Search results

The purpose of this study is to propose a sustainable quality assessment approach (model) for the e-learning systems keeping software perspective under consideration. E-learning is becoming mainstream due to its accessibility, state-of-the-art learning, training ease and cost effectiveness. However, the poor quality of e-learning systems is one of the major causes of several failures reported. Moreover, this arena lacks well-defined quality assessment measures. Hence, it is quite difficult to measure the overall quality of an e-learning system effectively.

A pragmatic mixed-model philosophy was adopted for this study. A systematic literature review was performed to identify existing e-learning quality models and frameworks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with e-learning experts following empirical investigations to identify the crucial quality characteristics of e-learning systems. Various statistical tests like principal component analysis, logistic regression, chi-square and analysis of means were applied to analyze the empirical data. These led to an adequate set of quality indicators that can be used by higher education institutions to assure the quality of e-learning systems.

A sustainable quality assessment model for the information delivery in e-learning systems in software perspective has been proposed by exploring the state-of-the-art quality assessment/evaluation models and frameworks proposed for the e-learning systems. The proposed model can be used to assess and improve the process of information discovery and delivery of e-learning.

The results obtained led to conclude that very limited attention is given to the quality of e-learning tools despite the importance of quality and its effect on e-learning system adoption and promotion. Moreover, the identified models and frameworks do not adequately address quality of e-learning systems from a software perspective.

More and more governmental organizations are switching to information systems to enhance their operations and reduce cost but the development of these systems involves a lot of challenges. This paper aims to find out the challenges that project managers have to face during the development of such systems and the practices they can adopt to address these challenges.

To identify the challenges, data have been gathered across six key project management areas. The six targeted key areas are project integration management, project scope management, project time management, project cost management, project human resource management and project communications management. The authors have coordinated with 11 managerial-level IT professionals using semi-structured interviews and have gone through their communication archives.

Findings prove that practices such as focusing on cost reduction, informal congregations, trainings and frequent communication between vendor and client help in addressing the challenges. Furthermore, learning from management experiences of the managers can assist managers in similar role to create a pattern of success while working with governmental projects.

The authors peek into the development life cycle of a public sector project named as prison information management system. The project has encountered numerous challenges and has been accomplished in significantly delayed time than designated.

High salt intake is one of the most important causes of some serious health problems. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a salt intake reduction intervention based on social marketing model in Ahwaz city, Iran.

This was a before-after study with a control group using social marketing approach. Two similar residential complexes were chosen and randomly assigned into intervention or control groups. One hundred and thirty women were selected in each complex. Formative research was conducted, including focus group discussions (FGDs), a survey to identify cognitive factors of salt intake and a 24-h urine test to estimate salt intake value. Based on the results of the formative research, an intervention was planned and implemented for one month in the intervention group. The postintervention assessment was conducted repeating the cognitive survey and urine test. Statistical tests, including independent T-Test and paired T-Test, were used to compare the experimental and control groups.

Before the intervention mean salt intake levels were 8,574.41 and 8,282.23 mg/day in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The total mean scores of cognitive and behavioral factors were 25.32 and 26.41 out of 59 in the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the intervention in the intervention group, daily salt intake decreased significantly by 1,558.83 mg/day and mean total scores of cognitive and behavioral factors increased significantly by 10.73.

Due to sodium excretion fluctuations in different days and/or different people, estimating sodium excretion based on one-day sample may have bias. Still, 24-h urine test is the most effective method to estimate population mean salt intake which is used in this study.

The authors could not investigate urine sodium levels in other family members due to resource limitations. Knowing this could help us to see if similar results are achieved.

Despite the lack of public policies to decrease population salt intake, interventions based on social marketing can significantly reduce salt intake. However, the long-term effect of such interventions will require further investigation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of individual and environmental indicators with body mass-index-for-age-z-score (BAZ) of female adolescents living in the North-West of Iran.

In this cross-sectional study, 380 female adolescents aged 16-18 years were selected from two major ethnic groups (Azeri and Kurd) in Urmia city selected by stratified cluster sampling method. In total, 13 high schools (9 public and 4 private) were selected across all municipality zones of Urmia city. BAZ was calculated by Anthro-Plus software. Demographic and socioeconomic information of samples were collected by a questionnaire through interviews. Home environment features (including physical activity facilities, television, computer games and social media use, food consumption habits and family rules) and school environment features (including socioeconomic status [SES], physical activity facilities, food consumption habits) were evaluated by two separate self-constructed questionnaires via an interview with adolescents and schools’ deans, respectively.

