Demographics and perceived computer skill levels as predictors of faculty awareness and use of electronic information resources

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-301
Author(s):  
Umme Habiba ◽  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed

Purpose The main aim of this paper is to examine the role of demographics and self-reported computer skill levels as predictors of e-resources awareness and use by faculty members working at various public and private universities in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted at public and private universities in Bangladesh. A total of 757 faculty members from 48 universities across the country responded to the survey. The data were analyzed using various descriptive statistics, i.e. frequencies and percentages and non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to see the differences in levels of awareness among faculty members in terms of university type, gender, age, designation, specialization and computer proficiency levels. An ordinal regression model was used to predict the role of demographics and computer skill levels on faculty awareness levels. Finally, correlation coefficient was measured to see the relationships between faculty awareness and use of e-resources. Findings The findings revealed that faculty members working at different universities in Bangladesh are generally aware of most e-resources types. There were significant differences in faculty awareness in terms of demographics and self-reported computer skills levels. The results showed that computer proficiency level is a significant predictor of faculty awareness of e-resources. The findings also showed that awareness and use of e-resources are positively and significantly correlated. Originality/value This is the foremost attempt to assess the role of demographics and computer skill levels as predictors of awareness and use of e-resources by faculty members.

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 664-676
Author(s):  
Meznah Saad Alazmi ◽  
Ayeshah Ahmed Alazmi

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of administration and faculty members in developing character education within public and private universities in Kuwait. It further aims to explore the value of character education in effecting the quality experience of higher education. Design/methodology/approach The researchers employed a quantitative research paradigm, using a questionnaire survey method to collect data from faculty members at major public and private Kuwaiti universities. They used Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to analyze a total of 298 questionnaires. Findings The findings revealed that universities do indeed play a “strong” role in student character education. However, within public universities, it is the faculty themselves who form the key ingredient in the process rather than the administrative body, which is perceived to have a “Medium” effect. Conversely, at private universities, the administration and faculty both merited a “strong” role in developing character education. Practical implications The study will provide leaders with several recommendations to improve the integrated development of universities through fostering character education. Originality/value While K-12 education has received significant attention regarding the moral and character development of students over the last few decades, this study, extends this research significantly into higher education; focusing upon character development at university and comparing its implementation at both public and private institutions.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Rahayu Hijrah Hati ◽  
Sigit Sulistiyo Wibowo ◽  
Anya Safira

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of product knowledge, perceived quality, perceived risk and perceived value on customers’ intention to invest in Islamic Banks. This study specifically examines an Islamic bank’s term deposits. Design/methodology/approach Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data collected from 217 customers of an Islamic bank in Indonesia using an online survey. Findings This study highlights the central and dual roles of perceived risk as both the independent and the intervening variable that mediates the relationship between product knowledge and Muslim customer intention to invest in an Islamic bank’s term deposits. Research limitations/implications This study only investigates term deposits as one type of investment in Islamic banks. This study contributes to the literature by examining the role of product knowledge, perceived quality, perceived risk and perceived value on Muslim customer intention to invest in Islamic term deposits. Practical implications The results of this study highlight the requirement for Islamic banks to educate customers to improve the depositors’ product knowledge because Muslim customers’ risk and value perception and intention are strongly influenced by product knowledge. Originality/value The investigation of perceived risk is particularly relevant for Islamic financial products because of the inherent nature of risk sharing in Islamic finance. This study investigates the role of product knowledge in influencing the Muslim customers’ perception of risk, quality, value and their intention to invest in Islamic bank term deposits. Ideally, the profit loss sharing concept (PLS) should be applied; however, in this context, revenue sharing is applied because of Indonesia’s central bank regulation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrik Söderberg ◽  
Kaj Bjorkqvist ◽  
Karin Österman

