Twelve years later

2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell S. Michalak ◽  
Monica D.T. Rysavy
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Library Service ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Chinese Business ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to use Song’s 2004 survey to assess this institution’s international business students’ perceptions and expectations of library services to improve the quality of services provided. Design/methodology/approach The authors of this study deployed Song’s 2004 survey, with his permission, to 775 international undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the Fall 2016 semester using the online survey tool Qualtrics. Findings The current study compared Song’s 2004 survey results (n = 143) with the researchers’ results (n = 149). The response rate of the current survey deployment was 19.2%. This research focused on the comparison of this institution’s Chinese business students’ (n = 71) perceptions of library use and services in 2016 with Song’s Chinese students’ perceptions (n = 24) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne (UIUC) in 2004. The researchers asked the international business students (UG and GR) to rate their perceived importance of five topics of library services: personal study area, public computers, electronic resources, group meeting space and virtual reference. Overall students (n = 149) rated personal study area as being the most important library service (4.34; moderately important) and virtual reference as being the least important library service (3.33; neutral). Originality/value Overall the library literature is limited with respect to studies that compare the perceptions and expectations of library services of international students from China, who are studying business at universities or colleges in the USA.

Dicoma Corporation: challenges for future growth

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Armando Borda ◽  
Carlos Cordova ◽  
Juan Carlos Leon
Keyword(s):  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
International Business ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Multinational Enterprise ◽  
International Strategy ◽  
International Expansion ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Executive ◽  
Academic Level

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes are as follows: students will identify the reasons for a firm to internationalize and its specific internationalization entry mode; students will distinguish how to follow the client and how physic distance strategies work; students will analyze a host country’s external environment using the PESTEL framework, and they will analyze the international strategies followed by a multinational enterprise using the integration-responsiveness framework as well. Case overview/synopsis The authors explore the case of DICOMA Corporation, a Costa Rican multinational enterprise with presence in five countries. Adrian Sanchez, who is Dicoma’s president, needs to craft an international strategy to increase the international sales in the foreign markets where the firm operates. The company may follow two paths. On the one hand, Dicoma can adopt the strategy of following its major clients to expand overseas, which will lead to the opening of operations in more countries, but making the foreign sales highly dependent on these types of partnerships. This has been so far the path pursued by Dicoma in its international expansion. On the other hand, Dicoma can opt to focus on increasing commitments in the existing international markets where it already has operations by capturing new clients in those locations but scarifying the potential business opportunities to enter into other countries in partnership with its major clients. Complexity academic level Post-graduate early stage business students enrolled in programs such as Master of Business Administration, Master of Management, Master of International Business, executive education programs, among others. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available upon request for educators only. These teaching notes should be shared solely with the instructor and students should not have access to. Please contact your library to gain login or email [email protected] to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 5: International Business.

Using peer instruction with hints in introductory business statistics

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-71
Author(s):  
Ning Ding ◽  
Xiaoyan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Business ◽  
Business Education ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Peer Instruction ◽  
Final Exam ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Statistics ◽  
Conceptual Changes ◽  
International Business Education

Purpose – Peer instruction has been widely adopted as an instructional method in higher education. However, due to students' different preconceptions, the authors argued that peer instruction is not a panacea in international business education when students' prior knowledge extensively varies. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – In this experimental study, the authors focused on three conditions of an introductory statistics course: individual problem solving, peer instruction, and peer instruction with hints. Findings – The authors have found students in peer instruction with hints class did not only outperform in the final exam, but also achieved the highest frequency of successful conceptual changes in comparison with their counterparts in the other two classes. Practical implications – Providing instructional hints to improve the effectiveness of peer instruction may shed light on classroom instruction in higher education. Originality/value – As for international business education, this was a unique exploration to capture students' conceptual changes using clickers. The authors believed this research paper will help the education practitioners to know their business students better.

