the context of the digital revolution.

Social Capital: Evolution, Contestation, Application and Digitization (Emerald Points)

Is our understanding of social capital consistent with development interventions and the digital world? Social Capital: Evolution, Contestation, Application and Digitization delves into the intricacies of social capital and its digital dimensions, examining its historical evolution, contemporary contestation and practical applications. Introducing a refurbished conceptualization of social capital, Mudit Kumar Singh introduces case studies from both the Global North and the Global South, including the USA, the UK, Europe, India, Latin America and Africa to build a sound understanding of social capital and its evolution in the age of social media and online community. Critically examining the debates and controversies surrounding the concept, forms and application of social capital, Dr. Singh briefly discusses how social capital has been used for positive social change, including its role in civic engagement and economic welfare. Highlighting successful examples of its application in development interventions, chapters also explore the darker sides of social capital in the digital era, including the spread of misinformation, echo chambers and online polarization, before turning to its positive influence in the digital realm. Providing practical recommendations for leveraging social capital for social good, this is a valuable, thought-provoking and timely exploration of the multifaceted concept of social capital in the context of the digital revolution.

Social Control and Disorder in Football: Responses, Regulation, Rupture (Critical Research in Football)

This is the first book to focus on the interrelated issues of social control and disorder in football. It shows how the ‘beautiful game’ illuminates our understanding of the mechanisms and techniques of social control and regulation in contemporary societies. It explores past, new, and continued responses from law enforcers, football associations, sport’s governing bodies, the media, and international organizations to issues of disorder and misbehaviour in football, and how this is highly contested by fans and fan groups. Featuring the work of an international team of leading researchers in football and sport-related studies, the book examines key contemporary trends and topics including fan activism, football-specific legislation, power, violence, fan rivalries, subcultures, the policing of crowds, social sorting, and surveillance. Featuring diverse international cases, including the Qatar World Cup, stadium protests in Portland, Oregon, spectator violence in Polish football, social media and Brazilian football, and sectarianism in Scottish football, the book also looks ahead to what the future holds for the world’s most popular sport. This is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, or the general reader with an interest in the sociology of sport, criminology, sport management, and sports law.

Social Control and Disorder in Football: Responses, Regulation, Rupture (Critical Research in Football)

This is the first book to focus on the interrelated issues of social control and disorder in football. It shows how the ‘beautiful game’ illuminates our understanding of the mechanisms and techniques of social control and regulation in contemporary societies. It explores past, new, and continued responses from law enforcers, football associations, sport’s governing bodies, the media, and international organizations to issues of disorder and misbehaviour in football, and how this is highly contested by fans and fan groups. Featuring the work of an international team of leading researchers in football and sport-related studies, the book examines key contemporary trends and topics including fan activism, football-specific legislation, power, violence, fan rivalries, subcultures, the policing of crowds, social sorting, and surveillance. Featuring diverse international cases, including the Qatar World Cup, stadium protests in Portland, Oregon, spectator violence in Polish football, social media and Brazilian football, and sectarianism in Scottish football, the book also looks ahead to what the future holds for the world’s most popular sport. This is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, or the general reader with an interest in the sociology of sport, criminology, sport management, and sports law.

Social Enterprise in China: State-Third Sector Relations and Institutional Effectiveness (Routledge Contemporary China Series)

Wang offers an empirically based exploration into work-integration social enterprises as a means for delivering social services in China. Focusing on the political economy of social enterprise development in China, Wang examines the nature of the relationship between the state and social enterprises and the implications of such relationships for their institutional effectiveness. She adopts a bottom-up approach that investigates indigenous practices embedded within the local political context. Common ground has been established internationally that the social enterprise model provides new ways of social service delivery that could potentially change and restructure the social welfare economy. However, the development path differs across social contexts, especially in an authoritarian country like China. This study provides insights into China's efforts to develop its social welfare sector and reinvigorate customary ideas about how public services could be better offered given the country's political economy. This book will be of great interest to both scholars of China’s political economy and those with an interest in the development of the social enterprise sector looking to see how this works in a Chinese context.

