In vogue: demand for scholarly publications among academic librarians

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 449-461
Author(s):  
Nana Tuhufo Quagraine ◽  
Baffour Ohene Agyekum
Keyword(s):  
Research Output ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Academic Publications ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
High Rejection Rate

Purpose The lack of a country-wide data on the extent to which academic librarians in Ghana publish combined with perceived publishing challenges as indicated by a number of scholars including Opoku (2012) leaves much to be desired. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to seek the views of professional librarians in Ghana on the subject. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample size of 45 out of 50 academic librarians who make up the membership of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries, the study employed the descriptive survey research strategy in identifying the prospects and challenges associated with academic publications among librarians in Ghana. Findings Opportunities for growth, institutional encouragement, requirements for promotion, and opportunities for research training are some of the factors that motivated academic librarians to publish in scholarly journals notwithstanding the pressures to perform their professional duties. Challenges often encountered included lack of research grants, high rejection rate of publishing agencies, lack of research skills and difficulty in getting access to research journals. Practical implications On the basis of the above, the establishment of research fund and an award scheme for persons or units with the highest number of publications among others are recommended. Originality/value With the exception of cited works, all other forms of this research output are the handiwork of the researchers and have neither been a reproduction of existing research nor ever published in any other journal.

Cyber-bullying research in Kenya: a meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Kwanya ◽  
Angella C. Kogos ◽  
Lucy Wachera Kibe ◽  
Erick Odhiambo Ogolla ◽  
Claudia Onsare
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
Cyber Bullying ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Publish Or Perish ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Number Of Publications

Purpose Cyber-bullying is a form of harassment that is perpetrated using electronic media. The practice has become increasingly common especially with the growing ubiquity of social media platforms. Most cyber-bullying cases inevitably occur on Facebook because it is the most preferred social media platform. However, little is known about cyber-bullying research in Kenya. This paper aims to analyse the quantity, quality, visibility and authorship trends of scholarly publications on cyber-bullying from and/or about Kenya. Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted as a systematic literature review. A meta-analysis approach was used. Bibliometrics approaches were used to conduct the analysis. Data on the publications was collected from Google Scholar using Harzing's “Publish or Perish” software and then analysed and presented using Microsoft Excel, Notepad and VOSviewer. Findings The study yielded 359 research publications on cyber-bullying in Kenya. There was a gradual increment in the number of publications, peaking in 2018. Nearly half of the publications have not been cited indicating low uptake of research on cyber-bullying in Kenya. It also emerged that most of the research has been published on subscription channels thereby restricting their visibility, access and use. Minimal collaboration in research on cyber-bullying in Kenya was also observed since 67.4% of the publications were written by a single (one) author. The authors conclude that the quantity, quality and visibility of research on cyber-bullying in Kenya is low. Originality/value This is an empirical study. The findings can be used to promote and mainstream research on cyber-bullying in Kenya.

Publication productivity and scholarly impact of academic librarians in Tanzania

2014 ◽  
Vol 115 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 527-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred Said Sife ◽  
Edda Tandi Lwoga
Keyword(s):  
Research Productivity ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Publish Or Perish ◽  
Scholarly Impact ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Scientometric Study

Purpose – The purpose of this scientometric study was to conduct an analysis of the research productivity and scholarly impact of academic librarians in Tanzania for a period of 30 years from 1984 to 2013. Design/methodology/approach – Data were obtained using the Publish or Perish software which uses Google Scholar to retrieve scholars’ publications, citations and related metrics. For each librarian, the retrieved metrics were the number of papers, papers per author, citation counts, average citations per paper, average papers per author, average citations per year, average citations per author and four indices, namely, the h-index, g-index, Hc-index and the HI-norm. Findings – The study findings indicate that 434 publications were recorded for all librarians, giving an average of 14.5 publications per year. The year 2008 had the most (9.9 per cent) publications followed by 2010 (7.8 per cent), while the years 1985 and 1987 had the lowest (0.2 per cent) number of publications. About 43 per cent of the publications were single-authored and the degree of collaboration was 0.57. The top-ten ranked librarians contributed more than half (53.2 per cent) of all publications, although they showed considerable variation among different metrics. Only three journal articles had 25 or more citations. Originality/value – Previous studies on the topic are scarce, and, therefore, this paper provides useful recommendations to library and information science (LIS) schools, libraries and universities to improve research productivity of their academic librarians in Tanzania and other countries with a similar setting.

