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1 – 10 of 49C.E. Oude Weernink, E. Felix, P.J.E.M. Verkuijlen, A.T.M. Dierick-van Daele, J.K. Kazak and J. van Hoof
In the domain of healthcare, both process efficiency and the quality of care can be improved through the use of dedicated pervasive technologies. Among these applications are…
Abstract
Purpose
In the domain of healthcare, both process efficiency and the quality of care can be improved through the use of dedicated pervasive technologies. Among these applications are so-called real-time location systems (RTLS). Such systems are designed to determine and monitor the location of assets and people in real time through the use of wireless sensor networks. Numerous commercially available RTLS are used in hospital settings. The nursing home is a relatively unexplored context for the application of RTLS and offers opportunities and challenges for future applications. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper sets out to provide an overview of general applications and technologies of RTLS. Thereafter, it describes the specific healthcare applications of RTLS, including asset tracking, patient tracking and personnel tracking. These overviews are followed by a forecast of the implementation of RTLS in nursing homes in terms of opportunities and challenges.
Findings
By comparing the nursing home to the hospital, the RTLS applications for the nursing home context that are most promising are asset tracking of expensive goods owned by the nursing home in order to facilitate workflow and maximise financial resources, and asset tracking of personal belongings that may get lost due to dementia.
Originality/value
This paper is the first to provide an overview of potential application of RTLS technologies for nursing homes. The paper described a number of potential problem areas that can be addressed by RTLS.
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This paper reports on how micro-learning design principles are being trialled in an Australian and a Malaysian university to make online courses more accessible and attractive…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper reports on how micro-learning design principles are being trialled in an Australian and a Malaysian university to make online courses more accessible and attractive, and a more positive experience, with the aim of increasing student success. Central to this approach is segmenting materials into “bite-size” instalments by way of short micro-lecture presentations and reducing other content. The aim of this “less is more” strategy is to reduce unnecessary cognitive load as an impediment to learning so that focus can shift to prioritising the most essential skills and content. The purpose of this trial is to explore the efficacy of micro-learning as a means for increasing student engagement and learning.
Design/methodology/approach
The trials involved a mixed mode methodology drawing on qualitative and ratings data from course satisfaction surveys and records on grades and completion.
Findings
To date, results have shown significant increases in student engagement and satisfaction, and also performance. Our application of micro-learning included reducing volume of content based on its practical value, use of novelty (e.g. infusing guest presenter input) and design of practical and collaborative student activities.
Research limitations/implications
Early results are encouraging regarding apparent utility for engaging learners and ease of application, i.e. implementability and transference potential. However, the rapidly expanding area of online learning requires further research to establish a well-validated evidence base for effective online teaching practices.
Practical implications
The findings are relevant to universities involved in online and blended learning. Micro-learning design methods show promise in being able to address major engagement barriers including cognitive overload.
Social implications
More students are struggling with learning in today's social environment brought about with the massification of higher education. Micro-learning seeks to address major barriers these learners face with methods that go beyond traditional teaching practices.
Originality/value
Findings here are encouraging and contribute to existing understanding on ways to increase learner engagement in the competitive and fast-growing area of online learning for universities globally.
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This study aims to investigate the association between corporate governance and financial transparency, using the moderating role of an Egyptian currency devaluation decision as a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the association between corporate governance and financial transparency, using the moderating role of an Egyptian currency devaluation decision as a policy shock.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected for a sample of companies listed on the Egyptian stock exchange from 2014 to 2019. To control for time-invariant unobserved heterogeneity, the authors analyse panel data using an estimated generalised least squares regression model.
Findings
The findings underline the pitfalls of assuming that corporate governance mechanisms are effective regardless of circumstances and support the complementary roles of a number of theories in interpreting the empirical findings.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited to non-financial companies and includes only corporate board and audit committee governance mechanisms. The study results have important implications for policymakers, international lending institutions, investors and accounting standards setters. It is of particular importance to policymakers in other less-developed countries with similar economic conditions.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first empirical attempt to provide evidence of the impact of a currency devaluation shock on the relationship between corporate governance and financial transparency within the Egyptian context as an example of a transitional economy. Hence, it provides a significant theoretical and empirical contribution to the literature.
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Fouad Ben Abdelaziz, Herb Kunze, Davide La Torre and Bernard Sinclair-Desgagné
Susan Danissa Calderón Urbina, Antonios Stamatogiannakis and Dilney Goncalves
This study aims to introduce the duration of uniqueness, an important dimension of unique products. It studies how choices between products with long versus short duration of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to introduce the duration of uniqueness, an important dimension of unique products. It studies how choices between products with long versus short duration of uniqueness are influenced by the interaction between pressure and consumers’ need for uniqueness (NFU).
