scholarly journals The Oxymoron of Digitalization

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Aihie Osarenkhoe ◽  
Daniella Fjellström

How do small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) perceive the prerequisites and critical factors of digitalization? The objective of this article is to map SMEs' digital maturity and their views on how to manage the opportunities and challenges brought about by digitalization in order to foster competitiveness in local, regional, national, and international contexts. The study draws on a resource-based perspective, which views the firm as a unique bundle of assets and resources that, if utilized in distinctive ways, can create competitive advantage. The study builds on triadic relations as an interactive learning process that occurs in the interaction between actors as the concept of open innovation postulates. This study was conducted as an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study of SMEs and actors in innovation system in Gävleborg County in Sweden. It uses a qualitative approach featuring in-depth interviews, workshops, and focus-group interviews. The findings suggest a digital divide between SMEs, with a discrepancy in opportunities to benefit from the digitalization potential among the population studied. The divide manifests itself through economics, usability, and empowerment. Digitalization should not be viewed as merely a technology issue, but as a better way to run a business, as a platform for development and dissemination of knowledge about the critical factors for increased competitiveness that creates competitive values in production with digitalization as a starting point and creates an understanding of the how and what creates competitiveness in each critical factor.

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Agus Pahrudin ◽  
Syafrimen Syafril ◽  
Heru Juabdin Sada

The recent multicultural education is being discussed from the various problems that hinder it. In addition to social problems, multicultural education is also not free from problems in the process and learning content. This study aims to describe how Multicultural Content-Based Islamic Educational Content ?, The research is run using a descriptive-qualitative approach (multi-case multi-site). The data were collected through in-depth interviews to two experts of Islamic education and focus group interviews to four teachers who have had work experience of seven to twenty years. Furthermore, the data were analyzed qualitatively using NVIVO 10.0 software. The results of the research show that the content of Islamic-Based Multicultural Education Learning is: Explaining the concept of aqidah and muamalah, Designing material by applying multicultural and emphasizing on equality principle, Making culture as Content, and Rahmatalillalamin Islam concept.


Author(s):  
Blessing Mbatha

<p class="norm">The aim of this article is to shed some light on patterns of and major motives for the adoption of different types of disruptive learning innovations by Unisa academics. To realise the aim of the study, the following questions were addressed: What are the reasons for adopting disruptive learning innovations? What is the level of interaction with disruptive innovations? What training do Unisa academics require on disruptive innovations? A qualitative approach was adopted by conducting focus group interviews with 76 Unisa academics. The data was analysed using open and axial coding, where dominant themes from the discussions were identified and discussed in detail. The findings show that the interaction of Unisa lecturers with different technologies varied from technology to technology. The study also found that disruptive innovations play a pivotal role in opening avenues and collapsing the transactional distance in an ODL institution. Some lecturers lack skill in using some technology, which is a cause for concern. Therefore, lecturers need to be trained in using technology and develop a good understanding of it to improve teaching and learning.</p>


2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnoi. A. Xaba ◽  
Mmapheko D. Peu ◽  
Salaminah S. Phiri

The aim of this study was to explore and describe the perceptions of registered nurses regarding factors influencing service delivery regarding expansion programmes in a primary healthcare setting, using a qualitative approach. The registered nurses, who have been working in the clinics for more than two years and have been exposed to the expansion programmes there, were purposively sampled. Two focus group interviews were conducted in a neutral place and the data collected by the researcher Nnoi A. Xaba (N.A.X.). Data were analysed by the researcher and an independent co-coder using the Tesch method. Categories, subcategories and themes were identified; those that formed the basis of discussion were disabling factors, enabling factors, client-related factors, service-related factors and solutions to problems. It is recommended that integration of programmes and coordination be done at a provincial level and planned together with the training centres in order to alleviate problems in service delivery. Training on expansion programmes in the form of in-service education should be carried out continually in the region.Die doel van die studie was om die persepsie van geregistreerde verpleegkundiges met betrekking tot die  faktore wat dienslewering van die uitbreidingsprogramme in ‘n primêre gesondheid opset beinvloed; te eksploreer en te beskryf. ‘n Kwalitatiewe benadering is gevolg in die iutvoering van die studie. ‘n Doelgerigte steekproef is uitgevoer vanuit geregistreerde verpleegkundiges wat vir langer as twee jaar in die klinieke werksaam was en blootgestel is aan die uitbreiding programme. Twee fokus groep onderhoude is deur die navorser Nnoi A. Xaba (N.A.X.) in ‘n neutrale opset uitgevoer. Data is deur die navorser en ʼn onafhanklike kodeerder ontleed volgens Tesch se metode van analise. Kategorieë, sub-kategorieë en temas was geidentifiseer. Die kategorieë fundamenteel tot die bespreking behels: remmende faktore, bydraende faktore, kliënt-verwante faktore, diens-verwante faktore, en oplossing van probleme. Daar word aanbeveel dat die integrasie en koordinasie van programme op provisiale vlak beplan word in samewerking met opleidings instansies om die dienslewerings probleem te verlig. In die streek behoort opleiding met betrekking tot die uitbreidingsprogramme deurlopend deur middel van indiensopleiding gedoen word.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-64
Author(s):  
Gunnhild Bergset

