Adamu Garba, Shah Khalid, Irfan Ullah, Shah Khusro and Diyawu Mumin
There have been many challenges in crawling deep web by search engines due to their proprietary nature or dynamic content. Distributed Information Retrieval (DIR) tries to solve…
Abstract
Purpose
There have been many challenges in crawling deep web by search engines due to their proprietary nature or dynamic content. Distributed Information Retrieval (DIR) tries to solve these problems by providing a unified searchable interface to these databases. Since a DIR must search across many databases, selecting a specific database to search against the user query is challenging. The challenge can be solved if the past queries of the users are considered in selecting collections to search in combination with word embedding techniques. Combining these would aid the best performing collection selection method to speed up retrieval performance of DIR solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose a collection selection model based on word embedding using Word2Vec approach that learns the similarity between the current and past queries. They used the cosine and transformed cosine similarity models in computing the similarities among queries. The experiment is conducted using three standard TREC testbeds created for federated search.
Findings
The results show significant improvements over the baseline models.
Originality/value
Although the lexical matching models for collection selection using similarity based on past queries exist, to the best our knowledge, the proposed work is the first of its kind that uses word embedding for collection selection by learning from past queries.
Details
Keywords
Charlotta Harju, Katja Lähtinen, Katriina Heinola, Minna Väre, Claire Bonnefous, Anne Collin, Vasile Cozma, Saskia Kliphuis, Patricia Ann Parrott, T. Bas Rodenburg, Marina Spinu and Jarkko Niemi
The purpose of this study is to provide information on how citizens in nine countries across Europe perceive egg product quality and the importance of a product's sustainability…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to provide information on how citizens in nine countries across Europe perceive egg product quality and the importance of a product's sustainability attributes (animal welfare, country of origin and production method) in egg purchases.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were gathered in 2021 via an online survey in nine European countries (Finland, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Denmark). A total of 3,601 responses were collected. As methods of analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted when investigating the quality dimensions of egg products and the differences amongst the sociodemographic groups.
Findings
Citizens in European countries considered animal welfare aspects, production method and country of origin important when purchasing egg products. Citizens' perceived quality of egg products was related to two dimensions (i.e. product properties and responsible production), and there were differences in perceptions by sociodemographic groups (i.e. age, gender, education and country of residence). Responsible production was most valued by younger women with higher education. Also in the Netherlands and Romania, citizens had stronger preferences for product properties compared to responsible production, whilst in Germany, responsible production was appreciated more than product properties.
Originality/value
The study provides new information on citizens' perceived egg product quality and the role of a product's sustainability attributes in egg purchases. Furthermore, the results bring novel insights on the differences in perceptions amongst citizens living in nine European countries.
Details
Keywords
The white buildings of Ahmadu Bello University lie between the A.19 Zaria‐Funtua road and a small river that runs, deeply trenched in red laterite, through the surrounding…
Abstract
The white buildings of Ahmadu Bello University lie between the A.19 Zaria‐Funtua road and a small river that runs, deeply trenched in red laterite, through the surrounding scrubland. For much of the year this “river” is a spruit of water no more than a foot wide and two inches deep—it is only in electric storms that it hisses as a torrent between the laterite banks—nevertheless, it may be taken as a pledge, at all times of the year, that sufficient subterranean water may be pumped out of the sands of the river‐bed to meet the needs of the University. The large blocks of buildings, in modern concrete idiom, look as if they have been torn from a city and dropped upon this open scrubland.
The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the role of Islamic endowments (awqaf) as viable mechanisms for financing poverty alleviation programmes and the value of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to raise awareness of the role of Islamic endowments (awqaf) as viable mechanisms for financing poverty alleviation programmes and the value of the third sector in promoting public welfare.
Design/methodology/approach
Secondary sources provided the main data for the study. These were supplemented with personal discussions and observations. Narrative approach was used for analysis.
Findings
The lack of awareness about endowments (awqaf) is a barrier to harnessing their potentials in redressing socio‐economic inequities and enhancing the quality of life of the poor in Kano.
Social implications
Scholars, merchants and civil society organizations will be awakened to the need to cooperate in employing the institution of awqaf reducing poverty through the provision of quality education, better health care and employment opportunities. Government will be made aware of the need to explore non‐conventional methods in tackling poverty, recognize Islamic endowments (awqaf) as viable alternatives in financing community welfare programmes and provide all necessary policy support –legal/institutional/financial – for their smooth operation.
Originality/value
The worth of this paper lies in drawing the attention of stakeholders, like policy makers, and the general public to the contemporary relevance of, and demand for, Islamic endowments (awqaf) in solving many of the socio‐economic problems excluding the poor from leading a decent life.
Details
Keywords
Victor Olutope Ige and Job Taiwo Gbadegesin
This paper examines why some sets of people choose an informal way to acquire land. It also examines challenges and drivers within indigenous communities in South-western Nigeria…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines why some sets of people choose an informal way to acquire land. It also examines challenges and drivers within indigenous communities in South-western Nigeria. Policy recommendations were proposed for formalization. What precisely are the contextual reasons that can be established empirically for the prevailing extra-legal practices in the developing land market? What are the challenges, and how can the informal land market be graduated into the formal system?
Design/methodology/approach
It begins with identifying the contextual features, drivers and challenges of the informal land market through a combination of literature synthesis and a pilot survey. Subsequently, copies of questionnaires were developed, tested and distributed to the critical actors in the informal land market. Lastly, a structured interview was conducted to elicit possible solutions from key actors (both formal and informal stakeholders). Data were analyzed using descriptive, inferential statistics and computer-aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS, Atlas. ti).
Findings
The absence of administrative bureaucracy was the predominant characteristic of the informal urban land market, while household income is the strongest predictor of the informal land market drivers. Informal documentation of transactions is also one of the most severe challenges in the informal urban land market. Consensus between statutory and customary institutions and other 15 governance-related recommendations is proposed to confirm informality to formality.
Originality/value
The paper's outcome will provide a rational guide to landowners, land administrators and other stakeholders on relevant information needed to develop a viable and healthy urban and rural land market.
Details
Keywords
Ummi Ibrahim Atah, Mustafa Omar Mohammed, Abideen Adewale Adeyemi and Engku Rabiah Adawiah
The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that will demonstrate how the integration of Salam (exclusive agricultural commodity trade) with Takaful (micro-Takaful – a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a model that will demonstrate how the integration of Salam (exclusive agricultural commodity trade) with Takaful (micro-Takaful – a subdivision of Islamic insurance) and value chain can address major challenges facing the agricultural sector in Kano State, Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
The study conducted a thorough and critical analysis of relevant literature and existing models of financing agriculture in Nigeria to come up with the proposed model.
Findings
The findings indicate that measures undertaken to address the major challenges fail. In view of this, this study proposed Bay-Salam with Takaful and value chain model to solve a number of challenges such as poor access to financing, poor marketing and pricing, delay, collateral requirement and risk issues in order to avail farmers with easy access to finance and provide effective security to financial institutions.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is limited to using secondary data. Therefore, empirical investigation can be carried out to strengthen the validation of the model.
Practical implications
The study outcome seeks to improve the productivity of the farmers through enhancing their access to finance. This will increase their level of production and provide more employment opportunities. In addition, it will boost financial inclusion, income generation, poverty alleviation, standard of living, food security and overall economic growth and development.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study lies in the integration of classical Bay-Salam with Takaful and value chain and create a unique model structure which the researchers do not come across in any research that presented it in Nigeria.