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The purpose of this paper is to analyse data literacy in the new Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp 2.2). Mid-2022 the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission published a new version of the DigComp (EC, 2022). This new version focusses more on the datafication of society and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence. This paper analyses how DigComp 2.2 defines data literacy and how the framework looks at this from a societal lens.

This study critically examines DigComp 2.2, using the data literacy competence model developed by the Knowledge Centre for Digital and Media Literacy Flanders-Belgium. The examples of knowledge, skills and attitudes focussing on data literacy (n = 84) are coded and mapped onto the data literacy competence model, which differentiates between using data and understanding data.

Data literacy is well-covered in the framework, but there is a stronger emphasis on understanding data rather than using data, for example, collecting data is only coded once. Thematically, DigComp 2.2 primarily focusses on security and privacy (31 codes), with less attention given to the societal impact of data, such as environmental impact or data fairness.

Given the datafication of society, data literacy has become increasingly important. DigComp is widely used across different disciplines and now integrates data literacy as a required competence for citizens. It is, thus, relevant to analyse its views on data literacy and emerging technologies, as it will have a strong impact on education in Europe.

This chapter highlights how implementing circular economy principles can help companies working with sustainability to move from a reductionist and waste management approach to marketing competitive circular value propositions that intentionally design out waste (e.g. emissions and pollution) by rethinking, reinventing and redesigning the value chain. Schijvens, a Dutch family-owned corporate fashion textile company, acts as a case for exemplifying successful implementation of circular economy principles as a marketing strategy in a sector that struggles with finding solutions to the ethical challenges of producing and marketing textile fashion. The textile industry has, for many years, been accused of production that is based on environmentally harmful processes and conditions that are not socially fair. Circular economy principles provide a range of suggestions to address the ethical challenges occurring from covering the human needs of having clothes to wear. Yet, implementing circular economy principles is not a panacea. It is not only a question of delivering a technological quick fix but also a question of managing the new processes and human mindset guiding the actions in the value chain. This chapter, therefore, outlines reasons for a different perspective on the traditional linear value chain and related implications managers face when undertaking a journey from sustainability based on a reductionist approach to a closed-loop approach. It is argued that implementing circular economy principles by pro-actively managing the value chain processes based on eco-centric dynamic capabilities can provide even more radical changes than the incremental reductionist approach often associated with being a green sustainable company.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the individual’s experience during the use of Pinterest in a marketing learning process. This experience is a fundamental starting point from which to develop marketing learning processes that flow naturally. Thus, it is necessary to examine the components that determine the individual’s experience and to explore consequences such as collaborative learning and marketing learning performance.

To conceptualise the individual’s experience, this study focuses on her/his state of cognitive absorption (CA) and establishes a second-order formative structure made up of five components: heightened enjoyment, curiosity, control, temporal dissociation and focused immersion. The model is estimated with partial least squares modelling, using SmartPLS 2.0 software.

The results confirm the significant weights of the components, with the exception of focused immersion, and support the influence of overall CA on the proposed outcomes. They also confirm that collaborative learning exerts a positive influence on the individual’s performance.

This study makes three contributions. First, it holistically examines the individual’s experience during marketing learning and the importance of its constituent components. Second, it establishes what the consequences of the marketing learning experience are, taking into account both social and individual factors, that is, collaborative learning and individual performance. Third, Pinterest is proposed as a social network with great potential in marketing learning. It is a well-known network which includes very interesting features for learning contexts. Nevertheless, it has been little studied in research.

El objetivo de la presente investigación es analizar la experiencia del individuo durante el uso de Pinterest en un proceso de aprendizaje de marketing. Este experiencia es un punto de partida fundamental para que el proceso de aprendizaje de marketing se desarrolle de manera fluída. Así, es preciso examinar los componentes que determinan la experiencia del individuo y explorar las consecuencias, como por ejemplo, el aprendizaje colaborativo y los resultados del aprendizaje de marketing.

Con el objeto de conceptualizar la experiencia del individuo, este studio centra su atención en la absorción cognitiva (AC) y propone una estructura formativa de segundo orden compuesta por cinco componentes: mayor disfrute, curiosidad, control, disociación temporal e inmersión enfocada. El modelo es estimado mediante el uso de Modelización de Mínimos Cuadrados Parciales, empleando el software SmartPLS 2.0.

Los resultados confirman el significativo peso de los componentes, con la excepción de la inmensión enfocada, y apoya la influencia de la AC general sobre las consecuencias propuestas. Estos resultados también confirman que el aprendizaje colaborativo tiene una influencia positiva sobre los resultados del individuo.

Este estudio ofrece tres contribuciones. En primer lugar, se examina de manera holística la experiencia del individuo durante el aprendizaje de marketing y la importancia de sus componentes. En segundo lugar, se establece cuales son las consecuencias de la experiencia de aprendizaje de marketing, teniendo en cuenta factores sociales e individuales, es decir, aprendizaje colaborativo y resultados individuales. En tercer lugar, se propone a Pinterest como una red social con un gran potencial en el aprendizaje de marketing. Se trata de una conocida red que incluye interesantes características para los contextos de aprendizaje. A pesar de ello, ha sido escasamente estudiada por los investigadores.

