Some Research Challenges for Studies of Virtual Communities Using On-Line Tells

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 23-30
Author(s):  
Chris Kimble
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dual Nature ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Geographically Distributed ◽  
On Line ◽  
Exogenous Factors ◽  
Research Consortium ◽  
Agency And Structure

This article reports on a study of learning and the coordination of activities in a geographically distributed community (a research consortium) using survey / Social Network Analysis methods combined with interviews. This article comments on and expands some of the important issues that were raised. After outlining the wider context, it highlights two broad themes related to research in the area of Virtual Communities: the nature of the communities themselves and the way in which they are studied. Following this, four areas for future research are outlined: the continuing role of face-to-face communication in Virtual Communities; the significance of the dual nature of such groups; the importance (or otherwise) of the structure of such communities; and the role played by exogenous factors. The article concludes with some comments on where this field relates to the debate among social theorists about the role of agency and structure in human activities.

Some Research Challenges for Studies of Virtual Communities Using On-Line Tells

2013 ◽  
pp. 299-306
Author(s):  
Chris Kimble
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dual Nature ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Geographically Distributed ◽  
On Line ◽  
Exogenous Factors ◽  
Research Consortium ◽  
Agency And Structure

This article reports on a study of learning and the coordination of activities in a geographically distributed community (a research consortium) using survey / Social Network Analysis methods combined with interviews. This article comments on and expands some of the important issues that were raised. After outlining the wider context, it highlights two broad themes related to research in the area of Virtual Communities: the nature of the communities themselves and the way in which they are studied. Following this, four areas for future research are outlined: the continuing role of face-to-face communication in Virtual Communities; the significance of the dual nature of such groups; the importance (or otherwise) of the structure of such communities; and the role played by exogenous factors. The article concludes with some comments on where this field relates to the debate among social theorists about the role of agency and structure in human activities.

scholarly journals Cyber-Flirting: An Examination of Men's and Women's Flirting Behaviour Both Offline and on the Internet

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica T. Whitty
Keyword(s):  
Physical Attractiveness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Nonverbal Cues ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Online Interactions

AbstractWhile flirting is a relatively underresearched area within psychology, even less is known about how people cyber-flirt. This paper explores how often individuals flirt offline compared to online. Moreover, it attempts to examine how men and women flirt within these different spaces. Five thousand, six hundred and ninety-seven individuals, of which 3554 (62%) were women and 2143 (38%) were men, completed a survey about their flirting behaviour both in face-to-face interactions and in chatrooms. The first hypothesis, which stated that the body would be used to flirt with as frequently online as offline, was partly supported. However, it was found that individuals downplayed the importance of physical attractiveness online. Women flirted by displaying nonverbal signals (offline) or substitutes for nonverbal cues (online), to a greater extent than men. In chatrooms men were more likely than women to initiate contact. It is concluded that cyber-flirting is more than simply a meeting of minds and that future research needs to consider the role of the body in online interactions.

scholarly journals Representations of Practice- Distributed Sensemaking Using Boundary Objects

10.28945/3734 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inge Hermanrud ◽  
Dorthe Eide
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Boundary Objects ◽  
Learning Activities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Work Context ◽  
Ideal Types ◽  
Geographically Distributed ◽  
Representations Of Practice

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology] Aim/Purpose: This article examines how learning activities draw on resources in the work context to learn. Background: The background is that if knowledge no longer is seen mainly as objects, but processes, how then to understand boundary objects? Our field study of learning activities reveals the use of pictures, documents and emotions for learning in the geographically distributed Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority Methodology: The study is a qualitative study consisting of interview data, observation data, and documents. Contribution Contribute to practice based theorizing. Findings: Three ideal types of representing practices have been identified, i.e., ‘Visualizing’, ‘Documenting’ and ‘Testing’. All three are combined with storytelling, sensing, reflections and sensemaking, which point at the importance of processes in learning. The article also add insights about how emotions can be an important resource for boundary spanning – and sensemaking – by creating the capability of reflecting upon and integrating different knowledge areas in the in- practice context. Recommendations for Practitioners : Look for boundary objects within your field to promote online learning. Recommendation for Researchers: Study boundary objects in work context to understand learning. Impact on Society Role of objects in human learning. Future Research: Focus on how emotions can be used for online learning.