Social Enterprise in China: State-Third Sector Relations and Institutional Effectiveness (Routledge Contemporary China Series)

Wang offers an empirically based exploration into work-integration social enterprises as a means for delivering social services in China. Focusing on the political economy of social enterprise development in China, Wang examines the nature of the relationship between the state and social enterprises and the implications of such relationships for their institutional effectiveness. She adopts a bottom-up approach that investigates indigenous practices embedded within the local political context. Common ground has been established internationally that the social enterprise model provides new ways of social service delivery that could potentially change and restructure the social welfare economy. However, the development path differs across social contexts, especially in an authoritarian country like China. This study provides insights into China's efforts to develop its social welfare sector and reinvigorate customary ideas about how public services could be better offered given the country's political economy. This book will be of great interest to both scholars of China’s political economy and those with an interest in the development of the social enterprise sector looking to see how this works in a Chinese context.

The Social Epidemiology of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened health disparities worldwide. Across all nations, the burden of COVID-19 has fallen most heavily on the socially disadvantaged. In the United States, the COVID-19 mortality rate for Black Americans is over twice that of their White American counterparts, and people in prisons have more than double the COVID-19 mortality rate of the general U.S. population. Other social dimensions such as income, gender, sexuality, and immigration status have also played a significant role in COVID-19 infection, hospitalization, and mortality. The Social Epidemiology of the COVID-19 Pandemic provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the pandemic's effect across populations and its disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups in society, including racial/ethnic minority, immigrant, and incarcerated populations. Written by leading international scholars, this essential volume describes how the COVID-19 pandemic intersects with nearly every social determinant of health, from race and ethnicity to income inequality, and how such interactions compound existing structural disadvantages. Using examples from upper-middle and high-income countries such as the United States, contributing experts delve into the differential impacts of COVID-19 by major social determinants of health and reveal the resultant effect of pandemic-related policy on health outcomes. Together, these authors underline the urgent need for further integration of social epidemiology into public health decision-making to ensure that every population receives the care it requires. Drawing from research across epidemiology, sociology, psychology, and public policy, The Social Epidemiology of the COVID-19 Pandemic illuminates the stark disparities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the valuable insights from social epidemiology that can inform a more equitable pandemic response.

Social Geographies: The Basics (The Basics)

Social Geographies: The Basics introduces what social geography is, and what it might be. It outlines the key contours of social geographies, and also disrupts some of the conventions of the discipline in both its content and structure.This book approaches social geographies by beginning with the resistances, contestations and ‘solutions’ that communities use to challenge exclusions in place and space in order to create equitable societies. It then addresses the inequalities, precarities, and ‘problems’ that prompt these interventions. This allows the book to emphasise the importance of activism in the here and now, and to show how activism often makes issues visible and contested in ways that are then theorised by academics. Social Geographies starts with solidarities, communities, and networks before moving to examine difference, precarity, and mobilities. Each chapter offers key case studies that centre resistance, contestations of inequitable power, and local knowledges that can often be seen as ‘solutions’ to national and transnational issues, creating a decolonial understanding of ‘social geography from below’ within and across national contexts.This book is essential reading for undergraduate students and readers new to the area, as well as anyone studying introductory geography, social, cultural and critical geography, ‘the spatial turn’ and issues of spatialities, and key issues like precarity, power, difference, equality, and mobilities.

Social Geographies: The Basics (The Basics)

Social Geographies: The Basics introduces what social geography is, and what it might be. It outlines the key contours of social geographies, and also disrupts some of the conventions of the discipline in both its content and structure.This book approaches social geographies by beginning with the resistances, contestations and ‘solutions’ that communities use to challenge exclusions in place and space in order to create equitable societies. It then addresses the inequalities, precarities, and ‘problems’ that prompt these interventions. This allows the book to emphasise the importance of activism in the here and now, and to show how activism often makes issues visible and contested in ways that are then theorised by academics. Social Geographies starts with solidarities, communities, and networks before moving to examine difference, precarity, and mobilities. Each chapter offers key case studies that centre resistance, contestations of inequitable power, and local knowledges that can often be seen as ‘solutions’ to national and transnational issues, creating a decolonial understanding of ‘social geography from below’ within and across national contexts.This book is essential reading for undergraduate students and readers new to the area, as well as anyone studying introductory geography, social, cultural and critical geography, ‘the spatial turn’ and issues of spatialities, and key issues like precarity, power, difference, equality, and mobilities.