Azeri adolescents had parents with higher education and job level and higher SES compared to Kurds (p = 0.000). A higher percent of Azeri adolescents were obese than their Kurd counterparts (p = 0.006). No association was found between individual factors and BAZ in each ethnic group. Considering home environment characteristics, in Kurd adolescents, the maternal occupational level was positively associated with BAZ (p = 0.02). With regard to school environmental features, accessibility of physical activity facilities in school was inversely associated with BAZ only in Kurds (p = 0.005).

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate various environmental factors in association with adolescent’s overweight/obesity prevalence in different ethnical groups in northwest Iran.

In this paper, an institutional perspective is used to examine the different kinds of pressures on entrepreneurs manifest in a conflict environment. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how they respond to the conflict and establish legitimacy for their entrepreneurship in the challenging context of the north western areas of Pakistan.

In this study, a qualitative approach is taken based on semi-structured interviews from 16 different firms in the Swat valley.

The entrepreneurs undertake different strategies towards dealing with conflict and establishing legitimacy. These strategies are identified and examined in relation to the interactions between entrepreneurial behaviour and institutional pressures.

Qualitative research on a small sample inevitably presents a limitation on the generalisability of this work. Further research could employ quantitative methods to address this issue. One particular location is studied, so future research could be carried out in other countries or regions with similar problems.

The study may have value for policymakers who need to know more about how to support ongoing businesses in difficult regions.

Better understanding of the needs of small business may in time contribute to a better business climate in difficult regions.

A new dimension is added to institutional theory through its application in the very uncertain environment between all-out war and ongoing violence, identifying the possibility of weak agency for institutional change. Further, the study contributes to the growing body of literature on entrepreneurship in conflict environments.

This study uncovers interdependent mechanisms triggered by excessive use of mobile phones which lower the performance of individuals in business organizations. The quantum of cognitive and attentional fluctuations caused by Nomophobia-induced impulsive use of mobile phone that degrades job performance is the focus of this study for suggesting realistic regulatory measures. Similarly, the threshold of allowable smartphone use was determined as a foundation to strike balance between adverse psycho-behavioral implications of blanket ban policy and the cognitive overload of unregulated mobile phone usage.

Adopting the quasi-experimental design, a sample of 159 individuals working in six different organizations was tested under dissimilar conditions using a variety of experimental interventions. Participants were subjected to different intensity of planned interruptions inciting responses through sets of short message services (SMS), messages on Whatsapp, X (formerly twitter), Instagram and emails. The main data obtained from the experiment comprised 636 test performances and 5,724 reactive responses on smartphones along with 642 video recordings as supplementary evidence.

The analysis of data revealed five underlying inter-related mechanisms impacting performance of individuals, i.e. slow-down of cognitive processing, increased temptation for peripheral activities/side scrolling, widened lag between focus and refocus, depletion of short-term working memory and reduced attention span. The strength of relationships between the mechanisms and intensity of Nomophobia significantly varied with the experimental interventions. Based on the identified mechanisms, organizations were suggested certain regulatory measures to minimize negative effects of Nomophobia-induced impulsive mobile phone usage.

The study is based on a comparatively smaller sample size (total 159, 27 from each of the six organizations). Though sufficient, yet, the sample size could have been a little larger.

The blanket ban policy adopted by organizations for regulating use of mobile phone has been found to adversely affect performance more than the excessive use of mobile phone. Using mobile phone thrice an hour (1–2 min each) was found to have negligible effects on job performance. Allowing use of mobile phones at workplace (except in highly hazardous areas) can reduce stress, anxiety and depression caused by Nomophobia.

To meeting social need, workers may not be denied the facility of mobile phone at workplace, except highly hazardous areas to allow them to remain connected and accessible. This study suggests viable measures to regulate use of mobile phones without depriving them of this vital facility.

The study is unique as it is based on experimental data, contrary to most of the studies relying on self-report methods of data collection. The mechanisms which degrade performance of workers due to excessive use of mobile phones (induced by Nomophobia) have not been explored and how the impact is propagated to the performance of workers is not known. This study has identified the five mechanisms and based on the mechanisms has suggested measures for the organizations to regulate the use of mobile phones in the organizations. This study has found that use of mobile phone thrice in an hour (1–2 min each) affects performance of individuals negligibly. Organizations adopting a blanket ban policy on use of mobile phone increase stress of workers (Nomophobia) that is more harmful for job performance.