Purpose – Recent studies indicate that exposure to physical punishment is associated with both aggressive behavior and peer victimization at school. The purpose of this paper is to explore the bidirectional relationship between aggressive behavior and peer victimization as outcomes of physical punishment, as well as the role of depressive symptoms. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 2,424 Finnish upper primary school pupils (1,282 girls, 1,148 boys, mean age=14.2, SD=1.0) completed an online survey during class. Two conditional process models were applied using a macro for SPSS developed by Hayes (2012). Findings – Exposure to physical punishment was found to be associated with both aggressive behavior and peer victimization at school. The effect on victimization was partially mediated by aggressive behavior and depressive symptoms, whereas the effect on aggressive behavior was partially mediated by peer victimization experiences but not by depressive symptoms. The relationship between physical punishment and peer victimization was somewhat stronger for girls than for boys, but this effect was not accounted for by gender differences in depressive symptoms or aggressive behavior. Originality/value – Few studies to date have addressed the connection between aggressive behavior and peer victimization as outcomes of physical punishment. In addition, the study expands on the concept of “victim personality” by examining the mediating role of depressive symptoms. Methodologically, the study is an example of how the statistical software SPSS can be used for multiple mediation and conditional process analysis as an alternative to SEM analyses.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Schuster ◽  
Joy Parkinson

PurposemHealth services are effective and cost efficient, yet wide-scale adoption of these services by consumers has yet to be achieved, constraining their public health benefit. Further investigation of non-technological determinants of mHealth adoption is needed; specifically, the role of consumers' goals has received scant attention and forms the research focus.Design/methodology/approachStudy 1 comprised 20 interviews with participants who possess a health goal, with the data analysed using an abductive reasoning approach. Study 2 was a 15-min online survey (n = 653), with the data analysed using multi-group structural equation modelling.FindingsStudy 1 identified several antecedents to the desirability and feasibility of consumers' health goals, which influence their desire to use mHealth services. Study 2 shows significant differences in the determinants of mHealth service acceptance depending on whether consumers set concrete as opposed to abstract goals, but social acceptance of mHealth services of these services is important for both groups.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest emphasising the importance of health goals to achieving other consumer goals (e.g. work or travel goals), the efficacy of mHealth services relative to other service alternatives for achieving those health goals, and the social acceptance of mHealth services to increase their uptake.Originality/valueThis study is the first to use construal-level theory to improve understanding of the role of consumers' goals in the adoption of mHealth services. By identifying the antecedents to goal desirability and feasibility, it also broadens the model of goal-directed behaviour.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 550-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Duarte Canever ◽  
Maria Renata Martínez Barral ◽  
Felipe Garcia Ribeiro

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the causal links between public and private university environments and the entrepreneurial intention (EI) of students. Design/methodology/approach The impact of different university environments on the students’ EI was checked using a model adapted from Krueger et al. (2000). The study comprised a sample of students enrolled in business administration from three public and three private universities at first semester (freshmen) and at the last two semesters (senior) in Brazil. The model was measured through various questions and later assessed by principal component analysis to build constructs. Via t-test and path analysis the EI and the antecedents were subjected to a comparative analysis to test the equality of the models across the four categories emerged. Findings The two main types of Brazilian university environments (public and private) do not present significant differences in the way they influence EI and its antecedents. Both the tests of means and the tests of measurement of the structural relations between constructs confirm this finding with only a few exceptions. The result of this study is opposed to other studies carried out in Brazil, by showing that the public university environment is not worse for the entrepreneurship than the private. The environmental effects are mostly equal and they as a whole are not conducive to the development of EI. Research limitations/implications The study comprises business students only, and enrolled on regular universities. It is worth highlighting that evidence was brought to the debate for a group of universities in Brazil. Replicating the study with students from other areas and other universities, as well as students in Master’s and Doctorate programs could enrich the analyses. Practical implications This study provides insight into entrepreneurship education, as to which the university environment is conducive to the entrepreneurship. It brings insights for the development of entrepreneurial universities. Originality/value This study contributes to understanding the differences between the public and private universities environment regarding students’ EI.


