Search results

My aim is to advance competitive dynamics scholarship by presenting and developing the notion of locus inflection episodes. Such episodes refer to situations featuring changes that specifically generate shifts in the levels at which various actors aggregate as competitors.

I ground my theorizing in reanalyzes of two published studies, selected from management literature located beyond competitive dynamics scholarship. These two studies were originally not centered on locus inflection episodes, but the studies feature illustrative instances of such episodes.

My reanalyzes highlight two salient situations when the strategic repertoires of actions and responses deployed by competing firms create or dissolve various organizational forms that produce shifts in aggregation levels, thus generating locus inflection episodes. These situations include the creation as well as the dissolution of meta-organizations. Throughout the two situations, organizers of competition play an important role as actors that do not compete, but that nonetheless affect how competition unfolds by sparking inflection episodes.

Competitive dynamics scholars have primarily examined what firms do throughout the process of competition (i.e. its “how”). But they have largely disregarded that what firms do when deploying strategic repertoires may include the creation or dissolution of various organizational forms, and that this creation or dissolution can shift the aggregation levels at which competition unfolds. Such shifts are captured by the notion of locus inflection episodes, and competitive dynamics scholars could utilize it to approach the locus of competition (i.e. its “who” and “where”) as a changeable aspect throughout the process of competition.

Integrating social comparison and social identity theories, this study aims to examine students’ emotional and behavioral responses to the use of ChatGPT in academic settings, focusing on intrinsic motivation, dissonance, envy, schadenfreude and artificial intelligence (AI) usage intentions.

The research design consisted of two sequential survey-based studies with undergraduate business students. Study 1, analyzed with SmartPLS, measured students’ intrinsic motivation, cognitive engagement, dispositional envy, emotional dissonance and schadenfreude experienced in response to academic dishonesty related to ChatGPT. Study 2 explored the motivations behind students’ future use of AI tools, examining ethical considerations and emotional responses.

Study 1 determined that higher levels of cognitive engagement reduce dissonance and envy among highly motivated students. Nevertheless, driven by cognitive engagement, dissonance and envy, it was established that highly motivated students experience schadenfreude when others are caught misusing ChatGPT. In contrast, low-motivated students only feel schadenfreude as a product of dissonance and envy. The focus of Study 2 was on the adoption of ChatGPT. Results indicate that future usage is driven by ethical considerations for highly motivated students, whereas less dissonance is key for low-motivated students.

The study’s originality lies in its exploration of schadenfreude in the context of AI use among students, highlighting how cognitive engagement and motivation influence emotional responses. Drawing on social comparison and social identity theories, it sheds new light on the dynamics of academic integrity and the emotional landscape surrounding AI tools like ChatGPT, thus filling a research gap in understanding student behavior and perceptions in higher education.

This study aims to investigate patterns of information use among undergraduate engineers as they progress through their academic programs. The primary objective was to discern how second and fourth-year students differ in their use of different types of information while performing specific tasks, namely, conducting labs, composing reports and undertaking projects.

The research used an online questionnaire to collect data, focusing on the comparative analysis of second and fourth-year engineering students’ information use. The analytical framework comprised a chi-square test, residual analysis and exploratory data analysis, for evaluating statistical significance and identifying trends over time.

The results demonstrated a statistically significant difference in information use between second and fourth year undergraduates. Notably, fourth year students exhibited a preference for disciplinary genres, such as journal articles, patents and technical reports. This coincided with a decline in fourth year students’ use of educational genres, including textbooks and instructors’ handouts, notes and slides. These shifts in information use were observed consistently across all three tasks.

The uniqueness of the study resides in its innovative approach to exploring information use by investigating the relationship between genres and tasks over the course of students’ academic programs. The research introduces a novel approach for visualizing changes in information use. By describing the evolving preferences of undergraduate students from novice to emerging professional, this study contributes valuable insights into the nuanced ways in which information is used throughout the levels of engineering education.

The present study focuses on analysing the impact of augmented reality (AR) on enhancing the perception of the “Authenticity of Heritage Sites” in an off-site condition. It also aims to assess participants’ satisfaction with a smartphone AR application experience of heritage sites.

Through a literature review, the paper outlines the perception of spaces in light of digital technologies and the state of art of augmented reality (AR) applications. It then identifies criteria and indicators for assessing the “Perception of Authenticity of the Attraction Site” in AR experiences. The authors proceed with a practical implementation in two stages. The first stage involved digitally reconstructing the remains of the Sassanid Palace of Khosroes in Ctesiphon-Iraq, which dates back to the 3rd to 6th centuries AD. This reconstruction aimed to restore the lost parts of the building, and then design a proposed smartphone application for augmented reality of this heritage site. In the second stage, the application was tested through an off-site video presentation to a selected sample of participants, to simulate the application. Followed by data collection using a questionnaire.

The results revealed high percentages of positive indicators, indicating the effectiveness of augmented reality (AR) in enhancing the perception of authenticity of the heritage site. Furthermore, participants expressed positive satisfaction with the AR application simulation video and advocated for the integration of new technologies in heritage experiences.

The study used a video presentation to simulate the proposed augmented reality application. Although this experiment defines the research benefit in the condition of pre-visit to heritage sites, the importance of the study lies in presenting the public’s interaction with these applications in Iraq as an example for Middle Eastern countries. Consequently, it is relevant to studies interested in heritage in this region, and to those comparing the conditions and results of this study with other areas in the world. Additionally, it points at the necessity for heritage managers to focus on integrating modern interactive technology applications to enhance public engagement and understanding of heritage sites.

The paper gave positive results regarding the use of augmented reality technology in heritage places and results regarding satisfaction with using the application.

Providing the public’s interaction with these applications in Iraq as an example of the Middle East countries. Consequently, understanding the heritage and calling for preservation, it is related to studies concerned with heritage in this region, in addition, the need to focus on heritage managers on integrating modern interactive technology applications to enhance general participation.

The paper establishes its originality by addressing the limited use of augmented reality applications in Iraq, a country in the Middle East. It highlights the audience’s recognition and endorsement of these applications. The paper examines the role of this interactive technology in raising public awareness in the region about the significance of built heritage and enhancing understanding of its authenticity. Additionally, it underscores the importance of a neglected built heritage site: the Sassanid palace in Ctesiphon. The paper highlights its considerable global tourism potential if properly considered by relevant authorities.

Designed as an educational hub for sustainability, the Irish ecovillage of Cloughjordan is dealing with a significant challenge: creating stronger synergies between its educators to maximize its impact on the mainstream. Based on the empirical findings of a study conducted in this community, this paper aims to identify the principal informational and organisational factors that might encourage the development of such synergies.

Coherently with practice-related and ethnographic methodological principles, data were primarily collected through participant observation and semi-structured, open-ended interviews.

The lack of collaboration and information sharing between educational practices is relatable to different understandings and meanings about education for sustainability that are amplified by some power asymmetries.

The analysis of the community’s educational practices may have been limited by the many interruptions brought by the recent pandemic.

This is the very first study to explore the educational activities of the ecovillage of Cloughjordan, and one of the first ones to combine the notions of “information in social practice” and “communities of practice” to explore a real-life project.