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses a multi-method study approach. A pilot field-study tested the novelty and importance of the research by asking retail professionals to predict the choice of a hypothetical consumer. A retrospective study assessed the importance of duration of uniqueness in unique product choices, by asking consumers about a real and recent unique product purchase. Four additional experimental studies directly tested hypotheses by manipulating pressure and by measuring or manipulating uniqueness motivations.
Findings
The pilot field-study showed the novelty and relevance of this research for professionals. Study 1 revealed that, retrospectively, uniqueness duration was considered important for the choice of unique products, by high-NFU consumers under pressure. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated that pressure increases the tendency of high-NFU, but not low-NFU, consumers to choose products with long over short uniqueness duration. Study 4 provided initial evidence for the process behind the effect. Study 5 showed that considerations of uniqueness duration when choosing mediated the effects.
Research limitations/implications
The results of the pilot field-study and retrospective study might be affected by recall bias or lay theories. The findings need to be replicated with other sources of pressure and uniqueness. This calls for further research.
Practical implications
Results are important for companies marketing unique products and they suggest that pressure-based marketing appeals can be used strategically to increase sales of products with long uniqueness duration but decrease sales of products with short uniqueness duration. Although the research provides these guidelines, managers should consider the ethical implications of pressure strategies.
Originality/value
This is the first attempt to empirically investigate the duration of uniqueness. Although extant research has examined choices between products with different degrees of uniqueness, this research studies choice of products with similar degrees of uniqueness, but different uniqueness duration. Thus, this research adds to the scarce literature studying the duration of symbolic benefits. Moreover, although pressure and NFU frequently co-exist in uniqueness consumption settings, this study is the first to study their joint effects.
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Keith W. Hipel, Liping Fang and Yi Xiao
A flexible decision technology called the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) is applied to a generic aquaculture conflict to illustrate how GMCR can be used to…
Abstract
Purpose
A flexible decision technology called the Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) is applied to a generic aquaculture conflict to illustrate how GMCR can be used to systematically investigate a wide range of conflicts arising in aquaculture in order to obtain meaningful strategic insights and thereby assist in making informed decisions in aquaculture development. To emphasize the importance of being able to resolve aquaculture controversies, a review of the global economic impacts of the aquaculture industry is provided and the key stakeholders who may be involved in aquaculture disputes along with their legitimate interests are identified. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The GMCR methodology comprises two main stages: modeling and analysis. During the modeling stage, key decision makers (DMs), the options under each DM’s control and each DM’s relative preferences over feasible states are identified based on a thorough background investigation to a given dispute. Within the analysis stage, solution concepts that describe key characteristics of human behavior under conflict are utilized to determine resolutions that could occur when DMs interact under pure competition and cooperatively. Interpretation of the equilibrium results provides meaningful strategic insights for better understanding which strategies a given DM could select as the conflict evolves over time.
Findings
The results demonstrate how difficult it can be to balance the interests of different key stakeholders in aquaculture development. In all possible resolutions identified in the generic aquaculture conflict, at least two DMs among First Nations, environmental group and residents (Res) would object to the expansion of aquaculture activities due to the assumption that the government would choose to appease one stakeholder at a time. They also reflect the need for a useful tool box of decision technologies for addressing the vast range of challenges that could arise in the important area of marine economics and management.
Originality/value
The GMCR methodology possesses several unique and key original capabilities in comparison to other conflict analysis models. First, it only requires limited information to calibrate a conflict model. Second, it contains a number of solution concepts that describe how a DM could think and behave under conflict. Third, it furnishes a range of informative output, follow-up analyses and advice for use in real-life decision support. Finally, all of the foregoing advantages of GMCR can be contained within decision support systems that permit practitioners and researchers to readily apply the GMCR methodology to real-life conflicts.
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Daxin Tian, Weiqiang Gong, Wenhao Liu, Xuting Duan, Yukai Zhu, Chao Liu and Xin Li
This paper aims to introduce vehicular network platform, routing and broadcasting methods and vehicular positioning enhancement technology, which are three aspects of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to introduce vehicular network platform, routing and broadcasting methods and vehicular positioning enhancement technology, which are three aspects of the applications of intelligent computing in vehicular networks. From this paper, the role of intelligent algorithm in the field of transportation and the vehicular networks can be understood.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors introduce three different methods in three layers of vehicle networking, which are data cleaning based on machine learning, routing algorithm based on epidemic model and cooperative localization algorithm based on the connect vehicles.
Findings
In Section 2, a novel classification-based framework is proposed to efficiently assess the data quality and screen out the abnormal vehicles in database. In Section 3, the authors can find when traffic conditions varied from free flow to congestion, the number of message copies increased dramatically and the reachability also improved. The error of vehicle positioning is reduced by 35.39% based on the CV-IMM-EKF in Section 4. Finally, it can be concluded that the intelligent computing in the vehicle network system is effective, and it will improve the development of the car networking system.
