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1 – 10 of over 40000Sheena Carlisle, Stanislav Ivanov and Corné Dijkmans
This paper aims to present the findings from a European study on the digital skills gaps in tourism and hospitality companies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present the findings from a European study on the digital skills gaps in tourism and hospitality companies.
Design/methodology/approach
Mixed methods research was adopted. The sample includes 1,668 respondents (1,404 survey respondents and 264 interviewees) in 5 tourism sectors (accommodation establishments, tour operators and travel agents, food and beverage, visitor attractions and destination management organisations) in 8 European countries (UK, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands and Bulgaria).
Findings
The most important future digital skills include online marketing and communication skills, social media skills, MS Office skills, operating systems use skills and skills to monitor online reviews. The largest gaps between the current and the future skill levels were identified for artificial intelligence and robotics skills and augmented reality and virtual reality skills, but these skills, together with computer programming skills, were considered also as the least important digital skills. Three clusters were identified on the basis of their reported gaps between the current level and the future needs of digital skills. The country of registration, sector and size shape respondents’ answers regarding the current and future skills levels and the skills gap between them.
Originality/value
The paper discusses the digital skills gap of tourism and hospitality employees and identifies the most important digital skills they would need in the future.
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Reza Ashari Nasution, Devi Arnita, Linda Sendy Lediana Rusnandi, Elis Qodariah, Priyantono Rudito and Mardi Fretdi Natalina Sinaga
Our research objective here is to contribute theoretically and empirically to providing a gap model of digital mastery development in a company. The gap model will be a reference…
Abstract
Purpose
Our research objective here is to contribute theoretically and empirically to providing a gap model of digital mastery development in a company. The gap model will be a reference for the companies to develop their digital mastery.
Design/methodology/approach
To gain deeper insights into the study, a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative was performed. The level of digital mastery of the organization was determined using quantitative techniques through a self-assessment questionnaire. Meanwhile, digital mastery at the individual level was measured by a qualitative method using an open-ended (essay format) survey questions.
Findings
The findings show a stark difference between the organization and individual regarding their digital mastery level. At the end of the paper, the authors suggest some remedies that will help those companies narrowing the gap and fulfill the agenda of their digital transformation.
Research limitations/implications
Further research should analyze more industries or companies, conducting case studies to discover more detailed findings as to where the gaps are located or conducting digital readiness and leadership skills at the individual level to discover the direction of development of digital technology in a company. We expect this research can be replicated in other countries, so that wider general insights into the development of digital technology may be obtained.
Practical implications
Upper-area companies are indicated by their execution of partial digital initiative in the company which results in the lack of socialization of the ongoing digital activities into the individual level. Companies, especially Top Management, need to develop more knowledge about digital application and transformation to every individual in the company. Meanwhile, lower-area companies should improve their engagement across all organization members. The companies should be able to take advantage of their existing employees who possess knowledge in digital application and transformation and generated various artifacts to motivate other employees to jointly transform the organization into a Digital Master.
Originality/value
Our study compares the perception toward digital mastery at the organization and individual levels. Both levels are different and need to be compared, as suggested by Schuchmann and Seufert (2015) and Hinings et al. (2018). Comparison at both levels does not exist at the time of this study. Accordingly, what problems and challenges are faced by companies undergoing a digital transformation will largely remain unknown.
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How does gender equity fare in the digital public sphere(s)? To understand the mechanism of the gender gap, this study analyzes the interaction of gender with class, age, and…
Abstract
How does gender equity fare in the digital public sphere(s)? To understand the mechanism of the gender gap, this study analyzes the interaction of gender with class, age, and parenthood. With American national survey data, this research compares different types of online content production practices in this blurred digital public sphere(s). Findings show differences between men and women in five of six digital content creation activities. Women are more likely to consume online content; men are more likely to produce it. From more public blogging to more private chatting, inequality persists. Interactions with gender show (1) women from higher educational levels face more inequality compared to their male counterparts than do women from lower educational levels; (2) age is not a factor in the gender gap; and (3) generally, parental status fails to explain the production divide. Understanding the gender gap and its mechanisms can help ameliorate inequalities. Some argue that the Internet is a more egalitarian public platform for women while others find gender inequality. But neither body of research has attended to the blurring of the public and private spheres on the Internet.
