scholarly journals Influence of Social Interaction on Workplace Motivation and Efficiency of Instructors: An Exploratory Case Study about an Online University in Pakistan

Author(s):  
Muhammad Abid Malik ◽  
Sameen Azmat ◽  
Sadia Bashir

This study investigates the level of social interaction, its determinants and influence on the instructors’ motivation and work efficiency in an online university in Pakistan. Exploratory case study design has been used for this purpose. Data was gathered through participant observations and one-to-one interviews. Ten interviews were conducted from instructors belonging to four different departments. Observations were carried out for a period of one month. The study revealed that in the online university, level of social interaction was lower than a traditional one. Instructors pointed out various reasons behind it including high workload, seating arrangements, and attitude of some of the heads. Even when they had free time and opportunities, most of the them preferred browsing through the internet or chatting with their fellows through computers. It appeared that the online culture and intense human-computer interaction had made them addicted to machines. Almost all the instructors agreed that higher and better level of social interaction would improve their job motivation, work efficiency and institutional attachment. They suggested more relaxed environment, trips and social gathering, workshops and conferences involving all the departments, sports week for the faculty members, and facilities like canteen and staffroom for improved social interaction and work experience.

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 182-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie M Parsons

This article draws on analysis of interview data from an exploratory case study at an independent ‘offender’ resettlement scheme in England, investigating the benefits or otherwise of commensality for criminalised individuals and the wider community who share a communal lunchtime meal. For prisoners released on temporary licence and others referred through probation, caught in the liminal space between criminal and civilian life, commensality enables social interaction with non-criminalised individuals in a social environment outside of the prison estate. It becomes an arena for the display of non-criminalised identities in preparation for release into the community after punishment. It is a useful tool for social integration that challenges stereotypical beliefs about criminalised individuals amongst the wider community. Moreover, commensality works as a theatre for the performance of non-criminalised identities, by promoting social inclusion and generativity, it is part of a process of desistance geared towards improving self-worth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zofia Wysokińska ◽  
Tomasz Czajkowski ◽  
Katarzyna Grabowska

AbstractNonwovens are one of the most versatile textile materials and have become increasingly popular in almost all sectors of the economy due to their low manufacturing costs and unique properties. In the next few years, the world market of nonwovens is predicted to grow by 7%–8% annually (International Nonwovens & Disposables Association [INDA], European Disposables and Nonwovens Association [EDANA], and Markets and Markets). This article aims to analyze the most recent trends in the global export and import of nonwovens, to present two case studies of Polish companies that produce them, and to present one special case study of the market of nonwoven geotextiles in China and India, which are the Asian transition economies among the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).


Author(s):  
Martin W. Wallin ◽  
Georg von Krogh ◽  
Jan Henrik Sieg

Crowdsourcing in the form of innovation contests stimulates knowledge creation external to the firm by distributing technical, innovation-related problems to external solvers and by proposing a fixed monetary reward for solutions. While prior work demonstrates that innovation contests can generate solutions of value to the firm, little is known about how problems are formulated for such contests. We investigate problem formulation in a multiple exploratory case study of seven firms and inductively develop a theoretical framework that explains the mechanisms of formulating sharable problems for innovation contests. The chapter contributes to the literatures on crowdsourcing and open innovation by providing a rare account of the intra-organizational implications of engaging in innovation contests and by providing initial clues to problem formulation—a critical antecedent to firms’ ability to leverage external sources of innovation.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 791
Author(s):  
Sufei Zhang ◽  
Ying Guo

This paper introduces computer vision systems (CVSs), which provides a new method to measure gem colour, and compares CVS and colourimeter (CM) measurements of jadeite-jade colour in the CIELAB space. The feasibility of using CVS for jadeite-jade colour measurement was verified by an expert group test and a reasonable regression model in an experiment involving 111 samples covering almost all jadeite-jade colours. In the expert group test, more than 93.33% of CVS images are considered to have high similarities with real objects. Comparing L*, a*, b*, C*, h, and ∆E* (greater than 10) from CVS and CM tests indicate that significant visual differences exist between the measured colours. For a*, b*, and h, the R2 of the regression model for CVS and CM was 90.2% or more. CVS readings can be used to predict the colour value measured by CM, which means that CVS technology can become a practical tool to detect the colour of jadeite-jade.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 2373
Author(s):  
Ali Cheshmehzangi ◽  
Andrew Flynn ◽  
May Tan-Mullins ◽  
Linjun Xie ◽  
Wu Deng ◽  
...  

This paper introduces the new concept of “eco-fusion” through an exploratory case study project. It suggests the importance of multi-scalar practice in the broader field of eco-urbanism. This study introduces eco-fusion as a multiplexed paradigm, which is then discussed in two different development models. This paper first highlights the position of “eco” in urbanism by providing a brief account of key terms and how they relate to one another. It then points out the associations between eco-fusion and sustainable urban development. Through an exploratory case study example in China, the practical factors of eco-development are assessed. The study aims to provide a set of intermediate development stages while maintaining each spatial level’s interface in their own defined and distinguished contexts. The key objective is to consider integrating the natural and built environments, which is considered the best practice of eco-development in urbanism. This study’s findings highlight integrated methods in eco-urbanism and suggest new directions for eco-planning/eco-design strategies.


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