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1 – 10 of 98Lisette Mangaza, Denis Jean Sonwa, Germain Batsi, Jérôme Ebuy and Jean-Marie Kahindo
This paper aims to produce a framework for climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in the Yangambi landscape, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This would enable the authors to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to produce a framework for climate-smart agriculture (CSA) in the Yangambi landscape, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This would enable the authors to identify agricultural practices, assess vulnerability to climate change, identify options for improving agricultural systems from a climate change mitigation and adaptation perspective and finally provide climate-smart agricultural options.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used household survey methods of data collection. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire survey by interviewing 250 farm households, subdivided using three axes of the Yangambi landscape. Fisher’s exact test was used to determine relationships between two or more variables.
Findings
Results of the survey revealed that the vast majority (98%) of respondents perceived changes in temperature, rainfall and weather patterns. Reduction of crop yields and the emergence of new weed species and new crop pests are the main impacts on agricultural activities. Although 87.6% of respondents have no means of adaptation and resilience, some of them use crops rotation, fallow practice, fertilizers and bio-pesticides. A framework for CSA is proposed for the Yangambi landscape.
Practical implications
Policies and strategies to promote CSA in the study area should take into account local farmers' perceptions of climate change and consider first the adequacy of CSA practices for the specific conditions of the target area before its promotion. This study is thus useful for many REDD+ initiatives that are currently being promoted in DRC and particularly in the Tshopo Province.
Originality/value
This study is one of the first studies to focus on CSA in the Yangambi landscape, DRC. It assists the use of agriculture as a response to reducing deforestation while at the same time lowering agriculture’s carbon footprint and promoting a resilient and more productive farming system.
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Sharon Slade, Paul Prinsloo and Mohammad Khalil
The purpose of this paper is to explore and establish the contours of trust in learning analytics and to establish steps that institutions might take to address the “trust…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and establish the contours of trust in learning analytics and to establish steps that institutions might take to address the “trust deficit” in learning analytics.
Design/methodology/approach
“Trust” has always been part and parcel of learning analytics research and practice, but concerns around privacy, bias, the increasing reach of learning analytics, the “black box” of artificial intelligence and the commercialization of teaching and learning suggest that we should not take stakeholder trust for granted. While there have been attempts to explore and map students’ and staff perceptions of trust, there is no agreement on the contours of trust. Thirty-one experts in learning analytics research participated in a qualitative Delphi study.
Findings
This study achieved agreement on a working definition of trust in learning analytics, and on factors that impact on trusting data, trusting institutional understandings of student success and the design and implementation of learning analytics. In addition, it identifies those factors that might increase levels of trust in learning analytics for students, faculty and broader.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on expert opinions as such there is a limitation of how much it is of a true consensus.
Originality/value
Trust cannot be assumed is taken for granted. This study is original because it establishes a number of concerns around the trustworthiness of learning analytics in respect of how data and student learning journeys are understood, and how institutions can address the “trust deficit” in learning analytics.
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Nguyen Dong Phong, Nguyen Huu Khoi and Angelina Nhat-Hanh Le
Mobile shopping is the current trend for firms to conduct business, having great advantages over electronic shopping as well as traditional shopping. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile shopping is the current trend for firms to conduct business, having great advantages over electronic shopping as well as traditional shopping. The purpose of this paper is to discuss not only the driving forces of mobile shopping behaviors from the theory of reasoned action (TRA) perspective, but also the additional promotion and barrier sides of the mobile business.
Design/methodology/approach
A structural equation modeling approach with latent constructs is applied on a self-administered survey data of 208 Vietnamese consumers to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results of this study have proved the predictive power of TRA in exploring consumer behavior in the context of mobile shopping. Also, both promotion and barrier variables have significantly strong impacts on the intention to adopt mobile shopping.
Research limitations/implications
Future studies would benefit from investigating other variables (e.g. specific aspects of trust and risk) and using actual behavior (e.g. online purchases).
Practical implications
Business managers should pay attention to both promotion and barrier factors to understand how and why Vietnamese consumers adopt mobile shopping.
Originality/value
This pioneering study adapts the TRA model with extended promotion and barrier variables to explain mobile shopping in the context of Vietnam.
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Deybbi Cuéllar-Molina, Antonia Mercedes García-Cabrera and Ma de la Cruz Déniz-Déniz
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the emotional intelligence (EI) of the person in charge of making human resource management (HRM) decisions on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the emotional intelligence (EI) of the person in charge of making human resource management (HRM) decisions on the adoption of high-performance human resource (HR) practices in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study takes evidences from 157 HR decision makers in SMEs who autonomously make the decisions in the HR area and were responsible for the HR practices in their firm. The authors used multiple linear regression analysis to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Results show that both the EI and the different EI competencies of which it is comprised affect the adoption of various HR practices. Thus, the main theoretical contribution of this work stems from the incorporation of a psychological variable (EI) as an antecedent of HRM. Managers of the SME will find guidance about which emotional competencies are the most important for them to be more successful in their roles and for improving HRM.
