The use of IT-based information services

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Zabed Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Public Universities ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Electronic Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Training Requirements ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Library Resources

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate the current status of public universities in Bangladesh in terms of library resources and services, IT infrastructure and training requirements for the establishment of a centralized, networked electronic library for the universities in the country. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was conducted in March-April 2012 to ascertain the level of library automation practices, access to online resources and IT facilities utilized by the public universities in Bangladesh. The survey questionnaire was distributed through post and emails directed to the university librarians. The librarians were also asked to identify the type of IT-related training they had and the type of training they require. Findings – The survey results indicate that there are insufficiencies in library resources, automation practices, access to online resources and IT facilities in the universities. Although the use of computer and network technologies in older universities is reasonably high; newer universities are lagging far behind in the latest technology applications. The results also suggest significant training needs by the librarians across all areas of electronic information processing. Originality/value – This is the first time an attempt has been made to assess the readiness of the public universities in Bangladesh for implementing IT-based information services. The paper also proposed a framework for implementing an integrated electronic library for the universities in the country to offer them better access to a wide range of online resources and services.

Strategic planning and benchmarking organizational routines of universities in the Western Balkans

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antigoni Papadimitriou
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Private Universities ◽  
The Body ◽  
Organizational Routines ◽  
Western Balkans ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
National Quality

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.

The Integrated Plan in Italian public universities: new patterns in intellectual capital disclosure

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-679
Author(s):  
Natalia Aversano ◽  
Giuseppe Nicolò ◽  
Giuseppe Sannino ◽  
Paolo Tartaglia Polcini
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
International Debate ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Intangible Resources ◽  
Quantitative Form ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Medium Level

Purpose The present research aims to analyse the extent to which Italian public universities disclose intellectual capital (IC) information through the Integrated Plan and the main features of IC disclosure (ICD) in terms of form and location in the document. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a qualitative methodology, a content analysis is conducted to examine the level, form and location of ICD provided by a sample of 60 Italian public universities through the 2018-2020 integrated plans. Findings The results show a medium level of ICD in the Integrated Plan, with human capital being the category most disclosed. Information is principally provided in a quantitative form and is mainly found in the first two sections of the document (i.e. relating to the strategic framework and organisational performance). Research limitations/implications The analysis is necessarily limited to a single period (2018-2020), because of the recent introduction of the guidelines of the Integrated Plan. However, the results may be beneficial to policymakers in determining the usefulness of this new tool in detecting information about intangible resources and can help universities’ governors and managers in defining adequate IC strategies to create value for the whole ecosystem. Originality/value The study makes an innovative contribution to the international debate about IC in universities in light of the fourth stage of IC research, exploring an emerging tool to detect whether it is able to convey IC information to the wide range of university stakeholders and to communicate the value universities contribute to society.

The state of social media engagement in Saudi universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norah Khalid Alsufyan ◽  
Monira Aloud
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Private Universities ◽  
The Other ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Social Media Engagement ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the way that Saudi universities are engaging their audience via social media platforms by means of the five meaningful themes: visibility, branding, authenticity, commitment, and engagement. The study will answer the questions: how do Saudi universities exploit social media platforms to engage their target audience? What are the recommendations for Saudi universities toward maximizing the value of social media engagement? Design/methodology/approach A content analysis approach was used to study all Saudi universities (26 public, 11 private). Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter were the anticipated social media platforms in this study. Findings The results showed that Twitter is the most frequently used platform to communicate with audiences. While visibility in the anticipated social media platforms was high, the engagement was lacking. On the other hand, authenticity and branding in the anticipated social media platforms were medium, while commitment was low except on Twitter. In general, the private universities exceed the public universities in terms of visibility, branding, authenticity, commitment and engagement in the anticipated social media platforms, which indicates their attention on gaining their audience’s satisfaction, a dynamic of trust which will lead to maintaining current relationships or building new ones. Originality/value Since there are few studies in the field regarding social media platforms usage by Saudi universities, this study aims to understand how Saudi universities are utilizing social media platforms to engage their audiences and propose recommendations for how Saudi universities can build value from social media platforms.

