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Article
Publication date: 9 April 2024

Ahmed Shehata and Metwaly Eldakar

Social engineering is crucial in today’s digital landscape. As technology advances, malicious individuals exploit human judgment and trust. This study explores how age, education…

Abstract

Purpose

Social engineering is crucial in today’s digital landscape. As technology advances, malicious individuals exploit human judgment and trust. This study explores how age, education and occupation affect individuals’ awareness, skills and perceptions of social engineering.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research approach was used to survey a diverse demographic of Egyptian society. The survey was conducted in February 2023, and the participants were sourced from various Egyptian social media pages covering different topics. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-test and ANOVA, to compare awareness and skills across different groups.

Findings

The study revealed that younger individuals and those with higher education tend to research social engineering more frequently. Males display a higher level of awareness but score lower in terms of social and psychological consequences as well as types of attacks when compared to females. The type of attack cannot be predicted based on age. Higher education is linked to greater awareness and ability to defend against attacks. Different occupations have varying levels of awareness, skills, and psychosocial consequences. The study emphasizes the importance of increasing awareness, education and implementing cybersecurity measures.

Originality/value

This study’s originality lies in its focus on diverse Egyptian demographics, innovative recruitment via social media, comprehensive exploration of variables, statistical rigor, practical insights for cybersecurity education and diversity in educational and occupational backgrounds.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 April 2024

Wenwei Huang, Deyu Zhong and Yanlin Chen

Construction enterprises are achieving the goal of production safety by increasingly focusing on the critical factor of “human” and the impact of individual characteristics on…

Abstract

Purpose

Construction enterprises are achieving the goal of production safety by increasingly focusing on the critical factor of “human” and the impact of individual characteristics on safety performance. Emotional intelligence is categorized into three models: skill-based, trait-based and emotional learning systems. However, the mechanism of action and the internal relationship between emotional intelligence and safety performance must be further studied. This study intends to examine the internal mechanism of emotional intelligence on safety performance in construction projects, which would contribute to the safety management of construction enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural equation model exploring the relationship between emotional intelligence and safety performance is developed, with political skill introduced as an independent dimension, situational awareness presented as a mediator, and management safety commitment introduced as a moderator. Data were collected by a random questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS 24.0 and AMOS 26.0. The structural equation model tested the mediation hypothesis, and the PROCESS macro program tested the moderated mediation hypothesis.

Findings

The results showed that construction workers' emotional intelligence directly correlates with safety performance, and situational awareness plays a mediating role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and the safety performance of construction workers. Management safety commitment weakens the positive predictive relationships between emotional intelligence and situational awareness and between emotional intelligence and safety performance.

Originality/value

This research reveals a possible impact of emotional intelligence on safety performance. Adding political skills to the skill-based model of emotional intelligence received a test pass. Political skill measures the sincere and cooperative skills of construction workers. Using people as a critical element plays a role in the benign mechanism of “Emotional Intelligence – Situational Awareness – Safety Performance.” Improving emotional intelligence skills through training, enhancing situational awareness, understanding, anticipation and coordination and activating management environment factors can improve safety performance. Construction enterprises should evaluate and train workers' emotional intelligence to improve workers' situational awareness and safety performance.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 August 2014

Joanna Poon and Michael Brownlow

The purpose of this paper is to review how real estate students perceive and define commercial awareness, which is one of the most important employability skills. This paper also…

1180

Abstract

Purpose –

The purpose of this paper is to review how real estate students perceive and define commercial awareness, which is one of the most important employability skills. This paper also examines students’ perceptions about how their courses support and develop their commercial awareness. In addition, it compares students’ and academics’ views on commercial awareness and identifies whether there are any gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the research findings of a questionnaire survey and e-mail discussions with students who are currently studying Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)-accredited real estate courses in the UK. The questionnaire aimed to gather students’ views on the definitions and components of commercial awareness and identify what skills and attributes are required for its development. It also evaluates how commercial awareness has been embedded in the real estate courses. The aim of each discussion was to gain deeper insight on how components of commercial awareness are embedded in real estate courses, and 17 discussions were conducted. The contents of the e-mail discussions were analysed and similar themes were identified and coded. The frequency of the answer in the questionnaire and comments from interviewees is presented. The findings from students’ views have been compared to published research reporting UK RICS-accredited real estate course providers’ views on commercial awareness. In addition to descriptive statistics, Fisher's exact test was used to identify the statistical significance between the academics’ and students’ views on commercial awareness.

