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1 – 10 of over 40000Yingxia Cao and Paul Hong
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of social media utilization in teaching by college faculty.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the antecedents and consequences of social media utilization in teaching by college faculty.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is based on literature review, the author's observations, and qualitative and quantitative information reported by 249 full‐time and part‐time faculty members.
Findings
There are four antecedent factors for social media utilization in teaching: faculty personal social media involvement and personal readiness; external pressures from peers, supervisors, students and their employment; expected benefits; and perceived risks. Two factors are important to assess the consequences of social media utilization in teaching: perceived student satisfaction and student learning outcomes.
Research limitations/implications
Data were obtained from only one university. This paper includes only simple statistical analysis, although structural equation analysis is more appropriate for testing the model.
Practical implications
The established social media utilization model suggests that the key to solving problems related to social media utilization in teaching is to address faculty's concerns and convince them about the benefits of social media utilization with examples and sound outcomes.
Originality/value
This study draws on both past publications and first‐hand research; it establishes a social media utilization model about the antecedents and consequences of social media utilization in teaching, and has both qualitative and quantitative data to support the model.
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Weiwei Yan, Qian Liu, Ruoyu Chen and Min Zhang
As an important platform for academic communication and knowledge acquisition, academic social network (ASN) has attracted worldwide researchers. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
As an important platform for academic communication and knowledge acquisition, academic social network (ASN) has attracted worldwide researchers. The purpose of this paper is to examine and compare the differences of corporation researchers in ASN utilization from the two aspects of social performance and academic performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying knowledge-based theory, this paper decoupled ASN into social network and academic network and measured utilization of users by social performance and academic performance. Hypotheses were proposed from the perspectives of research areas and corporate reputation. In the part of empirical research, the top 92 research corporations were selected as the sample, and relevant metric data from the member profile pages on ResearchGate was collected for comparing analysis to explore their utilization characteristics.
Findings
The results show that users of different research corporations have certain favoritism in their utilization of ASNs. Science and technology-oriented corporations are better in comprehensive social performance and academic quality. Science-oriented corporations are better at utilizing the interactive functions. However, neither social utilization nor academic utilization, technology-oriented corporations perform well.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on corporation researchers, who have started to embrace ASNs but whose behaviors were less studied. The research paradigm is an expansion and enrichment of the dual network decoupling theory in the field of ASN research. It also deepens the research on ASN utilization of corporation researchers and could give references for ASNs to improve service for corporation users in different research areas.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-12-2019-0389
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Arati Maleku, Youn Kyoung Kim and Guijin Lee
While social cohesion is important for the promotion of immigrant health, language is a core component through which immigrant groups establish social connections. Since language…
Abstract
Purpose
While social cohesion is important for the promotion of immigrant health, language is a core component through which immigrant groups establish social connections. Since language is a vehicle through which immigrant groups establish social linkages and that English language proficiency has been established as a virtual requirement for full participation in US society, the purpose of this paper is to examine the role of language in establishing social cohesion affecting immigrant health.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the 2012 California Health Interview Survey, the authors investigated the role of language efficacy in the relationship between social cohesion and utilization of healthcare among immigrant groups with good and poor health statuses (n=11,134). Mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS Macro.
Findings
The direct effect of social cohesion on healthcare utilization and the effect of English language efficacy on healthcare utilization were significant for both groups. English language efficacy was a significant mediator between social cohesion and healthcare utilization among immigrants with good health statuses.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include generalizability issues across immigrant sub-populations, limited measures in terms of English language efficacy and limitations with measures variables such as length of stay.
Social implications
This study highlights that language is the channel that plays a crucial role not only to establish and maintain social cohesion for positive health outcomes, but also the ripple effects of promoting trust, belonging, opportunity of upward mobility and inclusion.
Originality/value
The findings of the study add value to other pertinent issues of linguistic diversity, positive social relationships and well-being of diverse communities.
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Qinfang Hu, Haowei Yu, Huirong Wu and Jing Chen
This study aims to examine how implicit distance (cognitive and social) impacts supply chain capabilities, and the roles of information technology (IT) utilization and supply…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how implicit distance (cognitive and social) impacts supply chain capabilities, and the roles of information technology (IT) utilization and supply chain flexibility in this process.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors designed a conceptual model including the implicit distance, supply chain flexibility, supply chain capability and IT utilization and verified the relationships among variables through a survey that collected data from 104 manufacturing enterprises in China.
