Entrepreneurial Networks and Venture Growth: Insights from Information Technology Firms in an Emerging Market

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-215
Author(s):  
Bharat Bhushan ◽  
Raj K. Kovid ◽  
Deepa Kumari
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Network Governance ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Network Characteristics ◽  
Entrepreneurial Networks ◽  
Static View ◽  
Information Technology Firms

This study uses the network approach of entrepreneurship to investigate the relationship between networks and the growth of entrepreneurial ventures. Most of the earlier researchers have maintained a static view of entrepreneurial networks which underplays the dynamic nature of networks. This study attempts to identify the major network characteristics during different growth stages of the ventures in the context of India. The data were collected from 173 information technology entrepreneurs through a cross-sectional survey. The study found that the characteristics of network diversity and network governance have a significant discriminative magnitude and thus play a significant role across all growth stages. Endorsement and embeddedness characteristics also have a significant discriminative magnitude but not in the initial stages. However, network inertia and relational mix were found to have a discriminative magnitude only during the survival and success stages of growth. Overall, the study contributes to further extend the dynamic view of entrepreneurial networks with evidences from an emerging market.

e-Learning: Practices Among Undergraduates of a Medical College of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Background Information ◽  
P Value ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Learning Practices ◽  
E Learning

Background: Information technology (IT) is a new way of teaching and learning. One of the promising media of information technology is e-Learning, which is used to enhance knowledge and skills among users. A student gains better and deep knowledge through a useful tool. This survey aimed to determine practices among medical students for e-Learning. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 184 students amongst the 500 students currently enrolled in medical college. Data was collected using questionnaires and were analyzed through SPSS version 22. Chi-square was used for qualitative values. Results: Majority 90.80% (n=167) students were aware of e-Learning and were statistically high in first year students (p-value: 0.018). The student did not show statistically significant results for content learned through e-Learning with a p-value of 0.063. Different resources were used for e-Learning in which videos had the highest percentage (87.60%) and audios were used as the least resource for e-Learning (29.20%). Daily, 56% of the students use e-Learning for 1 hour or less and only 3% of the students used it for more than 4 hours. Conclusion: Majority of undergraduate medical students were aware of the use of e-Learning and most of them preferred e-Learning for their course work and studies showing a significant increase in understanding and use, compared to studies conducted earlier. Participants found e-Learning useful and effective tool in increasing knowledge and understanding of their subject. Keywords: e-Learning; Practices; Students.

scholarly journals Habits and Attitudes of Video Gaming and Information Technology Use in People with Schizophrenia: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
William TH Choi ◽  
Dan KS Yu ◽  
Terry Wong ◽  
Tella Lantta ◽  
Min Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Video Games ◽  
Internet Use ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Video Gaming ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Web Based

BACKGROUND Information technology and video gaming have potential advantages in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, information regarding the habits and attitudes related to internet use and video gaming in people with schizophrenia is limited. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the habits and attitudes regarding video gaming and information technology usage and their associated factors in people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. METHODS In this cross-sectional survey, service users with schizophrenia were recruited from 6 halfway hostels and 7 integrated centers for mental wellness in Hong Kong. A 79-item self-report questionnaire was utilized to explore the habits of internet use and video gaming in these people with schizophrenia. The attitude toward video gaming was assessed using the Gaming Attitudes, Motivations, and Experiences Scales. Of the 148 individuals in a convenience sample who were invited to participate in this study, 110 willingly participated (a response rate of 74.3%). The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a two-tailed independent t test, Pearson correlation, and principal analysis with 3 methods of rotation (varimax, equimax, and promax). RESULTS Most participants (100/110, 90.9%) had access to the internet and half of them (54/110, 49.1%) used the internet daily mostly to watch videos (66/110, 60.0%) or read news or books, etc (42/110, 38.2%). One-third of the participants (36/110, 32.7%) used the internet to play web-based games, and most of them (88/110, 80.0%) had played a video game in the past year. The most favorable gaming platforms were cellular phones (43/88, 49%) followed by computers (19/88, 22%) and arcade cabinets (6/88, 7%). The most favorable game genre was action games (34/145, 23.4%). Those who had a bachelor’s degree or higher scored lower in social interaction than those with a lower education level (<i>P</i>=.03). Those who played video games daily scored higher in the category of story than those who did not play daily (t<sub>86</sub>=2.03, <i>P</i>=.05). The most popular gaming category was autonomy and the least popular categories were violent catharsis and violent reward. Two motives, “social playing” and “evasive playing,” were formed to describe the characteristics of playing video games. CONCLUSIONS Our data showed a high internet utilization rate among people with schizophrenia in Hong Kong. Only a few of them used the internet to search for health-related information. Our study also exemplified the unique habits of gaming among the participants. Health care professionals could utilize video games to engage people with schizophrenia and promote coping with stress and provide social skills training to such people with schizophrenia. Identification of the gaming attitudes can contribute to the development of serious games for the schizophrenic population. Further investigation is vital for the promotion of mental health through web-based platforms.

