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1 – 10 of 14
Article
Publication date: 26 July 2011

Venkataramana Peyala

The purpose of this article is to present the results of a research study conducted to assess the perceptions and opinions of 100 staff working in libraries on the impact of using…

2084

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to present the results of a research study conducted to assess the perceptions and opinions of 100 staff working in libraries on the impact of using IT on library housekeeping operations and information services, in eight central university libraries in India.

Design/methodology/approach

Data gathering tools used include questionnaire, observation and informal interviews with selected library professionals.

Findings

Iinformation technology had a tremendous impact on the efficiency of library operations and the delivery of information services. Use of IT has facilitated networking and resource sharing, eliminated duplication of effort, improved the speed of operations, increased access to information resources and improved the quality of information services.

Originality/value

This is a pioneering study on the impact of using IT in the central university libraries in India. The findings of the study would help practising librarians, policy makers, management and the University Grants Commission to promote the use of IT in libraries.

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1991

Peter Long

Details the increasing reliance on IT within organisations and its relationship to “world‐class quality”. Suggests IT is used to help automate tasks but can play a vital role in…

Abstract

Details the increasing reliance on IT within organisations and its relationship to “world‐class quality”. Suggests IT is used to help automate tasks but can play a vital role in human resource management. Examines how IT can be used to help recruit and retain employees by matching their skills to the appropriate job, beyond simply record‐keeping. Highlights ways a personnel system can be used to advantage in mapping out careers, health and safety and performance.

Details

The TQM Magazine, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0954-478X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2014

Patrick Mapulanga

– The purpose of this paper is to look at staff development and its challenges in the University of Malawi Libraries.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look at staff development and its challenges in the University of Malawi Libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study design was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. University Budget Estimates from 2004/2005 to 2010/2011 financial years were analysed. Data from the University of Malawi Strategic Plan 2005-2009 were examined. Interviews were conducted with college librarians in the University of Malawi Libraries. Documentary evidence was also used.

Findings

Study findings indicate that staff development in the University of Malawi Libraries has emphasised on professional qualification in Library and Information Studies. However, due to financial constraints, the majority of the library staff lacks LIS professional qualifications. This study recommends that libraries should consider budgeting for continuing professional development (CPD).

Practical implications

Staff development requires continuous funding and time. This study recommends the CPD approach to staff development in academic libraries. The study also recommends the introduction of an education levy to benefit skills and training needs for higher education institutions.

Originality/value

There is dearth of literature on staff development in academic libraries in Malawi. This paper seeks to recommend CPD.

Details

The Bottom Line, vol. 27 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0888-045X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2001

Edmund E. Price and Donald R. Coy

The scope of a manufacturer’s environmental responsibility increasingly extends beyond the factory gate to include customer use and disposal of products. 3M is implementing a life…

3096

Abstract

The scope of a manufacturer’s environmental responsibility increasingly extends beyond the factory gate to include customer use and disposal of products. 3M is implementing a life cycle management (LCM) process to help its more than 40 operating units meet or exceed such present and future requirements by achieving two objectives: to identify environmental, health and safety (EHS) opportunities and competitive market advantages arising from superior performance in these areas; and to characterize and manage EHS risks as well as resource and energy use throughout a product’s life cycle. The process consists of six steps leading to a life cycle matrix that organizes environmental, health and safety information at all phases, from raw‐material selection, development (laboratory) and manufacturing to customer use and disposal of the company’s products. Although a similar LCM process is used for 3M laboratories, the focus of this paper is on business‐unit implementation.

Details

Environmental Management and Health, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0956-6163

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 February 2023

Sheeraz Shamsi, Sablu Khan and Mohd Afaq Khan

The present study has been carried out to assess the effect of constructs of service convenience on customer satisfaction of the Indian online shoppers.

2389

Abstract

Purpose

The present study has been carried out to assess the effect of constructs of service convenience on customer satisfaction of the Indian online shoppers.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire. Convenience sampling has been used to choose a sample (n = 260) of e-shoppers in India. Factor analyses (both EFA and CFA) have been done to validate different factors and its items. A conceptual model has been proposed to measure the effect of different factors of service convenience on customer satisfaction. Moreover, the perceived difference with respect to study variables has been measured. The path analysis through AMOS 22.0 has been done to test the hypotheses under study.

Findings

It can be concluded that the effect of access convenience, search convenience, and order convenience have significant effects on customer satisfaction. However, evaluation convenience and logistics and reverse logistics convenience have an insignificant effect on customer satisfaction. The present study has a unique contribution in the field of service convenience to e-retailing customers. Moreover, the present study indicates that gender does not moderate the effect of convenience on customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

This is one of the few papers that focuses solely on the effect of gender on service convenience and customer satisfaction. The findings will generate value with their originality and significant managerial implications for marketers, as well as future research directions for the researchers.

Details

LBS Journal of Management & Research, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0972-8031

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2021

Amitabh Anand, Florian Offergelt and Payal Anand

Because of its impact on organisational growth, innovation and employee performance, knowledge hiding (KH) as a construct has gained increased attention from scholars and…

3254

Abstract

Purpose

Because of its impact on organisational growth, innovation and employee performance, knowledge hiding (KH) as a construct has gained increased attention from scholars and practitioners in recent years. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature on KH and take the stock of the current literature, identify research streams and offer recommendations on areas where KH may be investigated further.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors used systematic review methods to investigate the current state of KH research, and using thematic coding, the authors identified the current research streams and offer directions for future research.