Developing a scale for the perceived social benefits of sharing

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 496-504
Author(s):  
Ashleigh Ellen Powell ◽  
Adrian R. Camilleri ◽  
Angela R. Dobele ◽  
Constantino Stavros
Keyword(s):  
Impression Management ◽  
Discriminant Validity ◽  
Social Benefit ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Social Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Social Marketing Campaign ◽  
Risk And Benefit

Purpose The purpose of this research was to create a brief scale to measure perceived social benefit that would be appropriate for use in future research aiming to explore the role of this variable in determining word-of-mouth (WOM) behaviour. There is evidence that perceived social risk negatively impacts the willingness to share, but the role of perceived social benefit has not yet been explored. Understanding how perceived social risk and benefit interact to determine WOM will inform social marketing campaign design. Design/methodology/approach This paper outlines two studies: Study 1 was concerned with the development of the perceived social benefit of sharing scale (PSBSS), including the construction of preliminary items and the reliability and discriminant validity of the final scale. Study 2 involved an investigation of the concurrent validity of the PSBSS in relation to the likelihood to share. Findings Study 1 demonstrated that the perceived social benefit associated with WOM was related to social approval, impression management and social bonding. The results of Study 2 established that scores on the PSBSS predicted self-reported likelihood to engage in both face-to-face WOM and electronic WOM. Originality/value The PSBSS can be used to examine the role of perceived social benefit, including how the interaction between perceived social risk and benefit determines where, when and with whom people will share WOM.

scholarly journals Sustainability, Retail and Supply Chains: Twenty Years of Research

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Graciola ◽  
Fernanda Rizzon ◽  
Gabriel Sperandio Milan ◽  
Deonir De Toni ◽  
Jefferson Marçal Da Rocha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Consumer Behavior ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Research Collaboration ◽  
Government Policies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
On Line ◽  
Retail Managers

Retailers play the role of intermediaries between suppliers and customers. As key players in the market, retail managers, pressured to change their business based on sustainable development principles, they need to adjust their daily practices and disseminate information about their impacts and contributions to the sustainable development of their companies. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to understand the relations between the terms: sustainability, retail and supply chains by reviewing the literature in two databases: Scopus and Science Direct. As results, there has been an increase in studies related to the themes in the last 20 years. The areas with the highest concentration of studies are: Operations, Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Government Policies and Certifications. As contributions of the study, the following topics were highlighted for future research: Collaboration, Waste, Consumer Behavior, Value Creation, Communication, On-line Commerce, Retail Planning, Logistics, Product Lifecycle, Remanufacturing, Gas Emission, Certifications, Technology and Information Systems, and Environmental Policies.

Collaborative and Distributed Innovation and Research in Business Activity

2012 ◽  
pp. 310-329
Author(s):  
Rob Allan ◽  
Rob Crouchley ◽  
Ali Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Resource Discovery ◽  
Business Sector ◽  
Web Conferencing ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
On Line ◽  
Collaboration Tools ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
Community Projects

This chapter describes how Value Networks (VNs) can be applied in multi-stakeholder business and research environments to characterise different approaches to collaboration. In an attempt to highlight some of the issues, the authors compare a couple of communities that adopt different approaches to Knowledge Exchange (KE) and resource discovery. A collaboration framework is used by one of the communities for on-line discussion, chat, and Web conferencing to supplement KE between fairly regular in-person meetings. The other community applies more traditional collaboration tools such as e-mail to supplement face-to-face meetings. One of the research objectives was to establish the extent of multi-dimensional KE, i.e. from academic to business sector, business sector to business sector, and government to business sector. Conditional on successful e-facilitation, a quickening in KE was apparent in the community that used the collaboration framework. This was observed to a lesser or greater extent across all stakeholder groups. E-facilitators are those that engage stakeholders into making on-line submissions. The authors discuss the importance of satisfactory levels of support for collaboration frameworks in community projects. They compare the role of the e-facilitator with a more traditional “business broker” and compare the behaviour of the communities with and without particular collaboration tools. The authors conclude that VNs helped provide a useful characterisation of the roles that the various contributing community elements play and the types of interaction between them.

scholarly journals Living with severe asthma: the role of perceived competence and goal achievement

2019 ◽  
pp. 174239531988410
Author(s):  
Daniela Eassey ◽  
Helen K Reddel ◽  
Kath Ryan ◽  
Lorraine Smith
Keyword(s):  
Severe Asthma ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Perceived Competence ◽  
Goal Achievement ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Semistructured Interviews