Findings
The results show that cognitive and social distances positively and negatively affect supply chain flexibility, respectively. Furthermore, IT utilization strengthens the positive effect of cognitive distance and the negative effect of social distance on supply chain flexibility. Additionally, supply chain flexibility has a positive effect on supply chain capability and mediates the effects of cognitive and social distances on supply chain capability.
Practical implications
Enterprises should prioritize cooperation with different types of partners with whom the enterprises have established good collaborative working experiences. Moreover, if enterprises cooperate with new partners, enterprises should communicate and handle things face to face instead of frequently utilizing IT.
Originality/value
This study links the implicit distance between enterprises with supply chain capability and newly applies social network theory to explain the mechanism. Further, the authors' data confirm the moderating role of IT utilization in this process, supplementing the research on implicit distance. Moreover, this study employs dynamic capability theory to better understand how firms can improve supply chain capabilities.
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The Centre for Utilisation of Social Science Research was set up at Loughborough University in 1967, under the directorship of Professor AB Cherns, with the aid of a grant from…
Abstract
The Centre for Utilisation of Social Science Research was set up at Loughborough University in 1967, under the directorship of Professor AB Cherns, with the aid of a grant from the Social Science Research Council. The idea for a Centre developed from Professor Cherns' concern about the fact that, while the quantity of social science research was increasing, its application lagged behind. The objectives of the programme which began in 1967 were to carry out research into the processes involved in the application of the social sciences, to develop a theoretically relevant description of the utilisation process, to investigate the relationships involved, and to promote the use of existing social science knowledge.
Yisca Monnickendam-Givon, Dafna Schwartz and Benjamin Gidron
The utilization of social networks is known to have an impact on micro-enterprise success. This study aims to examine the contribution of social networks in acquiring resources…
Abstract
Purpose
The utilization of social networks is known to have an impact on micro-enterprise success. This study aims to examine the contribution of social networks in acquiring resources and their role in the enterprise’s success.
Design/methodology/approach
A business’s success is influenced by its network structure and the network’s resources. The authors examine whether unique religious-cultural characteristics affect the social networks contribution to a business’s success. This model examines the network utilization of women entrepreneurs who own micro-enterprises in ultra-religious groups. The sample consists of 123 surveys completed by Jewish ultra-Orthodox women entrepreneurs in Israel. Data collection was conducted between February and June 2013. The authors used a snowball sampling approach where interviewees were asked to refer us to other entrepreneurs. In the hour-long interview, a questionnaire was used with open and closed questions.
Findings
Findings indicate that strong personal ties provide a micro-enterprise with social legitimacy, emotional support and assistance in the management and operation of daily activities. However, contrary to the existing literature, network utilization did not contribute to enterprise success. That is, in religious communities in particular, social networks enable the existence of businesses, but do not contribute to their success.
Practical implications
The practical implications of this paper are the mapping of the social network resources used by the business owner, such as financial consultations or professional assistance, as well as distinguishing between strong and weak ties, which reflect the intensity of the contact for better use of the social network by the entrepreneurs.
Originality/value
This study examined social networks’ contribution to the acquisition of resources, as well as the part they play in the success of ultra-orthodox women micro-entrepreneurs and perhaps other religious and minorities groups.
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Yusuf A. Adenle, Mohammed Abdul-Rahman and Oluwole A. Soyinka
As one of the buzzwords in the present age with considerable impacts in tertiary institutions, social media use in online teaching, learning and information dissemination have…
Abstract
Purpose
As one of the buzzwords in the present age with considerable impacts in tertiary institutions, social media use in online teaching, learning and information dissemination have been extensively discussed in extant literature. This paper aims to explore the existing campus sustainability appraisal (CSA) tools to identify the length at which social media has been used, especially in environmental sustainability indicators’ selection and empirical verification.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology is mainly based on a desktop study involving comprehensive review and content analysis of existing CSA tools’ documents. Webpage content analysis of selected sustainability monitoring and tracking system in higher education institutions was also conducted.
Findings
The tools' content analysis reveals insufficient utilization of social media data and platforms in campus sustainability environmental-dimension indicators selection. To bridge this identified research gap, social media user-generated content for appraising the campus-wide environmental sustainability indicators preference in tertiary institutions was proposed.