Effective techniques for the segmentation of academic library users

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 454-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhixian Yi
Keyword(s):  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Content Analysis Method ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Australian Universities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how Australian academic librarians perceived effective techniques used to segment library users into smaller groups and the influencing factors for their perceptions of the used techniques. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was sent to 400 academic librarians in 37 Australian universities and 230 (57.5 per cent) respondents completed and returned surveys. The descriptive and inferential statistics and content analysis method were used to analyse the collected data. Findings A variety of effective techniques were utilised to segment library users. Library variables such as number of staff and number of library branches and human capital variables such as education level, years of present position, formally studying marketing and attending a workshop on marketing in the last five years were significant predictors of perceptions of the effective segmentation techniques used, but this study indicates that other predictors such as number of different library professional positions and years involved in all library services and demographical variables made no difference. Practical implications This paper provides a useful overview of the effective techniques used to segment library users. Originality/value The value of this study is that librarians may utilise the results to better understand different techniques, to reflect on the effectiveness of the used techniques, and to balance the weight of the influencing factors. This will enable them to segment library users more effectively in the future.

scholarly journals Consumer expectations and perception of clothing comfort in sports and exercise garments

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Wilfling ◽  
George Havenith ◽  
Margherita Raccuglia ◽  
Simon Hodder
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Textile Materials ◽  
Useful Knowledge ◽  
Clothing Comfort ◽  
Tactile Input ◽  
Sports And Exercise ◽  
Garment Fit

Purpose Sports garments play an important role in the well-being of an athlete by protecting the wearer from changing environmental conditions and providing a comfortable feel. Clothing requirements have changed in recent years and demand for apparel with a higher comfort performance has been rising. Hence, the purpose of this study is to explore consumers’ expectations and perception of comfort and to examine how different textiles are perceived by consumers to provide useful knowledge that allows to engineer comfort into fabrics and sports garments. Design/methodology/approach This online survey comprised 292 respondents, classified by sex, age, nationality and physical activity. The respondents were asked a total of 18 questions through the Bristol Online Survey tool to explore expectation, perception and preference of clothing comfort, specifically of sportswear. Findings Fit and comfort are closely linked together, both forming part of the clothing comfort concept. When purchasing garments online, the haptics of fabrics were identified as a crucial missing parameter. However, priorities of attributes within the concept varied according to the person’s sex and nationality. Women put more emphasis on garment fit and showed a higher need for tactile input, whereas men prioritised physiological comfort descriptors, i.e. properties which facilitate thermoregulation. Furthermore, there is an increased importance of physiological comfort parameters for people exercising for 10 or more hours per week. Finally, it was possible to identify common associations and preferences for textile materials (cotton, polyester, cotton/polyester blend and wool). However, consideration should be taken concerning sex and nationality. Originality/value Sex and nationality are parameters modulating the clothing comfort concept and the conceptualised feel of materials. Therefore, the sex and nationality of the end-consumer should be considered during the development phase of sports garments and particular attention should be given to the targeted market in which these will be sold.

An assessment of academic library services: international and domestic students perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 631-653
Author(s):  
Sanaz Soltani ◽  
Shahrokh Nikou
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Domestic Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Literacy Skills

PurposeInformation literacy is defined as discrete abilities that a person requires to have in order to find, assess, use and share information. As information literacy skills play a prominent role in the students' academic achievement, students and in particular international students coming to continue their postgraduate studies in other countries may face problems in finding and using library services. The purpose of this paper is to explore and investigate the information literacy skills, challenges and needs of international and domestic students at the Finnish universities.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey (82 respondents) and qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 10 international and 10 domestic students.FindingsAcademic library services are used but in different ways. The findings indicate that international students have a relatively low level of information literacy skills compared to domestic students and faces various challenges, especially in the beginning of their studies.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was exploratory, and data were collected from limited number of Finnish universities and may not be representative of the underlying population.Practical implicationsAcademic libraries should provide effective courses on research methods and library services to the international students while keeping in mind the international students language and cultural barriers.Originality/valueThis is one of the first attempts in information literacy research that focusses on international and domestic students' information literacy skills at the higher education environment. As such, the results provided in this paper can help librarians and decision-makers at the higher education environments to plan better and become more efficient in delivering information services meeting students' information needs and expectations.

Business Students Perception Of University Library Service Quality And Satisfaction

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxwell K. Hsu ◽  
Richard G. Cummings ◽  
Stephen W. Wang
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Critical Factors ◽  
Library Service ◽  
Digital World ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Students Satisfaction ◽  
Library User

The main purpose of this study is to examine the college students perception of library services, and to what extent the quality of library services influences students satisfaction. The findings depict the relationship between academic libraries and their users in todays digital world and identify critical factors that may sustain a viable library-user relationship on campus.

