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1 – 8 of 8The technology determinism theory facilitated in assessing the impact of interactive radio and social network sites (SNSs) on development factors such as education, agriculture…
Abstract
Purpose
The technology determinism theory facilitated in assessing the impact of interactive radio and social network sites (SNSs) on development factors such as education, agriculture, health, and governance, by conducting an integrative and comprehensive literature review focusing on African countries. This paper aims to conduct this literature review to provide comprehensive empirical evidence on the impact of interactive radio and SNSs on development in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examined articles that were retrieved from online databases including EBSCOhost, Elsevier, Science Direct, SAGE Journals, Springer and Wiley Online Library. The keywords used included interactive radio, radio, development in Africa, SNS, agriculture, education, health, peace and governance. Search phrases were formulated using boolean operators “AND” and “OR.”
Findings
Study results revealed that interactive radio and SNSs improve knowledge among farmers and allow the dissemination of information on innovative agricultural techniques, which supports the adoption of sustainable practices. Interactive radio promotes political accountability because the strategies provide the voiceless and powerless communities with a platform to express themselves. This paper discovers that the incorporation of SNS with existing multimedia communication facilitates the dissemination of health-related information on illnesses such as Ebola, HIV, hypertension, diabetes and Polio, and interactive radio and SNS promote education among marginalized communities and under-served rural schools.
Research limitations/implications
The findings on the impact of interactive radio and SNSs do not represent all 54 countries in Africa. Although the studies included in this literature review were conducted in several countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Somalia, Kenya, Malawi, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, this limited the generalizability of the findings and recommendations. Also, the other potential limitation is that using the inclusion-exclusion criteria could have resulted in bias when selecting the studies to include in the review.
Practical implications
The paper might serve as a valuable source of information for students, academics and entrepreneurs where the impact of interactive radio and SNSs on agriculture, education, health and governance, which are core determinants of development in Africa, has been assessed for further case studies in this area.
Social implications
The use of interactive radio has helped in decreasing health issues caused by a deficiency in vitamin A among children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Originality/value
The development of sustainable and effective interactive radio programs is dependent on the collaboration of the core stakeholders such as governmental ministries, donor organizations and the mass communication sector. Numerous open sources on technology radio stations are available to employ social media managers to help in the application of knowledge.
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Fatih Koc, Bekir Ozkan, Marcos Komodromos, Ibrahim Halil Efendioglu and Tamer Baran
The primary objective of this study is to examine how trust and religiosity, in relation to halal products, impact Turkish consumers' intention to purchase such goods…
Abstract
Purpose
The primary objective of this study is to examine how trust and religiosity, in relation to halal products, impact Turkish consumers' intention to purchase such goods. Furthermore, the study aims to identify whether attitudes towards halal products play a mediating role in these effects.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 847 people living in Turkey using an online survey. The authors empirically tested the proposed conceptual model via structural equation modeling.
Findings
The study’s results show that trust in halal products has a positive impact on both the intention to buy halal products and the attitude towards them. Moreover, one’s attitude towards halal products affects the intention to purchase them. Additionally, one’s religiosity-belief level influences the intention to purchase halal products, while religiosity-practice level influences the attitude towards halal products. Furthermore, through indirect effect analyses, it was found that trust in halal products and religious practices has an indirect impact on intention through attitude.
Research limitations/implications
These outcomes significantly contribute to understanding the complex interactions between trust in halal products, levels of religiosity, and attitudes in shaping consumers' purchase intentions and approaches towards halal products. These implications offer valuable insights into how consumers' religious beliefs, trust perceptions, and attitudes influence their purchase of halal-certified products. Validating these conclusions on a larger scale and exploring them in different contexts would be beneficial.
Practical implications
The practice dimension of religiosity pertains to performing actions prescribed by the religion, embodying the practical applications of religious teachings. According to the research findings, the belief dimension of religiosity significantly and positively affects the intention to purchase halal products. This finding aligns with several prior studies.
Social implications
Sharing information on websites, social media platforms, or product packaging can be effective. If businesses genuinely adhere to halal standards and address the genuine needs of consumers who value halal products, they can enhance consumers' interest in such products.
Originality/value
This research was conducted in Turkey, where most people follow the Muslim faith. The main objective of the study was to examine the trust levels of consumers who have strong religious beliefs and are sensitive to consuming halal products. The study looked at trust on three levels: trust in the halal product, trust in the company that produces halal products, and trust in institutions that provide halal certification. The study also looked at the religiosity levels of the consumers using a two-dimensional approach, which included their beliefs and practices.
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Marcos Komodromos, Daphne Halkias and Nicholas Harkiolakis
The purpose of this paper is to explore and present current trends and developments in the field of managers’ perceptions of trust and the management of change in Cyprus, Greece…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and present current trends and developments in the field of managers’ perceptions of trust and the management of change in Cyprus, Greece and Romania, in a period of strategic organizational change. A total of 126 managerial employees (communication managers, operation managers, quality control managers, safety & environmental managers, and office managers) working in different departments of organizations in Cyprus, Greece, and Romania respond and complete the online questionnaire.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative study using an online questionnaire with interview questions was developed to arrive at the study’s findings. To acknowledge relevant perceptions of trust and the management of change during organizational change in different organizations in Cyprus, Greece and Romania, unique questions helped to support the research results and highlight themes that emerged from interview sessions with the study participants.
