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Volume 9
Issue 3
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Soc. Sci., Volume 9, Issue 3 (March 2020) – 10 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): In today’s flexible labor market, the concept of employability has become important. Within a neoliberal framework, this means that accountability for one’s possibility to successfully obtain employment rests with the individual. Newly arrived migrants face many challenges on their path toward (re)employment and are provided with support measures to facilitate labor market induction. These measures are in line with a social welfare perspective, which portrays newly arrived migrants in need of nurture and support. We aimed to expand the research on labor market induction and integration by focusing on how information on establishment, and labor market induction is presented. We elaborate upon the contradictory constructions of migrants’ employability, placed at the crossroads of neoliberal and social welfare discourses, built on tacit assumptions and influenced by stereotypes. View this paper
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12 pages, 304 KiB  
Article
“If I’m Here, It’s Because I Do Not Have Anyone”: Social Support for the Biological Family during the Foster Care Process
by Eduard Vaquero, M. Àngels Balsells, Carmen Ponce, Aida Urrea and Alicia Navajas
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030031 - 20 Mar 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5098
Abstract
Social support is a crucial element for families in vulnerable situations, especially for those with children in foster care processes. This support is key to the acceptance of the protection measure in the initial moments and to laying the foundations for collaboration towards [...] Read more.
Social support is a crucial element for families in vulnerable situations, especially for those with children in foster care processes. This support is key to the acceptance of the protection measure in the initial moments and to laying the foundations for collaboration towards reunification. However, the social support of these families is limited, and families’ use of support elements is strongly related to their attitude towards them. The aims of this article were to identify the types and characteristics of social support and to analyze what elements influence families’ attitudes towards these supports. The qualitative study research was carried out in Spain through focus groups and interviews with 135 participants: 63 professionals from child protection services, 42 parents, and 30 children and adolescents who had been in foster care measures. Results show the diversity of social support resources available to families and demonstrate that families make unequal use of such resources depending on factors such as their experiences in the process of formalization and communication of the protection measure or their predisposition to receive support, among others. The important role played by social support resources in the promotion of factors that allow for successful reception and reunification is highlighted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Critical Debates and Developments in Child Protection)
14 pages, 574 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Risk Factors and Symptoms of Burnout Syndrome in Colombian School Teachers under Statutes 2277 and 1278 Using Machine Learning Interpretation
by Hugo F. Posada-Quintero, Paula N. Molano-Vergara, Ronald M. Parra-Hernández and Jorge I. Posada-Quintero
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030030 - 20 Mar 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5335
Abstract
In 2002, the Colombian ministry of education released statute 1278, for teaching professionalization, superseding statute 2277 of 1977. Although statute 1278 was intended to increase the quality of the education service and teachers’ remuneration, there is evidence that the abundant evaluations and hindered [...] Read more.
In 2002, the Colombian ministry of education released statute 1278, for teaching professionalization, superseding statute 2277 of 1977. Although statute 1278 was intended to increase the quality of the education service and teachers’ remuneration, there is evidence that the abundant evaluations and hindered promotion system introduced by statute 1278 resulted in an impairment of the quality of life of the teachers, and a higher incidence of burnout syndrome. We used two techniques for machine learning interpretability, SHapley Additive exPlanation summary plots and predictor importance, to interpret support vector machine and decision tree machine learning models, respectively, to better understand the differences on risk factors and symptoms of burnout syndrome in school teachers under statutes 2277 and 1278. We have surveyed 54 school teachers between August and October 2018, 17 under statute 2277, and 37 under statute 1278. Among the risk factors and symptoms of burnout syndrome considered in this study, we found that the satisfaction with earnt income was the most relevant risk factor, followed by the overtime work and the perceived severity of the sanctions on lower performance. The most relevant symptoms of burnout were fatigue at the end of the day, and frequent headaches. This methodology can be potentially used in other contexts and social groups, allowing institutional authorities and policy makers to allocate resources to specific issues affecting a particular group of workers. Full article
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17 pages, 898 KiB  
Article
Adopt Big-Data Analytics to Explore and Exploit the New Value for Service Innovation
by Nopsaran Thuethongchai, Tatri Taiphapoon, Achara Chandrachai and Sipat Triukose
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030029 - 18 Mar 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4961
Abstract
Big-data analytics is gaining substantial attention due to its contribution to the process of determining business strategy and providing valuable information for the design and development of service innovation. The principal objective of this research is to study the adoption of big-data analytics [...] Read more.
