Search results

This exploratory study aims to discover the different forms of challenges encountered by school stakeholders, including students, teachers, parents and management due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Qualitative methodology was deployed for the study. A purposive sampling technique was used to select the respondents for a semi-structured interview. Data were examined using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

It was found that each stakeholder faced four different challenges: mental distress, physical immobility, financial crunches and technological concerns. Findings suggest that teachers are experiencing higher financial, technological and physical challenges as compared to other stakeholders followed by parents.

This paper discusses the major challenges faced by each stakeholder along with the opportunities. These findings will be useful for educationists, regulatory authorities, policymakers and management of educational institutions in developing countries to revisit their policy frameworks to develop new strategies and processes for the smooth implementation of remote learning during a period of uncertainty.

Within digital innovation, there are two significant consequences of the pervasiveness of digital technology: (1) the increasing connectivity is enabling a wider reach and scope of innovation structures, such as innovation networks and (2) the unprecedented availability of digital data is creating new opportunities for innovation. Accordingly, there is a growing domain for studying data-driven innovation (DDI), especially in contemporary contexts of innovation networks. The purpose of this study is to explore how DDI processes take form in a specific type of innovation networks, namely federated networks.

A multiple case study design is applied in this paper. We draw our analysis from data collected over six months from four cases of DDI. The within-analysis is aimed at constructing the DDI process instance in each case, while the crosscase analysis focuses on pattern matching and cross-case synthesis of common and unique characteristics in the constructed processes.

Evidence from the crosscase analysis suggests that the widely accepted four-phase digital innovation process (including discovery, development, diffusion and post-diffusion) does not account for the explorative nature of data analytics and DDI. We propose an extended process comprising an explicit exploration phase before development, where refinement of the innovation concept and exploring social relationships are essential. Our analysis also suggests two modes of DDI: (1) asynchronous, i.e. data acquired before development and (2) synchronous, i.e. data acquired after (or during) development. We discuss the implications of these modes on the DDI process and the participants in the innovation network.

The paper proposes an extended version of the digital innovation process that is more specifically suited for DDI. We also provide an early explanation to the variation in DDI process complexities by highlighting the different modes of DDI processes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical investigation of DDI following the process from early stages of discovery till postdiffusion.

India has been withstanding increasing pressure of enrolment in the higher education system, resulting in the creation of new universities in consonance with the recommendations of the Knowledge Commission (2007). Barring a few institutions of paramount excellence, the mushrooming universities fail to conform to equitability of quality and standards, that is teaching-learning-dissemination and research, except for accommodating higher gross enrolment ratio. It has resulted in an asymmetric and sporadic development of human resources, leaving a large basket of learners out of the pursuit for aspiring higher academic, research and professional enrichment. The country needs to develop an innovative common minimum curriculum and evaluation framework, keeping in view the trinity of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across the Indian higher education system to deliver human resources with equitable knowledge, skill and intellectual acumen.

The paper has been developed using secondary information.

The manuscript has developed an innovative teaching-learning framework that would ensure every Indian HEI to follow a common minimum curriculum and partial common national evaluation system so that the learners across the country would enjoy the essence of equivalence.

This research has designed a comprehensive model to integrate the spirit of the “DEI” value proposition in developing curriculum and gearing common evaluation. This would enable the country to reinforce the spirit of social equity and the capacity to utilise resources with equitability and perpetuity.

The experiments of this study investigated the effect of the subgrade degree of saturation on the value of the stresses generated on the surface and the middle (vertical and lateral stresses). The objectives of this study can be identified by studying the effect of subgrade layer degree of saturation variation, load amplitude and load frequency on the transmitted stresses through the ballast layer to the subgrade layer and the stress distribution inside it and investigating the excess pore water pressure development in the clay layer in the case of a fully saturated subgrade layer and the change in matric suction in the case of an unsaturated subgrade layer.

Thirty-six laboratory experiments were conducted using approximately half-scale replicas of real railways, with an iron box measuring 1.5 x 1.0 × 1.0 m. Inside the box, a 0.5 m thick layer of clay soil representing the base layer was built. Above it is a 0.2 m thick ballast layer made of crushed stone, and on top of that is a 0.8 m long rail line supported by three 0.9 m (0.1 × 0.1 m) slipper beams. The subgrade layer has been built at the following various saturation levels: 100, 80, 70 and 60%. Experiments were conducted with various frequencies of 1, 2 and 4 Hz with load amplitudes of 15, 25 and 35 kN.

