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This paper seeks to develop a new model for the activities of knowledge exchange (KE) and the diffusion of innovation (DI) with specific emphasis on agriculture.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to develop a new model for the activities of knowledge exchange (KE) and the diffusion of innovation (DI) with specific emphasis on agriculture.
Design/methodology/approach
The research involved an examination of existing literature and the development of the knowledge exchange and diffusion of innovation (KEDI) model.
Findings
As human population rises, there will be a greater focus on KEDI in the agricultural sector. Due to the heterogeneous nature of farming communities around the world, indigenous knowledge (IK), change agents, opinion leaders and farmer‐to‐farmer (F2F) interaction all play a role in KE and technology transfer. The KEDI whirlpool model seeks to reflect these dynamics by highlighting the interacting drivers and the process required to deliver outputs such as supply chain agility, reduced costs, and more efficient use of resources, knowledge and assets.
Originality/value
This research is of academic value and of value to those working in the food supply chain.
Chao-shih Wang, David D. Van Fleet and Ashok K. Mishra
The purpose of this paper is to proffer an alternative conceptualization of food integrity and a market-based food integrity intelligence system.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to proffer an alternative conceptualization of food integrity and a market-based food integrity intelligence system.
Design/methodology/approach
Food fraud is interpreted as a symptom of asymmetric knowledge. Consumer collaboration for knowledge exchange and diffusion of innovation (KEDI) safeguards food markets. The concept of communicative action is applied to conceptualize and analyze key elements for designing a collaborative food integrity intelligence system.
Findings
The model of market-based KEDI consists of three dimensions: intelligence flows, organization memory, and social sensitivities. Decentralized control is crucial to effect system innovation.
Originality/value
The paper integrates managerial, marketing, and economic approaches and develops a model for managing food integrity intelligence.
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Keywords
With growing emphasis being placed on the selection of highly qualified teachers, it is inevitable that policies and practices of teacher selection will become more methodical…
Abstract
With growing emphasis being placed on the selection of highly qualified teachers, it is inevitable that policies and practices of teacher selection will become more methodical. This chapter explores systematic practices of selecting preservice teachers by examining local/national policies related to teacher selection in South Korea. The first part of this chapter explains why a conceptual understanding is essential to understanding the Korean educational context. Included is a short explanation of various approaches to improve teacher selection processes and procedures. The work is based on the assumption that effective teachers can be chosen by implementing an effective teacher selection system. The second part outlines the current process of teacher selection in South Korea, along with the issues and challenges surrounding practices related to teacher selection. In South Korea, teaching is still considered a highly desirable profession compared to other countries, as well as to other occupations in South Korea. Hence, a huge number of teacher candidates and preservice teachers must pass through many steps before becoming certified as teachers. They also must take national and district tests. The teacher selection system in South Korea is highly centralized and more complicated than most other countries. In this chapter, the teacher selection system in South Korea is critically analyzed in an effort to identify strengths and weaknesses in national policy and practices related to teacher selection. The final part of the chapter discusses implications based on the analysis of the teacher selection system in South Korea.
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Atefeh Momeni, Mitra Pashootanizadeh and Marjan Kaedi
This study aims to determine the most similar set of recommendation books to the user selections in LibraryThing.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine the most similar set of recommendation books to the user selections in LibraryThing.
Design/methodology/approach
For this purpose, 30,000 tags related to History on the LibraryThing have been selected. Their tags and the tags of the related recommended books were extracted from three different recommendations sections on LibraryThing. Then, four similarity criteria of Jaccard coefficient, Cosine similarity, Dice coefficient and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to calculate the similarity between the tags. To determine the most similar recommended section, the best similarity criterion had to be determined first. So, a researcher-made questionnaire was provided to History experts.
Findings
The results showed that the Jaccard coefficient, with a frequency of 32.81, is the best similarity criterion from the point of view of History experts. Besides, the degree of similarity in LibraryThing recommendations section according to this criterion is equal to 0.256, in the section of books with similar library subjects and classifications is 0.163 and in the Member recommendations section is 0.152. Based on the findings of this study, the LibraryThing recommendations section has succeeded in introducing the most similar books to the selected book compared to the other two sections.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, itis for the first time, three sections of LibraryThing recommendations are compared by four different similarity criteria to show which sections would be more beneficial for the user browsing. The results showed that machine recommendations work better than humans.