Big-data analytics is gaining substantial attention due to its contribution to the process of determining business strategy and providing valuable information for the design and development of service innovation. The principal objective of this research is to study the adoption of big-data analytics for service innovation. The focus will be on leveraging features of data analytics to capture genuine customer’s requirements from the communication data through the digital service channel. This study used mixed methods research of documentary research, with supplementary semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted with 11 executive managements who have more than ten years of experience in data analytics or service development. The result of the research found that organizations in the services industry are using big data analytics to build capabilities to gain competitive advantages as well as the ability to rapidly and accurately respond to the market’s demands. The process of adopting big-data analytics for service innovation described in this article consists of seven essential procedural steps that impact the success of the development of service innovation, and also considered with the objective of increasing effectiveness in opportunity identification and reduce complexity in the fuzzy frond-end service innovation development theory. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Big Data and Social Sciences)
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11 pages, 276 KiB  
Article
Global Game Jam in Latin-America, a Collaborative Videogame Learning Experience
by Angel Torres-Toukoumidis, Juan Pablo Salgado Guerrero, Sheila Peñalva and Paola Carrera
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030028 - 11 Mar 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4565
Abstract
Videogame production events, particularly the Global Game Jam (GGJ), is an activity par excellence aimed at the development of the world’s largest games, enhancing the form of personal expression, critical thinking, and appropriation of new media through collaborative work. The general objective is [...] Read more.
Videogame production events, particularly the Global Game Jam (GGJ), is an activity par excellence aimed at the development of the world’s largest games, enhancing the form of personal expression, critical thinking, and appropriation of new media through collaborative work. The general objective is to explore the development process within the context of the GGJ, calculating the correlation between level of education and source of inspiration, the correlation between level of education and purpose of the game to be designed in the Global Game Jam and the correlation between level of education and skills. The main source of inspiration is defined by game genre, game mechanics, or other video game, in addition the purpose of the game is mainly due to learning a technical skill, enjoy doing it, and generate satisfaction in the players. Finally, the skills that prevail are 2D Design, Programming, and 3D Design. People with a high level of knowledge have the same passion as those who have just started in the multidisciplinary field of the development of video games motivated by creating an original game that has a good script and provides them a life experience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of the Interactive Learning Environments on Children and Youth Socialization)
17 pages, 854 KiB  
Article
Understanding Motivations for Volunteering in Food Insecurity and Food Upcycling Projects
by Sabrina Rondeau, Sara M. Stricker, Chantel Kozachenko and Kate Parizeau
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030027 - 11 Mar 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 8200
Abstract
For non-profit organizations relying on volunteers to operate, investigations into the motivations of volunteerism are critical to attract new volunteers and to support the current ones. This study looked at volunteerism in the not-for-profit project The SEED in Ontario, Canada, which is looking [...] Read more.