The results of the study demonstrated that as the subgrade degree of saturation decreased from 100 to 60%, the ratio of stress in the lateral direction to stress in the vertical direction generated in the middle of the subgrade layer decreased as well. On average, this ratio changed from approximately 0.75 to approximately 0.65.

The study discovered that as the test proceeded and the number of cycles increased, the value of negative water pressure (matric suction) in the case of unsaturated subgrade soils declined. The frequency of loads had no bearing on the ratio of decline in matric suction values, which was greater under a larger load amplitude than a lower one. As the test progressed (as the number of cycles increased), the matric suction dropped. For larger load amplitudes, there is a greater shift in matric suction. The change in matric suction is greater at higher saturation levels than it is at lower saturation levels. Furthermore, it is seen that the load frequency value has no bearing on how the matric suction changes. For all load frequencies and subgrade layer saturation levels, the track panel settlement rises with the load amplitude. Higher load frequency and saturation levels have a greater impact.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions amongst open and distance learning students during employment crisis. To achieve the purpose of this study, Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was applied and empirically tested on the sample population.

Data were taken from a sample of university students pursuing business-related courses in Open and Distance Learning mode. Self-reported questionnaires were handed to a total of 500 students to complete and return. Returned and usable questionnaires numbered 245 in total, giving a return rate of 49 per cent. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were utilised to analyse data. Structural equation modelling incorporated into SPSS was used to assess the structural model.

The key finding reveal that Ajzen’s TPB can partially be applied in determining entrepreneurial intentions in the developing economy. The study results also revealed that perceived behavioural control, personal attitude and subjective norm (SN) explained 62.5 per cent of variations in entrepreneurial intention, which surpasses many other studies conducted previously.

Present study relied on cross-sectional data using quantitative design, therefore limiting the full understanding of the causal relationship between variables.

The study developed a conceptual framework based on literature that was empirically tested, which adds to existing ones, thereby extending the literature in the field. Moreover, the study managed to incorporate SN as an intervening variable, which has rarely been done.

There exist long-term fluctuations in the process of capital accumulation. The economic long wave is an essential part of research into non-mainstream western economics. After the Second World War, the capitalist world experienced the fourth long wave of expansion and then entered into a downward phase of the long wave in the 1970s. Regarding to whether a new long wave of expansion took place in the 1980s, left-wing scholars hold different viewpoints. The purpose of this paper is to focus on this issue.

First, based on the review of the long wave history, this paper discusses three kinds of long wave theories with significant influence and puts forward the theoretical framework of analyzing the long wave of capitalist economy. Next, under the guidance of this theoretical framework and in combination with the actual development and evolution of the capitalist economy, the issue of whether the fifth long wave of the capitalist economy began to emerge in the 1980s is discussed deeply.

This paper argues that, from the early 1980s to 2007, the US-dominated developed countries experienced a new long wave of expansion driven by the information technology revolution, the adjustment of the neoliberalism system and the economic globalization. However, the financial-economic crisis of 2008–2009 led to a new phase of long wave downswing.

This paper does not agree with the single-factor analysis of the intrinsic formation mechanism of economic long wave and sticks to the multi-factor analysis centering on the fluctuation of accumulation rate. It is pointed out that the evolution of the long wave of capitalist economy depends on the combined influence of technology, institutions and market. The study of the long wave of the economy will help us to correctly understand the historical stage and characteristics of the current world capitalist economy in the long-term fluctuations, so that we can make an appropriate and positive response.

This paper aims to illustrate the importance of the quality of Online Learning Physical Environment (OLPE) and Online Learning Self-efficacy (OLSE) in predicting academic performance in online learning, which was the primary mode of teaching during the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong. Policy recommendations were made based on the findings from a psychological perspective.

Responses from 104 Hong Kong undergraduate students were collected through a questionnaire survey. Data were analysed using multiple linear regression, simple linear regression, and Pearson correlation.