Originality/value
This paper reviews the research of intelligent algorithms in three related areas of vehicle networking. In the field of vehicle networking, these research results are conducive to promoting data processing and algorithm optimization, and it may lay the foundation for the new methods.
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Japan's decision to release nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean in 2023 has sparked strong opposition at home and abroad. In this study, Graph Model for Conflict Resolution…
Abstract
Purpose
Japan's decision to release nuclear wastewater into the Pacific Ocean in 2023 has sparked strong opposition at home and abroad. In this study, Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) method is adopted to analyze the conflict problem, and reasonable equilibrium solutions are given to solve the conflict event.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, GMCR is adopted to solve the conflict problem. First, identify the key decision-makers (DMs) on the issue of nuclear effluent and the relevant options they might adopt. Second, the options of each DM are arranged and combined to form a set of feasible states. Thirdly, the graph model is constructed according to the change of DM's options, and the relative preference of each DM is determined. Finally, the conflict problem is solved according to the definition of GMCR equilibrium.
Findings
Discharging nuclear wastewater into the ocean is not the right choice to solve the problem. Developing more space to store nuclear wastewater is more conducive to the protection of the ocean environment.
Practical implications
It is undesirable for the Japanese government to unilaterally discharge nuclear wastewater into the ocean. Objectively assessing the radioactivity of nuclear wastewater and the cooperation of relevant stakeholders can better solve this conflict.
Originality/value
The problem arising from Japan's releasing plan is complicated because of a lack of information and the existence of multiple stakeholders, while GMCR can help us with a better view of the current circumstance in the conflict.
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Joni Salminen, João M. Santos, Soon-gyo Jung and Bernard J. Jansen
The “what is beautiful is good” (WIBIG) effect implies that observers tend to perceive physically attractive people in a positive light. The authors investigate how the WIBIG…
Abstract
Purpose
The “what is beautiful is good” (WIBIG) effect implies that observers tend to perceive physically attractive people in a positive light. The authors investigate how the WIBIG effect applies to user personas, measuring designers' perceptions and task performance when employing user personas for the design of information technology (IT) solutions.
Design/methodology/approach
In a user experiment, the authors tested six different personas with 235 participants that were asked to develop remote work solutions based on their interaction with a fictitious user persona.
Findings
The findings showed that a user persona's perceived attractiveness was positively correlated with other perceptions of the persona. The personas' completeness, credibility, empathy, likability and usefulness increased with attractiveness. More attractive personas were also perceived as more agreeable, emotionally stable, extraverted and open, and the participants spent more time engaging with personas they perceived attractive. A linguistic analysis indicated that the IT solutions created for more attractive user personas demonstrated a higher degree of affect, but for the most part, task outputs did not vary by the personas' perceived attractiveness.
Research limitations/implications
The WIBIG effect applies when designing IT solutions with user personas, but its effect on task outputs appears limited. The perceived attractiveness of a user persona can impact how designers interact with and engage with the persona, which can influence the quality or the type of the IT solutions created based on the persona. Also, the findings point to the need to incorporate hedonic qualities into the persona creation process. For example, there may be contexts where it is helpful that the personas be attractive; there may be contexts where the attractiveness of the personas is unimportant or even a distraction.
Practical implications
The findings point to the need to incorporate hedonic qualities into the persona creation process. For example, there may be contexts where it is helpful that the personas be attractive; there may be contexts where the attractiveness of the personas is unimportant or even a distraction.
Originality/value
Because personas are created to closely resemble real people, the authors might expect the WIBIG effect to apply. The WIBIG effect might lead decision makers to favor more attractive personas when designing IT solutions. However, despite its potential relevance for decision making with personas, as far as the authors know, no prior study has investigated whether the WIBIG effect extends to the context of personas. Overall, it is important to understand how human factors apply to IT system design with personas, so that the personas can be created to minimize potentially detrimental effects as much as possible.
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James Kanyepe and Nyarai Kasambuwa
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of institutional dynamics on road accidents and whether this relationship is moderated by information and communication…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of institutional dynamics on road accidents and whether this relationship is moderated by information and communication technology (ICT).
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative approach with 133 respondents. Research hypotheses were tested in AMOS version 21. In addition, moderated regression analysis was used to test the moderating role of ICT on the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents.
Findings
The results show that vehicle maintenance, policy enforcement, safety culture, driver training and driver management positively influence road accidents. Moreover, the study established that ICT moderates the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents.
Practical implications
The results of this study serve as a practical guideline for policymakers in the road haulage sector. Managers may gain insights on how to design effective interventions to reduce road accidents.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by exploring previously unexplored moderating paths in the relationship between institutional dynamics and road accidents. By highlighting the moderating role of ICT, the study sheds new light on the institutional dynamics that influence road accidents in the context of road haulage companies.
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