Social Identity Motivators in Environmental Collective Action: Patterns in Deciding to Participate in Extinction Rebellion (BestMasters)

Social Identity research has found prominence in the realm of collective action but lacks an environmental activism focus. This study gathers individuals’ experiences to explore the influences on decision-making processes to join an environmental activist group – the local Extinction Rebellion (XR) group in Stuttgart, Germany. This case study is used to identify patterns in this process, to test the applicability of existing models and to explore the significance of social identity. Activists and past activists were interviewed. The results make it apparent that the existing models are not sufficient to represent social identity processes in environmental activism. The findings are visualized in a suggested adjusted model of collective action, which suggests norms and morals and (politicized) social identity as a twin core influencing collective action. Social identity retains its significance at the center of the model. Furthermore, it is suggested that collective efficacy beliefs anda sense of agency are interchangeable factors influencing the twin core and collective action directly. Injustice perceptions remain essential. Social connections, group identification, group dynamics, participatory efficacy, self-identity, and image are found to play a role occasionally but require further investigation. The convergence of collective efficacy beliefs and a sense of agency and the valuation of factors present especially relevant future research topics.

Social Issues in Sport, Leisure, and Health

This book examines how social issues shape and influence our engagement with sport, leisure time physical activity, and health-promoting exercise. Connecting the personal with the public, it helps the reader understand how individual exercise, leisure, and sport participation are both facilitated and constrained by their social contexts. Presenting a series of in-depth descriptions of grassroots sport, urban lifestyle sport, physical activity across the life course, sport for children with special needs, and the development of creative climates in sport, this book seeks to encourage what C. Wright Mills described as the “sociological imagination”. Every chapter begins with an individual-level account centred on everyday challenges with accessing sport, partaking in leisure activities, and meeting guidelines for daily exercise before exploring the larger, socially determined patterns in which those experiences are located, establishing a vital template for the social scientific study of sport, leisure, and health. Touching on key contemporary themes including diversity, inclusion, health inequalities, and physical inactivity, as well as selection and intensification in sports, this book offers new case material and theoretical tools for understanding the relationships between sport, leisure, health, and the wider society. This is an indispensable companion for any course on the sociology of sport, exercise, leisure, or physical activity and health.

Social Issues in Sport, Leisure, and Health

This book examines how social issues shape and influence our engagement with sport, leisure time physical activity, and health-promoting exercise. Connecting the personal with the public, it helps the reader understand how individual exercise, leisure, and sport participation are both facilitated and constrained by their social contexts. Presenting a series of in-depth descriptions of grassroots sport, urban lifestyle sport, physical activity across the life course, sport for children with special needs, and the development of creative climates in sport, this book seeks to encourage what C. Wright Mills described as the “sociological imagination”. Every chapter begins with an individual-level account centred on everyday challenges with accessing sport, partaking in leisure activities, and meeting guidelines for daily exercise before exploring the larger, socially determined patterns in which those experiences are located, establishing a vital template for the social scientific study of sport, leisure, and health. Touching on key contemporary themes including diversity, inclusion, health inequalities, and physical inactivity, as well as selection and intensification in sports, this book offers new case material and theoretical tools for understanding the relationships between sport, leisure, health, and the wider society. This is an indispensable companion for any course on the sociology of sport, exercise, leisure, or physical activity and health.

Social Media in the Lives of Young Connected Migrants: Making and Unmaking Boundaries (ISSN)

Digital media are a key part of everyday social life for international migrants. However, we don’t know enough about how these migrants critically understand and cope with the cultures and infrastructures of ubiquitous connectivity while on the move. Social Media in the Lives of Young Connected Migrants explores and theorises what it means for young migrants to live in a digital age. Presenting a richly detailed analysis of Chinese international students’ everyday social media practices, the book unravels the meanings of digital connectivity in general and how contemporary mobile young generations respond to such changes. Drawing on ethnographic and interview data, this book highlights the enabling aspects of connective media in migration journeys and shows how and why young Chinese migrants manage or even resist being connected. With close attention to diasporic, intercultural, family, and professional migrant identities and relationships, the author provides a nuanced account of living with digital media in everyday settings. Focusing on the boundary practices associated with social media, the book offers a unique analytical framework through which to capture the complex intersections of digital communication technologies and migrant social life. This volume will appeal to students and scholars interested in researching Chinese diasporas, digital migration, and youth cultures.