The feasibility of investment in the religious heritage in anti-corruption efforts in Palestinian public organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad W. Hanini
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Organizations ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Public Institution ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Moderate Degree ◽  
Future Expectations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of the study is to investigate the feasibility of investing the religious heritage in anti-corruption efforts in public organizations in Palestine. The study sought to measure the current status of public organizations, if they are investing the religious heritage in the efforts of encountering corruption. Further, the study sought to measure the attitudes and future expectations if there is an integration of the religious heritage in the current anti-corruption efforts. Design/methodology/approach This study combines two folds: First, theoretical and qualitative, through research in previous studies, texts and religious attitude of corruption, historical models and international experiences that have tried to invest in it and incorporate it in anti-corruption efforts, which are generalizable generic models; and the second: a field empirical part, through the researcher use of a questionnaire tool and analyzing it statistically, in addition to ensuring the possibility of using religion in anti-corruption efforts within the Palestinian public institutions which will eventually enable us to answer the study questions. Findings The study found that the reality of investment in the religious heritage in anti-corruption efforts in the Palestinian public sector is present in a moderate degree (56.8%), both in rules and regulations, in strategic plans or policies, or in the internal systems and the organizational culture of the public institutions. With regard to the attitudes of the employees toward corruption and the way of their formulation to these attitudes either if they are influenced by the religious heritage or the law or by the eight reasons mentioned previously in this study, it is obvious that the employees attitudes toward corruption are formulated first from a religious perspectives and second from a legal perspective. Regarding their attitudes and their agreement level toward the investment of the religious heritage in anti-corruption in the Palestinian public sector was high (75.9%), as well as their future expectations in case the religious heritage is invested in anti-corruption efforts was in a high degree (74.1%). Therefore, the authors conclude that there is a feasibility of religious heritage investment in anti-corruption efforts in the Palestinian public sector in case it is accredited and integrated in anti-corruption strategies as a supportive factor but not as a substitute of other efforts. The study recommended that decision makers should adopt new anti-corruption policies and strategies compatible with these striking results through the rules, regulations and administrative decisions, or in the internal institutional system and the cultural organization, in the publications and declarations of the public institution, in special code of conduct based on the religious heritage, in the training of the employees and designing new proposals to integrate the religious heritage in anti-corruption efforts in parallel with the permanent evaluation of these efforts after its application. Originality/value This study, The feasibility of investing in religious heritage in anti-corruption efforts, is different from the previously reviewed studies, as the previous studies were either philosophical or theoretical in nature, looking at the relationship between religion and corruption or empirical, but in a different environment and society than the society of this study. The general purpose of this research is to identify the impact of religious perceptions on corruption in the behavior of public officials in the Palestinian public sector as it is on the ground, and whether their attitudes were affected by corruption with their religious beliefs? Do they welcome the investment of religion in the fight against corruption and what are their expectations if this is done in institutional, strategic or policy context.

Changing perspectives in the face of the decolonisation of knowledge at South African public universities

Kybernetes ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1564-1577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Baron
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Family Therapy ◽  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Social Tension ◽  
The Face ◽  
African Context

Purpose The legacy of colonisation and apartheid in South Africa has resulted in a radical challenge to the public universities. The successful #FeesMustFall campaign that took place in 2015 accentuated several aspects of post-apartheid transformation that have not been adequately attended to. The public universities are now faced with meeting the needs of students and interested parties who would like to see transformation at various levels, in particular, the decolonisation of knowledge. This paper aims to present an approach to address the decolonisation of knowledge. Design/methodology/approach Shifting universities’ approach to teaching and learning is a challenging endeavour, especially as it entails an embrace of previously ignored worldviews. Taking a metaphoric approach, an analysis of this problem is presented in systemic terms from a family therapy approach adhering to second-order cybernetics. A solution to bridging the disconnect between the participants in the decolonisation of knowledge in a South African context is presented. Findings Early successes were attained on the back of a therapeutic approach to meeting the needs of students who took part in curriculum and policy changes. The findings suggest that for a transformation to take place, all the participants in the university should acknowledge that the problem (which may have different forms) is a shared one and that decolonisation requires the participants to learn about other participants in the system. Reflecting on historical narratives and its present status quo from the epistemology of the directly affected parties is suggested as an indispensable step that should occur prior to the implementation of any solutions. Without the reflection process, the other members of the system may not understand the context and reasoning for the decolonisation, resulting in friction and fear, in turn mitigating the decolonisation process. Research limitations/implications Methods of empathetically engaging people who have been discriminated against is important in the goal of restoring equality and social justice. Family therapy is presented as a vehicle for communal dialogue in a therapeutic empathetic context. This approach has value in many settings other than in the education arena. Social implications Legacies of apartheid are still in effect in the South African public university system. Decolonising knowledge is one topic that may address social justice which helps to diffuse social tension and subsequent protest action. Originality/value Family therapy as an approach to decolonisation of knowledge and as an approach to appeasing social tension in the educational context is unique.

