Clemens Schefels and Roberto V. Zicari
An important issue in the management of a web‐based user community, where users are registered to a web portal, is to identify patterns of users' interest. In this context, the…
Abstract
Purpose
An important issue in the management of a web‐based user community, where users are registered to a web portal, is to identify patterns of users' interest. In this context, the users' feedback plays a major role. The purpose of this paper is to define a novel framework analysis for managing the feedback given by registered visitors of a web site.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a new technique to integrate the feedback explicitly given by users into already existing user profiles. The authors introduce the novel concepts of scope, filtering, and relevance profiles for managing users' feedback. The new concept of Relevance Profile (RP) is defined.
Findings
Using the framework, the authors were able to discover patterns of usage of registered users of a web site.
Practical implications
The practical applicability of the approach is validated by a use case study showing how the framework can be used with a real web site. The authors used Gugubarra as a reference system, a prototype for creating and managing web user profiles, developed by the DBIS group at the Goethe‐University of Frankfurt.
Originality/value
A new way to integrate the user feedback into interest profiles and a novel framework to analyze and discover patterns of interests are presented. The paper is an extended version (more than 50 per cent novel material) of a previous paper presented at the iiWAS2010 conference.
Details
Keywords
The authors have recently been seeing a rising trend towards sustainability and innovation among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kuwait, especially through the use…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors have recently been seeing a rising trend towards sustainability and innovation among small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kuwait, especially through the use of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that were introduced by United Nations in 2015. In Kuwait, corporations such as Zain and NBK have already implemented the SDGs as part of their main objective to create a better future for their companies. This research attempts to explore the reasons why entrepreneurs in SMEs are implementing the SDGs and specifically goal number 12 (SDG 12).
Design/methodology/approach
With this research drawing on a qualitative approach, a sample of 20 participants who operated at the executive level of the SMEs were chosen randomly using the “snowball” sampling from different industries, including the food and beverage and beauty and service sectors, and were interviewed.
Findings
The results revealed that most SMEs in Kuwait are considering their approach to sustainability. Although these SMEs are following a global trend, the Kuwait government does not support them in adopting sustainability rules and regulations.
Practical implications
This research contributes to the existing literature by presenting new knowledge about SMEs in Kuwait implementing the SDGs. It also makes an empirical contribution to the SME and entrepreneurship literature by exploring the reasons for adopting these goals. This study is one of very few that have explored the SDGs in Kuwait, and it can provide grounds for future research on SMEs' adoption in Kuwait of future SGDs. Recommendations and future directions are presented.
Originality/value
The findings add to the empirical literature by revealing the reasons why entrepreneurs in SMEs are implementing SDG 12. Furthermore, the findings will open doors for future research in this field.