Experiencia, Absorción cognitiva, Pinterest, Resultados de aprendizaje de marketing, Redes sociales

Artículo de investigación

The study investigated teaching research data management (RDM) courses in higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania to enable postgraduate students to work with their research data.

The study triangulated research methods. Postgraduate students were investigated using survey questionnaires to learn about their needs and perceptions of the teaching RDM courses in HLIs. Key informants (academicians, information and communication technologists and library staff) were also investigated using in-depth interviews to explore their experiences and knowledge of teaching RDM courses. SPSS statistical software was used for analysing quantitative data; qualitative data were analysed thematically.

A total of 70 questionnaires were distributed to postgraduate students with a returning rate of 44 (69%). On the other hand, 12 key informants were interviewed. A low level of RDM literacy was revealed among 38 (86%) respondents. Most respondents 40 (91%) reported the need for HLIs to start teaching RDM courses. A lack of skills and knowledge in teaching RDM courses was revealed among key informants. The competency-based, adaptive and constructive teaching techniques were selected for teaching RDM courses, whereas intensive training and online tutorials were revealed as teaching formats.

This study focused on teaching RDM courses in HLIs. The survey questionnaires were distributed to all 2nd year postgraduate students, however, the findings cannot be generalised to all postgraduate students due to the response rate obtained. The findings obtained from key informants can also not be used as a basis for generalization across HLIs.

This study concluded that postgraduate students need to be well equipped with skills and knowledge on RDM and its related concepts; teaching RDM courses should be regarded as a continuous programme for benefit of students, researchers and the community at large.

Appropriate teaching of RDM courses among students not only ensures that students meet the funders’ and publishers’ requirements, but also encourages students to store and share their research among researchers worldwide; thus increasing collaboration and visibility of the datasets and data owners through data citations and acknowledgements.

This is a comprehensive study that provides findings for HLIs to teach RDM courses in HLIs, especially for postgraduate students. The findings revealed the need for teaching RDM courses in HLIs. The study provides the basis for further RDM research in HLIs and research institutions.

This study examines various artificial intelligence (AI) models for predicting financially distressed firms with poor profitability (“Zombie firms”). In particular, we adopt the Explainable AI (“XAI”) approach to overcome the limitations of the previous AI models, which is well-known as the black-box problem, by utilizing the Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) and the Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). This XAI approach thus enables us to interpret the prediction results of the AI models. This study focuses on the Korean sample from 2019 to 2023, as it is expected that the COVID-19 pandemic increases the number of zombie firms. We find that the XGBoost model based on a boosting technique has the best predictive performance among several AI models, including the traditional ones (e.g. the logistic regression). In addition, by using the XAI approach, we provide visualized interpretations for the prediction results from the XGBoost model. The analysis further reveals that the return on sales and the selling, general and administrative costs are the most impactful variables for predicting zombie firms. Overall, this study focusing on several AI models not only shows the improvement for the prediction of zombie firms (relative to the traditional models) but also increases the reliability of the prediction results by adopting the XAI approach, providing several implications for market participants, such as financial institutions and investors.

To overcome change management challenges, organizations often rely on stories as means of communication. Storytelling has emerged as a leading change management tool to influence and bring people on sharing knowledge. Nevertheless, this study aims to suggest stories of change as a more effective tool that helps people in taking action toward transformation processes.

The authors apply design science research to develop and evaluate how writing a prospective story engages organizational actors in the transformation process. The authors test the story-making artifact in a field study with five companies and 115 employees who participated in 75 workshops.

Using the findings to discuss the role of story-making in facilitating the emergence of new behaviors in transformation processes, the authors link story-making with the opportunity to make change happen through knowledge dissemination rather than merely understanding it.

The authors illustrate the role of iterations, peers and self-criticism that help story-makers embrace sensemaking, developing a shared knowledge based that influence individual actions.

The authors propose the story-making approach that organizations can follow to nurture change to make transformation happen through knowledge cocreation.

The research explores story-making as an individual act of writing prospective stories to facilitate the emergence of new behaviors through shared knowledge.

This study analyzes the performance implications of adopting blockchain to support supply chain business processes. The technology holds as many promises as implementation challenges, so interest in its impact on operational performance has grown steadily over the last few years.

Drawing on transaction cost economics and the contingency theory, we built a set of hypotheses. These were tested through a long-term event study and an ordinary least squares regression involving 130 adopters listed in North America.

Compared with the control sample, adopters displayed significant abnormal performance in terms of labor productivity, operating cycle and profitability, whereas sales appeared unaffected. Firms in regulated settings and closer to the end customer showed more positive effects. Neither industry-level competition nor the early involvement of a project partner emerged as relevant contextual factors.