Social Media in the Lives of Young Connected Migrants: Making and Unmaking Boundaries (ISSN)

Digital media are a key part of everyday social life for international migrants. However, we don’t know enough about how these migrants critically understand and cope with the cultures and infrastructures of ubiquitous connectivity while on the move. Social Media in the Lives of Young Connected Migrants explores and theorises what it means for young migrants to live in a digital age. Presenting a richly detailed analysis of Chinese international students’ everyday social media practices, the book unravels the meanings of digital connectivity in general and how contemporary mobile young generations respond to such changes. Drawing on ethnographic and interview data, this book highlights the enabling aspects of connective media in migration journeys and shows how and why young Chinese migrants manage or even resist being connected. With close attention to diasporic, intercultural, family, and professional migrant identities and relationships, the author provides a nuanced account of living with digital media in everyday settings. Focusing on the boundary practices associated with social media, the book offers a unique analytical framework through which to capture the complex intersections of digital communication technologies and migrant social life. This volume will appeal to students and scholars interested in researching Chinese diasporas, digital migration, and youth cultures.

Social Media Theory and Communications Practice

Fusing the academic with the applied, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to social media for future communications professionals.While most social media texts approach the subject through either a theoretical, scholarly lens or a professional, practical lens, this text offers a much-needed linkage of theory to the practical tactics employed by social media communicators. Concise and conversational chapters break down the basics of both social media theory and practice and are complemented by sidebars written by scholars and industry professionals, chapter summaries and end-of-chapter exercises.This book is ideal for introductory social media courses in communication, public relations and mass communication departments, as well as courses in digital media and public relations.Online resources include social media writing templates, sample posts and content calendar templates. Please visit www.routledge.com/9781032185873.

Social Media Theory and Communications Practice

Fusing the academic with the applied, this book provides a comprehensive introduction to social media for future communications professionals.While most social media texts approach the subject through either a theoretical, scholarly lens or a professional, practical lens, this text offers a much-needed linkage of theory to the practical tactics employed by social media communicators. Concise and conversational chapters break down the basics of both social media theory and practice and are complemented by sidebars written by scholars and industry professionals, chapter summaries and end-of-chapter exercises.This book is ideal for introductory social media courses in communication, public relations and mass communication departments, as well as courses in digital media and public relations.Online resources include social media writing templates, sample posts and content calendar templates. Please visit www.routledge.com/9781032185873.

Social Media, Youth, and the Global South: Comparative Perspectives

Social Movement Discourse: An Introduction

This is both the first systematic introduction to Discourse Studies for students and scholars of social movements and a study of discourses on the European “refugee crisis”, by leading theorist, Teun A. van Dijk.Concrete examples of different kinds of discourse are vital for the study of social movements because their activities are not limited to such well-known forms of contention as marches, occupations or strikes, but also daily discursive activities, such as meetings, assemblies, interviews, press conferences, manifestos, pamphlets, banners, graffiti, websites, blogs, social media posts and everyday talk.This book proposes that empirical analyses of these discourses should go beyond the popular but vague notion of “frame”and engage in more detailed and explicit analyses of the text and talk of social movements.This is a much-needed introduction to the most important structures of discourse and a detailed theoretical account of the notion of “solidarity” defining the Refugees Welcome movement.

Social Movement Discourse: An Introduction

This is both the first systematic introduction to Discourse Studies for students and scholars of social movements and a study of discourses on the European “refugee crisis”, by leading theorist, Teun A. van Dijk.Concrete examples of different kinds of discourse are vital for the study of social movements because their activities are not limited to such well-known forms of contention as marches, occupations or strikes, but also daily discursive activities, such as meetings, assemblies, interviews, press conferences, manifestos, pamphlets, banners, graffiti, websites, blogs, social media posts and everyday talk.This book proposes that empirical analyses of these discourses should go beyond the popular but vague notion of “frame”and engage in more detailed and explicit analyses of the text and talk of social movements.This is a much-needed introduction to the most important structures of discourse and a detailed theoretical account of the notion of “solidarity” defining the Refugees Welcome movement.

Social Movements and Everyday Acts of Resistance: Solidarity in a Changing World (Routledge Studies in Political Sociology)

This book focuses on small-scale mobilisation and everyday social movements that take the form of grassroots resistance and solidarity initiatives. Through a series of case studies drawn from the UK, Europe, India, and Latin America, it examines the dynamics and role of micro-acts of resistance, with attention to a range of themes including organisational issues, the construction of collective identity, strategies, tactics and participation, and media representations and public perception of small-scale social movements. As such, it will appeal to scholars and students of sociology, media and communication and politics with interests in social movements, political mobilisation and activism.