Poets House, a poetry special collection in New York, hosts an annual exhibit of the preceding year's poetry publications in the USA. This paper aims to offer a selection of recommended titles that reflect the range of poetry titles including single‐author works, anthologies, and prose about poetry.

The paper researched and requested donations of 2010‐2011 poetry titles from US poetry publishers to assemble and display a comprehensive collection of poetry publications, from which a selection of 50 titles was made. The selections should appeal to a range of poetry readers, from novices and students to poets looking to access the latest work from their peers.

Over 2,500 poetry titles were published and/or available to readers in the USA between June 2010 and June 2011. These titles range from mainstream publishers to independent presses to artists' collectives publishing works from established poets as well as emerging and international poets.

Without a budget for collection development, the exhibit and resulting titles represent those which publishers have opted to donate to the library. Every effort is made to be all‐inclusive, with the understanding that publishers may send only a selection of their list. The selected titles herein are based on the titles received for the exhibition.

For 19 years Poets House's annual Showcase has been the main collection‐development tool. Publishers donate copies of their titles, which are arranged by publisher for a month‐long exhibition. This approach enriches the poetry special collection, a unique poetry library built on community participation. The all‐inclusive collection‐development approach results in a full representation of poetry publishing.

A selection made from a comprehensive collection of the year's poetry titles offers a sample of poetry publishing from large to small presses and the self‐published in the USA.

Poets House, a poetry special collection in New York, hosts an annual exhibit of the preceding year's 2,100+ poetry publications in the USA. This paper aims to offer a selection of recommended titles that reflect the range of poetry titles including single‐author works, anthologies, and prose about poetry.

The paper researched and requested donations of 2009‐2010 poetry titles from US poetry publishers to assemble and display a comprehensive collection of poetry publications, from which a selection of 50+ titles was made. The selections should appeal to a range of poetry readers, from novices and students to poets looking to access the latest work from their peers.

More than 2,500 poetry titles were published in the USA between June 2009 and June 2010. These titles range from mainstream publishers to independent presses to artists' collectives publishing works from established poets as well as emerging and international poets.

Without a budget for collection development, the exhibit and resulting titles represent those which publishers have opted to donate to the library. Every effort is made to be all‐inclusive, with the understanding that publishers may send only a selection of their list. The selected titles herein are based on the titles received for the exhibition.

For 18 years Poets House's annual Show‐case has been the main collection‐development tool. Publishers donate copies of their titles, which are arranged by publisher for a month‐long exhibition. This approach enriches the poetry special collection, a unique poetry library built on community participation. The all‐inclusive collection‐development approach results in a full representation of poetry publishing.

A selection made from a comprehensive collection of the year's poetry titles offers a sample of poetry publishing from big to small presses in the USA.

The study aims to explore the mechanism to strengthen service recovery performance among public sector employees. Delving on the notion that ethical aspects of public leaders could serve as reliable models, the research investigated the role of ethical leadership, thriving at work and moral self-efficacy.

A quantitative approach with two waves of data collection from both supervisors' and subordinates’ perspectives in public organizations was conducted. The final sample size was 331.

Ethical leadership has a positive effect on public sector employees' thriving at work. In turn, the state of thriving at work mediates the association between ethical leadership and service recovery performance. Public servants’ moral self-efficacy moderates both the direct relationship between ethical leadership and thriving at work, as well as the indirect effect of ethical leadership on service recovery performance through thriving at work.

The research findings suggest an understanding of how ethical leadership could cultivate public service recovery performance through employees’ thriving. The common values between subordinates and leaders were found to facilitate a better translation of the leaders’ role model into employees’ psychology and behaviors.

This study explores the underlying mechanism of psychological reactance that leads to online shopping hate in social commerce. Based on self-congruity and psychological reactance theory, this study examines the antecedents (symbolic, functional and emotional incongruence) and consequences (online shopping hate) of psychological reactance among online users toward online shopping. Moreover, this study takes trustworthiness as a moderator in the relationship between attitude ambivalence and psychological reactance.

Data were collected from online users.

The results show that symbolic-incongruence and functional-incongruence are responsible for attitude ambivalence, resulting in high psychological reactance. In addition, the study’s findings reveal that psychological reactance is positively linked with online shopping hate. This study extends and contributes to the self-congruence theory and empirically examines the influence of emotional incongruence. The moderating results reveal that trustworthiness moderated the relationship between attitude ambivalence and psychological reactance. The study findings are helpful for marketing managers to develop social commerce strategies.

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.

The study findings are helpful for marketing managers to develop social commerce strategies.

This study explains the underlying mechanism of brand hate through psychological reactance.