WeChat in the library: promoting a new virtual reference service using a mobile app

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 9-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Pun
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Library Services ◽  
New York University ◽  
Virtual Reference ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Voice Messaging ◽  
Reference Service

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address how New York University Shanghai Library utilizes WeChat to support students’ research and information needs. WeChat is a mobile text and voice messaging communication service developed in China. Released in 2011, it currently has over 355 million users worldwide. The paper explores the information exchanges and interactions as well: what are students asking and what they can gain from this app; and features of the app are explored: WeChat can send files, support video-chat and group and voice messaging. By examining the opportunities and challenges of this app, the paper offers best practices to maximize WeChat as a library virtual service. Design/methodology/approach – The design approach of this paper is to analyze the information exchanges and interactions from participants. By collecting and analyzing the responses, the paper presents the opportunities of the app in supporting patrons who are often mobile and also how the app can be used for student engagement that is beyond reference services. Findings – From virtual reference to social media outreach, this paper finds that the app can offer a wide range of support and service through the library. Based on the positive daily interactions in the app, the research notes that the app can be utilized in many contexts: to support virtual service, to create student engagement, to promote library services and to create an online community of student users. Originality/value – This paper introduces in the context of an American institution and how this app can be utilized to support virtual reference and student engagement. The most important feature of this work is to demonstrate how to use this app to promote and to provide library services remotely. The paper introduces an alternative virtual reference service that can be utilized in any university setting.

Improving predictions of international business environments: China as a case in point

foresight ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 622-634
Author(s):  
Marina Yue Zhang
Keyword(s):  
International Business ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Delphi Panel ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Environments ◽  
Chinese Business ◽  
The One

Purpose Firms engaged in international business necessarily make predictions about the business environments in which they operate or seek to enter, on the basis of which they make a number of strategic decisions. The purpose of this paper is to consider the difficulties there are in making accurate predictions and how the process might be improved. Design/methodology/approach The paper examines predictions made in 2007 by ‘China experts’ about what the Chinese business environment would look like in 2017. Their predictions were accurate in respect of around two-thirds of the issues they were asked to consider. This paper focuses on the one-third of issues about which they were wide of the mark and examine the likely reasons. Findings The predictions of the 2007 study were accurate in respect of around two-thirds of the issues the China experts on the Delphi panel were asked to consider. The reason that they were wide of the mark on about one-third of issues could be attributed to two main factors: the 2008/2009 Global Financial Crisis and the appointment in 2013 of Xi Jinping as the President of China. These events precipitated changes in direction in the Chinese business environment that had not been (and could not have been) anticipated by the Delphi panel. Originality/value Very few Delphi studies have been subject to a follow-up examination of the accuracy of their predictions. This paper contributes a discussion the various methodologies that firms can use to improve their forecasts of international business environments.

Virtual reality: a new channel in sport consumption

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 472-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ania Izabela Rynarzewska
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Value Theory ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Expected Improvement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Related Information

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine which factors affect virtual reality (VR) adoption by sports fans. Second, this paper seeks to evaluate consumer expectations of experience as related to introduction of VR. Based on the technology acceptance model, modified for the purpose of this study, and expectancy value theory, it was hypothesized that the frequency of sports-related information consumption, via different media channels, the expected improvement in the consumption of sports related information after adoption and attitude toward VR positively affect the likelihood of adoption. Design/methodology/approach The study relied on a quantitative questionnaire design method embedded in Qualtrics online survey tool. In addition, participants were exposed to a 75-s video about VR. Findings This study found that attitude toward VR, frequency of sports-related information consumption and expected improvements to information consumption after technology introduction positively affect adoption. The findings encourage adoption of a new channel, as it is likely to improve sports fan experiences related to information seeking and sports service consumption. Originality/value This study attempted to explore a relatively untapped area of research in VR usage particularly focusing on sports consumers. Most importantly, this applied study explored whether fans are willing to adopt VR, a relatively new technology that may have a high impact on the sports industry. Finally, this study relied on the modified technology adoption model and attempted to minimize its shortcomings. With that, this study should be viewed as beneficial to both theory and practice.

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