Causes of delays on construction projects: a comprehensive list

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serdar Durdyev ◽  
M. Reza Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Site Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Control Factors ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Poor Site ◽  
Causes Of Delays ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a systematic review of studies on CPD published between 1985 and 2018. Design/methodology/approach Before identifying common CPD, research trends were examined in terms of the number of publications in selected journals, as well as the contributions made by countries, institutions and researchers. Findings The findings reveal that researchers from developing countries have contributed the most to identifying the causes of CPD. A total of 149 causes of CPD were identified in a thorough review of 97 selected studies. Weather/climate conditions, poor communication, lack of coordination and conflicts between stakeholders, ineffective or improper planning, material shortages, financial problems, payment delays, equipment/plant shortage, lack of experience/qualification/competence among project stakeholders, labour shortages and poor site management were identified as the ten most common CPDs. Originality/value Being the first study of its type, this study provides insight into the research output related to this area and identifies a common set of CPDs, which may provide a better understanding of the key areas requiring attention where steps should be taken to minimise or control factors causing delays in construction projects.

A topology of Twitter research: disciplines, methods, and ethics

2014 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Zimmer ◽  
Nicholas John Proferes
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Ethical Considerations ◽  
Systematic Analysis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Benchmark Analysis ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Twitter Data ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Data Collection And Analysis ◽  
Academic Publications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to engage in a systematic analysis of academic research that relies on the collection and use of Twitter data, creating topology of Twitter research that details the disciplines and methods of analysis, amount of tweets and users under analysis, the methods used to collect Twitter data, and accounts of ethical considerations related to these projects. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis of 382 academic publications from 2006 to 2012 that used Twitter as their primary platform for data collection and analysis. Findings – The analysis of over 380 scholarly publications utilizing Twitter data reveals noteworthy trends related to the growth of Twitter-based research overall, the disciplines engaged in such research, the methods of acquiring Twitter data for analysis, and emerging ethical considerations of such research. Research limitations/implications – The findings provide a benchmark analysis that must be updated with the continued growth of Twitter-based research. Originality/value – The research is the first full-text systematic analysis of Twitter-based research projects, focussing on the growth in discipline and methods as well as its ethical implications. It is of value for the broader research community currently engaged in social media-based research, and will prompt reflexive evaluation of what research is occurring, how it is occurring, what is being done with Twitter data, and how researchers are addressing the ethics of Twitter-based research.

Identification and modeling of process barriers

2018 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramadas T. ◽  
Satish K.P.
Keyword(s):  
Lean Manufacturing ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Measurement Model ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Lean Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Employee Absenteeism ◽  
High Rejection Rate ◽  
Critical Process ◽  
High Rejection

Purpose The purpose of this study is to present factors associated with process barriers in implementing lean manufacturing within the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach This study was conducted to identify the process barriers in implementing lean manufacturing in SMEs. Moreover, by a thorough and detailed analysis, process barriers of high rejection rate, employee absenteeism and frequent breakdown with 29 associated variables were identified as the most critical process barriers and were used to develop the questionnaire. Structural equation modeling was used to build the measurement model by drawing on samples of 128 SMEs in Kerala, a state in India. Later, the model was validated using statistical estimates. Data analysis helps to determine whether to accept or reject the hypothesis on the basis of the measurement model. Findings Several process barriers that prevent the successful implementation of lean manufacturing within SMEs are identified. These are lack of a training program, lack of periodical maintenance, low-quality standard materials from suppliers, bad vendor inspection, wear and tear of machines, communication gap between supervisors and workers, non-maintenance of a good employee–employer relationship, boredom on the job, overrunning machines beyond the capability, carelessness in work, not replacing worn damage parts periodically, ignoring warning signals of the machine classified as the most critical process barrier among the high rejection rate, employee absenteeism, frequent breakdown factors. Research limitations/implications First, the sample size of the study was relatively small (128). Second, data collection was restricted to one geographical area in India, i.e. Kerala, a state in India, giving rise to operational constraints. Third, the study was cross-sectional; a longitudinal study must be performed to reinforce the findings. Practical implications The present study has explored an unfocused area of lean implementation in SMEs. The results are expected to help researchers, academics and professionals in the domain of lean manufacturing. Social implications Governments of many countries around the world are helping and encouraging the implementation and understanding of the lean manufacturing system by providing financial assistance for training professionals and establishing professional associations. However, many industries have not been successful in lean implementation. This research aims to develop a strategy to tackle process barriers for successful lean implementation. Originality/value Very little research has been carried out in exploring process barriers in implementing lean manufacturing in SMEs. This paper will provide value to academics, researchers and practitioners of lean by providing insight into significant process barriers for lean implementation, especially in Indian industries.

