The purpose of this paper is to explore how university students assess the credibility of diverse information available on the Web.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how university students assess the credibility of diverse information available on the Web.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used applied study and was conducted using the survey-descriptive method. Using a randomized stratified sampling method and the Cochran sampling formula, a sample including 380 student participants was selected from Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. Data were gathered by administrating a validated questionnaire including eight components of ethics, writing style, website appearance, website identity, professional information, accuracy, usability and interaction. Data were analyzed by software SPSS 20.0 and LISREL 8.7.
Findings
Confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling indicated that the overall framework is reliable according to the goodness of fit indices for the measurement and structural models showing a high quality on measuring the variable in the context studied. Findings also showed that the components usability, interaction, accuracy, website appearance, writing style, professional information, ethics and website identity had the standard relevance.
Practical implications
Users paid more attention to semantic- and expertise-related features compared to characteristics of the source and its authority. Such preference should be taken into account by providers when producing information and students when evaluating information.
Originality/value
The framework underlying this research had the required quality incorporating a set of most important criteria for exploring Web information evaluation behavior by the students, which is also useful for future related studies.
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Mohsen Mohammadi, Mohammad Rahim Eivazi, Gholam Reza Goudarzi and Einollah Keshavarz Turk
Various theoretical studies were carried out which attempted to identify impacting factors of cultural changes; however, these studies ignored the correlation among other…
Abstract
Purpose
Various theoretical studies were carried out which attempted to identify impacting factors of cultural changes; however, these studies ignored the correlation among other affecting factors all together. In this paper, the authors aim not only to discuss the hidden layers that trigger the cultural changes but also to answer the questions of how to identify the main factors in each layer based on casual layered analysis (CLA), which could have a strong impact in shaping other layers’ factors? What are the dominant metaphors and worldviews that human beings are telling themselves about our universe that influences the future cultural changes?
Design/methodology/approach
To answer the questions of “how to identify the main factors in each layer,” the CLA methodology was used to investigate the underlying reasons. CLA takes into account four layers (litany, social systems, dominant discourse and worldviews and metaphors), which could be a tremendous help in identifying the mentioned factors.
Findings
The analysis shows that there are some contributing factors such as economy, technology, politics, society, environment, mass media, globalization and migration at the second layer – “social systems layer” – which may trigger cultural changes in first layer “litany”; in addition, in the third and deeper layer two dominant worldviews – materialist/secular and religious affecting the contributing factors in the second layer – were identified. Such worldviews are, in turn, supported by metaphors or perfect stories/myths of the deepest layer.
Originality/value
It can be concluded that because the cultural changes as a reality is composed of different layers, it is important to dig into different layers of reality to comprehend the significant shaping factors of that reality to visualize and make the better future.
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I. VAKILZADEH and A.A. KESHAVARZ
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay‐controlled second‐order non‐linear stable plant with third‐order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is the…
Abstract
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay‐controlled second‐order non‐linear stable plant with third‐order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is the simultaneous reduction of output and output derivative to zero with the input being at zero. It will be shown that for all initial values of output and output derivative it would be possible to bring them to zero, simultaneously and with at most one switching reversal of the relay. It will also be shown that, through simple transformation of error and error derivative, the equation of the switching curve can be made independent of any constant gain of the plant and also of the coefficient of the non‐linear term.
Ahmet Aytekin, Ömer Faruk Görçün, Fatih Ecer, Dragan Pamucar and Çağlar Karamaşa
Pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs) need a well-operating and faultless logistics system to successfully store and distribute their medicines. Hospitals, health institutes, and…
Abstract
Purpose
Pharmaceutical supply chains (PSCs) need a well-operating and faultless logistics system to successfully store and distribute their medicines. Hospitals, health institutes, and pharmacies must maintain extra stock to respond requirements of the patients. Nevertheless, there is an inverse correlation between the level of medicine stock and logistics service level. The high stock level held by health institutions indicates that we have not sufficiently excellent logistics systems presently. As such, selecting appropriate logistics service providers (drug distributors) is crucial and strategic for PSCs. However, this is difficult for decision-makers, as highly complex situations and conflicting criteria influence such evaluation processes. So, a robust, applicable, and strong methodological frame is required to solve these decision-making problems.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this challenging issue, the authors develop and apply an integrated entropy-WASPAS methodology with Fermatean fuzzy sets for the first time in the literature. The evaluation process takes place in two stages, as in traditional multi-criteria problems. In the first stage, the importance levels of the criteria are determined by the FF-entropy method. Afterwards, the FF-WASPAS approach ranks the alternatives.
Findings
The feasibility of the proposed model is also supported by a case study where six companies are evaluated comprehensively regarding ten criteria. Herewith, total warehouse capacity, number of refrigerated vehicles, and personnel are the top three criteria that significantly influence the evaluation of pharmaceutical distribution and warehousing companies. Further, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis proves the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Practical implications
The proposed multi-attribute decision model quantitatively aids managers in selecting logistics service providers considering imprecisions in the multi-criteria decision-making process.
Originality/value
A new model has been developed to present a sound mathematical model for selecting logistics service providers consisting of Fermatean fuzzy entropy and WASPAS methods. The paper's main contribution is presenting a comprehensive and more robust model for the ex ante evaluation and ranking of providers.
