Raphael Wittenberg, Ruth Hancock, Adelina Comas-Herrera, Derek King, Juliette Malley, Linda Pickard, Ariadna Juarez-Garcia and Robin Darton
Since 1962 the world trades in bulk commodities as a whole have undergone two great changes: a large increase in the volume, and a large increase in the distance of the average…
Abstract
Since 1962 the world trades in bulk commodities as a whole have undergone two great changes: a large increase in the volume, and a large increase in the distance of the average route. In these years, trade in the five main dry bulk commodities doubled in tonnage, and in crude oil trebled in tonnage. During the same period, the length of the average route for the former rose from 3,400 miles to 4,650 miles, and for the latter from 4,500 miles to 6,750 miles. In short, three to five times as much ship capacity was required in 1973 as in 1962.
Jacqueline Damant, Martin Knapp, Sarah Watters, Paul Freddolino, Margaret Ellis and Derek King
The aim of this paper is to report results of the impact of the information and communication technology (ICT) platform and telecare services developed by the MonAMI consortium on…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to report results of the impact of the information and communication technology (ICT) platform and telecare services developed by the MonAMI consortium on the quality of life (QOL) of older people in three European communities.
Design/methodology/approach
In a three‐month trial, the MonAMI technology was installed in the homes of older people with various needs, in the cities of Stockholm, Sweden; Zaragoza, Spain; and Kosice, Slovakia. Evaluation criteria and instrumentation were developed to assess the effects of the services on users' perceived QOL in the domains of independence, physical health, psychological wellbeing, social networking, and physical environment.
Findings
A total of 62 users, with a mean age of 79 years, participated in the trial. Results demonstrate that the MonAMI services had some positive, significant effects on users' QOL. For instance, users with a higher number of disabilities at baseline reported greater confidence in keeping intruders from entering their home compared to users with fewer disabilities (OR=2.51, 0.01 p<0.05). However, overall findings show that healthier, more independent users perceived more benefits from the services compared to users who report more health problems and are less independent.
Research limitations/implications
The complexities of conducting the MonAMI trial led to a small, heterogeneous sample of users over a short time span. This in turn created difficulties in observing the potential effects of the services and achieving significance on some indicators of QOL.
Originality/value
This paper provides quantitative analyses around the impact of telecare services; suggests important directions for further research; and highlights the methodological challenges of evaluating ICT‐based care services in a community setting.
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This paper traces the development of JISC strategy for, and provision of, networked information services through the 1990s. The account has been structured in “eras”, and although…
Abstract
This paper traces the development of JISC strategy for, and provision of, networked information services through the 1990s. The account has been structured in “eras”, and although each lasted only a few years it was arguably equivalent to a long period of history in such a fast moving field. The early era of the Computer Board and the Information Systems Committee (precursors of JISC) was characterised by experimentation, risk‐taking, and learning by doing. With the establishment of JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) in 1993 we entered a second era, of consolidation of policy, expansion of service provision through new datasets and databases, and increasing take‐up by users. The third era benefited from the wider context set by the Follett Report and, from 1995, saw a flowering of related projects and developments creating the “electronic library”. JISC’s new five‐year strategy launched late in 1996 heralded a fourth era, to be led by the Committee for Electronic Information (CEI) which has now set about widening the scope of nationally provided electronic collections even further, and has begun to tackle a wide range of management and policy issues relating to a much more mature range of services. The paper concludes with some consideration of the issues to be faced in the next phase of provision.
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John Desmond Bernal (1901‐1970) was one of the most eminent scientists of his generation; he also became, in mid‐twentieth century Britain, an important political figure – the…
Abstract
John Desmond Bernal (1901‐1970) was one of the most eminent scientists of his generation; he also became, in mid‐twentieth century Britain, an important political figure – the leading public spokesperson of “red” science. One remarkable but hitherto underexplored aspect of his career is a lifelong interest in scientific communication, documentation and information science. Utilising records in the Bernal archive in Cambridge, UK, this paper assesses Bernal's information career. It explores Bernal's initial interest in scientific documentation in the 1930s and examines his blueprint for the reform of scientific communication in Britain, advanced in Bernal's 1939 work, The Social Function of Science. It details his subsequent role, in 1945‐1949, as figurehead of a co‐ordinated but unsuccessful left‐wing campaign to establish an Institute of Scientific Information in Britain. It analyses Bernal's later theoretical papers in information science, and describes his support, in the 1950s and 1960s, for an emerging information profession. Bernal, it concludes, can justifiably be regarded as a major influence on twentieth century information science, above all because of his pioneering focus on the social dimensions of the discipline.