Findings

The review of literature identified geographic representation of KH research, methodological approaches to explore KH and the prominent theories adopted to investigate KH, and through research synthesis, the antecedents and moderators/mediators of KH were identified. Subsequently, the authors also found seven research streams where KH has been predominantly studied. Finally, the authors provide suggestions of where the future research in KH might be headed.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few to offer systematic review of KH literature and identify unexplored areas to be investigated in future research – which is the integral part of knowledge management process.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 26 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 April 2008

Maria Pinto and Dora Sales

Since every community of practice generates, seeks, retrieves and uses information resources and sources related to the cognitive structure being researched or studied and the…

1396

Abstract

Purpose

Since every community of practice generates, seeks, retrieves and uses information resources and sources related to the cognitive structure being researched or studied and the tasks being performed, the need arises to undertake studies focused on real user communities, which in the case of this paper is the group of translators. This paper aims to investigate this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this arena of application, it is important to remember that translators are not only information users, but also information processors and producers. Thus, their documentary competence has to evolve in three dimensions: the informational, the methodological and the strategic. The conceptual model proposed in the paper is based on information literacy (INFOLIT) standards and also the authors' knowledge of translation practice and the competencies it demands, where INFOLIT plays a starring role. This paper is part of a broader research currently in progress, whose main goal is to provide translators and interpreters with a solid instruction in information literacy.

Findings

The paper introduces a model for information literacy specifically intended to develop the information competence of this community of users, it reveals that the model is a gathering of skills, competences, knowledge and values, and it is based on the cooperation between the authors' expert knowledge of information science and professional translation practice.

Originality/value

This paper puts forward the first proposal for information literacy applied to translation training.

Details

Journal of Documentation, vol. 64 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0022-0418

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2018

Eleni Papaoikonomou, Carmen Valor and Matias Ginieis

Although the role of information has been previously studied in the ethical consumer literature, practices related to information searches and interpretation have not been fully…

Abstract

Purpose

Although the role of information has been previously studied in the ethical consumer literature, practices related to information searches and interpretation have not been fully examined in relation to ethical consumption. The purpose of this paper is to explore the search and use of information by ethically oriented consumers in order to understand the problems involved in this process, and how ethical consumers address them by adopting a number of practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative approach and diaries, the paper explores how consumers carry out their informational search and interpretation over an 11-week period.

Findings

First, insights are provided about the specifics of information search and the contexts, timing and use of information. Second, the information management practices used by participants to navigate the problems they encounter are identified. These practices are discussed in relation to the maximizing vs optimizing approach adopted by the participants.

Practical implications

New technologies, such as mobile applications and geo-localization, could overcome some of the problems inherent to information searches identified in this study. The use of social networks may also prove particularly interesting for companies and NGOs that target ethically oriented consumers.

Originality/value

Information search and the use and interpretation of information are part of the efforts undertaken by ethical consumers, but they have not been the focus of past research. This study provides empirical evidence on consumer practices employed to circumvent the problems found in a context of information asymmetries, and the gradual development of consumer skills in relation to ethical information searches and management. It shows how information search and management shapes the practice of ethical consumption.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 56 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 May 2020

Jaejoo Lim, Jim R. Wollscheid and Ramakrishna Ayyagari

Consumers often encounter issues of perceived ambiguity and performance risk when attempting to evaluate experience goods being offered online. Sellers try to alleviate this…

Abstract

Purpose

Consumers often encounter issues of perceived ambiguity and performance risk when attempting to evaluate experience goods being offered online. Sellers try to alleviate this knowledge gap often seen in a medium of low naturalness by engaging in effective compensatory adaptation. This research theoretically looks into three primary aspects of compensatory adaption and their potential in securing communication of high-quality information between the online seller and consumer.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing survey data and structural equation modeling, this study tests the effectiveness of different aspects of compensatory adaption to alleviate the knowledge gap in a medium of low naturalness.

Findings

Drawing on media naturalness theory and the tripartite model of attitude, this paper identifies three theoretical components that significantly affect the effectiveness of compensatory adaption. They are information retrieval capability from the cognitive/logical aspect, information richness from the affective/audiovisual aspect and interactivity from the behavioral aspect. The effectiveness of compensatory adaptation proves to have a positive impact on perceived information quality.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper in the information systems literature to examine the compensatory adaptation tools for effective transfer of information. This study contributes to the academics by providing three handles to improve effectiveness of compensatory adaptation toward information quality. We focus on three compensatory adaptation tools in cognitive/logical, affective/audiovisual and behavioral aspects, and this compensation perspective leads to three practical factors that affect effective transfer of information between online sellers and consumers. The result of this study complements the nomological network of the enablers and impediments of e-commerce.

Details

American Journal of Business, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1935-5181

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 September 2022

Wei-Lun Chang and Vladlena Benson

In the global migration crisis COVID 19 had devastating consequences. Workers were confined to their locations due to travel restrictions and working from home became “working…

Abstract

Purpose

In the global migration crisis COVID 19 had devastating consequences. Workers were confined to their locations due to travel restrictions and working from home became “working away from home” for millions of migrant workers. Mobile financial services emerged as key to livelihood of the mobile remittance recipients. It is essential for service providers to gain insights of users' motives to use mobile remittance services.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposed the model by extending unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model and integrating by perceived cost (PC) and perceived security (PS). Based on the survey data (n = 344) the proposed model was tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA) analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, PC and PS affect the users' behavioral intention (BI) to use mobile remittance applications. Social influence nonsignificantly affects the BI and there is no significant influence of facilitating conditions on user behavior.

Originality/value

The volume of migrant workers preCOVID 19 reached 3.5% of the global population, the shear number of unprotected workers plunged into devastation by the COVID-19 impact is huge to cause an economic meltdown. Under the pandemic crisis conditions, the findings provide several practical implications on how service providers could improve their products and services to increase mobile remittance applications usage.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 36 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

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