Despite the fact that OLSE showed no significant direct effect on academic performance in online learning, OLSE was positively correlated with and predictive of OLPE, while OLPE was positively correlated with and predictive of online learning performance. The findings indicated that undergraduate students from low-income families tended to have less superior academic performance, which was associated with poorer OLPE and OLSE.

The findings suggested that in order to alleviate learning inequality in online learning, policy makers may allocate funding to enhance OLPE and OLSE of undergraduate students from low-income families.

The purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of sound branding by developing a new conceptual framework and providing an overview of the research literature on non-musical sound.

Using four mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive types of non-musical sound, the paper assesses and synthesizes 99 significant studies across various scholarly fields.

The overview reveals two areas in which more research may be warranted, that is, non-musical atmospherics and non-musical sonic logos. Moreover, future sound-branding research should examine in further detail the potentials of developed versus annexed object sounds, and mediated versus unmediated brand sounds.

The paper provides important insights into critical issues that suggest directions for further research on non-musical sound branding.

The paper identifies an unexploited terrain of possibilities for the use of sound in marketing and branding.

The paper identifies a subfield within sound-branding research that has received little attention despite its inevitability and potential significance.

This paper critically examines the state of tribal health in India by analyzing the accessibility and availability of traditional medicine and modern healthcare.

This essay is the product of an extensive review of the literature and authors' personal experience in working with the tribal communities.

The traditional medicinal practices once very prevalent among the tribal communities are diminishing due to various socio-economic, environmental and political factors. Modern healthcare in India's tribal region is characterized by a lack of availability, accessibility and affordability. As a result of the diminishing traditional practices and inaccessible modern healthcare provisions, tribal communities depend on quacks and magico-religious practices.

This essay advocates for urgent policy interventions to integrate traditional medicine and modern healthcare practices to address critical tribal health issues. Preservation of traditional medicinal knowledge-base and improving research in the field have the potential to address the health of tribal communities and of others. The accessibility and availability of modern healthcare facilities in tribal regions should be improved to ensure better health outcomes.

Insurance companies exist to manage the risk of others, which is why they are perceived to be competitive in risk management (RM). Considering this, we investigate how different RM capabilities make insurers effective in RM. These capabilities include understanding risk and risk management (URRM), risk identification (RI), risk assessment and analysis (RAA) and risk monitoring (RMON) activities in insurance companies. In addition, the authors probe how these capabilities can jointly yield a competitive advantage for the insurance industry under the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities perspective (DCP).

The authors present a latent variable RM model for the insurance industry and employ structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypotheses. Furthermore, the authors also conduct confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and convergent and discriminant validity analysis for model fit and invariance testing, respectively.

The results show that insurers who investigated RM-related capabilities directly influence their risk management practices (RMPs). Moreover, improving these capabilities will make insurers more effective in managing the risks of others. Thus, RM as a business process will yield a competitive advantage for the insurance sector. The findings are supported by the theoretical insights presented by the RBV and DCP. Furthermore, the model also adheres to the convergent and discriminant validity cut-off values.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study examining insurers' RM practices as a source of a competitive advantage.

保險公司存在的目的是為其它公司或個人管理其風險；因此，保險公司在風險管理方面、被認為具有競爭能力。故此、我們擬研究不同的風險管理能力是如何能使保險公司有效地管理風險的呢？這些風險管理能力包括對風險及風險管理之了解、風險辨識、風險評估和分析，以及在保險公司內的風險監控活動。再者，我們探究這些風險管理能力如何根據資源基礎觀點及動態能力理論共同為保險業創造競爭優勢。

我們為保險業展示一個潛在變項風險管理模型，並使用結構方程模型，來測試我們的假設；而且，我們為模型適配度而進行了驗證性因素分析，又為不變性檢定而進行了驗證輻合及驗證區別效度分析。

研究結果顯示、若保險公司審査與風險管理相關之能力，這會直接影響其對風險管理之措施；而且，若保險公司能改善其風險管理之能力，這會使它們更有效地管理其它公司或個人的風險。因此，作為業務過程的一環、風險管理會為保險業創造競爭優勢。我們的研究結果，得到資源基礎理論及動態能力理論提供之理論見解所支持；而且，我們的模型從附驗證輻合及驗證區別效度的截止值。

據我們所知，本研究為首個研究、去探討保險公司的風險管理措施如何為它們創造競爭優勢。