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This paper aims to provide a targeted overview of relevant digital equity gap literature that serves to contextualize the current crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a targeted overview of relevant digital equity gap literature that serves to contextualize the current crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Following this review of the literature, the author introduces five guidelines that educators can use to guide their decisions about how to adapt to remote learning. It concludes with an overview and full text of two tools educators and researchers can use to better understand the challenges faced by students: the Digital Equity Gap Interview Protocol and the Digital Equity Gap Survey Instrument.
Design/methodology/approach
This conceptual paper is grounded on the theoretical framework of Martha Nussbaum's “Capability Approach,” which outlines core human capabilities that (if fostered) enable individuals to generate valuable outcomes for themselves.
Findings
It is suggested that it is important to attend to human capabilities when addressing digital equity gaps exacerbated by the pandemic. The author provides two tools that are intended to help individuals gather important information about the communities they serve and/or study.
Research limitations/implications
Both tools provide descriptive information that will contextualize digital equity gaps, should they be present.
Practical implications
This paper provides concrete tools for educators who wish to understand digital equity gaps within the communities they serve.
Social implications
In time of unprecedented distance learning, it is important for both K-12 educators and higher education instructors to understand the technological capabilities of their students. The Digital Equity Gap Interview Protocol and the Digital Equity Gap Survey Instrument give them a place to start.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to study and address digital equity gaps.
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Mingli Mei, Ru Zhao and Miaochen Zhu
This study investigated four different economic level areas of China (Shanghai, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Guizhou) to analyze the eastern and western urban and rural media service…
Abstract
This study investigated four different economic level areas of China (Shanghai, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Guizhou) to analyze the eastern and western urban and rural media service status at different development stages. This set of data comes from the comparison of regional urban and rural areas and indicates the various aspects of differences in the survey area, including the media use habits, media resources, media consumer demand, evaluation of media services, the role of media in public life, public knowledge level, and so on. On analyzing data comprehensively, one thing can be found that there is a positive correlation between the public media contact degree and the public knowledge level. The media plays an extremely important role in public life and regional public knowledge gap between urban and rural areas exists. Furthermore, this gap is positively correlated to the media resources and media exposure. The trend of media using on mobile phone and computer in urban areas increases significantly greater than in rural areas. Then, how to narrow the urban–rural and regional public knowledge gap and reduce the negative impact of the digital divide will be an important urgent task.
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This paper aims to determine why organizations struggle in implementing digital transformation to obtain a faster return on investment and how human resource management can help…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine why organizations struggle in implementing digital transformation to obtain a faster return on investment and how human resource management can help organizations overcome this challenge.
Design/methodology/approach
To examine recent research and opinions of industry experts on digital transformation by organizations and the major challenges they face, this study applies an inductive qualitative research approach and uses a descriptive statistics method to analyze the responses.
Findings
This paper reveals the various challenges organizations face today in implementing digital transformation because of gaps in digital talent in the current workforce.
Practical implications
This paper provides recommendations to HR practitioners and leadership teams in organizations on how to narrow the gap in current digital talent to successfully implement digital transformation and increase productivity.
Social implications
This study highlights the need for the current workforce to acquire the necessary digital talent sought by organizations and how improving their digital capabilities can improve their productivity in today’s digital scenario.
Originality/value
This study focuses on current problems organizations worldwide face in implementing digital transformation. The digital talent gap is increasing daily with the development of new AI, Big Data and other digital technologies. Hence, it is important for human resource departments and leaders to quickly address and resolve digital talent gaps to realize the advantages of digital transformation and a return on their heavy investment.
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The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how changes in K-12 educational delivery methods in the USA impacts students as 1:1 device programs become a required tool for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how changes in K-12 educational delivery methods in the USA impacts students as 1:1 device programs become a required tool for learning. This change produces gaps in knowledge and understanding of the digital environment and exposes minors to risk. Mandatory technology integration by school districts places the ethical responsibility on school districts to prepare students to use the digital environment to mitigate risk.