Practical implications
The adoption and modification of this study’s proposed approach by tertiary institutions, especially in sub-Saharan African countries, could help address most campus-wide environmental challenges raised, commented on and discussed on social media.
Originality/value
This study contributes to knowledge gaps by revealing the extent of social media utilization in extant tools. With the expanding utilization of different social media platforms by various tertiary institutions worldwide, their administrators' responsibility is to put these social media data into fair use.
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This paper proposes to rethink the concepts of relevance and usefulness and their relation to the theory–practice gap in management research.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper proposes to rethink the concepts of relevance and usefulness and their relation to the theory–practice gap in management research.
Methodology/approach
On the basis of the cognitive-linguistic relevance theory or inferential pragmatics, supplemented by insights from information science, we define relevance as a general conceptual category, while reserving usefulness for the instrumental application in a particular case.
Findings
There is no reason to hold onto the difference between theoretical and practical relevance, nor to distinguish between instrumental and conceptual relevance.
Originality/value
This novel approach will help to clarify the confusion in the field and contribute to a better understanding of the added value of management research.
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Ali Akbar Haddadi Harandi, Mona Bokharaei Nia and Changiz Valmohammadi
The importance of e-literacy of staff in the digital life is fundamentally very crucial, to such an extent that it is considered as one of the primary conditions for successful…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of e-literacy of staff in the digital life is fundamentally very crucial, to such an extent that it is considered as one of the primary conditions for successful utilization of knowledge management processes using social technologies within organizations. This study aims to explain and test a novel conceptual model to show the impact of applying social technologies on knowledge management (KM) processes in the context of Iranian organizations, considering the moderator role of e-literacy of employees.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on an in-depth study of the relevant literature, a questionnaire was designed. The sound questionnaires obtained from our sample size was 207 and respondents were experts in the field of information technology (IT) within the Central Office of Insurance companies in Tehran. The collected data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and path analysis.
Findings
The results indicate that the use of social technologies with the factor loading of 0.57 has the highest impact on knowledge exchange and 0.61 on knowledge utilization. In addition, the results indicate that e-literacy with the factor loadings of 0.69 and 0.74 has the highest impact on knowledge exchange and knowledge utilization, respectively. In addition, the impact of social technologies with the factor loading of 0.82 has the highest impact on e-literacy.
Research limitations/implications
One of the limitations of this study was the generalizability of the findings, which may be limited, as it is focused on one developing country. Also, the lack of full implementation of KM and the use of social technologies in the insurance industry may affect the obtained results.
Originality/value
To the best knowledge of the authors, this study is among the first of its kind which examines the impact of social technologies usage on the KM processes considering an important variable, i.e. e-literacy of employees.
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Desmond Tutu Ayentimi, Robert Ebo Hinson and John Burgess
This paper, grounded on social capital and social networking theory, examines how postgraduate students in Ghana cultivate and utilise social resources towards career development.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper, grounded on social capital and social networking theory, examines how postgraduate students in Ghana cultivate and utilise social resources towards career development.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a qualitative study design, the authors recruited and conducted interviews with postgraduate student-workers undertaking a two-year Master of Science in International Business.
Findings
There was an active engagement and consciously pre-plan mobilisation of social resources and utilisation of social resources among the postgraduates. Despite the diverse processes of social capital development identified, four important key themes emerged underpinning social capital mobilisation and utilisation: (1) the recognition of the importance of social capital acquisition, (2) the strong link between social capital and individual successes in employment and business opportunities, (3) the importance of the utilisation of social resources for emotional support and (4) the use of social capital to reinforce the individual social identity and recognition of an individual's worth.
Practical implications
The authors offer a theoretical and practical contribution with a frame of understanding by demonstrating that there is more to social capital than economic gain.
Social implications
Unlike the findings from prior research in Africa, the strong institutional and cultural conditions did not constrain the key force of education and employability as drivers in attainment and social positioning. This is an interesting and positive finding from the research, especially in terms of the importance of providing educational opportunities to overcome institutional and cultural barriers to workforce participation and career development.
Originality/value
Social networks contribute to career success, and while the participants used social networks that reinforced ethnic and religious bonds, there is the opportunity to develop networks through other identity processes, especially education. Formal education imparts more than formal skills and qualifications. It provides the opportunity to access networks that transcend personal identity such as ethnicity and to get support for career development.
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