Steven H. Applebaum, John Wunderlich, Elliot Greenstone, Danny Grenier, Barbara Shapiro, Donald Leroux and Felix Troeger
Reviews the literature on organizational commitment as a factor contributing to successful retention strategies focusing on the critical aerospace industry. Other areas reviewed…
Abstract
Reviews the literature on organizational commitment as a factor contributing to successful retention strategies focusing on the critical aerospace industry. Other areas reviewed include: personal, work and cultural values; trust and empowerment; ethical behaviour; charismatic leadership and job satisfaction as they impact on commitment and retention. A survey was designed and interviews conducted with engineers in one of the world’s premier providers of micro aviation component technologies for training and optimization solutions for aerospace and defence clients. Survey questions were designed from the literature to examine employee perceptions of all variables identified. Proposed solutions and recommendations are included to support the survey results that were relatively encouraging for the organization under study. The basic objective of engineer retention was supported. Final critical recommendations did correlate with the literature and findings of the study.
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Christos Skourlas, Anastasios Tsolakidis, Petros Belsis, Dimitris Vassis, Argyrw Kampouraki, Panos Kakoulidis and Georgios A. Giannakopoulos
Institutional repositories (IR) are usually used to archive and manage digital collections including research results, educational material, etc. Learning management systems (LMS…
Abstract
Purpose
Institutional repositories (IR) are usually used to archive and manage digital collections including research results, educational material, etc. Learning management systems (LMS) form a popular basis for e-learning and blended learning. This paper aims to study how to integrate IR and LMS to support accessibility of disabled students and students with learning difficulties (dyslexic students) in higher education. Customised ontologies focusing on disabled students can be used to facilitate indexing, and access of items in the repository.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose a simple methodological approach to establish an integrating system for supporting accessibility. First, the authors review research works related to adaptive learning environments (ALEs) and blended learning, and discuss issues of the interoperability of IR and LMS. Then, based on the review, the authors discuss the use of an integrated ALE for supporting disabled students in the domain of higher technological education. The integrated system is based on IR, LMS and assistive and adaptive technology. The open source software platform DSpace is used to build up the repository applications Use of the web ontology language (OWL) ontologies is also proposed for indexing and accessing the various, heterogeneous items stored in the repository. Various open source LMS (e.g. openeclass) could be used to build up the integrated system. Finally, the authors describe experimentation with a prototype implemented to provide the mentioned capabilities.
Findings
The technology is mature enough for building up integrated systems, combining capabilities of IR and LMS, for supporting disabled students. The use of ontologies focused on disabled students could facilitate the use of such integrated systems. Customisation and operation of a platform, for the selection and use of portions of OWL ontologies, could be based on the open source software Protégé. Such a platform forms a basis to create an appropriate ontology suitable for specific domains, e.g. the domain of technological education. Finally, the authors argue that the combined use of the OWL platform and the DSpace repository with open source LMS platforms could support domain experts for creating customised ontologies and facilitating searching.
Originality/value
A new perception of the term integrated system for supporting disabled students in the higher education context is presented. This perception tries to combine the IR technology that supports the self-archiving approach of information, open LMS technology and the user-centred approach to support students and manage the “life of information”.
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Xiangmin Zhang, Yuelin Li, Jingjing Liu and Ying Zhang
This study aims to investigate the effects of different search and browse features in digital libraries (DLs) on task interactions, and what features would lead to poor user…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effects of different search and browse features in digital libraries (DLs) on task interactions, and what features would lead to poor user experience.
Design/methodology/approach
Three operational DLs: ACM, IEEE CS, and IEEE Xplore are used in this study. These three DLs present different features in their search and browsing designs. Two information‐seeking tasks are constructed: one search task and one browsing task. An experiment was conducted in a usability laboratory. Data from 35 participants are collected on a set of measures for user interactions.
Findings
The results demonstrate significant differences in many aspects of the user interactions between the three DLs. For both search and browse designs, the features that lead to poor user interactions are identified.
Research limitations/implications
User interactions are affected by specific design features in DLs. Some of the design features may lead to poor user performance and should be improved. The study was limited mainly in the variety and the number of tasks used.
Originality/value
The study provided empirical evidence to the effects of interaction design features in DLs on user interactions and performance. The results contribute to our knowledge about DL designs in general and about the three operational DLs in particular.
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Valtteri Kaartemo and Maria Alejandra Gonzalez-Perez
The purpose of this guest editorial is to introduce the special issue entitled “Renewable energy in international business.”
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this guest editorial is to introduce the special issue entitled “Renewable energy in international business.”
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a research agenda for the topic of the special issue and provides an overview of the articles included.
Findings
This guest editorial contains a discussion of the themes related to the topic, with a particular focus on the global production and adoption of renewable energies and dark sides of international renewable energy.
Research limitations/implications
This guest editorial considers how the articles included in the special issue contribute to research on renewable energy in international business and provides an avenue for future studies for a broader impact.
Originality/value
The discussion raises two important research streams that have remained overlooked in international business research, namely, global production and adoption of renewable energies and dark sides of international renewable energy. This guest editorial also highlights the potential of international business research to become more relevant by incorporating conceptual, methodological and empirical insights that inform the multidisciplinary community of renewable energy researchers.