This research presents the first extensive analysis of operational performance based on objective measures. In contrast to previous studies and theoretical predictions, the results indicate that blockchain adoption is not associated with sales improvement. This can be explained considering that secure data storage and sharing do not guarantee the factual credibility of recorded data, which needs to be proved to customers in alternative ways. Conversely, improvements in other operational performance dimensions confirm that blockchain can support inter-organizational transactions more efficiently. The results are relevant in times when, following hype, there are signs of disengagement with the technology.

Service managers increasingly strive to achieve sustainability through strategies centered on circularity. With a focus on saving, extending and (re)generating resources and their enclosing service systems, circularity can contribute to environmental, social and financial gains. Yet, the notion of circularity is surprisingly understudied in service research. This article seeks to provide an initial conceptual understanding of circular service management, introducing illustrative strategies and research priorities for circular service management. This paper provides a roadmap for scholars, practitioners and policymakers to develop a deeper understanding of the opportunities from adopting circular services.

The authors explore the concept of circular service management by drawing upon existing literature on sustainability, circularity and service research. Strategies of circular service management and research priorities emerge on the basis of industry best practice examples and research on sustainability challenges and opportunities.

Service researchers have largely ignored the concept and role of circularity for service businesses. Extant research on the topic nearly exclusively features in non-service journals and/or does not seek to advance service theory through circularity. This article argues that circular service management enables the implementation of service thinking in the pursuit of sustainability and outlines four types of circular service management strategies.

The authors introduce the concept of circular service management and highlight the role of service research for designing and managing circular systems and operations. This article also offers a research agenda connecting managerial challenges and opportunities with key service research priorities for circular service management. This provides a roadmap for scholars, practitioners and policymakers to develop a deeper understanding of pursuing circular services, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future.

This study aims to explore the relationship between global unity and cultural diversity in an interconnected world, examining how globalization influences cultural exchange while preserving identities. Using hybrid thematic content analysis (HTCA), it reveals how cross-cultural collaboration can be fostered amid global challenges like climate change, health crises and technology. The research offers insights into integrating global efforts with local cultural nuances to create sustainable solutions. By bridging qualitative and quantitative approaches, it provides new perspectives on harmonizing global interconnectedness with cultural preservation in governance, technological innovation, diplomacy and education.

This research applied content analysis, thematic analysis and HTCA to examine global unity and cultural diversity. Content analysis highlighted key themes in international frameworks, whereas thematic analysis delved into elements promoting cultural preservation and adaptation. HTCA synthesized these insights, combining content-focused themes with broader cultural, economic and policy perspectives. Data sources included academic literature, international policy documents and case studies from UNESCO and regional cultural policies.

The findings reveal that while globalization drives global unity, cultural diversity remains crucial for preserving individual identities. Key themes include multiculturalism, cultural exchange, hybridization and resistance to homogenization. While globalization can erode local traditions, it also fosters cultural enrichment, seen in fusion cuisine, multilingualism and ethical fashion. The research identifies strategies for balancing global unity and cultural diversity, such as hybrid approaches to environmental sustainability, integrating cultural insights into global health and inclusive technological innovations like AI and virtual reality. It also highlights the role of institutions like UNESCO in promoting cultural diplomacy and the challenges in balancing global governance with cultural diversity.

This research is limited by its reliance on secondary data from policy documents and literature, without primary data from affected communities or policymakers. Future studies could incorporate interviews and surveys to gain first-hand perspectives. In addition, the geographic focus on documented globalization effects limits broader applicability; more inclusive case studies across diverse cultural contexts are recommended.

The study offers actionable insights for policymakers, educators and cultural leaders to promote inclusive cultural exchange and hybridization strategies. It emphasizes balancing globalization benefits with cultural heritage protection. Practical applications in education, health and technology should consider cultural differences for more inclusive and effective solutions, such as integrating global citizenship and cultural sensitivity in educational policies.

The study emphasizes how intercultural understanding and collaboration can enhance social cohesion in multicultural societies. It advocates for celebrating diversity, fostering cultural dialogue and promoting inclusive global policies to build peace and address global issues while maintaining diverse identities.

This study’s originality lies in its methodological triangulation, using HTCA as a novel approach to unify content and thematic insights. By integrating content analysis, thematic analysis and HTCA, this research offers a unique multidimensional analysis of global unity and cultural diversity, revealing how these aspects can coexist within globalization.

The purpose of this paper is to share the author’s viewpoint on how to increase student response rate in course evaluation surveys.

The approach is to highlight measures which increased student response rate in online surveys of the author’s teaching evaluation at The University of the West Indies, Jamaica.

This viewpoint suggests that student response rate to course evaluation can be improved by the lecturer’s effective communication. The examples of effective communication are given in this paper.

This work will encourage the lecturers to initiate more student engagement to improve response rate of their teaching evaluation.