scholarly journals Retention factors in relation to organisational commitment in medical and information technology services

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeannette Van Dyk ◽  
Melinde Coetzee
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Organisational Commitment ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Retention Factors ◽  
Information Technology Services ◽  
Technology Services ◽  
Managerial Implications

Orientation: Retaining staff with scarce and critical skills in the medical and information technology (IT) industry has become a top priority because of skills shortages.Research purpose: The objectives of the study were to investigate empirically: (1) the relationship between employees’ satisfaction with organisational retention factors (measured by the Retention Factors Scale) and their organisational commitment (measured by the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire) and (2) whether gender, age, race and tenure groups differ significantly in terms of these variables.Motivation for the study: Medical and information technology professionals have specialised and hard to replace skills. They also have strong tendencies to leave their organisations and countries. Understanding the retention factors that will increase their organisational commitment may benefit the organisations who want to retain their valuable talent.Research design, approach and method: The researchers used a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from a purposive sample of 206 staff members who had scarce skills in a South African medical and information technology services company. Correlational and inferential statistics were computed to achieve the objectives.Main findings: The results showed that the participants’ satisfaction with retention factors has a significant relationship with their organisational commitment and that the biographical groups differ significantly in terms of the variables.Practical/managerial implications: The measured retention factors were all associated with human resource management practices that influence employees’ intentions to leave.Contribution/value-add: The results are important to managers who are interested in retaining staff who have scarce skills and provide valuable pointers for designing effective retention strategies.

Relationship or contract? Exploring the key factor leading to IT outsourcing success in China

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 466-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cong Qi ◽  
Patrick Y.K. Chau
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
It Outsourcing ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Outsourcing Success ◽  
Key Factor

Purpose – Effective management of IT outsourcing continues to be a challenge to organizations today. Organizations in China suffer from even bigger problems than other regions of the world. The IT outsourcing market is in its infancy and the outsourcing practice is still at its initial stage. Regarding to the outsourcing management issues, the literature has explored the role of either the relationship or contract in governing IT outsourcing success. However, few efforts have been paid to investigate the effects of both relationship and contract on IT outsourcing success from a holistic view. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This study develops a conceptual model and empirically tests it through a cross-sectional survey conducted in five big cities of Mainland China. Findings – The data analysis results identified the dimensionalities of relationship, contract and IT outsourcing success and proved the causal relationships between these three constructs. Originality/value – This research re-emphasizes the importance of relationship in IT outsourcing success and the fundamental role of contract in developing a sound relationship. It also gives some implications on how to evaluate IT outsourcing success in China, an emerging market for IT outsourcing.

scholarly journals Does Internet and Information Technology Help Farmers to Maximize Profit: A Cross-Sectional Study of Apple Farmers in Shandong, China

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 390
Author(s):  
Fuhong Zhang ◽  
Apurbo Sarkar ◽  
Hongyu Wang
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Marketing Channel ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Marketing Channels ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Agricultural Income ◽  
Sales And Marketing ◽  
The Impact

The adoption of Internet and Information Technology (IIT) in organizations has been growing at a staggering pace. In agriculture, IIT has emerged from the prospects of modern agricultural structure, which profoundly bring revolution in the way of agribusiness. While the impacts of IIT for selecting productive sales and marketing channels is evidenced by the substantial literature in the field, there is a crucial research scope of inclusive analytical views, especially in an economics context. The prime objective of the article is to assess the impacts of IIT for choosing a productive sales and marketing channel. Moreover, we tend to find whether the usage of IIT can eventually foster the profitability of the farmers. The empirical set of data is collected from a cross-sectional survey conducted in Shandong province, China. We utilize the Ordinary Least-Squares (OLS) regression, propensity score matching (PSM), and Heckman’s two-stage regression approaches to craft the findings. The greater extent of the use of IIT, the more significant and positive the impact of agricultural income is. After using the Heckman regression and PSM model, IIT’s use significantly increases the efficiency for selecting the sales channel, and the impact on agricultural income is also prominent (around 40%). We also find that the supporting and nonagricultural income exceeded 30%. Finally, the outcomes of the study reveal significant positive impacts for selecting productive sales and marketing channels. On the basis of these findings, it is suggested that the government and relevant departments should strengthen the construction of agricultural information platforms and websites. Authorities should also extend the training facilities of fruit farmers regarding the use of IIT, which could be useful to boost the capability of fruit farmers to develop markets and promote the value chain.