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The 1995 UKOLN International Conference was held at the University of Bath from 19–21 April 1995 on the theme: Managing the intellectual record. In the opening welcome to the…
Abstract
The 1995 UKOLN International Conference was held at the University of Bath from 19–21 April 1995 on the theme: Managing the intellectual record. In the opening welcome to the conference, the former BLRDD (British Library Research and Development Department) Director, Brian Perry, mentioned the special nature of the conference, marking the retirement of Philip Bryant as Director of UKOLN, the Office for Library and Information Networking. The conference proceedings, which have been published, are dedicated to Philip Bryant.
Erica S. Jablonski, Chris R. Surfus and Megan Henly
This study compared different types of full-time caregiver (e.g., children, older adults, COVID-19 patients) and subgroups (e.g., disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study compared different types of full-time caregiver (e.g., children, older adults, COVID-19 patients) and subgroups (e.g., disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation) in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic for potentially meaningful distinctions.
Methodology/Approach
Data from the 9,854 full-time caregivers identified in Phase 3.2 (July 21–October 11, 2021) of the US Census Household Pulse Survey (HPS) were analyzed in this study using multinomial logistic regression to examine relationships between caregiver types, marginalized subgroups, generation, and vaccination status.
Findings
The prevalence of caregiving was low, but the type of full-time caregiving performed varied by demographic group (i.e., disability, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, generation, and vaccination status). The relative risk of being a COVID-19 caregiver remained significant for being a member of each of the marginalized groups examined after all adjustments.
Limitations/Implications
To date, the HPS has not been analyzed to predict the type of full-time informal caregiving performed during the COVID-19 pandemic or their characteristics. Research limitations of this analysis include the cross-sectional, experimental dataset employed, as well as some variable measurement issues.
Originality/Value of Paper
Prior informal caregiver research has often focused on the experiences of those caring for older adults or children with special healthcare needs. It may be instructive to learn whether and how informal caregivers excluded from paid employment during infectious disease outbreaks vary in meaningful ways from those engaged in other full-time caregiving. Because COVID-19 magnified equity concerns, examining demographic differences may also facilitate customization of pathways to post-caregiving workforce integration.
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Alexander Serenko, Nick Bontis, Lorne Booker, Khaled Sadeddin and Timothy Hardie
The purpose of this study is to conduct a scientometric analysis of the body of literature contained in 11 major knowledge management and intellectual capital (KM/IC…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to conduct a scientometric analysis of the body of literature contained in 11 major knowledge management and intellectual capital (KM/IC) peer‐reviewed journals.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 2,175 articles published in 11 major KM/IC peer‐reviewed journals were carefully reviewed and subjected to scientometric data analysis techniques.
Findings
A number of research questions pertaining to country, institutional and individual productivity, co‐operation patterns, publication frequency, and favourite inquiry methods were proposed and answered. Based on the findings, many implications emerged that improve one's understanding of the identity of KM/IC as a distinct scientific field.
Research limitations/implications
The pool of KM/IC journals examined did not represent all available publication outlets, given that at least 20 peer‐reviewed journals exist in the KM/IC field. There are also KM/IC papers published in other non‐KM/IC specific journals. However, the 11 journals that were selected for the study have been evaluated by Bontis and Serenko as the top publications in the KM/IC area.
Practical implications
Practitioners have played a significant role in developing the KM/IC field. However, their contributions have been decreasing. There is still very much a need for qualitative descriptions and case studies. It is critically important that practitioners consider collaborating with academics for richer research projects.
Originality/value
This is the most comprehensive scientometric analysis of the KM/IC field ever conducted.