Findings

The UK real estate students agreed that the most important definition of commercial awareness is a “person's ability to understand the economics of business”. They agreed that “financial” component is the most important component of commercial awareness and it is the largest portion of their courses. The most important skill and attribute for commercial awareness development are “critical thinking” and “ability and willingness to update professional knowledge”, respectively. Although the descriptive analysis shows students and academics have different views on the definition and components of commercial awareness and its incorporation within real estate courses, the Fisher exact test shows that only a few elements are different enough to be statistically significant. This analysis shows that while students and academics have slightly different views on commercial awareness they are not very different. Commercial awareness is an important employability skill, thus, it is still necessary for real estate academics to re-visit the curriculum and to ensure learning outcomes related to commercial awareness have been clearly explained and communicated to students. Furthermore, it is vital for students to obtain practical experience in order to fully develop their commercial awareness.

Originality/value

This paper is a pioneer study focused on reviewing real estate students’ views on commercial awareness, including identifying its definition, components and evaluating the extent to which commercial awareness has been embedded in their courses. It also identifies the skills and attributes that students thought were required for the development of commercial awareness. Furthermore, it discusses students’ preferred ways of enhancing their commercial awareness as part of the course they are studying. It is the first study identifying the statistical difference between students’ and academics’ views on commercial awareness. The understanding of students’ views on commercial awareness, their preferred delivery method and the divergence between students’ and academics’ views on commercial awareness can provide useful insights for course directors on the development and renewal of real estate course curriculum.

Details

Property Management, vol. 32 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 October 2022

Amzad Hossain, Ying Kong, Harvey Briggs and Kim Laycock

This paper aims to analyze Northern Manitoba employers' indexes of employability skills that influence the UCN (University College of the North) students' employability in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze Northern Manitoba employers' indexes of employability skills that influence the UCN (University College of the North) students' employability in indigenous contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

This study constructs the employability skills into six indexes from employers' perspective: reading comprehension, numeracy, technology, soft skills, job searching skills and indigenous cultural awareness. Mixed methods have been applied to this research: survey data are used for empirical analysis of the six indexes of employability skills; secondary sources of similar studies together with functional theory in education as a framework is adopted to explore the breadth and depth of employability skills requested by employers; indexing analysis is adopted to validate the necessity of developing such skills in indigenous contexts in Northern Manitoba.

Findings

The correlation analyses and mean values show that employers in Northern Manitoba take the six indexes as influential factors of students' employability. As such, the study indicates that Northern Manitoba employers consider employability in indigenous contexts as a combination of basic skills, professional requirements, soft skills and cultural awareness. The employers' attested employability is in line with the concept of the technical-function theory, which requires education to meet the demand for updated job skills due to a technological change. Moreover, Northern Manitoba employers' emphasis on indigenous cultural awareness as employability skills rationalizes the necessity to integrate indigenous cultural contents into programs and curriculums in UCN and post-secondary institutes with similar attributes. It confirms that indigenous cultural awareness is required by employers in Northern Manitoba populated with indigenous communities. The research findings suggest that the functional theory of education might help UCN and similar institutions globally to offer programs that will reduce employment inequality.

Research limitations/implications

This research is conducted among the employers in Northern Manitoba, and the indexes and their factors are designed to evaluate UCN students' employability in general.

Practical implications

The outcomes of this paper can be applied as a parameter for upgrading educational strategies to integrate essential and professional employability skills such as reading comprehension, numeracy, technology, soft skills and job searching skills with indigenous cultural components into UCN curriculums and programs. It can be applied to other post-secondary institutes with similar attributes to enhance their students' employability. Furthermore, the research findings can be used as a guideline for UCN to tailor their programs for the job market locally and as references for post-secondary institutions with similar student compositions globally.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical evidence from the employers' viewpoint to support the necessity of integrating essential and professional employability skills with indigenous cultural awareness into the curriculums and programs of UCN, a post-secondary institution in indigenous populated Northern Manitoba. Furthermore, it is also attested that employers consider indigenous cultural awareness as an influential factor of students' employability in indigenous contexts.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 12 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 November 2020

Amzad Hossain, Harvey Briggs and Ying Kong

The purpose of this study is to analyze the indexes of employability assets that affect students' employability in Indigenous contexts.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze the indexes of employability assets that affect students' employability in Indigenous contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The study restructures the indicators developed from the survey the authors did for the Vital Outcome Indicators for Community Engagement (VOICE) research project into six employability indexes. The six indexes are reading and comprehension, numeracy, technological mastery, contribution to organizational performance, job searching skills and cultural awareness. The study has applied mixed research method, which is the combination of survey and secondary data analyses.

