Search results

1 – 4 of 4
Article
Publication date: 9 September 2024

Samar Aad and Mariann Hardey

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has seen exponential growth in recent years due to its capability to generate original content through natural language processing and…

Abstract

Purpose

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has seen exponential growth in recent years due to its capability to generate original content through natural language processing and comprehensive language models. This paper aims to investigate the transformative impact of GAI on higher education, focusing on the evolving roles of faculty in the classroom.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a phenomenological perspective and a process approach, the study involved 25 semi-structured interviews with academicians in higher education.

Findings

The findings reveal that GAI currently creates biased and commercially driven learning environments, challenging traditional pedagogical models. Despite its potential for enhancing education, the autonomous nature of GAI often prioritizes commercial interests over pedagogical goals.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to faculty perspectives, suggesting future research should include student viewpoints and diverse educational contexts.

Practical implications

The study highlights the need for higher education institutions to develop comprehensive policies, provide training for faculty and students and design new courses that leverage GAI for personalized learning experiences and enhanced faculty research.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the emerging literature on GAI’s impact on education, highlighting its dual nature as both a transformative tool and a potential threat to traditional educational roles and outcomes.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2019

Samar Aad Makhoul

This paper aims to study the relationship between higher education accreditation and teaching and learning enhancements in academic institutions. Higher education institutions are…

1111

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the relationship between higher education accreditation and teaching and learning enhancements in academic institutions. Higher education institutions are now looking at satisfying the standard by standard list assigned by internationally recognized accreditation agencies. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether outside quality confirmation can truly influence the inward life of higher education institutions. Will accreditation implementation have an impact on teaching and learning enhancement and drive institution change?

Design/methodology/approach

This study was based on an explanatory qualitative design whereby individual faculty members who are tenured or in tenure-track positions in business schools in Lebanese universities were interviewed. The latter universities from which interviewees were questioned are either the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited or currently pursuing accreditation. The sample included 30 faculty members from four different higher education Lebanese institutions.

Findings

Following thorough review of previous literature, and building on the outcomes of the interviews conducted for the purpose of this research, the author deduced that AACSB serves as the optimal guiding mechanism that incorporates effective evaluation criteria for learning quality and universities. There also exist a lack of commonality and shared standards among accrediting agencies. The researchers also highlight the need to introduce further quantification into the accrediting measures adopted including faculty retention and student attrition rates.

Research limitations/implications

Ranking agencies were not considered in this study. Those can be used to assess the effectiveness of higher education institutions and will provide fair quality assurance of learning. It is encouraged to incorporate the ranking agencies variable within the scope of future studies for further analysis.

Practical implications

The paper includes the need to introduce further quantification into the accrediting measures adopted including faculty retention and student attrition rates.

Originality/value

The focus of this study will be of particular interest to Business school seeking or maintaining accreditation. It will also be of interest to the Lebanese government if they want to look at having a regional accreditation. Future research could possibly explore the need to have a regional accreditation especially with the emerging numbers of higher education institutions in Lebanon.

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. 35 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2054-6238

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2024

Karen Souki, Samar Samir Aad and Silva Karkoulian

This study aims to examine organizational justice, innovation and 360-degree feedback appraisals. It examines how 360-degree feedback appraisals affect innovative behavior…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine organizational justice, innovation and 360-degree feedback appraisals. It examines how 360-degree feedback appraisals affect innovative behavior, execution and creative asset use. This paper examines organizational justice (distributive, procedural and interactional) and employee perceptions of 360-degree feedback systems. Finally, this study investigates how procedural and interactional justice mediate the relationship between innovative behavior and 360-degree feedback appraisals.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 200 participants from diverse locations, including Lebanon, Europe, the GCC, North Africa and Australia, spanning various occupations and industries were asked to complete the survey. This sample targeted participants who would be interested in the topic and who were selected from a diverse demographic characteristic. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software was used to analyze the research data.

Findings

This study reveals important connections within organizations. It shows a positive link between using 360-degree feedback appraisals and innovation, including idea generation and implementation. In addition, it confirms that using such feedback is linked to employees' perceptions of fairness. Moreover, it finds a positive connection between innovation and fairness. Finally, it highlights organizational fairness as a key mediator between 360-degree feedback and innovation.

Research limitations/implications

The recent investigations conducted exhibit various limitations that open avenues for prospective research. Initially, a cross-sectional design was used, presenting an opportunity for future research to consider adopting a longitudinal approach. This method could facilitate the collection and analysis of data over time, allowing for a more nuanced exploration of causality. Moreover, this research concentrated solely on a singular component of performance appraisal, namely, 360-degree feedback. To enrich future investigations, researchers are encouraged to encompass other facets of performance appraisal, such as gauging satisfaction with and the efficacy of performance appraisal. Furthermore, potential future studies may delve into exploring the mediating impact of other variables in the relationship between 360-degree feedback and innovative behavior, such as job satisfaction and affective commitment. In addition, the potential role of various moderating variables, including organizational culture, perceived organizational support and structural empowerment, could be investigated in forthcoming studies.

Practical implications

The study's findings carry practical implications for various stakeholders, encompassing employees, managers and policymakers. Managers aiming to foster an innovative culture should meticulously craft a 360-degree evaluation system that recognizes and incentivizes both concrete and intangible manifestations of innovation. The examination conducted in this research suggests a robust correlation between the existence of a 360-degree evaluation and behaviors related to ideation, encompassing idea generation and implementation.

Social implications

To cultivate innovative behavior among employees, managers should empower their workforce, and one effective approach is to enhance employees' perceptions of the quality of performance appraisals. Recognizing employee innovative behavior emerges as a crucial prerequisite for the growth, development and sustainability of organizations, demanding specific attention from both managers and policymakers. In the organizational context, the relationship between innovative behavior and perceptions of organizational justice shows that organizations should aim at fostering an atmosphere that promotes creativity while also ensuring fair treatment and recognition for contributors.

Originality/value

Despite the array of research on the relationship between innovative behavior and 360-degree feedback, this study is the first to examine the mediating effect of organizational justice on the relationship between 360-degree feedback and innovative behavior.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 December 2021

Kevin Sevag Kertechian, Silva Karkoulian, Hussein N. Ismail and Samar Samir Aad Makhoul

This study aims to examine the effect of experience abroad, academic success and university reputation on students' employability in the Lebanese labor market.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of experience abroad, academic success and university reputation on students' employability in the Lebanese labor market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a between-subject design to identify whether academic success, university reputation and experience abroad have an impact on how potential recruiters (i.e. employers) are perceiving student employability. The study uses 16 fictitious applications of business graduates, which differed in grade-point average, university reputation and experience abroad, rated by 784 Lebanese professionals.

Findings

The results suggest that high-performing students with experience abroad and high-performing students from a reputable university are perceived to be more employable. For low-performing students, having completed an experience abroad results in a lower reward in terms of employability.

Research limitations/implications

The present study offers an analysis of students' employability through employers' lens; it offers insights for students on how to be perceived as more employable in a context where competition among future workers is fierce.

Practical implications

The results of this research provide a roadmap for graduates for enhancing their employability in Lebanese markets and offer actionable insights to employers.

Originality/value

The most original contribution of this study is the analysis of university reputation impact on the likelihood of receiving positive feedback during the evaluation process. The impact of two Lebanese universities, one ranked in the QS ranking and one not, was investigated.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 12 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

1 – 4 of 4