For non-profit organizations relying on volunteers to operate, investigations into the motivations of volunteerism are critical to attract new volunteers and to support the current ones. This study looked at volunteerism in the not-for-profit project The SEED in Ontario, Canada, which is looking to address food insecurity through a new social enterprise project that will create value-added “upcycled” products from second-grade produce while offering training opportunities for youth facing barriers to employment. The aims of this paper were to explore why volunteers chose to offer their time to this project and to gauge the current volunteers’ interest in volunteering with the organization’s new “Upcycle Kitchen”. Thirty-seven volunteers responded to a self-administered survey. They reported altruism, self-development, and social life improvement as their main motivations for volunteering. The volunteers expressed enthusiasm toward the Upcycle Kitchen initiative, which seems to be attributable to the multidimensional, creative, and educational aspects of the project. Tackling food insecurity and reducing the environmental impact of food waste are values which would most likely influence the respondents’ willingness to volunteer in food upcycling activities. We believe that this study is a good model to learn about the many facets of volunteerism for social enterprises developing upcycling-based food projects. Full article
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20 pages, 364 KiB  
Article
Exploring Employability Constructions of Migrants in Sweden and Potential Consequences for Labour Market Entrance Recommendations
by Hanna Li Kusterer and Claudia Bernhard-Oettel
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030026 - 4 Mar 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4482
Abstract
In the flexible Swedish labour market, the concept of employability has grown important. Within a neoliberal framework, accountability for one’s possibility to successfully obtain or keep employment rests with the individual. In contrast, within a social welfare discourse the individual is offered care [...] Read more.
In the flexible Swedish labour market, the concept of employability has grown important. Within a neoliberal framework, accountability for one’s possibility to successfully obtain or keep employment rests with the individual. In contrast, within a social welfare discourse the individual is offered care and support in order to gain employment. The present study combined intersectional and discourse analytical approaches with the understanding that individual employability is subjectively constructed in the exploration of labour market induction, employability constructions and categorizations in the discourse used by government agencies directly involved in the labour market integration of newly arrived migrants. Public documents comprising information on labour market entrance, employability and associated concepts such as competence building and career development were analysed. The employability constructions were often contradictory—placed at the crossroads of neoliberal and social welfare discourses—and built on tacit assumptions and influenced by stereotypes. Conveying such employability constructions further could lead to exclusion from long-term employment and have detrimental psychological and health repercussions. Instead, it is of importance to work towards reconstructing migrants’ employability in this new context without damaging influence from inflexible categorizations and stereotypes. Full article
15 pages, 1050 KiB  
Article
Culinary Tourism as An Effective Strategy for a Profitable Cooperation between Agriculture and Tourism
by Elide Di-Clemente, José Manuel Hernández-Mogollón and Tomás López-Guzmán
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030025 - 2 Mar 2020
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 7703
Abstract
The relationships between tourism and agriculture have traditionally been studied due to the positive impacts they can potentially have on the development of rural economies. This research puts forward a new interpretation of the cooperation between these two sectors, involving culinary tourism as [...] Read more.
The relationships between tourism and agriculture have traditionally been studied due to the positive impacts they can potentially have on the development of rural economies. This research puts forward a new interpretation of the cooperation between these two sectors, involving culinary tourism as a key factor. An empirical study was carried out and 720 tourists were interviewed while visiting the city of Cáceres, Extremadura, in south-western Spain. Results show that (i) food and traditional gastronomy are the main motivators of modern tourists, (ii) their income level is above average, (iii) tourists who travel with a culinary motivation are more likely to consume, in their daily diet, traditional products from the visited destination, generating positive impacts to the destination over the long term. The paper reaches significant conclusions on the management and marketing of destinations and the development of traditional rural economies. Full article
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15 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Border Residents’ Perceptions of Crime and Security in El Paso, Texas
by Ernesto Castañeda and Casey Chiappetta
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 24; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030024 - 29 Feb 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 10985
Abstract
Research has continued to show the overall safety of the U.S. border region contrary to the widespread belief about the insecurity of the U.S.-Mexico border and frequent claims for the need to secure the border in order to prevent the spread of violence [...] Read more.
