Search results
1 – 10 of 11Evagelos Varthis, Marios Poulos, Ilias Giarenis and Sozon Papavlasopoulos
This study aims to provide a system capable of static searching on a large number of unstructured texts directly on the Web domain while keeping costs to a minimum. The proposed…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a system capable of static searching on a large number of unstructured texts directly on the Web domain while keeping costs to a minimum. The proposed framework is applied to the unstructured texts of Migne’s Patrologia Graeca (PG) collection, setting PG as an implementation example of the method.
Design/methodology/approach
The unstructured texts of PG have automatically transformed to a read-only not only Structured Query Language (NoSQL) database with a structure identical to that of a representational state transfer access point interface. The transformation makes it possible to execute queries and retrieve ranked results based on a specialized application of the extended Boolean model.
Findings
Using a specifically built Web-browser-based search tool, the user can quickly locate ranked relevant fragments of texts with the ability to navigate back and forth. The user can search using the initial part of words and by ignoring the diacritics of the Greek language. The performance of the search system is comparatively examined when different versions of hypertext transfer protocol (Http) are used for various network latencies and different modes of network connections. Queries using Http-2 have by far the best performance, compared to any of Http-1.1 modes.
Originality/value
The system is not limited to the case study of PG and has a generic application in the field of humanities. The expandability of the system in terms of semantic enrichment is feasible by taking into account synonyms and topics if they are available. The system’s main advantage is that it is totally static which implies important features such as simplicity, efficiency, fast response, portability, security and scalability.
Details
Keywords
Contends, contrary to some media portrayals of the Internet as a surfer’s playground without signposts, that the Internet does offer some direction to serious researchers seeking…
Abstract
Contends, contrary to some media portrayals of the Internet as a surfer’s playground without signposts, that the Internet does offer some direction to serious researchers seeking operations and production management information. Attempts to decipher the Internet as a medium for information gathering and to explain how it may be used as a resource for those in the operations management field. Aims to assist the Internet novice to find his or her point of embarkation and to introduce the more experienced user to new sources of useful data. Considers how the Internet may be used to promote the operations and production management discipline, and suggests ways in which both academics and practising managers may participate and so benefit.
Details
Keywords
Oriol Jorge, Adria Pons, Josep Rius, Carla Vintró, Jordi Mateo and Jordi Vilaplana
Wine has been produced for thousands of years and nowadays we have seen a spread in the wine culture. E-commerce sales of wine have increased considerably and online customer's…
Abstract
Purpose
Wine has been produced for thousands of years and nowadays we have seen a spread in the wine culture. E-commerce sales of wine have increased considerably and online customer's satisfaction is influenced by quality and price. This paper presents a case study of the company “QuieroVinos, S.L.”, an online wine shop founded in 2015 that sells Spanish wines in two main marketplaces.
Design/methodology/approach
With the final target of increasing the company profits it has been designed and developed an application to track the prices of competitors for a set of products. This information will be used to set the product prices in order to offer the products both competitively and profitably in each Marketplace. This application must check, by tacking into account information such as the product cost or the minimum product margin, if it is possible to decrease the price in order to reach the top cheapest position and as a consequence, increase the sales.
Findings
The application improved in a notorious way the company's results in terms of sales and shipping costs. It must be said that without the use of the presented application, performing the price comparison process within each one of the marketplaces would have taken a long time. Moreover, as prices change very frequently, the obtained information has a very limited time value, and the competitors prices should be analyzed daily in order to take accurate decisions regarding the company's price policy.
Originality/value
Although the application has been designed for the wine sector and the two named marketplace, it could be exported to other sectors. For that, it should be implemented new modules to collect information regarding the competitor's price of the products selling on each corresponding marketplace.