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Saeid SadighZadeh and Marjan Kaedi
Online businesses require a deep understanding of their customers’ interests to innovate and develop new products and services. Users, on the other hand, rarely express their…
Abstract
Purpose
Online businesses require a deep understanding of their customers’ interests to innovate and develop new products and services. Users, on the other hand, rarely express their interests explicitly. The purpose of this study is to predict users’ implicit interest in products of an online store based on their mouse behavior through various product page elements.
Design/methodology/approach
First, user mouse behavior data is collected throughout an online store website. Next, several mouse behavioral features on the product pages elements are extracted and finally, several models are extracted using machine learning techniques to predict a user’s interest in a product.
Findings
The results indicate that focusing on mouse behavior on various page elements improves user preference prediction accuracy compared to other available methods.
Research limitations/implications
User mouse behavior was used to predict consumer preferences in this study, therefore gathering additional data on user demography, personality dimensions and emotions may significantly aid in accurate prediction.
Originality/value
Mouse behavior is the most repeated behavior during Web page browsing through personal computers and laptops. It has been referred to as implicit feedback in some studies and an effective way to ascertain user preference. In these studies, mouse behavior is only assessed throughout the entire Web page, lacking a focus on different page elements. It is assumed that in online stores, user interaction with key elements of a product page, such as an image gallery, user reviews, a description and features and specifications, can be highly informative and aid in determining the user’s interest in that product.
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Lorraine Pe Symaco and Roger Y. Chao
This chapter discusses the nature of International and Comparative Education in East and South East Asia through the different organizations, networks, and programs formed to…
Abstract
This chapter discusses the nature of International and Comparative Education in East and South East Asia through the different organizations, networks, and programs formed to cater to the field. It gives an overview of the existing networks in international and comparative education, related activities, and studies instituted to strengthen the field in the region. Given the more developed network in East Asia, this chapter also highlights the increasing importance of international and comparative education in South East Asia, through the broader base of objectives also defined in the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) Economic Community (AEC) of 2015. Opportunities and policy reorientations (in education) set to present and utilize the field in both regions are also examined.
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The purpose of this chapter is to critically review the Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy in terms of its context, actors, structures, and values so as to find…
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to critically review the Korean Official Development Assistance (ODA) policy in terms of its context, actors, structures, and values so as to find how these characteristics are reflected in the education ODA of Korea. Previous studies, documents of Korean Government, and ODA-related statistics are reviewed. Self-confident in being transformed from a poor recipient country to a DAC donor, Korean government emphasizes the so-called Korean ODA Model in sharing its economic development knowledge and experiences with the developing countries. Despite the coordination effort by Prime Minister’s Office, government ministries tend to pursue its own ODA policies, while the finance ministry and the ministry of foreign affairs play major roles. As a result Korean ODA is economy-oriented, fragmented, and uncoordinated in planning and implementation. This study has found that such characteristics of Korean ODA are also reflected in the education ODA. For instance, TVET and higher education are the priority, while basic education is neglected, and the education ministry has its own ODA policies and programs. Outside studies on Korean ODA policy is rather scarce, furthermore, critical reviews other than policy advocacy are hard to find, particularly in English. This study will be a good start for further ones to understand the Korean ODA policy including education.
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Siyu Li, Kedi Wang, Baofeng Huo, Xiande Zhao and Xiling Cui
This study aims to investigate the impact of cross-functional coordination (cross-functional system, process and team coordination) on customer coordination (customer strategic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of cross-functional coordination (cross-functional system, process and team coordination) on customer coordination (customer strategic and operational coordination) and operational performance. Following the lens of information processing theory (IPT), this study examines the diverse mechanisms of cross-functional coordination practices in enhancing firms’ information processing capabilities (IPCs) to cope with the higher information processing demands resulting from customer coordination, finally improving operational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on data collected from 410 Chinese manufacturers, the authors use the structural equation modeling method to test the theoretical model.