Mapping worldwide research on the Internet of Things during 2011-2016

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 979-992 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammadamin Erfanmanesh ◽  
A. Abrizah
Keyword(s):  
Network Analysis ◽  
Internet Of Things ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Continuous Increase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
The Internet Of Things

Purpose The Internet of Things (IoT) has attracted wide attention from researchers to address the potential of this technology in various industries recently. This study aims to investigate different characteristics of worldwide research on the IoT using bibliometrics, network analysis and altmetrics. Growth of the literature, publication types, languages, publication countries and research subjects are addressed. The scientific and social impact of the journal articles has also been examined using citation and altmetrics scores. Design/methodology/approach The Scopus database was searched for articles indexed under the terms “Internet of Thing*” or “IoT” or “Internet of Everything*” or “Web of Thing*”, and a total of 13,725 articles from 2011 to 2016 were retrieved and analysed. Findings There was a continuous increase in the number of publications per year over the period, with a 6.7-fold rise in the number of publications, with the highest share of research output (4,989) published in 2016. Contribution of authors at the micro, meso and macro levels was analysed. About 89 per cent of total publications were the result of collaborative efforts, and Asia-Pacific was responsible for almost 53 per cent of world scientific production of IoT literature. Generally, the IoT research are found in publications concentrating on computer networks and communications, electrical and electronic engineering and computer science applications. The results also showed that the presence of IoT research on the social web is still low, with 6.8 per cent of total publications presenting some altmetric activity. Research limitations/implications The work reported is limited to only Scopus-indexed publications. While the search methodology aimed to be as inclusive as possible, it may not have captured all scholarly research output in the IoT world. Practical implications The findings of this study may help researchers understand the performance of IoT research from across the world and suggest directions for further research. Originality/value This paper reviews the literature of the IoT in past five years using rigorous bibliometric, altmetric and network analysis tools.

Current status of nanotechnology in Jordan

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehab Alshamaileh ◽  
Mazen Al-Sulaibi ◽  
Ahmad Al-Khawaldeh ◽  
Mansour H. Almatarneh ◽  
Dina El-Sabawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Research Output ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Laboratory Equipment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Nanotechnology Research ◽  
The Status ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
The Many

Purpose – The current status of nanotechnology research and development in Jordan is analyzed. In recent years, Jordanian institutions demonstrated considerable interest in the development and production of nanotechnology. Here the purpose of this paper is to provide detailed information about the status of nanotechnology in Jordan in terms of several factors that influence selectivity in nanotechnology and the number of published peer-reviewed research articles. Design/methodology/approach – Several factors that influence selectivity in nanotechnology and the number of published peer-reviewed research articles were analyzed. A detailed analysis of the collected data reveals that the number of publications, citations, and patents is highly dependent on the amount of research fund. Findings – The development in nanotechnology is associated with presence and accessibility of sensitive laboratory equipment. The nanotechnology research output in Jordan is still lower than it should be due to the lack of necessary laboratory infrastructure. This is due to the insufficient funds allocated to scientific research, the restrictive access to available instruments and the bureaucracy of some governmental departments. Compared to some developed countries, Jordan is noticeably behind in developing a nanotechnology system of research and industry. It will take time as well as technical and financial resources in order to achieve an advanced level in the field of nanotechnology in Jordan. Nevertheless, many Jordanian researchers are doing their best and are producing some good research articles. Research limitations/implications – The many applications to the same approach. Practical implications – Time and publications’ resources. Social implications – Peer cooperation. Originality/value – First comprehensive review ever. A base for researchers and decision makers.