Details
Keywords
Pieter Van der Walt and Pieter Van Brakel
The functions or tasks of the typical webmaster appear to be extremely diverse in nature. These can vary from basic web page design to gathering website statistics or even to…
Abstract
The functions or tasks of the typical webmaster appear to be extremely diverse in nature. These can vary from basic web page design to gathering website statistics or even to establishing the web‐based information needs of the employees of a specific organisation. Although a number of mainly electronic documents were written on the functions of the webmaster, not many studies were undertaken to empirically verify these. This article discusses the results from an international survey in which the webmasters or managers of web teams were involved from 100 of the Global 500 list of organisations. An analysis of the information provided by the respondents indicated that one person (the traditional webmaster) can no longer be responsible for all the responsibilities of developing and/or maintaining the information flow within an organisation‘s website. The diversity of tasks that were identified by the respondents were analysed and the results brought together in a number of figures and tables.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to examine how three perceived interactivity attributes of massive open online courses (MOOCs), namely, perceived active control, perceived synchronicity and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how three perceived interactivity attributes of massive open online courses (MOOCs), namely, perceived active control, perceived synchronicity and perceived two-way communication, impact individuals' engagement and continuance intention of MOOCs through the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) lens and how that effect differs between male and female users.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon S-O-R as an overarching theoretical framework, this study conducted an empirical study in China and collected 294 valid questionnaires from online learners. Structural equation modeling approach was used to examine the proposed research model.
Findings
Empirical results suggest that perceived active control, perceived synchronicity and perceived two-way communication are significant stimuli of individuals' continuance intention of MOOCs, and the influences of perceived active control and perceived synchronicity are partially or fully mediated by engagement on the platform. Multi-group analysis results further indicate that perceived synchronicity has a stronger influence on engagement on the platform for males, while perceived active control and perceived two-way communication are more salient in stimulating engagement on the platform for females.
Practical implications
Research findings from the present study can serve as the foundation to guide MOOCs’ administrators to respond to the needs of participants through interactivity designed into the platform and shed light on possible key solutions of high dropout rates in MOOCs.
Originality/value
This study uncovers the mediating mechanism of affective engagement between interactivity and continuance intention in the emerging context of the latest online learning platform MOOCs and reveals the behavioral differences between females and males regarding their affective reactions to the three interactivity attributes.
Details
Keywords
Joris Claessens, Claudia Díaz, Caroline Goemans, Jos Dumortier, Bart Preneel and Joos Vandewalle
With the worldwide growth of open telecommunication networks and in particular the Internet, the privacy and security concerns of people using these networks have increased. On…
Abstract
With the worldwide growth of open telecommunication networks and in particular the Internet, the privacy and security concerns of people using these networks have increased. On the one hand, users are concerned about their privacy, and desire to anonymously access the network. On the other hand, some organizations are concerned about how this anonymous access might be abused. This paper intends to bridge these conflicting interests, and proposes a solution for revocable anonymous access to the Internet. Moreover, the paper presents some legal background and motivation for such a solution. However, the paper also indicates some difficulties and disadvantages of the proposed solution, and suggests the need for further debate on the issue of online anonymity.
Details
Keywords
In Korea and abroad, this paper investigates the use of blockchains in the financial sector. This study aims to examine how blockchains are applied to the financial sector and how…
Abstract
Purpose
In Korea and abroad, this paper investigates the use of blockchains in the financial sector. This study aims to examine how blockchains are applied to the financial sector and how to respond to the Korean conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper investigates the movements of the financial sector and related services using the blockchain in the current market.
Findings
First, as a result of examining domestic and foreign cases, it can be seen that the areas where blockchains are most actively applied in the financial sector are expanding into settlement, remittance, securities and smart contracts. Also, in Korea, many of the authentication procedures based on the equipment possessed by the consumers are used so that introduction of the blockchain in the authentication part is prominent. Second, the move to introduce a closed (private) distributed ledger that does not go through the central bank is accelerating in payments between banks. Third, domestic financial institutions also need joint action by financial institutions through a blockchain consortium to apply blockchain technology to the financial sector. Fourth, consumer needs and technological developments are changing. At the same time, as the opportunity to infringe on the information held by individuals has expanded, the need for blockchain technology is strongly emerging because of the efforts of the organizations to defend it.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to understanding the changes in the financial sector using the blockchain.