Research limitations/implications
First, the sample of firms the authors studied is limited to a specific geographic area in one country – Spain (Canary Islands) – that will necessarily limit generalisation of the results obtained to other populations of SMEs. Researchers should replicate the current model in other geographic areas. Second, and with regard the methodology, researchers could explore other tools to measure EI and emotional competencies. It would be interesting to measure this construct using qualitative analytical techniques, with 360 – or 180 – degree tools. Finally, the current study is cross-sectional in nature, which limits our ability to draw causal inferences from the data. This cross-sectional design prevents us, for example, from analysing EI’s influence on the continued development of high-performance HR practices over time. Future research using longitudinal methodologies to study these variables could provide additional advances in this area. This work makes important contributions to both the literature and the business world. With regard to the theoretical implications, results confirm that EI as a whole, as well as in terms of its specific emotional competencies, affects the decision making related to the adoption of high-performance HR practices, which is known to contribute to the organisational performance.
Practical implications
With regard its practical implications, SMEs’ owners-managers and HR practitioners may find our results and conclusions interesting. Indeed, recommendations in business management have often been accompanied by new approaches in HRM (Kent, 2005), as this study proposes. In particular, managers will find evidence of how a decision-maker’s higher EI propitiates the adoption of high-performance HR practices, thus being able to improve HRM in their SMEs. Moreover, managers will obtain guidance on which emotional competencies are the most important for adopting each HR practice, and so find greater success in their HRM roles. SMEs could organise programmes to develop the HR decision-maker’s emotional competencies, as large firms do for their executives.
Originality/value
Thus, the main theoretical contribution of this work stems from the incorporation of a psychological variable (EI) as an antecedent of HRM. Managers of the SME will find guidance about which emotional competencies are the most important for them to be more successful in their roles and for improving HRM.
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Steffen Moritz, Cicek Hocaoglu, Anne Karow, Azra Deljkovic, Peter Tonn and Dieter Naber
Neuroleptic non-compliance remains a serious challenge for the treatment of psychosis. Non-compliance is predominantly attributed to side effects, lack of illness insight, reduced…
Abstract
Neuroleptic non-compliance remains a serious challenge for the treatment of psychosis. Non-compliance is predominantly attributed to side effects, lack of illness insight, reduced well-being or poor therapeutic alliance. However, other still neglected factors may also play a role. Further, little is known about whether psychiatric patients without psychosis who are increasingly prescribed neuroleptics differ in terms of medication compliance or about reasons for non-compliance by psychosis patients. As direct questioning is notoriously prone to social desirability biases, we conducted an anonymous survey. After a strict selection process blind to results, 95 psychiatric patients were retained for the final analyses (69 participants with a presumed diagnosis of schizophrenia psychosis, 26 without psychosis). Self-reported neuroleptic non-compliance was more prevalent in psychosis patients than non-psychosis patients. Apart from side effects and illness insight, main reasons for non-compliance in both groups were forgetfulness, distrust in therapist, and no subjective need for treatment. Other notable reasons were stigma and advice of relatives/acquaintances against neuroleptic medication. Gain from illness was a reason for non-compliance in 11-18% of the psychosis patients. Only 9% of all patients reported no side effects and full compliance and at the same time acknowledged that neuroleptics worked well for them. While pills were preferred over depot injections by the majority of patients, depot was judged as an alternative by a substantial subgroup. Although many patients acknowledge the need and benefits of neuroleptic medication, non-compliance was the norm rather than the exception in our samples.
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P.G.S. Amila Jayarathne, B.T.K. Chathuranga, N.J. Dewasiri and Sudhir Rana
This study aims to investigate the motives of mobile payment adoption from both customers' and retailers' perspectives in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic period. It also…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the motives of mobile payment adoption from both customers' and retailers' perspectives in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic period. It also aims to compare the motives of mobile payment adoption across rural and urban contexts.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a mixed-method approach with a concurrent research design. Both a survey of customers and in-depth interviews of managers in retail companies are used.
Findings
The study discloses that performance expectancy and facilitating conditions (PEFC), Hedonic motivation (HM) and perceived technology security (PTS) as significant motives for customers to adopt mobile payment during this pandemic period. Such findings are confirmed by the four challenges disclose by the retailers. The unfamiliarity of customers, lack of employees' knowledge on mobile payment systems, poor management orientation and lack of computer literacy of customers are the main challenges from the retailers' perspectives. Further, it shows, though PEFC is a common motive, other motives are different across rural and urban.
