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1 – 10 of 12Ekta Shokeen, David Weintrop, Anthony James Pellicone, Peter Francis Moon, Diane Ketelhut, Michel Cukier and Jandelyn Dawn Plane
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of perplexity in young players’ experiences within an educational videogame and how reflective thinking can help them to get…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of perplexity in young players’ experiences within an educational videogame and how reflective thinking can help them to get out of perplexing scenarios.
Design/methodology/approach
We used a constructivist grounded theory approach and the lenses of Dewey’s conceptualization of perplexity and reflective thinking to examine young players’ in-game experiences.
Findings
We find that perplexity in gameplay is an experience that occurs when players encounter uncertainty about where to go or what to do next in the game. Findings reveal that while playing an educational game players engaged in two forms of perplexity – exploration-based and puzzle-based. Additionally, we unpack how players overcome these perplexing scenarios by reflecting on the information provided in the game.
Research limitations/implications
While in a state of perplexity, reflecting on the in-game information aids players to think and make meaning, thus supporting learning. We provide suggestions for how to better utilize perplexity as an in-game design mechanism to encourage young players to reflect on in-game information.
Originality/value
This empirical study is original in its context of studying the phenomenon of perplexity in videogames and young players’ in-game reflection experiences.
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Andrea De Mauro, Marco Greco and Michele Grimaldi
– The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the most prominent research areas connected with “Big Data” and propose a thorough definition of the term.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe the most prominent research areas connected with “Big Data” and propose a thorough definition of the term.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have analysed a conspicuous corpus of industry and academia articles linked with Big Data to find commonalities among the topics they treated. The authors have also compiled a survey of existing definitions with a view of generating a more solid one that encompasses most of the work happening in the field.
Findings
The main themes of Big Data are: information, technology, methods and impact. The authors propose a new definition for the term that reads as follows: “Big Data is the Information asset characterized by such a High Volume, Velocity and Variety to require specific Technology and Analytical Methods for its transformation into Value.”
Practical implications
The formal definition that is proposed can enable a more coherent development of the concept of Big Data, as it solely relies on the essential strands of current state-of-the-art and is coherent with the most popular definitions currently used.
Originality/value
This is among the first structured attempts of building a convincing definition of Big Data. It also contains an original exploration of the topic in connection with library management.
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Bernd Carsten Stahl, Neil McBride and Ibrahim Elbeltagi
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the emancipatory promises and realities of information and communication technology (ICT) in Egypt.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the emancipatory promises and realities of information and communication technology (ICT) in Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
The combination of Habermasian and Foucauldian ideas implemented by a critical discourse analysis of the Egyptian Information Society Policy and interviews with employees of local decision support systems employees. Promises and rhetoric are contrasted with findings and questioned with regards to their validity.
Findings
On the policy level, analysis shows that the emancipating rhetoric of ICT is not followed through. ICT is mostly seen as a means of attracting foreign direct investment. Neither political participation nor educational benefits are promoted seriously. On the local level, culture and organisational realities prevent individuals from exploiting the emancipatory potential of the technology.
Originality/value
The combination of the Habermasian and Foucauldian approach exposes the problems of ICT use in developing countries. It shows that emancipation is used to legitimise ICT policies but is not taken seriously on a policy level in Egypt. Local implementations also fail to deliver on their promise. In order to have emancipatory effects, ICT policy and use will need to be reconsidered.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of big data text analytics as an enabler of knowledge management (KM). The paper argues that big data text analytics represents an…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of big data text analytics as an enabler of knowledge management (KM). The paper argues that big data text analytics represents an important means to visualise and analyse data, especially unstructured data, which have the potential to improve KM within organisations.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses text analytics to review 196 articles published in two of the leading KM journals – Journal of Knowledge Management and Journal of Knowledge Management Research & Practice – in 2013 and 2014. The text analytics approach is used to process, extract and analyse the 196 papers to identify trends in terms of keywords, topics and keyword/topic clusters to show the utility of big data text analytics.
Findings
The findings show how big data text analytics can have a key enabler role in KM. Drawing on the 196 articles analysed, the paper shows the power of big data-oriented text analytics tools in supporting KM through the visualisation of data. In this way, the authors highlight the nature and quality of the knowledge generated through this method for efficient KM in developing a competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
The research has important implications concerning the role of big data text analytics in KM, and specifically the nature and quality of knowledge produced using text analytics. The authors use text analytics to exemplify the value of big data in the context of KM and highlight how future studies could develop and extend these findings in different contexts.
Practical implications
Results contribute to understanding the role of big data text analytics as a means to enhance the effectiveness of KM. The paper provides important insights that can be applied to different business functions, from supply chain management to marketing management to support KM, through the use of big data text analytics.
Originality/value
The study demonstrates the practical application of the big data tools for data visualisation, and, with it, improving KM.