Findings
The findings highlight the need for organizational leadership to establish mutual trust and effective communication with managerial employees for successful cooperation during times of strategic change and enhanced overall employee performance. This study is relevant for researchers and academics in the areas of change management and communication, presenting current trends and developments in perceptions of trust and change management in Cyprus, Greece and Romania. It may also help them achieve recognition among their peers and colleagues from other disciplines.
Research limitations/implications
An important implication of the study derives from the finding on the uniqueness of the knowledge and information work carried out by the respondents and the impact that this can have in their working environment and their productivity. As a result of the above, this study provides indications to recruiters and managers regarding a number of desirable and necessary skills, and motivational factors that future employees may need to have or develop in order to carry out their job efficiently and effectively.
Practical implications
Researching managerial employees’ perceptions of trust and the management of change in organizations can have significant implications for human resources management during a time of strategic change.
Social implications
This research study may contribute to the management and communication area in European countries in stimulating new approaches to management and social issues and in the corporate management practice.
Originality/value
This study produces new knowledge instead of summarizing what is already known in a new form in the area of management and corporate communication. The researcher reports the results in analysis and interprets the results by discussing possible implications and solutions.
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Shefali Nandan, Daphne Halkias, Paul W. Thurman, Marcos Komodromos, Baker Ahmad Alserhan, Chris Adendorff, Norashfah Hanim Yaakop Yahaya Alhaj, Alfredo De Massis, Eleanna Galanaki, Norma Juma, Eileen Kwesiga, Anayo D. Nkamnebe and Claire Seaman
The purpose of this paper is to examine affective commitment, normative commitment, and continuance commitment in a cross-national context to identify if the effect of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine affective commitment, normative commitment, and continuance commitment in a cross-national context to identify if the effect of country-specific cultural orientation on organizational commitment of faculty in higher education functions invariably in different countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The work expands on Meyer and Allen’s (1991) three-component model of organizational commitment. It includes relevant literature review on ten countries and the results of a survey of university faculty members, assessing their institutions’ human resources practices and their effect on organizational commitment. Basic descriptive statistics were performed on nominal and interval data, means, medians, and standard deviations were computed, and tests of mean equivalence, including ANOVA tests, were performed. In certain instances, Pearson and Spearman correlations were computed to ascertain correlation, and χ2 tests for randomized response were used, while Cronbach’s α test helped to establish survey instrument validity.
Findings
Though certain differences may exist between different countries and cultures with respect to the three-component model of organizational commitment, there is strong evidence of the existence of invariance and, thus, generalizability of the model across cultures.
Research limitations/implications
Cultural studies have focused on differences in organizational commitment at national levels. Further attempts to identify the universality of factors leading to organizational commitment should account for culture in the study of employee-related globalization issues in higher education institutes. Knowledge of cultural impact is also useful from a managerial perspective, and for the design of relevant strategies.
Practical implications
National context plays a major role in shaping the nature of educational institutions. This study brings out the need for a deeper understanding of invariance in organizational commitment (inter-alia, through the three-component model).
Originality/value
This study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between organizational commitment and its various antecedents, including human resources management practices, for faculty in higher education institutes.
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Nicholas Nicoli, Kine Henriksen, Marcos Komodromos and Dimitrios Tsagalas
This study explores how digital storytelling (DST) approaches can be used for social media campaigns to create more engaging digital content. The ability to better engage with…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores how digital storytelling (DST) approaches can be used for social media campaigns to create more engaging digital content. The ability to better engage with networked publics offers benefits to entities of different scale and scope, since in doing so they establish stronger relationships with their consumers and publics.
Design/methodology/approach
A digital discourse analysis combined with a five-layer coded film analysis is applied to a DST video, viewed on Facebook.
Findings
Four overarching and overlapping approaches are identified. These are emotional appeal based on clear human ideals, equality and simplicity of characters, simplicity and universal representations.
Research limitations/implications
Similar studies are required across varying targeted digital stories of different length and subject matter to distinguish effectiveness.
Practical implications
Despite advanced technological capacity for audience segmentation, social media campaigns often include unengaging content. DST offers universal characteristics that can be used by entities to engage with their consumers and publics.
Social implications
DST has been used to create learning and pedagogical environments and more participative democracies. Yet its use to strategically engage with networked publics is empirically lacking. The findings of the study can facilitate more effective digital content strategies for entities of all purposes to pursue.
Originality/value
Few studies have sought to deconstruct effective short form DST for strategic purposes. This study applies a methodological approach best suited for analysing digital content. The findings provide insights into how strategists and social media managers can create more engaging digital content.
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Andreas Masouras, Victoria Pistikou and Marcos Komodromos
In this chapter, we approach and examine the issue of innovation as applied to family and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cyprus, using, for research purposes, a…
Abstract
In this chapter, we approach and examine the issue of innovation as applied to family and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Cyprus, using, for research purposes, a structured questionnaire addressed to the particular type of business through mapping and grouping of the sample. The analysis concerns the periods 2015–2017, which are interesting due to the economic conditions that prevailed in the market in general. In this chapter, innovation is analyzed at both the policy level of the European Union and the institutional level. In particular, we examine the institutional dimensions of innovation in SMEs in Cyprus, such as, for example, the issue of financing, as well as the barriers often encountered by the companies in implementing innovative products, services or solutions. The chapter ends with interesting conclusions and an attempt to discuss future research extensions in the field of the institutional analysis of innovation.
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