2014 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 499-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shri Ram ◽  
John Paul Anbu K.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to have a closer look at the awareness of referencing utilities among the library professionals in India. In a research environment, referencing and bibliography play an important role in the dissemination of research findings through scholarly writings. Citing references while writing scholarly articles has become more eloquent mainly due to the availability of a range of bibliography management utilities. Currently, there are various types of Bibliography Management Software (BMS) available for the management of the citation, referencing and compiling bibliographies. Librarians have a crucial role to play in helping the faculty, students and research scholars in the process of writing their scholarly articles and theses, especially in the area of referencing. Design/methodology/approach – The study was conducted through an online survey with an aim to assess the perception, awareness and use of BMS by the Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals in India. Findings – In the academic environment, published results of research findings are crucial for the advancement of knowledge. The published research findings are often supported and disputed using the citation of previous studies. There are a number of supporting technologies that are intended to help in procuring needed citations and streamlining them for better research output. The role of the librarian in this endeavor is undisputed. This study shows that there is a need for strengthening the awareness of BMS at the institutional level and also hands-on experience is needed for library professionals to help in the process of research writing and advocate for adopting correct referencing style (citation style) while writing scholarly articles. Practical implications – The increased use of information and communication technology in the process of scholarly writing, especially in the search and retrieval of relevant articles and the availability of electronic journals and books, have resulted in an increased number of research articles being written by research scholars. The downside to this overflow of scholarly and creative writing is the incorrect way of using referencing style in the dissemination of research and the possibilities of malpractice and plagiarism. This study will help in creating awareness of the utility of citation and BMS in content writing, especially among library and information professionals, as they play an important role in facilitating research. Social implications – This study will be beneficial for the LIS professionals in understanding the effectiveness of their services when complemented by the use of technology-powered tools. Creating awareness of the use of BMS in content development in scholarly communication promises to create a flawless scholarly output as library professionals will help researchers in guiding research writings with correct referencing and citation. Originality/value – Use of BMS helps in the development of content in an organized, methodical and scientific way. The role of library and information professionals working with different researchers and scholars in advocating and practicing the use of BMS will go a long way in creating more streamlined content.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Einwiller ◽  
Christopher Ruppel ◽  
Julia Stranzl

PurposeBased on social exchange theory, the study examines the influence of informational and relational internal communication on cognitive and affective responses and job engagement during organizational crises caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by means of an online survey among people working in organizations with a minimum of 10 employees (N = 1,033) and analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsResults show that informational and relational communication as organizational resources have a significant but distinct influence on how employees support their employer during the crisis. While informational communication influences employees' acceptance of managerial decisions, relational communication exerts most influence on affective commitment, which is the strongest driver of job engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThe cross-sectional design, specific crisis situation and geographic location are limitations of the study.Practical implicationsDelivering relevant information to employees quickly and reliably is important. Yet, relationship-oriented communication that demonstrates appreciation and allows for participation has even stronger effects on job engagement, which is essential to mastering challenges arising from a crisis.Social implicationsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations demanded much from their employees. In exchange, organizations should provide the resources information, status and love (Foa and Foa, 1980) by means of internal crisis communication.Originality/valueThe study demonstrates the role of different types of internal communication during organizational crises used to convey organizational resources, and it highlights the mediating role of acceptance and commitment to enhance employees' engagement at work.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 201
Author(s):  
Rawan Khader Abu Shakra