Guatemala's Giammattei will face immediate challenges

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Commission ◽  
Policy Agenda ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bilateral Relations ◽  
High Rejection Rate ◽  
High Rejection

Significance The victory of Giammattei, of the opposition Vamos grouping, marks a win for conservative forces in Guatemala and a high rejection rate for Torres. However, a high abstention rate and a weak position in the legislature will undermine Giammattei from the start, signalling a weak presidency dependent on legislative alliances. Giammattei will take office in January 2020, with the intervening months likely to see the appointment of his cabinet and clarification of his immediate policy agenda. Impacts Giammattei’s election means the mandate of the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala is set to end in September. The outgoing president is likely to leave Guatemala as soon as his term ends, given ongoing corruption investigations. Bilateral relations with the United States will depend on the outcome of the controversial “safe third country” migration deal.

Six Sigma DMAIC project to improve the performance of an aluminum die casting operation in Portugal

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Alexandre de Albuquerque Marques ◽  
Robert Matthé
Keyword(s):  
Six Sigma ◽  
Die Casting ◽  
Rejection Rate ◽  
Control Plan ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Casting Operation ◽  
Active Involvement ◽  
High Rejection Rate ◽  
High Rejection

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to illustrate an application of the Six Sigma define, measure, analyze, improve, control (DMAIC) problem-solving methodology in a Portuguese industrial enterprise, aimed at reducing the rejection rate of a specific manufactured product due to defects generated in an aluminum gravity die casting operation. Design/methodology/approach Along the five-stage roadmap, a set of analytical and conceptual tools was systematically employed to better characterize the problem, define the product’s critical to quality characteristics, estimate the process baseline, determine the relevant cause-and-effect relationships, identify the root causes leading to the high rejection rate, implement an improvement plan, determine the effectiveness of the improvement actions, and put in place a control plan. Findings The project team discovered that the high rejection rate was caused by factors inherent to the gravity die casting operation itself and by the mixing of rejected parts made of different types of alloys from other locations within the plant. Another key finding was that the successful execution of the project was only possible due to the belief and support of top management and to the active involvement of the team members. Practical implications This case study illustrates a successful practical application of a Six Sigma project in a small-medium enterprise in Portugal, as well as the operational and financial benefits that derived from it; thus providing a good example for others to follow. Originality/value Few cases of continual improvement initiatives, including Six Sigma projects, developed at a Portuguese company are available in the literature; this paper fills such void by describing a very successful application that demonstrates the advantages that other companies can learn in terms of adopting structured methodologies to improve the quality of their products and the efficiency of their processes. Moreover, the analysis and conclusions herein presented can be of great importance for companies using gravity die casting technology.

scholarly journals Understanding Factors that Encourage Research Productivity for Academic Librarians

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Hoffmann ◽  
Selinda Berg ◽  
Denise Koufogiannakis
Keyword(s):  
Research Productivity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Research Output ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Advanced Degree ◽  
Significant Component ◽  
Institutional Structures ◽  
Intrinsic Motivations

Abstract Objective – This project identifies the factors that contribute to the success of librarians as active researchers. Research success is generally aligned with productivity and output, and the authors are therefore interested in understanding the factors that encourage research productivity. This fills a gap in the literature on librarians as researchers, which has tended to focus on barriers rather than enablers. Methods – For this quantitative study, we distributed an online survey to 1,653 potential participants across Canada and received 453 usable responses for a 27% response rate. The survey asked participants to report their research outputs and to answer questions that addressed three categories of factors: Individual Attributes, Peers and Community, and Institutional Structures and Supports. We then statistically analyzed participant responses in order to identify relationships between the research output variables (weighted output score and number of peer-reviewed articles) and the three categories, the factors within those categories, and the constituent components. Results – Participants’ research output consisted largely of presentations, non-peer-reviewed articles, peer-reviewed articles, and posters. All three categories of factors were significantly related to research output, both for a calculated weighted output score and for number of peer-reviewed articles. All of the factors identified within those categories were also significant when tested against weighted output score, but Intrinsic Motivations was not a significant factor when tested against number of peer-reviewed articles. Several components of factors were also not significant for number of peer-reviewed articles. Age was the only significant component of Demographics. Three components of Education and Experience were significant: whether participants had received research training after completing their MLIS, whether they were working on an advanced degree, and the institution where they had obtained their MLIS. Conclusions – Research productivity is significantly impacted by all three categories: Individual Attributes, Peers and Community, and Institutional Structures and Supports. Fostering an environment that focuses on all of these areas will be most likely to promote research output for librarians. At the same time, this study’s findings point to particular aspects that warrant further investigation, such as the nature and effect of institutional support and librarians’ motivations for doing research.

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