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1 – 10 of 159Maria Helena Vinagre, Leonor Gaspar Pinto and Paula Ochôa
This paper aims to deepen the concept of service quality in digital libraries based on the analysis of the Digital Library Service Quality Model (adapted from Zeithaml…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to deepen the concept of service quality in digital libraries based on the analysis of the Digital Library Service Quality Model (adapted from Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Malhotra) and a multiple‐item scale (dlQUAL scale) created to evaluate the quality and performance of service delivered by the Portuguese Digital Library Consortium as part of the Digital Library Integrated Evaluation Programme.
Design/methodology/approach
The Digital Library Service Quality Model makes it possible to assess gaps between different levels based on a multiple‐item scale to evaluate service quality, which was designed as a web survey. Considering the strategical groups (users, LIS professionals, library managers and top managers), the research team developed four different web‐survey versions to evaluate the different gaps. In the first step of this study, they looked for measures validity.
Findings
The scale proved good psychometric proprieties. This study also showed the usefulness of the Digital Library Service Quality Model to evaluate and analyze digital libraries' service quality.
Practical implications
The scale is valid and useful to evaluate digital libraries' service quality and it can provide valuable performance information to digital libraries' decision‐makers. Moreover, the Digital Library Service Quality Model is a useful instrument to check the critical points that are related to organizational deficiencies. If these gaps are regularly monitored, it is possible to implement adequate correction measures and improve service quality.
Originality/value
This paper presents a Library Service Quality Model specifically designed to evaluate digital libraries.
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Job crafting is recently argued to have five dimensions (Nielsen et al., 2017): increasing challenging demands, decreasing social demands, increasing social job resources…
Abstract
Purpose
Job crafting is recently argued to have five dimensions (Nielsen et al., 2017): increasing challenging demands, decreasing social demands, increasing social job resources, increasing quantitative demands and decreasing hindrance demands. The purpose of this study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties and construct validity of the five-factor model of job crafting, introduced by using a sample of Jordanian university employees.
Design/methodology/approach
A pre-determined survey on was used. Accordingly, 513 professional workers in several universities completed the survey. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the internal consistency of the scale, whereas series of confirmatory factor (CFA) analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted to assess the scale’s factorial and discriminant validity. Other tests were also conducted.
Findings
As predicted, the proposed model best fit the data. Statistical analysis yielded several findings. First, the results of the reliability test revealed that the five sub-scales of job crafting had significant and sufficiently strong internal consistencies. Second, the results showed that the 15 items loaded significantly with a factor loadings more than 0.50. Third, the CFA results confirmed that the five-factor model best fitted the data in comparison to the one-factor model. Finally, the construct validity of JCRQ-15 was confirmed through its correlation with several validating variables.
Research limitations/implications
Some limitations need to be addressed. First, the sample came from participants working in specific Jordanian universities which may limit the generalization that could be made from the results to other occupations. Second, due to the cross-sectional design of the present study, the question remains whether the JCRQ-15 are stable overtime. Third, the common methods bias might be a problem because it is one of the main sources of measurement error in validation studies using self-reported scales.
Originality/value
The present study provided an early supportive evidence for the use of the JCRQ-15 as a valid measure of job crafting in the Jordanian context.
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This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the learning style construct conceptualized by Honey and Mumford (1986) in educational settings in the United Arab…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the reliability and validity of the learning style construct conceptualized by Honey and Mumford (1986) in educational settings in the United Arab Emirates.
Design/methodology/approach
Two independent samples from the UAE were used: one comprised 1,463 undergraduate students at the UAE University, and the other comprised 152 undergraduate students at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah. The data were analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha, inter-correlations and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).
Findings
Measured by alpha coefficients, the outcomes suggest that the learning styles questionnaire (LSQ) had moderate internal consistency in both samples. The inter-correlations reveal positive (weak to modest) correlations among the four learning styles for both samples, implying a lack of support for the two bipolar dimensions proposed by Kolb. CFA failed to support the four learning styles described by Honey and Mumford.
Research limitations/implications
This study used only two samples to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. Second, other statistical tools (e.g. test-retest, item analysis) usually used to determine the reliability and validity of instruments were not used. Furthermore, the study was conducted over a short period; nonetheless, it has various implications for researchers, educators and managers.
Originality/value
This investigation represents the first attempt to assess the LSQ’s reliability and validity in educational settings in the UAE. The findings contribute to the study of learning styles and instruments testing.