Findings

All six indexes have impacts on students' employability in various degrees with a high level of internal consistency among the indicators. The regression analysis reveals that the technological mastery, reading and comprehension and numeracy indexes significantly influence students' contribution to the organizational performance. The results also show that cultural awareness has impacts on employability but students do not connect it to the required employability skills. Such disconnection of cultural awareness with employability skills justifies the necessity to integrate Indigenous cultural contents into programs and curriculums in today's post-secondary education, particularly in the University College of the North (UCN), improving students' cultural knowledge, which, in return, enhances their employability in Indigenous contexts. The result is also applicable globally to countries which have large populations of Indigenous people such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Mexico and other regions where workplaces are set in Indigenous contexts.

Research limitations/implications

The research survey was only conducted within students of UCN Thompson campus.

Practical implications

The results of this paper can be used as a guideline to adjust teaching/learning strategies with a focus on integrating Indigenous cultural components into UCN courses and programs, including other institutions with similar attributes to enhance Indigenous students' employability. UCN tri-council, faculty, community leaders, researchers, government and NGOs can also use the outcome of this paper to articulate polices that enhance students' employability. The outcome and strategic implication of the study can also be applicable to any institutions in a global Indigenous context.

Originality/value

The authors of the paper provide empirical evidence from the indexes of the employability assets including their indicators affecting students' employability. It is attested that cultural awareness index have impacts on students' employability in Indigenous context.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 January 2022

Peter J. Jordan, Neal M. Ashkanasy and Sandra A. Lawrence

Purpose: During turbulent social and economic times, perceptions of job insecurity can be expected to increase. In this chapter, we outline a theoretical model that links…

Abstract

Purpose: During turbulent social and economic times, perceptions of job insecurity can be expected to increase. In this chapter, we outline a theoretical model that links perceptions of job insecurity to lower affective commitment and high work-related stress, resulting in employees' engaging in poor decision-making behavior. We argue further that employees who possess individual skills of being aware of emotions and managing emotions are less susceptible to such behavior. Study Design/Methodology/Approach: We tested our model in two studies. The first study was conducted using an online sample of 217 respondents. The second study used a split administration design conducted in a single organization and used a sample of 579 employees. Findings: Our data revealed that job insecurity is linked to negative decision-making behaviors and that better emotional awareness and management skills may reduce negative decision-making behaviors. Originality/Value: Our findings support the notion of threat rigidity theory where we found that job insecurity affects how individuals make decisions. Our analysis suggests that the individual's level of emotional skills can act as a form of behavioral control that can ameliorate the effects of job insecurity on decision-making behavior. Research Limitations: Both studies had a female gender bias in our sampling frames. There is a possibility of common method variance affecting the results of Study 1, and both studies involved the use of a self-report measure of emotional skills.

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2020

Sarath Tomy and Eric Pardede

Start-up intention among university students is related to the image of entrepreneurship as a career alternative. University is critical in developing the levels of motivation and…

2988

Abstract

Purpose

Start-up intention among university students is related to the image of entrepreneurship as a career alternative. University is critical in developing the levels of motivation and capabilities of graduates to effectively engage in entrepreneurial activity. The purpose of this paper is to propose an entrepreneurial intention model focussing on higher education and the implementation of the model as a practical digital application which can be used in universities to improve the entrepreneurial intention of students enrolled in different courses.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first discusses the importance of entrepreneurial intention in graduate entrepreneurship. Then, it proposes an entrepreneurial intention model based on the four propositions identified from the literature. Finally, the model is implemented as a practical digital application focussing on self-skill awareness, entrepreneurial resources and entrepreneurial support network. A survey is conducted with students to evaluate the model and the application.

Findings

Entrepreneurial awareness found to have a positive effect of entrepreneurial intention. Besides the conceptual model, this study has developed a digital application to enhance entrepreneurial intention of students focussing on information technology discipline. The application is evaluated through an online survey and the results show that the application can significantly improve entrepreneurial intention.