Findings
The authors found that cross-functional system coordination is positively associated with customer operational coordination (COC) but not customer strategic coordination (CSC). Cross-functional process coordination increases both customer strategic and operational coordination. Cross-functional team coordination significantly promotes CSC but not COC. Both customer operational and strategic coordination facilitate operational performance.
Originality/value
This research pioneers in identifying three dimensions of cross-functional coordination based on IPT and examine their distinct impacts on various customer coordination activities. The authors distinguish two customer coordination dimensions and reveal their effects on operational performance. This research contributes to the development of IPT. Additionally, this study provides guidelines for managers to coordinate internal departments and collaborate with external customers to enhance firms’ operational performance.
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Minjeong Jeon, Yoonjung Hwang and Moon Suk Hong
This paper aims to critically investigate the past hype of internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) and its complex international, national and local processes…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to critically investigate the past hype of internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) and its complex international, national and local processes under the influence of globalization.
Design/methodology/approach
In particular, the authors employed the knowledge–policy–power interface framework through a scoping review in order to reexamine the political dynamics among international, national and local higher education actors in driving the internationalization of HEIs in the context of South Korea between the 1990s and the 2020s. The perspective taken by this research brings much-needed nuance to the analysis by focusing on the complex dynamics of external factors and key actors and their responses in the process of internationalization.
Findings
This research found three characteristic dynamics of internationalization of Korean HEIs: uncritical acceptance of external pressures for internationalization; unbalanced formal and informal participation at the national level and different ways HEIs absorb change. In short, this research discussed how the powerful government, which has been stirred by external forces, shaped the limited knowledge discourse on internationalization while triggering power games among various HEIs. The research highlights that the characteristics of HEIs and the voices of all stakeholders should be better accounted for so that internationalization can proceed in diverse ways from the ground up to enhance and assure educational quality.
Research limitations/implications
The research limits itself by analyzing the political dynamics in driving the internationalization of HEIs in the context of South Korea only through scoping review. However, the attempt to disentangle the underlying political dynamics through its original framework is worthy unlike previous more traditional models that cast policy-making as a uniform cycle proceeding rationally through the policy process regardless of the issue.
Practical implications
These findings enable a better analysis of the key dynamics of how HEI internationalization policies in Korea were understood, planned and implemented. Without examining the political dynamics among various factors as well as the responses of significant actors to HEI internationalization, the current challenges and remaining tasks in translating higher education policy into practice cannot be thoroughly assessed.
Social implications
Most importantly, the multilayered political dynamics that come together to shape the content and directions of policies in a certain national context should be taken into account in the process of policy-making. Such recontextualization would provide a better understanding of the underlying dynamics that lead to certain consequences of and challenges in translating higher education policy into practice, especially for those who face the challenge of balancing between state-driven policies and ever-diversifying needs and demands of HEIs.
Originality/value
As there is a lack of understanding of the critical context of the knowledge–policy–power interface despite the significant influence of political dynamics in the process of internationalization, this research reexamined the internationalization of HEIs in Korea by providing a better understanding of the political dynamics between knowledge and power that influence the directions and contents of policy dialogues and documents.
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The purpose of this paper is to critically review the Korean ODA policy in terms of its context, actors, structures, and values so as to find how these characteristics are…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically review the Korean ODA policy in terms of its context, actors, structures, and values so as to find how these characteristics are reflected in the education ODA of Korea.
Design/methodology/approach
This study modifies and adopts the analytical framework of contingency, agency, structure, and ideology in historical sociology of education. Previous studies and documents of Korean Government are reviewed to find the relevance to the above analytical framework.
Findings
This study has found that the characteristics of Korean ODA policy, such as economic orientation, are reflected in the education ODA practices.
Originality/value
Studies on Korean ODA policy is rather rare, moreover, critical reviews are hard to find, particularly in English. This study will be a good start for further ones to understand the Korea ODA policy.
Details