The purpose of this article is to present and discuss some of the challenges in communication and interaction between a kindergarten staff and a parent group of migrant background. Based on an interview study conducted in a kindergarten, the article works to provides insight into and understanding of the kindergarten staff’s experiences and reflections from their efforts to improve communication and interaction practices in daily contact with parents of migrant background. The staff completed a kindergarten-based project of the initiative of the principal, in which all employees implemented specific communication and interaction measures. Then, in-depth interviews were conducted with all staff, as well as two focus group interviews with the same group of informants. The study is based on a dynamic concept of culture and highlights the challenges of asymmetric communication and the possibilities of communicating and interacting based on a resource perspective. The findings show that a movement has taken place towards dialogue-based reciprocity in the staff`s attitudes towards communication and interaction with these parents. The article argues that connection between a trying-out of concrete, professionally grounded practice and pedagogical reflection constitutes the necessary basis for a shift from a problem orientation to a resource orientation in communication and interaction. One outcome of this resource perspective was that the kindergarten staff recognized the parent`s experiences and perceptions as valuable for achieving the parental involvement required by kindergarten`s social mandate.


Appetite ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 104350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mette Duerlund ◽  
Barbara Vad Andersen ◽  
Marlene Schou Grønbeck ◽  
Derek Victor Byrne

Author(s):  
Fauziah Hanum

This study analyzes the accountability of village funds and the key factors. This study uses a qualitative approach by conducting in-depth interviews with informants at every stage of planning, implementing, administering, reporting, accountability, coaching, and supervision of village financial management. The results of this study indicate that village financial accountability is applied by law number 6 of 2014 with the critical factors of the effectiveness of the village government in managing finances independently but is accompanied by a less than the optimal role of the village consultative body (BPD).


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 891-902
Author(s):  
I. V. Trotsuk

The article is a review of the book by K. Clment Patriotism from Below. How Is It Possible That People Are So Poor in the Rich Country? (Moscow: NLO, 2021. 232 p.). The book is based on the results of the research project aimed at the detailed description of different types of everyday Russian patriotism with the help of the qualitative approach (in fact, case studies and semi-formalized interviews were conducted, although the book presents them as ethnographic research and in-depth interviews). The book identifies and describes the following types of the grassroot Russian patriotism which does not always coincide with the state patriotic discourse (patriotism from above): non-state and state everyday patriotism, non-patriotism, detached patriotism, and local patriotism. The review identifies both the undoubted merits of the book and its conceptual, methodological and analytical limitations which can become a starting point for further sociological studies of discursive practices and behavioral patterns of Russians, especially of those living in the Russian hinterland (depressed peripheral regions of the country).


2021 ◽  
pp. 205715852110327
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Solheim ◽  
Jill Flo

Simulation-based learning is a learning method used in educational programmes for health professionals. Little is known about nurses’ experiences after a long period of time has elapsed since the simulation. The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ experiences of simulation scenarios and their perceptions of learning 12–18 months after the simulation. An explorative qualitative approach, including three focus-group interviews, was used. A total of 21 nurses participated. Data were collected in September 2017 and April 2018. The COREQ checklist was used to report the study. Three themes emerged: Simulation as a rewarding learning method, Pedagogical factors that affect the simulation and Perception of different roles in the simulation. The findings indicate that 12–18 months after the simulation took place, the nurses could still recall their experiences from simulation-based learning and the cases used. This indicates that simulation is an important method for strengthening clinical competence.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 5716 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Jelonek ◽  
Maria Urbaniec

The aim of this paper is to explore the key sustainability competencies increasing the employability of higher education graduates in Poland. Based on the results of a broad literature review on key sustainability competencies, the substantive contribution to a coherent framework of typologies of sustainability competencies will be synthesised. The developed research framework will subsequently be analysed with empirical data, collected by in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group interviews (FGI) on the relevant employability competencies for the Polish labour market. This enables the elimination of critical gaps in the conceptualisation of the key sustainability competencies of higher education (HE) graduates related to the current and future labour market needs. The results of the analysis can make a contribution to sustainable HE graduate employability literature by exploring the links between employability and sustainability competencies. The results may be relevant to institutional support in the design and review of educational programs and training in order to foster sustainability competencies development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1444-1464
Author(s):  
Anne Mette Thorhauge ◽  
Andreas Gregersen

This article outlines how gaming and video gameplay among Danish youth can be integral parts of everyday practices. The article is based on a mixed-methods study of video gameplay patterns among Danish children and young people aged 10–18 years. The study included a survey with a stratified random sample ( N = 1560), follow-up in-depth interviews using purposive sampling from the survey respondents ( N = 19) and focus group interviews with boys and girls ( N = 2). We argue that pronounced differences in boys’ and girls’ gameplay patterns and preferences can be explained by the different ways in which gameplay is embedded into the social patterns of everyday life with family and friends. We identify two predominant gaming practices, one organised around competitive social play in teams and another around non-competitive solo play. These findings are discussed in the context of practice theory and existing work on gender and video games.


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