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Jarrod Haar and Simon Wilkinson
Smart device use for work during family time is a growing issue of concern and is likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors test a broad range of well-being…
Abstract
Purpose
Smart device use for work during family time is a growing issue of concern and is likely exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors test a broad range of well-being outcomes (job anxiety, job depression and insomnia) to extend the literature. Work–family conflict was included as a mediator with age as a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses representative data from 422 New Zealand employees across a wide range of occupations, sectors, and industries from late 2020. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the data was used and moderated mediation analysis was conducted.
Findings
Overall, hypotheses were supported, with mWork positively influencing work–family and family–work conflict, and all well-being outcomes. Work–family and family–work conflict acted as mediators and age interacted with mWork leading to more conflict for older workers. Finally, moderated mediation effects were supported with age acting as a boundary condition, whereby the indirect effect of mWork on well-being outcomes increases as age increases.
Research limitations/implications
The findings highlight the danger of using mobile devices to work in family time and highlight the additional risks for older workers.
Originality/value
The mWork literature has a limited focus on well-being outcomes, and the New Zealand data provides insights from a largely underrepresented population in the literature. Further, the use of age as a moderator of mWork towards well-being outcomes provides further originality.
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This research explores project manager (PM) behavior in their professional virtual communities (PVCs), using social identity theory as a theoretical foundation. The purpose is to…
Abstract
Purpose
This research explores project manager (PM) behavior in their professional virtual communities (PVCs), using social identity theory as a theoretical foundation. The purpose is to examine the extent to which PMs seek information on key topics in the Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide (PMBoK).
Design/methodology/approach
A text data analytics methodology that uses quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques is followed. The research method reveals relationships in language-based data gathered from six project management forums and blogs.
Findings
Information related to all the PMBoK topics is sought in the project management virtual communities. People management topics account for a dominant portion of interactions. The findings enhance social identification theorizing for the PM role. From a practical standpoint, the findings shed light on focal areas for greater emphasis in PM PVCs.
Originality/value
Our people management finding constructively replicates existing findings via a large, global sample and strengthens calls for increased focus on people management matters in project management. As a result, we call for increased scholarly attention to people management in project management. Finally, we encourage pursuit of several research questions to enhance knowledge of PM information-seeking behavior.
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Antonio Francesco Maturo and Veronica Moretti
The chapter critically analyzes the concepts and the practices of surveillance in modern and postmodern societies along with their consequences. We show the changes in the…
Abstract
The chapter critically analyzes the concepts and the practices of surveillance in modern and postmodern societies along with their consequences. We show the changes in the systems, which are used to monitor individuals, and emphasize the transition toward soft surveillance systems, probably stimulated by digital technologies. This switch from top-down control to “lateral” monitoring systems encloses surveillance practices with suggestive names like interveillance, synopticon, and dataveillance. The dark side of digital health has a bright start. According to Topol’s (2016) vision of the future, we will soon be the “consumers,” the real protagonists, of the management of our health – thanks largely to the practically endless data about our bodies, behaviors, and lifestyles we will be able to collect and analyze. We will share our health information in real time with the doctors whom we will choose based on their score in clinical rankings (here, too, quantification rears its head). Yet, this simplified version of health makes it seem that there are always some solutions, which the algorithm can supply as long as it has enough information. Moreover, in the United States, some health-insurance companies have started to offer a discount on premiums to the members who agree to collect and share self-tracking data with them. Clearly, the discount is given only to the workers who have healthy habits. At first sight, this can seem as a win-win trade-off; however, what today is presented as an individual option can easily become a requirement tomorrow.
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Barbara Jayne Orser and Catherine Jane Elliott
This study aims to problematize how gender is enacted within entrepreneurship education and training (EET).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to problematize how gender is enacted within entrepreneurship education and training (EET).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a social feminist lens, this study advances principles, a conceptual framework, assessment criteria and illustrative performance metrics to inform gender-sensitive EET programs and courses. Findings are based on a cross-case thematic analysis of two large-scale case studies conducted in Canada and Jordan.
Findings
The findings bridge social feminist theory and EET studies. The originality of the research rests in its utilization of the principles and conceptual framework to examine EET and to inform the development, design and assessment of gender-sensitive programs and courses.
Research limitations/implications
The framework and criteria do not differentiate types or levels of EET. The investigators lead the assessment of curricula and co-construction of gender-sensitive course content. Interpreter bias cannot be ruled out.
Practical implications
The proposed principles, framework, criteria and performance will assist stakeholders in EET program/course design, content, delivery and evaluation.
Social implications
Aligned with the United Nation Sustain Development Goal 5 (gender equity), the findings demonstrate the value of adapting a critical lens across all elements of EET and responding to biases in participant selection and engagement, program design and curricula.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first studies to use a social feminist perspective and case study methodology to inform criteria to assess EET.