Details
Keywords
Ahmed Shehata and Metwaly Eldakar
Social engineering is crucial in today’s digital landscape. As technology advances, malicious individuals exploit human judgment and trust. This study explores how age, education…
Abstract
Purpose
Social engineering is crucial in today’s digital landscape. As technology advances, malicious individuals exploit human judgment and trust. This study explores how age, education and occupation affect individuals’ awareness, skills and perceptions of social engineering.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research approach was used to survey a diverse demographic of Egyptian society. The survey was conducted in February 2023, and the participants were sourced from various Egyptian social media pages covering different topics. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-test and ANOVA, to compare awareness and skills across different groups.
Findings
The study revealed that younger individuals and those with higher education tend to research social engineering more frequently. Males display a higher level of awareness but score lower in terms of social and psychological consequences as well as types of attacks when compared to females. The type of attack cannot be predicted based on age. Higher education is linked to greater awareness and ability to defend against attacks. Different occupations have varying levels of awareness, skills, and psychosocial consequences. The study emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness, education and implementing cybersecurity measures.
Originality/value
This study’s originality lies in its focus on diverse Egyptian demographics, innovative recruitment via social media, comprehensive exploration of variables, statistical rigor, practical insights for cybersecurity education and diversity in educational and occupational backgrounds.
Details
Keywords
Mobile communication technologies have come a long way, but they are far from completing their evolutionary path. An examination of the Japanese mobile sector, with its…
Abstract
Mobile communication technologies have come a long way, but they are far from completing their evolutionary path. An examination of the Japanese mobile sector, with its cutting‐edge technologies, may provide a glimpse of what is to come for the rest of the world. Japan's mobile users are demanding ever more functionality, and service providers are responding. Moreover, the mobile phone is affecting social norms of behaviour and its use has become integrated within Japanese society as nowhere else. Even though the technology is developing rapidly, the case of Japan suggests that self‐regulation and individual restraint can work.
Details
Keywords
Social marketing has evolved differently in the developing and developed worlds, at times leading to different emphases on what social marketing thought and practice entail. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Social marketing has evolved differently in the developing and developed worlds, at times leading to different emphases on what social marketing thought and practice entail. This paper aims to document what those differences have been and provide an integrative framework to guide social marketers in working with significant social and health issues.
Design/methodology/approach
An integration of views about social marketing is proposed that is focused on the core roles of audience benefits; analysis of behavioral determinants, context and consequences; the use of positioning, brand and personality in marketing strategy development; and use of the four elements of the marketing mix to tailor offerings, realign prices, increase access and opportunities; and communicate these in an evolving media environment.
Findings
Ideas about branding and positioning, core strategic social marketing concerns, have been better understood and practiced in developing country settings. Social marketing in developing countries has focused much more on products and services, with a concomitant interest in pricing and distribution systems. In developed countries, social marketing has too often taken the 1P route of using persuasive communications for behavior change. The integrative framework calls for an expansion of social marketing to product and service development and delivery, using incentives and other behavioral economic concepts as part of the price element, and extending place as both an access and opportunity idea for behaviors, products and services.
Practical implications
The framework pulls together social marketing ideas and practices from the diversity of settings in which they have been developed and allows practitioners and academics to use a common set of concepts to think about and design social marketing programs. The model also gives social marketers more latitude in how to use price and place in the design of programs. Finally, it also provides a platform for how we approach social change and public health in the years ahead through market‐based reform.
Originality/value
Five challenges to social marketing are identified – achieving equity, influence of social networks on behaviors, critical marketing, sustainability, scalability and the need for comprehensive programs – that may serve to focus and coalesce social marketing research and practice around the world.
Details