Increasing or decreasing reading trend: an overview of the current status of the public libraries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Rafi ◽  
Khurshid Ahmad ◽  
Zheng Jian Ming
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Neolithic Period ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Government

PurposeAs the human race moved from the Paleolithic to the current phases of the Neolithic period, the learning process developed from inscriptions on stones to clay tablets, from papyrus to papers and, ultimately, to digital technology. From ancient times to the present, public libraries have become open universities that are more democratic in the provision of educational and information services and the preservation of cultural heritage, regardless of gender and belief. This study attempts to understand reading trends and the use of citizens’ resources in public libraries in the age of technology as an open university.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study on regular visitors, permanent library members, and information on the library inventory was collected from each public library administration through personal visits and interviews. In addition, data on regional population and literacy rates were collected from the Government of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Bureau of Statistics. The authors used descriptive statistics to analyze data for comparative studies.FindingsThe results show that daily visitors, regular library members and their use of library resources are decreasing compared to the literacy rate in each district. It was also concluded that, due to a lack of education and training in the area of information and digital literacy, the accessed database resources are not used properly. Moreover, each densely populated district relies on a single public library to meet general education and information needs.Practical implicationsThe results of this study will help the government expand the network of public libraries at the union council level with competent working staff to increase general motivation to improve reading and resource usage trends. Given the current literacy and population growth in each district, the law on the public library can also be amended and implemented to support the existing library system better and create more libraries in the public interest.Originality/valueThis study was conducted for the first time to determine the current state of public libraries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to help public library authorities improve their existing public library service status based on the results.

Portfolio management of development projects in Danish municipalities

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Stentoft Arlbjørn ◽  
Per Vagn Freytag ◽  
Lisa Thoms
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Portfolio Management ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Generic Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Administrative Functions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
And Control ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Danish municipalities are undergoing continuous changes. An important part of these changes are the introduction and implementation of a wide range of development projects. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the challenges of initiation and implementation of development projects in municipalities. Design/methodology/approach – The focus is on development projects, which are defined as projects undertaken to improve the workflow and processes of administrative functions in municipalities. The empirical component is based on two pilot interviews in two municipalities and a quantitative questionnaire distributed to all Danish municipalities. Findings – Extant literature contains limited contributions regarding the overall management of development projects in municipalities. There seems to be an awareness of the importance of developing working procedures to ensure greater efficiency in Danish municipalities, but this development is often not prioritised relative to operational tasks. The absence of prioritisation is an indication of the potential for improving the portfolio management of development projects. Research limitations/implications – The response to the quantitative questionnaire is provided by one employee in a municipality. As such, the research may reveal the views of one individual in particular and not those of the municipality in general. Practical implications – The paper provides empirical evidence of the ambidextrous challenges in the context of public sector management. At a more generic level, the paper highlights the importance of improving portfolio management of development projects. Originality/value – This paper is the first that one to focus on the orchestration of development projects in the public sector (here analysed through Danish municipalities). Management and control of such projects is much more sensitive to political decision processes than are similar tasks in the private sector.

Wider applications for Lean

2014 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 550-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Bateman ◽  
Peter Hines ◽  
Peter Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Service ◽  
High Volume ◽  
Royal Air Force ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lean Principles ◽  
The Public ◽  
Lean Enterprise ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The lean enterprise model has been adopted in a wide range of industries beyond its origins in the motor industry. To achieve this there has been a considerable extension of the lean concept outside high-volume repetitive manufacture. The purpose of this paper is to present an in-depth study of the application of lean within the British Royal Air Force. It offers a number of new insights which have implications for the future development and adoption of lean in service contexts, and the public sector in particular. Design/methodology/approach – To illustrate the issues of application of lean outside automotive, this paper considers the adoption of the lean concept by the Tornado joint integrated project team within the UK Ministry of Defence. A review of methods of application of lean used within Tornado are studied. The paper considers how the fundamental principles of lean apply in this environment and how, considering these principles, methods of implementation should be modified. Findings – This paper finds that the five lean fundamental principles apply in Tornado but they need to considered specifically within the public service context particularly the pull principle. Hence the authors offer three propositions relating to the use of the lean principles of value, waste, flow and pull in the public sector, and one for perfection only relating to military organisations. Originality/value – This paper makes an important contribution by demonstrating that lean can be successfully applied, in a public service context, with only modest modifications to its core principles, principally about how customer demand (pull) is managed. The implication of this finding demonstrates that to be adopted successfully, lean must be adapted to its context and the lean principles need to be reviewed too.