Objective The overall aim of this study was to examine, among individuals living with severe asthma, the role of perceived competence in achieving their goals. Methods Qualitative research methods were used to conduct in-depth semistructured interviews. Interviews were video and/or audio recorded, transcribed and analyzed inductively and deductively, informed by the self-determination theory construct of perceived competence. Thirty-six face-to-face interviews, lasting 1.5–4 h, were conducted across Australia. Results Feeling competent to achieve asthma goals played a role in participants’ ability to achieve broader goals. Their desire to achieve their broader goals was strongly driven by their perceived ability to master managing their condition, which at times required more than medical strategies. Two main themes were discerned from the analysis: (1) learning how to look after yourself: self-care is important and (2) reaching an agreement with severe asthma: being at one with the illness. Discussion This study highlighted the influence of perceived competence on self-management and goal achievement in severe asthma. Healthcare providers could explore patients’ perceived competence to set and achieve goals, as a self-management strategy. Future research should consider these findings when developing and implementing patient-driven, self-management interventions for those living with severe asthma.

scholarly journals MNCs and Cross-Border Strategic Management

2021 ◽  
pp. 301-318
Author(s):  
D. Eleanor Westney
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Management ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Process Approach ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Global Integration ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Regional Strategies ◽  
Geographically Distributed ◽  
Conceptual Foundations

This chapter focuses on the strategic management of established multinational corporations (MNCs) that operate across multiple locations and how they have addressed the core strategic challenges of how to organize and manage geographically distributed locations. The chapter summarizes the conceptual foundations of MNC strategic management: the global integration / local responsiveness (GI/LR) framework, MNC capabilities for innovation and cross-border learning, the network model of the MNC, and the process approach. This chapter briefly surveys recent research trajectories, including subsidiary management, the role of headquarters, typologies of MNCs, and research on people and processes. Then the chapter identifies questions for future research in terms of four arenas: the changing balance of global integration and local responsiveness, managing regional strategies, cross-border learning in an era of growing resistance to globalization, and MNC responses to global external challenges of climate change and the threat of pandemics.

scholarly journals Daily Social Interactions and Well-Being in Older Adults: The Role of Interaction Modality

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 581-581
Author(s):  
Birthe Macdonald ◽  
Minxia Luo ◽  
Gizem Hueluer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Digital Communication ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Face To Face

Abstract Older adults increasingly use digital communication technologies to stay connected to others. In the present study, we examine the role of social interactions for older adults’ daily well-being focusing on three interaction modalities (face-to-face, telephone, and digital). We use data from 116 participants (age: M = 72 years, SD = 5, range = 65 to 94; 41% women), who reported on their social interactions and well-being over 21 days. Our findings show that frequency of face-to-face interactions is more consistently related to well-being than telephone or digital interactions. On days where participants report more face-to-face social interactions than their own average, they report higher positive affect and lower loneliness than usual. Similar effects are not found for telephone or digital interactions. In summary, our findings suggest that face-to-face social interactions are uniquely relevant to older adults’ daily well-being. We discuss implications of these findings for future research.

Mobility of ICT Services in Namibian Institutions: A Literature Review

2020 ◽  
pp. 18-21
Author(s):  
Nikodemus Angula ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Portable Devices ◽  
End User ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Participative Methods ◽  
On Line ◽  
World Information

In today's world information and communication technology (ICT) play a crucial role and at the same time, it affects our lives every day. In the current digital age, many organisations across the globe make use of ICT as a tool to facilities teaching and learning (Bosamia, 2018). These technologies have been used to enable end-user to access content materials offered online such as portable devices such smartphone, laptops and so on which operate for information, speed, and communication anywhere and anytime without physically visiting the location where the service is offered. With the use of ICT, e-commerce comes into play which enables end-user to send an email, market shopping to on-line shopping, classroom learning to e-learning where class are conducted over the internet. In the Namibian education systems environment high institutions of learning use traditional methods of teaching which is concerned with the teacher/ lecturer being the controller of the learning environment. Hence, power and responsibility are held by the teacher/lecturer and they play the role of instructor (in the form of lecturers) and decision maker (in regards to curriculum content and specific outcomes through different types of teaching methods such as Teacher-centred methods, learner-centered methods, content-focused methods and interactive/ participative methods which is done using face-to-face mode of teaching and learning without embedding fully ICT infrastructures that support teaching and learning to take place.

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