THE ARTICLE by D. Comley in the June issue, entitled ‘Organising Laboratory Work’, dismisses oral instruction at the beginning of a laboratory period by saying that it has little…
Abstract
THE ARTICLE by D. Comley in the June issue, entitled ‘Organising Laboratory Work’, dismisses oral instruction at the beginning of a laboratory period by saying that it has little to commend it. While it is true in the sense that the author intends, I should like to draw attention to the very effective use that can be made of oral instruction if the experiments are provided in multiple, or if a small group is doing one experiment, or again if two or three larger groups are organised with one staff member available for each of those groups at least at the beginning of the laboratory period.
KNOWLEDGE GAINED from textbooks or teachers is always, at best, second‐hand. It is only the laboratory or workshop which can provide the first‐hand experience so vital to the…
Abstract
KNOWLEDGE GAINED from textbooks or teachers is always, at best, second‐hand. It is only the laboratory or workshop which can provide the first‐hand experience so vital to the training of an engineer. Because of this fact all engineering courses in this country provide, to a greater or lesser extent, this opportunity for experience. The aims of laboratory work are common to all forms of electrical engineering but the methods by which they are achieved and the emphasis given to each individual aim varies from course to course. Some of these aims are discussed below.
How frequently should laboratory work be done, and how long should the periods be?
It has often been said that a great part of the strength of Aslib lies in the fact that it brings together those whose experience has been gained in many widely differing fields…
Abstract
It has often been said that a great part of the strength of Aslib lies in the fact that it brings together those whose experience has been gained in many widely differing fields but who have a common interest in the means by which information may be collected and disseminated to the greatest advantage. Lists of its members have, therefore, a more than ordinary value since they present, in miniature, a cross‐section of institutions and individuals who share this special interest.
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the respondents’ fraud phenomenon in online panel surveys, delineate data quality issues from surveys of broad…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the respondents’ fraud phenomenon in online panel surveys, delineate data quality issues from surveys of broad and narrow populations, alert fellow researchers about higher incidence of respondents’ fraud in online panel surveys of narrow populations, such as logistics professionals and recommend ways to protect the quality of data received from such surveys.
Design/methodology/approach
This general review paper has two parts, namely, descriptive and instructional. The current state of online survey and panel data use in supply chain research is examined first through a survey method literature review. Then, a more focused understanding of the phenomenon of fraud in surveys is provided through an analysis of online panel industry literature and psychological academic literature. Common survey design and data cleaning recommendations are critically assessed for their applicability to narrow populations. A survey of warehouse professionals is used to illustrate fraud detection techniques and glean additional, supply chain specific data protection recommendations.
Findings
Surveys of narrow populations, such as those typically targeted by supply chain researchers, are much more prone to respondents’ fraud. To protect and clean survey data, supply chain researchers need to use many measures that are different from those commonly recommended in methodological survey literature.
Research limitations/implications
For the first time, the need to distinguish between narrow and broad population surveys has been stated when it comes to data quality issues. The confusion and previously reported “mixed results” from literature reviews on the subject have been explained and a clear direction for future research is suggested: the two categories should be considered separately.
Practical implications
Specific fraud protection advice is provided to supply chain researchers on the strategic choices and specific aspects for all phases of surveying narrow populations, namely, survey preparation, administration and data cleaning.
Originality/value
This paper can greatly benefit researchers in several ways. It provides a comprehensive review and analysis of respondents’ fraud in online surveys, an issue poorly understood and rarely addressed in academic research. Drawing from literature from several fields, this paper, for the first time in literature, offers a systematic set of recommendations for narrow population surveys by clearly contrasting them with general population surveys.
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Zilia Iskoujina, Malgorzata Ciesielska, Joanne Roberts and Feng Li
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the definitions, dimensions, and classifications of online communities together with their potential to produce value for business…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the definitions, dimensions, and classifications of online communities together with their potential to produce value for business. Those value options are then discussed in the context of empirical vignettes showing examples of business models focussed on one of the two potential benefits coming from online communities – clear financial gains and intangible long-run returns.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses systematic literature review method. In total, 67 academic paper in the area of business and management were chosen for the analysis.
Findings
The literature review shows multitude of online communities definitions and classifications, but hardly any comprehensive attempt to map the phenomena in full. This paper is looking into recognising potential revenue streams from online businesses and other non-financial benefits that can be combined to create strong and sustainable value proposition.
Originality/value
Drawing on the literature reviewed a novel categorisation of the commercial opportunities offered by the online communities is presented. These opportunities are discussed in a context of business model design.
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Peter Tingling, Michael Parent and Michael Wade
The ubiquity of the Internet and e‐mail has resulted in a burgeoning interest in their potential for academic research. This paper summarizes the existing practices of Internet…
Abstract
The ubiquity of the Internet and e‐mail has resulted in a burgeoning interest in their potential for academic research. This paper summarizes the existing practices of Internet research and suggests extensions to them based on the design and administration of a large‐scale, national Web survey. These extensions include consideration of new capabilities such as adaptive questions and higher levels of flexibility and control. Lessons learned include the use of a modular design, management of Web traffic, and the higher level of communication with respondents.
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Paul Hawking, Andrew Stein, David C. Wyld and Susan Foster
Much of the hype associated with the impact of electronic business is associated with the business to business (B2B) model. Analysts believe that enormous cost savings and…
Abstract
Much of the hype associated with the impact of electronic business is associated with the business to business (B2B) model. Analysts believe that enormous cost savings and efficiencies can be achieved through the utilisation of e‐procurement, a component of the B2B model. The role of procurement and the emerging use of large information systems to conduct e‐procurement is analysed and presented with the results of a survey of 38 major Australian organisations. The current direct and indirect procurement practices of the sample organisations will be analysed together with an analysis of the eprocurement drivers and barriers. The main results show that direct procurement is heavily dependant upon traditional practices whilst indirect procurement is more likely to use “e” practices. Small‐medium organisations are more nimble at adopting e‐procurement practices. Technical issues dominate e‐procurement barriers, with cost factors dominating e‐procurement drivers.
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Jafar A. Alasad and Muayyad M. Ahmad
This exploratory study investigated patients’ satisfaction with nursing care at a major teaching hospital in Jordan. A total of 266 in‐patients participated in the study. Patients…
Abstract
This exploratory study investigated patients’ satisfaction with nursing care at a major teaching hospital in Jordan. A total of 266 in‐patients participated in the study. Patients were recruited from the medical, surgical, and gynecological wards. Pearson correlation, one‐way analysis of variance, and logistic regression analyses were used. The findings showed that patients in surgical wards had lower levels of satisfaction than patients in medical or gynecological wards. Gender, educational level, and having other diseases were significant predictors for patients’ satisfaction with nursing care. Methodological challenges, implications to nursing practice, and recommendations to nursing research are discussed.