This study aimed to identify the degree of academic leaders’ practice of excellence management in public and private Jordanian universities (Yarmouk University, University of Science and Technology, Al Al-Bayt University, Irbid National University, Jadara University, and Jerash University) from the faculty members’ viewpoint. The descriptive survey method was adopted and to achieve the objectives of the study, a questionnaire was built to measure the degree of practicing excellence management consisting of (32) items distributed into (4) areas: leadership (10) items, policies, and strategies (5) items, human resources (5) items, and partnerships and resources (12) items. The study population consisted of all the (2077) faculty members in the Jordanian public and private universities in the first semester of the academic year 2020/2021. Where the study sample consisted of (405) academics who constitute (19%) of the study population. and were selected by a random stratified method. The results showed that the overall degree of academic leaders' practicing of excellence management in the public and private Jordanian universities was moderate, and the order of the areas on the scale was respectively as follows; Partnerships and Resources, leadership, Policies and strategies, and human resources, and that all of these areas came at a moderate degree. The results also showed that there were statistically significant differences at the level of statistical significance (α = 0.05) between the estimates of respondents in all areas (leadership, policies and strategies, human resources, partnerships, and resources) attributable to the difference in; the gender variable in favor of males, academic rank in favor of the professor, and the type of university in favor of public universities. Regarding these results, the researcher recommends giving more attention to the Department of Excellence, especially in the field of leadership, as well as the inclusion of Excellence Management as a basic criterion of performance quality standards in Jordanian public and private universities.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antigoni Papadimitriou

Purpose – There is currently limited knowledge of the strategic organizational routines such as strategic planning and benchmarking of universities in the Western Balkans (WB). Thus the purpose of this paper is to map perceptions and concerns of institutional leadership about these routines within the public and private universities in the region. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey targeting all public and private universities in the WB was sent to the rector's and president's office. The survey data were analyzed with descriptive statistical methods, calculating frequencies, and means. Findings – Data revealed that the majority of both public and private universities have implemented strategic planning. Analysis of strategic planning between private and public universities indicated that averages scores were slightly higher in the private rather than the public universities. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis was among the statements that received higher scores (perceptions about implementation) from both types of universities. The relatively low scores from both types of institutions concerning perceived implementation and importance of benchmarking might imply that WB universities achieve their goals in a less competitive environment. Originality/value – The significance of the paper lies in the fact that no existing studies have investigated strategic planning and benchmarking in the WB universities. To be able to build a potential baseline for further research, including the possibility for more comparative research both within and beyond the region, the selection of routines was taken from the US Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for Performance Excellence in Education. This study contributes to the body of research for literature about strategic organizational routines and strategy-as-practice.


2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 312-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Gaio ◽  
Inês Pinto

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of state ownership on financial reporting quality regarding the characteristics of conservatism and earnings management. Design/methodology/approach Using a large sample of public and private European firms during the period 2003-2010, the authors test the hypotheses following Ball and Shivakumar’s (2005) model for conservatism and the modified Jones (1991) model proposed by Dechow and Sloan (1995) for earnings management. To ensure that the results are robust, the authors conduct sensitivity analysis with regard to potential endogeneity and selection bias. Findings The authors find that state-owned firms are less conservative than non-state-owned firms, which is consistent with the idea that there is less need for accounting conservatism due to government protection. The authors also show that capital markets play an important role in shaping the relation between state ownership and earnings management. Among public firms, the authors find that state-owned firms have higher abnormal accruals and worse accruals quality than non-state-owned firms, which suggests that state-owned firms are not immune to capital market pressures. Research limitations/implications The study has two limitations. First, as state-owned and non-state-owned firms face quite different incentive structures, management behavior might be determined by factors that have yet to be identified. Second, prior research results suggest an inverted U-shape relation between ownership concentration and earnings management (Ding et al., 2007). It would be interesting to investigate the impact of different levels of state ownership on earnings quality. Practical implications As the paper investigates the role of state ownership on earnings quality using a sample of European firms, it brings new insights regarding the role of state ownership in accounting quality and firm performance. In addition, it considers the role of capital markets in the relation between the quality of financial reporting and ownership by considering a sample with both public and private firms. Originality/value The study contributes to the debate about state intervention in the corporate sector, by extending the knowledge of the effects of government ownership on earnings quality by using a large sample of European firms. Furthermore, the authors also introduce the effect of capital market forces on managers’ behavior in state-owned and non-state-owned companies by analyzing private and publicly listed firms.


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