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Hojjat Saberinejad, Ali Keshavarz, Mohammad Payandehdoost, Mohammad Reza Azmoodeh and Alireza Batooei
The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate the heat transfer enhancement in a tube filled partially with porous media under non-uniform porosity distribution and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate the heat transfer enhancement in a tube filled partially with porous media under non-uniform porosity distribution and thermal dispersion effects. The optimum porous thickness ratio [R_(r,Nu)] for the heat transfer enhancement under these conditions with and without considering required pumping power is evaluated.
Design/methodology/approach
The local thermal non-equilibrium and Darcy–Brinkman–Forchheimer models are used to simulated thermal and flow fields in porous region. The tube wall and flow regime are assumed to be isothermal and laminar, respectively. The impacts of Darcy number (Da = 10-6 - 10-1) and inertia parameter (F = 0 − 2) on the Nusselt number and friction factor are studied for non-uniform porosity distribution.
Findings
First, the effect of Nusselt number indicates that there are two different behaviors with respect to uniform and non-uniform porosity for partially and fully filled porous pipe. Second, variable porosity in porous region has significant influence on the optimum thickness ratio with considering required pumping power. For negligible inertia term, it depends on the Darcy number, whereas it is 0.9 at F > 1. Third, the plug flow assumption cannot be valid even at lower Darcy number under non-uniform porosity, while this assumption is applicable at Da < 10-3 for constant porosity distribution in porous region.
Originality/value
According to the best knowledge of authors, the optimum porous thickness ratio for the heat transfer enhancement considering the pressure loss effects under variable porosity has not reported up to now. Also the plug flow assumption in such physics is not discussed.
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Hasan Boudlaie, Mohammad Hosein Kenarroodi, Razieh Sadraei and Vahid Jafari-Sadeghi
Entrepreneurs’ decision-making for detecting, evaluating and utilising opportunities across international borders is one of the main subjects of international entrepreneurship…
Abstract
Entrepreneurs’ decision-making for detecting, evaluating and utilising opportunities across international borders is one of the main subjects of international entrepreneurship research. This study aims to argue that recognising and classifying international entrepreneurship opportunities facilitate the decision-making process. To do such a thing, a multi-layer decision-making approach focusses on the industrial sector of the Kish free zone. In the first stage, the data will be collected by a questionnaire survey of entrepreneurial companies in the industry field and the main international entrepreneurship opportunities will be identified. In the second stage, the importance and relationship between the opportunities will be evaluated based on the identified opportunities. Eventually, in the last stage, the relationship and the importance of the opportunities will be determined by proposing and using a multi-layer decision-making approach. In conclusion, the prioritised international entrepreneurship opportunities will be presented.
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Ali Shabani and Hamid Keshavarz
Due to their unique characteristics in terms of information type, quantity and exchange, social media are regarded as a challenging information resource that makes credibility…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to their unique characteristics in terms of information type, quantity and exchange, social media are regarded as a challenging information resource that makes credibility evaluation a more complicated behavior. This study aims to investigate the role of media literacy in the credibility evaluation of social media information among students as a major community of user groups.
Design/methodology/approach
The study tried to explore whether or not the three popular platforms of WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram with their unique features, show a significant difference in the credibility evaluation among a sample of 150 students at the Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran. By administrating two validated measures related to the two main variables, data gathered were analyzed through the partial least-squares (PLS) method using the software SmartPLS.
Findings
Convergent and discriminant validities, as well as model fit indices, showed the reliability of the conceptual model at the 99% confidence level. Moreover, path analysis demonstrated that media literacy could affect all components of the credibility evaluation, except for currency evaluation. Overall, media literacy had less impact on evaluating information sources and information credibility compared to information presentation. Further analysis showed no significant difference in credibility evaluation with respect to the application used.
Originality/value
There appears a crucial need for the students to be skilled more in evaluating content and source without which their decision-making might be negatively affected.
Details
Keywords
I. VAKILZADEH and A.A. KESHAVARZ
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay‐controlled second‐order non‐linear unstable plant with second‐order nonlinearity will be considered. The task of the…
Abstract
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay‐controlled second‐order non‐linear unstable plant with second‐order nonlinearity will be considered. The task of the controller is the simultaneous reduction of output and output derivative to zero with the input being at zero. If the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a “controllable region”, then it is possible to reduce error and error derivative to zero, simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most “one” switching reversal of the relay. It will also be shown that, through simple transformation of error and error derivative, the equation of switching curve can be made independent of any constant gain of the plant, as well as the coefficient of non‐linear term.
K. BALACHANDRAN and R.S. RAMASWAMY
In this paper, it is established that the error and error derivative can be reduced to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of…
Abstract
In this paper, it is established that the error and error derivative can be reduced to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of the relay, provided the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a controllable region.
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay controlled second order nonlinear unstable plant with fourth order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is…
Abstract
In this paper the design of a controller for a relay controlled second order nonlinear unstable plant with fourth order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is the simultaneous reduction of output and output derivative to zero with the input being at zero. It is established that, if the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a “controllable region”, it is possible to reduce error and error derivative to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of the relay. It is also shown that, through simple transformation of error and error derivative, the equation of the switching curve can be made independent of the constant gain of the plant, as well as the coefficient of the nonlinear term.