Research has continued to show the overall safety of the U.S. border region contrary to the widespread belief about the insecurity of the U.S.-Mexico border and frequent claims for the need to secure the border in order to prevent the spread of violence into the rest of the country. Rarely do we ask how border residents feel about safety and crime, which could shed significant light on the claims that the border is an insecure warzone posing a threat to the entire country. While calls to secure national borders are common, outsiders’ perceptions of an unsafe border are not supported by official crime rates and statistics, Border Patrol apprehensions, or the everyday experiences of people in American cities along the U.S.-Mexico border. This paper investigates the perception of crime and security, as expressed by the residents of El Paso, Texas, a large city located along the U.S.-Mexico border and directly across from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Data come from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded survey that asked 919 residents about their perceptions of crime, sense of security and safety in their neighborhood and the city in general. The results show that the overwhelming majority of border city residents feel safe and that those who are undocumented and raised in El Paso are the most likely to report feeling safe or very safe. We also find that the foreign-born population had a statistically significant lower felony conviction rate than those who were U.S.-born, an important qualifier in discussions over immigration and its connection with violence and crime. Contrary to sensationalized claims about border violence, residents of El Paso do not display any of the sense of insecurity experienced in neighboring Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. We present hypotheses about possible causes for these low levels of violence in the U.S.-side of the border and discuss the dissonance between the reality on the border and perception outside of the border region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reshaping the World: Rethinking Borders)
20 pages, 4823 KiB  
Article
Opinion Mining and Sentiment Analysis in Marketing Communications: A Science Mapping Analysis in Web of Science (1998–2018)
by Pablo Sánchez-Núñez, Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa and José Ignacio Peláez
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030023 - 28 Feb 2020
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6812
Abstract
Opinion mining and sentiment analysis has become ubiquitous in our society, with applications in online searching, computer vision, image understanding, artificial intelligence and marketing communications (MarCom). Within this context, opinion mining and sentiment analysis in marketing communications (OMSAMC) has a strong role in [...] Read more.
Opinion mining and sentiment analysis has become ubiquitous in our society, with applications in online searching, computer vision, image understanding, artificial intelligence and marketing communications (MarCom). Within this context, opinion mining and sentiment analysis in marketing communications (OMSAMC) has a strong role in the development of the field by allowing us to understand whether people are satisfied or dissatisfied with our service or product in order to subsequently analyze the strengths and weaknesses of those consumer experiences. To the best of our knowledge, there is no science mapping analysis covering the research about opinion mining and sentiment analysis in the MarCom ecosystem. In this study, we perform a science mapping analysis on the OMSAMC research, in order to provide an overview of the scientific work during the last two decades in this interdisciplinary area and to show trends that could be the basis for future developments in the field. This study was carried out using VOSviewer, CitNetExplorer and InCites based on results from Web of Science (WoS). The results of this analysis show the evolution of the field, by highlighting the most notable authors, institutions, keywords, publications, countries, categories and journals. Full article
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10 pages, 265 KiB  
Article
Proverbs and Patriarchy: Analysis of Linguistic Prejudice and Representation of Women in Traditional Akan Communities of Ghana
by Charles Gyan, Eunice Abbey and Michael Baffoe
Soc. Sci. 2020, 9(3), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci9030022 - 25 Feb 2020
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 14344
Abstract
Discourses govern the phenomenological interpretation of our everyday existence and influence both our way of thinking and our relationship with one another in the world. Undoubtedly, popular sayings and proverbs mediate the way of being in African context. This paper examines the role [...] Read more.
Discourses govern the phenomenological interpretation of our everyday existence and influence both our way of thinking and our relationship with one another in the world. Undoubtedly, popular sayings and proverbs mediate the way of being in African context. This paper examines the role of proverbs and wise sayings in the African culture. This paper attempts to analyze the representation of women in sampled Akan proverbs and the ways in which these proverbs institutionalize the position, identity, and roles of women in traditional Akan communities of Ghana. This paper suggests that oral traditions are used in the systematic perpetuation of patriarchal culture, gender inequities, and inequality. Therefore, it recommends the revolutionalization of oral traditions to assist in the deinstitutionalization of the prevailing patriarchal discourses and culture in traditional Akan communities of Ghana. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Gender Studies)
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