Originality/value

The proposed entrepreneurial intention model and the digital application offer guidance to universities as to how online systems can be used to create an environment that fosters individual intentions to select entrepreneurship as a career option, even for students doing non-entrepreneurial courses.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 26 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 1999

Jim Stewart and Vanessa Knowles

The first of a series of three articles examining the role of higher education in preparing graduates for “self‐managing” their careers, with particular reference to small to…

7550

Abstract

The first of a series of three articles examining the role of higher education in preparing graduates for “self‐managing” their careers, with particular reference to small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) as potential employers. Examines key trends in the graduate labour market, including the increasing numbers entering higher education (HE) and the possible consequences for graduate careers. Explores actual and potential responses by HE institutions and related implications for the curriculum of undergraduate programmes. Provides a brief review of career theory. This leads to presentation of a conceptual model to inform the notion of “self‐managed careers”, and examines associated knowledge and skills required for application of the model in practice. Prepares the ground for reporting the results of empirical research in the second article in the series.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 4 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 July 2014

Chiaki Okada

To highlight and explain some characteristics of sport which can contribute to HIV/AIDS awareness as a part of comprehensive HIV/AIDS countermeasures. HIV/AIDS is among the most…

Abstract

Purpose

To highlight and explain some characteristics of sport which can contribute to HIV/AIDS awareness as a part of comprehensive HIV/AIDS countermeasures. HIV/AIDS is among the most crucial of global issues, and sport is widely viewed as a possible vehicle to counter it. By using data from a Zimbabwe study, the chapter draws on several unique characteristics of sport which can help in combating challenging social problems.

Findings

Several characteristics of “awareness activities” in Zimbabwean baseball were observed. Some points are characteristics of sport itself, some are related specifically to baseball, and the others are, we can say, peculiar to the activities of the Zimbabwe Baseball Association (ZBA) and the Maxwell and Friends Foundation (MFF). As an awareness catalyst, sport has some unique characteristics, although we cannot say that promoting HIV/AIDS awareness through sport can always be effective for all fields. However, the worldwide increase in such activities shows certain advantages of using sport as an awareness tool.

Originality/value

This chapter shows some unique characteristics of sport in the field of HIV/AIDS awareness. It will contribute to the re-examination of sport from the perspective of Sport for Development and Peace (SDP).

Details

Sport, Social Development and Peace
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-885-3

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 November 2023

N.J. Antony and Shruti Tripathi

Literature suggests that less attention has been paid on teacher's and head of the school's outlook on when to introduce life skills education, which are the most important to be…

Abstract

Purpose

Literature suggests that less attention has been paid on teacher's and head of the school's outlook on when to introduce life skills education, which are the most important to be focused and developed first, and their opinion on effort already made to develop life skills among the students. Hence, the present study aims to focus on the teacher's and head of school's perspective with regard to the three most important life skills which need to be developed at the school level.

Design/methodology/approach

For the present study, a digital survey tool was developed (Google Form) and circulated across all the states to the Government and private school teachers and heads of school and access of the Google form was open from April 26 to May 7, 2022. A total of 770 school heads/teachers responded the survey spread over 17 different states. To address the objectives of the paper, descriptive and inferential analysis are carried out.

Findings

In the participant's view, self-awareness, effective communication and problem solving are found as the top most, second and third most important life skills to be focused respectively. Results reveal that the region, type of schools and gender of the respondents have no significant role to play in the choice of top three most important life schools to be focused the first. However, designation of the respondent's (teacher/head of the schools) and years of work experience in schools are found significantly associated with the choice of top three life skills. Study concludes that as various research studies have highlighted that all the life skills are inter-related so if the authors prioritize at least three identified top most first so others will be some and other way will start developing in parallel and can be taken up subsequently.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on digital data collected from the teachers and headmasters based on the survey link circulated through different communication channels. Also, sample is not uniform due to varied response rate across the states and therefore number of respondents participated in the survey varies significantly from one state to another state. The findings emerged from this study cannot be generalized at state level. Even generalization at national level needs to be done carefully as samples are not representative. However, this research demonstrates an interesting fact and will help teachers to prioritize top three skills to be implemented first followed by others.

Practical implications

This will help the teachers and heads of schools to use the top three skills that they need to insist by all means at the school level. This will also help the policy makers to keep note of the perception of the teaching community on life skills.

Social implications

This paper will bring focus on the importance of life skills to the education fraternity.

Originality/value

Less or no attempt has been made to understand teachers/head of school's perspective on initiation of life skills and which are the most important skills to be prioritized first. Hence, the study comes with an original concept.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 37 no. 6/7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

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