Practical implications
The findings of the study are helpful for retailers and policymakers. Retailers can develop strategies to enhance mobile payment adoption through PEFC, HM and PTS by giving special attention to the rural community. The main motive possible to use in both rural and urban contexts is PEFC. Further, retailers should take the initiatives to uplift the technological know-how of their employees while inculcating supportive management orientation. Policymakers can use this study to develop policies to enhance the community's familiarity with mobile payment technology and computer literacy.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate motives for adopting mobile payments from both customers' and retailers' perspectives while being the first scrutiny to compare rural and urban scenarios. The use of mixed methods with concurrent research design also contributes to originality.
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Building Information Modelling (BIM) education promises new and exciting opportunities for more integrated learning experiences, multidisciplinary collaboration and greater…
Abstract
Purpose
Building Information Modelling (BIM) education promises new and exciting opportunities for more integrated learning experiences, multidisciplinary collaboration and greater synthesis between the learning environment and real-world projects. This paper aims to report the findings of a systematic review of the BIM education literature aimed at understanding the current state of the art of BIM-enabled education.
Design/Methodology/Approach
The systematic review methodology adopted borrows from the approach developed and widely deployed in evidence-based practice within the medical research field.
Findings
A total of 330 relevant articles were identified and analysed. Reported instances of BIM-enabled education were identified and analysed. It was found that these can be categorised into two groups: BIM as a learning tool and BIM as a learning environment.
Research Limitations/Implications
This review was limited to the academic literature published in English from 2007 until January 2018.
Practical Implications
BIM as a learning environment represents a new paradigm for AEC education, which emphasises integration, multidisciplinary collaboration, simulation, real life scenarios and application of learning concepts.
Originality/Value
The concept of BIM as a learning environment requires further elaboration, after which it can be used to enhance AEC education.
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Theophilus O.O. Olowa, Emlyn Witt and Irene Lill
BIM education for construction professionals has tended to lag industry developments. This investigation initiates doctoral research into the use of BIM for construction…
Abstract
Purpose
BIM education for construction professionals has tended to lag industry developments. This investigation initiates doctoral research into the use of BIM for construction education. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of existing examples of BIM education, their characteristics, the challenges faced in their implementation and any clear trends to focus the doctoral research effort.
Design/Methodology/Approach
A systematic search of peer-reviewed BIM education literature was carried out. From the articles captured, 51 specific cases of BIM education were identified and analysed.
Findings
Most cases are from the USA with a more global spread from 2013. A tendency towards interdisciplinary collaboration was apparent though single discipline courses remain important. BIM software in education is dominated by Autodesk products. Most cases were found to be BIM-focused with few examples of BIM-enabled education. This was consistent with the most significant BIM education challenges that were found to relate to the skill levels of students, time and the availability of technical support.
Research Limitations/Implications
This is an initial study. It is based on only 51 cases of BIM education, which were partially described in peer reviewed conference and journal papers available in international databases.
Practical Implications
The investigation has shed some light on existing examples of BIM education and these are useful in designing BIM education initiatives as well as directing further research efforts.
Originality/Value
The study offers an original perspective on global BIM education. It also represents the commencement of doctoral research.
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Gennaro Maione, Corrado Cuccurullo and Aurelio Tommasetti
The study aims to shed light on the historical and contemporary trends of biodiversity accounting literature, while simultaneously offering insights into the future of research in…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to shed light on the historical and contemporary trends of biodiversity accounting literature, while simultaneously offering insights into the future of research in this sector. The paper also aims to raise awareness among accounting researchers about their role in preserving biodiversity and informing improvements in policy and practice in this area.
Design/methodology/approach
The Bibliometrix R-package is used to carry out an algorithmic historiography. The reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) methodology is implemented. It is a unique approach to bibliometric analysis that allows researchers to identify and examine historical patterns in scientific literature.
Findings
The work provides a distinct and comprehensive discussion of the four distinct periods demarcating the progression of scientific discourse regarding biodiversity accounting. These periods are identified as Origins (1767–1864), Awareness (1865–1961), Consolidation (1962–1995) and Acceleration (1996–2021). The study offers an insightful analysis of the main thematic advancements, interpretative paradigm shifts and theoretical developments that occurred during these periods.
Research limitations/implications
The paper offers a significant contribution to the existing academic debate on the prospects for accounting scholars to concentrate their research efforts on biodiversity and thereby promote advancements in policy and practice in this sector.
Originality/value
The article represents the first example of using an algorithmic historiography approach to examine the corpus of literature dealing with biodiversity accounting. The value of this study comes from the fusion of historical methodology and perspective. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is also the first scientific investigation applying RPYS in the accounting sector.
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Jang-Won Moon, Yuting An and William Norman
The purpose of this paper is to adopt the uses and gratifications theory to tourism.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to adopt the uses and gratifications theory to tourism.
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