Design/methodology/approach
The author’s literature review focused on the impact of personal device integration in education on students. The author surveyed teachers in the district on what they perceived as risk to students accessing the digital environment and what they believe creates value in digital citizenship instructional content. The author also gathered information while serving on the school district technology steering committee and digital citizenship working group.
Findings
Mandatory 1:1 device programs used for learning provide unlimited access to the digital environment. This technology integration creates digital knowledge gaps in understanding among students and exposes them to risk or dangers such as loss of privacy, psychological harms and engaging in or being a victim of illegal online activities. School districts are responsible for providing a remedy to close this gap and mitigate risk by developing learning content resources for teachers.
Social implications
As 1:1 device programs continue to grow in school districts in the USA, it is essential for students to learn to apply protocols and understand norms of the digital world. Providing a digital citizenship curriculum in a format such as a Google Site will offer educators access to instructional content that teaches students to apply protocols, understand norms of the internet and social media and foster critical thinking to analyze power structures, biases and recognize manipulation online. Student must learn how to apply rules that challenge assumptions behind the digital content they see, and they must be able to identify and resolve digital practices and behaviors that are problematic, so they are prepared to participate in a digital society.
Originality/value
This perspective may be relevant to school districts contemplating personal device integration, providing insight into how 1:1 device use impacts students and develops an ethical position for creating digital citizenship resources for teachers.
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Financial inclusion and digital finance go side by side and help enhance agricultural activities; however, the magnitude of digital financial services varies across countries. In…
Abstract
Purpose
Financial inclusion and digital finance go side by side and help enhance agricultural activities; however, the magnitude of digital financial services varies across countries. In line with this argument, this study aims to examine whether financial inclusion enhances agricultural participation and decompose the significance of the difference in determinants of agricultural participation between financially included – not financially included households and digital finance – no digital finance households.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses Pakistan’s household integrated economic survey 2018/19 to test hypotheses. The logit model is used to examine the effect of financial inclusion on agriculture participation. Moreover, this study employs a nonlinear Fairlie Oaxaca Blinder technique to investigate the difference in determinants of agricultural participation.
Findings
This study reports that financial inclusion positively influences agricultural participation, meaning households may have access to financial services and participate in agricultural activities. The results suggest that the likelihood of participating in agriculture in households with mobiles and smartphones is higher. Moreover, household size, income, age, gender, education, urban, remittances from abroad, fertilizer, pesticides, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables are the significant determinants of agricultural participation. To distinguish the financially included – not financially included households’ gap, this study employs a nonlinear Fairlie Oaxaca Blinder decomposition and finds that differences in fertilizer explain the substantial gap in agricultural participation. Likewise, this study tests the digital finance – no digital finance gap and finds that the difference in fertilizer is a significant contributor, describing a considerable gap in agricultural participation.
Research limitations/implications
Empirically identified that various factors cause agricultural participation including financial inclusion and digital finance. Regarding the research limitation, this study only considers a developing country to analyze the findings. However, for future research, scholars may consider some other countries to compare the results and identify their differences.
Practical implications
The accessibility of fertilizer can reduce the agricultural participation gap. However, increased income level, education and cotton and sugar production can also overcome the differences in agriculture participation between digital finance and no digital finance households.
Originality/value
This is the first study to decompose the difference in determinants of agricultural participation between financially and not financially included households.
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This paper aims to identify the digital gaps in seamless learning concept within the higher educational institutions (HEIs) context.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the digital gaps in seamless learning concept within the higher educational institutions (HEIs) context.
Design/methodology/approach
The most cited mobile-assisted seamless learning framework, recent Educause higher education research report and relevant articles have been reviewed.
Findings
The digital gaps among educators and students hinder the implementation of the seamless learning framework in HEIs.
Practical implications
The finding will inform HEIs in addressing digital gaps to ensure learning and teaching enhancement with educational technology across institutions. It will also be useful for the design and improvement of the seamless learning framework. The finding may also be useful in creating awareness among educators and students as to the benefit of educational technologies.
Originality/value
No previous viewpoints have been published on digital gaps in the seamless learning concept. The digital gaps among educators and students constitute one of the most critical issues in implementing technology-assisted teaching and learning design in HEIs. This paper addresses the root of the problem by examining the digital gaps among educators and students within the seamless learning framework.
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