An exploratory study of sustainable development at Italian universities

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emidia Vagnoni ◽  
Caterina Cavicchi
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
National Level ◽  
Current Status ◽  
University System ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Issue

Purpose – This paper aims to outline the current status of the implementation of sustainability practices in the context of Italian public universities, highlighting the strengths and gaps. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a qualitative approach, an exploratory study design has been outlined using the model of Glavič and Lukman (2007) focusing on the Deming Cycle. The Plan–Do–Check–Act components of the model were used as a framework for collecting and analyzing data from the official Web sites and other related Web pages of Italian universities. Findings – The results of this exploratory study allow one to depict a university system addressing the challenge posed by international agendas in a fragmented way, even if many universities are showing a strong commitment to the sustainability challenge. Sustainability is mainly detected at the “Do” dimension, when referring to training programs and research projects associated to the sustainability issue. Research limitations/implications – Limitations of the data collection method are addressed when the timeliness of update of Web sources and the different emphases that universities can put on Internet disclosure are considered. However, the study contributes to the debate on sustainability by providing findings at a national level, which were derived from the official Web sites of Italian public universities. Furthermore, the study could have implications for policy makers and universities’ decision makers. Practical implications – The study points out the importance of managing the sustainability process in all its phases (planning, activities, monitoring, further actions), and highlights the elements that are relevant for measuring and monitoring the process of implementation of sustainability in the specific context of higher education. Social implications – The paper can contribute to increase the academics’ awareness of the sustainability actions, and stimulate them to fill the gaps. Originality/value – This study explores sustainability issue in the Italian university system, and it is based on a Web-based method of data collection, whereas other contributions are based on case studies.

eReadiness of public university libraries in Malawi to use mobile phones in the provision of library and information services

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubrey Harvey Chaputula ◽  
Stephen Mutula
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phones ◽  
Public Universities ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Public University ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Strict Sense ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present findings of a study conducted to determine eReadiness status of public university libraries in Malawi to use mobile phones in the provision of library and information services.Design/methodology/approachThe researcher carried out in-depth semi-structured interviews with university/college librarians and information and communications technology (ICT) directors using interview guides. Students were also administered with a survey questionnaire that contained closed- and some open-ended questions. Proceedings of the interviews were recorded using a tape recorder whilst backup notes were recorded in a notebook. Qualitative data were transcribed and analysed using NVivo software whilst quantitative data were analysed using SPPS.FindingsThe study findings revealed that institutions studied had the ICT infrastructure necessary for offering library and information services on the mobile phone platform. Moreover, students had mobile phones which were connected to internet to facilitate their access to services offered. However, the institutions covered by this study did not have operational ICT policies to govern the operations of library and information services offered through mobile phones although draft ICT policies were available. The study further concluded that though the human resources required to manage the provision of library and information services through mobile phones in the institutions studied were available, they did not have the necessary skills and numbers to provide quality services. Other findings revealed that attitudes of library staff and students to the offering and access to services through mobile phones were positive. The study also revealed that there are some factors that could impact the offering of library services through mobile phones.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough Malawi has four public universities, this study only focused on three of them. Moreover, academic staff is another important user group of academic libraries. In this case, findings reported in this paper only focus on students. This implies that library’s readiness to offer services through mobile phones to this group remains unknown hence may have to be covered by future studies. Much as the study incorporated a quantitative strand in addition to the qualitative one, it neither involved theory testing nor confirmation as is the case with other related studies. This implies that the two theories used in this study (the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the technology-organisation-environment) were not used in the strict sense, which is empirical at the core, but rather to put the problem studied in the context of other related studies.Practical implicationsThe findings have practical implications in that they can be used for planning the implementation of library and information services through mobile phones in public university libraries in Malawi. Other related institutions can also use the findings as a reference point in planning the implementation of similar services.Originality/valueStudies relating to the use of mobile phones in the delivery of library and information services have not been conducted in public universities in Malawi. Findings of this study will, therefore, inform researchers intending to conduct similar or related studies not only in public universities in Malawi but other related institutions as well.

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