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Vincenza Capone and Giovanna Petrillo
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the validation of the Organizational Justice Index (OJI) by Hoy and Tarter (2004), a self-report questionnaire for teachers’…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the validation of the Organizational Justice Index (OJI) by Hoy and Tarter (2004), a self-report questionnaire for teachers’ perceptions of fairness in the operation and administration of schools.
Design/methodology/approach
In two studies the authors validated the Italian version of the OJI. Study 1 included 164 Italian high school teachers (76.8 percent were female) to test structure and construct validity. Study 2 involved 200 teachers (permanent and temporary teachers) to confirm the structure of the scale, test the construct and criterion validity, and invariance.
Findings
Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the one-factor solution and that the structure of the scale was the same across teachers. Results revealed high internal reliability. The OJI correlated positively with equity, school climate, and job satisfaction, and negatively with depression and burnout.
Research limitations/implications
Since the research approach could lead to common method variance issues, it will be important to determine the associations of OJI with non-self-report assessments.
Practical implications
The OJI can be applied optimally to: assess potential organizational problems prior to conducting major interventions; investigate school dynamic problems; target interventions designed to enhance perception of organizational justice; incorporate evaluation of organizational justice as part of regular employee assessments.
Originality/value
Overall findings fill the need of standardized measures of organizational justice for specific context. The OJI is a valid instrument to measure organizational justice in school, involving different type of teachers.
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Manuela Mika Jomori, Rossana Pacheco da Costa Proença, Maria Elena Echevarria-Guanilo, Greyce Luci Bernardo, Paula Lazzarin Uggioni and Ana Carolina Fernandes
The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of the construct validity by the known-groups method of a Brazilian cooking skills and healthy-eating questionnaire.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of the construct validity by the known-groups method of a Brazilian cooking skills and healthy-eating questionnaire.
Design/methodology/approach
Responses obtained from university students (n=767) for Brazilian-Portuguese cooking skills and health eating questionnaire, surveyed online, were submitted to construct validity comparing two known groups. The t-test was used to compare differences between gender (male and female) and the level of cooking knowledge (high or low) in each measure of the questionnaire. Internal consistency was evaluated by obtaining the Cronbach’s coefficient.
Findings
Women showed significantly higher means than men in all scale measures, except in the self-efficacy for using basic cooking techniques (SECT), where no differences were found. Students classified as having high cooking knowledge and had higher score means in all scales compared to the students with low levels. Internal consistency was adequate for all scales (a>0.70), except for cooking attitude (CA) (a=0.33) and cooking behavior (CB) scales (a=0.59).
Research limitations/implications
SECT likely depends on cooking knowledge, independent of gender, suggesting further examination. Items and structure of CA and CB constructs also need to be examined more deeply.
Practical implications
A validated cooking skills and health-eating questionnaire demonstrated its ability to detect differences between groups, useful to provide data for further interventions.
Originality/value
No available cooking skills questionnaires were found that have been validated by the known-groups method regarding differences between gender and individuals’ level of cooking knowledge, as conducted in this study.
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Diana Peña Gil, Mercedes García García and Celia Camilli Trujillo
Dog-assisted interventions (DAIs) are conducted by universities around the world as innovative methods that improve students’ quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Dog-assisted interventions (DAIs) are conducted by universities around the world as innovative methods that improve students’ quality of life. The purpose of this paper is to assess the DAI program’s effect on the stress levels, well-being and social skills of first-year students from different degree programs at Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted with 64 first-year students (M=19.20, SD=1.57). The intervention consisted of three weekly sessions of 1-h duration interacting with a therapy dog. The investigation followed a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design with measures of attitudes toward DAI, perceived stress, well-being and social skills.
Findings
The results indicated significant improvements in all studied variables.
Research limitations/implications
This study presents some limitations. In the design, the authors lack a control group. Another limitation is related to the sample, which was small. The authors also acknowledge that only one measure of each outcome variable was administered. Likewise, during the interventions, external observations should be added that generate qualitative records focused on student–dog interactions. In addition, physiological measures of stress, such as cortisol levels, should be included in the analysis to further support the obtained results. Nevertheless, as this was a pilot study, future investigations should aim to create a program using a larger sample of both participants as well as and dogs, with a linear/longitudinal design to measure both the mid- and long-term effects.
Practical implications
In addition, this pilot study was implemented to assist in the validation and adjustment of the DAI program for UCM students.
Social implications
By using a DAI program, college students have had the opportunity to reduce their stress and develop their social skills, as well as improve their quality of life as individuals and students. Although the implementation of Compludog was small, it was also promising as a pedagogical practice at UCM.
