The aim of this study is to investigate the nature and extent of public relations activities in academic libraries in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The focus is on…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to investigate the nature and extent of public relations activities in academic libraries in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The focus is on understanding how academic libraries conduct and provide their public relations products and services.
Design/methodology/approach
The study reported here used the survey method, done in two phases. The first phase consisted of a questionnaire survey and the second phase was a focus group discussion based on the results of the survey.
Findings
Although all libraries indicated that public relations are important, a clear majority (72.2 percent) does not have a public relations unit or division, they have a very small number of staff involved in public relations work, and half of the responding libraries (50 percent) do not have full‐time staff for public relations. Library web site, traditional mail, displays and bulletin boards and library guides/brochures are major channels of communication. The study also reported on the main problems that prevent academic libraries from performing effective PR activities.
Practical implications
The results have implications for the planning and development of public relations programs and activities in academic libraries in GCC countries. It also indicates existing obstacles, suggestion and recommendations for further development.
Originality/value
This study reports the results of one of the few studies of public relations in academic libraries in developing countries. It increases the understanding and awareness of what public relations encompasses and how it can be utilized. It also advocates that the social media should be used in promoting library resources and services.
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Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting career choice, job satisfaction, and perceptions of the public image of librarians in Kuwait.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting career choice, job satisfaction, and perceptions of the public image of librarians in Kuwait.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered via questionnaires sent to 117 professional librarians working in academic, public, and special libraries in Kuwait.
Findings
The study identified factors which influenced the choice of career, sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Respondents reported that they were moderately satisfied with their current job. The results show that extrinsic measures, such as recognition of accomplishment, fair performance evaluation, and job security were ranked in the top and are the most important aspects of job satisfaction, whereas intrinsic measures, such as suitable daily working hours and nature of work, fell close to the bottom of the list. The cause of employee job dissatisfaction occurs in the area of benefits, contingent rewards, communication, salaries, working conditions, and promotions. Recommendations are made to improve the job satisfaction and the public image of librarianship in Kuwait.
Practical implications
The results of the study may provide useful information and practical advice for library managers, library education programs, and professional associations in Kuwait.
Originality/value
This paper is the only study on career choice, job satisfaction, and librarians' image in Kuwait. It is useful to increase the understanding and improve the career choice, job satisfaction, and librarians' image in Kuwait.
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Abdus Sattar Chaudhry and Husain Alansari
The purpose of this paper is to investigate what types of information are crucial to support investment decisions, how investment professionals find information that they use to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate what types of information are crucial to support investment decisions, how investment professionals find information that they use to advise their clients, what types of sources of information are available to them, what sources they prefer, and what difficulties they experience in finding investment information. The study also explores the preferred ways and means to improve the information finding skills of investment professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey method was used to collect data about information‐seeking behavior of investment professionals. An online questionnaire was used as a data collection instrument. The questionnaire contained eight questions about types of information required for investment analysis, information‐finding practices of professionals, tools and services frequently used, and perceptions of investment professionals about the importance of sources of information. Participants were also asked about the use of social media and social software, and frequently‐used information sources on investment opportunities.
Findings
Investment professionals in Kuwait are relying heavily on electronic and digital sources to find investment information. Participants indicated that a wide variety of financial and non‐financial information was needed to support their work. They reported frequent use of e‐mail and smartphones to access internal and external information. While they benefitted from social media and social software, they considered company intranets and portals, external web sites, and business information services more important to fulfill their information needs. They appeared to be confident about their information‐finding skills but considered training helpful in database and internet searching techniques.
Originality/value
This study has made valuable information available on information‐seeking practices of investment professionals, as very few previous studies could be found in the literature. The first phase was an exploratory study. The second phase of the study will use multiple methods such as interview and focus group discussions to probe further in certain areas.
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Ahmed M. Abdel-Khalek, Ahmad Mohammad Alzoubi, David Lester and Salaheldin Farah Attallah Bakhiet
The purpose of this study is the same as those of the preceding 16 studies on happiness, health and religion, and they are as follows: to estimate the mean scores and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is the same as those of the preceding 16 studies on happiness, health and religion, and they are as follows: to estimate the mean scores and the sex-related differences in the study scales; to examine the associations between the study scales; to investigate the principal components; and to compare the present results with the previous findings.
Design/methodology/approach
A non-probability sample of university students in the United Arab Emirates was selected by the “snowball” sample method. To overcome the issue of people refusing to participate in the study, this method was used in the selection process due to the challenge of sampling students in all the universities across the nation, which makes it difficult to choose a probability sample. The approval of the Ethics Committee was obtained from Ajman University to apply the study tools, and then the students were given the choice through open announcement to participate in the study and circulate it to other students at Ajman University.
Findings
Results showed that men had significantly higher mean ratings on mental health, physical health and happiness than did women. All the Pearson correlations between the scales were significant for men. Except for the correlations between religiosity and both happiness and mental health, all correlations between the scales for women were significant. A principal components analysis extracted one component for men which was labeled “Well-being and religiosity”, whereas two components were retained for the women which were labeled “Well-being” and “Religiosity and physical health”. Comparing the present sample’s mean happiness score to that of prior students from 16 other countries revealed that it was higher and consistent with other scores from rich Arab nations with a high GDP per capita (such as Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Oman). In conclusion, happiness was found to be associated with mental and physical health in both men and women, as well as religiosity in men.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the strengths of the current investigation, i.e. the large sample size and the good to high reliability and validity properties of the scales, some limitations have to be acknowledged. First, the convenience and non-probability sample. Second, university students are a special segment of any country. Their age range is limited, and they probably have greater intelligence and more education compared to the general population. Therefore, a replication of the present study using a probability sample from the general population is needed.
Practical implications
SPSS (2009) was used for data analysis. Means, standard deviations, t-tests, d for effect size, Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and principal components analysis were used. For the principal components analysis, the Kaiser criterion (i.e. eigenvalue > 1.0) and the scree plot were used to define the number of components to be retained.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study about happiness in United Arab Emirates.