scholarly journals Amnesty programme and skills training among ex-militants in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
pp. 14-26
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Niger Delta ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Technology Skills ◽  
Delta Region ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Professional Advice ◽  
Niger Delta Region ◽  
The Relationship

Sequel to the realisation that youths champion violence and militancy in the Niger Delta Region, and the resolution of Umar Musa Yar’Aduas’ government to end insecurity, militancy, and youth restiveness in the region, the amnesty programme was declared, with skills training as itsmajor component.This study examined the relationship between amnesty programmes and skills training among ex-militants in the Niger Delta Region, Nigeria. The study used a cross-sectional survey research design. Questionnaires were distributed to 1152 participants purposively selected from communities in Rivers, Delta, and Bayelsa states. Elicited data were analysed using a simple linear statistical tool.The findings of the study revealthat amnesty programmes significantly enabled ex-militant to acquired skills in pipeline installation and repairs. It also showsthat amnesty programmes have apositive impact on the ex-militant acquisition of information technology skills. Further resultindicatesthat there is a significant relationship between amnesty programmes and ex-militant acquisition of automobile servicing skills.The study,therefore,concluded on the need for beneficiaries of the amnesty skills training to be supervised by experts in their field and should be provided with professional advice that would help build their confidence in their chosen career.

Impact of store-attributes on food and grocery shopping behavior: insights from an emerging market context

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suja R. Nair ◽  
S.M. Riad Shams
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Market ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Shopping Behavior ◽  
Asia Pacific ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Store Attributes ◽  
Significant Difference

PurposeIn recent years, while the food and grocery retail in developed markets like Western Europe seem to be slowly facing saturation, it has been steadily growing in the Asia–Pacific region markets like India. This is mainly due to the emergence of modern retail and the changing consumer dynamics. This study purposes to assesses whether food and grocery (F&G) shoppers in India are strongly influenced by store-attributes.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive research design, a cross-sectional survey involving 346 respondents (households) from metropolitan Bengaluru, participated in the study. Data is analyzed with SPSS 21, involving descriptive analysis, 1-way Anova, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), which appears useful to confirm the theoretical structure used for the study.FindingsStore-attributes – atmosphere, promotion, convenience, facilities, merchandise, store personnel interaction and services affect F&G store choice decisions. Additionally, significant difference is found in the way respondents perceive the sub-constructs of store-attributes, based on age.Practical implicationsThe study contributes to the theoretical knowledge on store-attributes and dynamic socio-demographic influences on store choices. It has managerial implications to encourage global retailers use knowledge on store-attributes influences to initiate effective communication and promotion strategies and work at customer relationship management (CRM) that earn profitably in the long run.Originality/valueToday, connected consumers seek shopping experiences that blend physical stores-attributes with other retail formats offerings. This research paper provides insights on shopper expectations of store-attributes, which could be used by global retailers to create delightful shopping experiences and to build CRM, especially when “experience per square foot” is used to measure the retailer's performance.

The Valuation of Rhytidectomy in Different Economic Markets

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (05) ◽  
pp. 665-669
Author(s):  
Anisha R. Kumar ◽  
Lisa E. Ishii ◽  
Ira Papel ◽  
Theda C. Kontis ◽  
David Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Purchasing Power Parity ◽  
Cosmetic Surgery ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
The United States ◽  
Purchasing Power ◽  
Power Parity ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Economic Markets

AbstractThis study demonstrates that the trend of how rhytidectomy is valued can be used to determine not only the pricing of this good but also how receptive developing economic markets are to the export of cosmetic facial plastic surgery. This study seeks to analyze and compare the value of rhytidectomy in an established market and an emerging market. A cross-sectional survey was administered through public online forums to 162 casual observers in the United States and 74 casual observers in India. Participants were shown pre- and postoperative photos of 10 patients who underwent cosmetic rhinoplasty and 2 patients who did not undergo surgery. Observers were asked to quantify the perceived change in attractiveness, change in age, and willingness to pay (WTP). There is a similar nonlinear trend between WTP and change in attractiveness in both the United States and India. Baseline values of rhytidectomy in the United States and India have a similar ratio of 2.122 compared with the ratio between both countries in the 2018 Big Mac index. The comparison of the trend in WTP in the United States and India shows that facial cosmetic surgery functions as a luxury good in both an established market and an emerging market. Our model successfully approximates the relationship between each country's purchasing power parity. Since the market behavior of rhytidectomy can be predicted based on purchasing power parity, there may be an untapped market for facial cosmetic surgery among populations with growing economies.

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