Originality/value
It was applied for the first time in a Spanish university and provided access to therapy dogs within this context.
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Abdallah Alsaad and Manaf Al-Okaily
This study explores the acceptance of protection technology, namely, exposure detection apps, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unlike other situations, the context of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the acceptance of protection technology, namely, exposure detection apps, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Unlike other situations, the context of the pandemic is characterized by large levels of threat and fear which largely affect the human decision-making process. To identify such characteristics, this study investigates the acceptance of exposure detection apps from the perspective of protection motivation theory (PMT). It examines how the perceived risk of Covid-19, perceived fear of Covid-19, self-efficacy, response efficacy and protection motivation interact to predict the acceptance of exposure detection apps.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 306 Jordanian participants, and structural equation modelling was used for data analysis.
Findings
The results reveal that acceptance of these apps is triggered by the perceived risk of Covid-19, which increases the experienced level of fear. The latter then initiates a compelling desire or motivation to protect oneself by using the recommended adaptive response (exposure detection app). The results show that an increased level of self-efficacy and perceived efficacy of exposure detection apps also contribute to the development of protection motivation and later the intent to use exposure detection apps.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the technology acceptance domain by developing a context-driven model of the key characteristics of pandemics that lead to different patterns of technology acceptance. The key components in designing effective marketing campaigns to prompt the use of exposures detection apps are discussed.
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Miguel Trigo-De la Cuadra, Natalia Vila-Lopez and Asunción Hernandez-Fernández
The experiences are the basis of the tourist sector and the creation of unique and unforgettable ones allows the differentiation from the competition. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
The experiences are the basis of the tourist sector and the creation of unique and unforgettable ones allows the differentiation from the competition. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of the experience when visiting a zoo on our emotions and how they influence our (positive and/or negative) behaviors and to investigate whether an innovation (gamification programs) could be used to intensify the relations proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected the experiences lived by 242 visitors in BIOPARC Valencia (a zoological park). Two subsamples were identified: 166 insatiable tourists who expressed that the gamification would complete their experience, and 76 conventional tourists who indicated that the current experience did not need any kind of improvement.
Findings
The results show that some of the proposed relationships are more tenuous among the insatiable visitors, defenders of gamification, which allows the authors to verify the possibilities offered by gamification.
Originality/value
First, although the impact of experiential modules on emotions and behaviors has already been investigated, as far as behavioral effects are concerned, the difference between positive behaviors (loyalty) and negative behaviors (complaints and claims) has not been addressed. Second, the relationship between both types of behaviors (positive and negative) in this sector has not been studied to date. Finally, although the literature recognizes the impact of technology and its importance as an instrument of experiential marketing, its empirical exploration remains uninvestigated. Indeed, to date, the willingness of consumers to adopt gamified strategies to improve their tourism experiences has not been investigated.
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Cristiane Drebes Pedron, Winnie Ng Picoto, Gurpreet Dhillon and Mário Caldeira
The purpose of this paper is to define objectives for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system adoption. The objectives provide a theoretical basis for strategizing about CRM…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to define objectives for Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system adoption. The objectives provide a theoretical basis for strategizing about CRM system adoption. The objectives also provide managers to clearly direct CRM system adoption, thus ensuring a highly successful outcome.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a sequential multi-method research in Europe. The initial qualitative phase constituted 62 in-depth interviews. Using Keeney’s (1992) value-focused thinking approach, the authors defined 102 CRM system adoption objectives. Quantitative purification techniques, using a sample of 210 organisations, a more parsimonious set of objectives were developed. The complete set of objectives were classified into fundamental and means objectives.
Findings
Results present three fundamental and three means objectives. These objectives allow for successful CRM system adoption. The three fundamental objectives are: maximise CRM organisational culture; ensure an effective relationship with CRM providers; and minimise CRM project risks. The three means objectives are: maximise CRM usage, maximise relational marketing capabilities, maximise CRM orientation.
Practical implications
This study provides strategic objectives that can be used by companies to plan adoption of a CRM system. Hence the fundamental and means objectives take the form a strategic planning template.
Originality/value
Although technology adoption has been well researched and has also been extended to address CRM systems, the focus has largely been behavioural. The strategic objectives for CRM system adoption, presented in this paper, are novel. Objectives enable decision making and resource planning. The combination of fundamental and means objectives provide a theoretical basis for ensuring successful CRM system adoption.
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