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The dropout rates of open e-learning platforms are often cited as high as 97%, with many users discontinuing their use after initial acceptance. This study aims to explore this anomaly through the lens of affordances theory, revealing design–reality gaps between users' diverse goals and the possibilities for action provided by an open IT artefact.

A six-month case study was undertaken to investigate the design implications of user-perceived affordances in an EU sustainability project which developed an open e-learning platform for citizens to improve their household energy efficiency. Thematic analysis was used to reveal the challenges of user continuance behaviour based on how an open IT artefact supports users in achieving individual goals (e.g. reducing energy consumption in the home) and collective goals (lessening the carbon footprint of society).

Based on the findings, the authors inductively reveal seven affordances related to open e-learning platforms: informing, assessment, synthesis, emphasis, clarity, learning pathway and goal-planning. The findings centre on users' perception of these affordances, and the extent to which the open IT artefact catered to the goals and constraints of diverse user groups. Open IT platform development is further discussed from an iterative and collaborative perspective in order to explore different possibilities for action.

The study contributes towards research on open IT artefact design by presenting key learnings on how the designers of e-learning platforms can bridge design–reality gaps through exploring affordance personalisation for diverse user groups. This can inform the design of open IT artefacts to help ensure that system features match the expectations and contextual constraints of users through clear action-oriented possibilities.

Social media platforms are a pervasive technology that continues to define the modern world. While social media has brought many benefits to society in terms of connection and content sharing, numerous concerns remain for the governance of social media platforms going forward, including (but not limited to) the spread of misinformation, hate speech and online surveillance. However, the voice of citizens and other non-experts is often missing from such conversations in information systems literature, which has led to an alleged gap between research and the everyday life of citizens.

The authors address this gap by presenting findings from 16 h of online dialog with 25 citizens on social media platform governance. The online dialog was undertaken as part of a worldwide consultation project called “We, the internet”, which sought to provide citizens with a voice on a range of topics such as “Digitalization and Me,” “My Data, Your Data, Our Data” and “A Strong Digital Public Sphere.” Five phases of thematic analysis were undertaken by the authors to code the corpus of qualitative data.

Drawing on the Theory of Communicative Action, the authors discuss three dialogical processes critical to citizen discourse: lifeworld reasoning, rationalization and moral action. The findings point toward citizens’ perspectives of current and future issues associated with social media platform governance, including concerns around the multiplicity of digital identities, consent for vulnerable groups and transparency in content moderation. The findings also reveal citizens’ rationalization of the dilemmas faced in addressing these issues going forward, including tensions such as digital accountability vs data privacy, protection vs inclusion and algorithmic censorship vs free speech.

Based on outcomes from this dialogical process, moral actions in the form of policy recommendations are proposed by citizens and for citizens. The authors find that tackling these dark sides of digitalization is something too important to be left to “Big Tech” and equally requires an understanding of citizens’ perspectives to ensure an informed and positive imprint for change.

ATTENDANCE at only two or three days of IFLA's five‐day conference held at Toronto in August is enough to convince one of the great—and potentially much greater—value of this organization to the improvement of libraries throughout the world.

In recent years, librarians, as a profession, have attempted to identify individual users' needs. Librarians in the past have served their communities with people, rather than the storage of books and materials, as their top priority; however, in library and information science literature, user‐centered theory is new. It offers a psychological/sociological depth that the practical literature, as late as 1990, fails to touch.

While mainstream organization theory has contributed to making organizations a productive part of society, they have simultaneously contributed to the creation of a “dark side” of organizational existence that stifles the individual, frustrates the attainment of desired social ends and distorts many core values of democratic societies. Mainstream theory recognizes this “dark side,” but has been unsuccessful at suggesting how it might be ameliorated or avoided. The writings of Foucault, however, reveal not only how the “dark side” arises but also how it might be avoided so that organizations may develop and pursue interests in common with both society and the individual.

It is now widely accepted, perhaps with some qualifications, that the dominant British school of industrial relations in recent years has been the liberal‐pluralist or volutaristic‐pluralist school. Its centre has been Oxford and its main members have included Hugh Clegg, the late Allan Flanders, W E J McCarthy, G S Bain and A Fox. The influence of this group has been exhibited in its impact not only on industrial relations teaching and research, but also on policy, especially through the Donovan Report. Indeed, several writers have chosen to characterize it as a problem‐solving rather than a theoretical approach. However, it is important to acknowledge that a practical orientation may not in itself constitute an a‐theoretical position. Hyman and Fryer thus, for example, use the label ‘pragmatism’ to describe a component of the theoretical orientation of the ‘Oxford school’, thus recognizing that while its ‘theory may be only semi‐articulated and ….. partially developed’, the work of the school is not a‐theoretical.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a viewpoint using analogies to musical media of the issues that information professionals face in selecting the right digital preservation strategy.

Analogies to the changes in music media along with a selection of articles between 1995 and 2008 provide the basis for a number of views from the author. The preservation portions are sorted into the three main categories of translation/conversion, migration and emulation. A conclusion to the article summarises the difficulties being faced.

Having the correct electronic records policies, procedures and systems that adhere to ISO 15489 is a cornerstone of an electronic record preservation programme. Stephens noted that, in practical terms, this means that any recordkeeping system, regardless of the particular technology or storage medium employed, should be designed and implemented in a manner such that its operators can demonstrate the integrity of the records if called upon to do so.

The paper provides a useful viewpoint from an experienced records manager tackling the issues of digital preservation.

This article describes the quality leadership style of a Russian woman entrepreneur who started a successful software operation under a licensing agreement with an American company. A cornerstone of her business philosophy was that quality should be its hallmark Her style reflected many similarities with American entrepreneurship, while other features were unique to the Russian environment, and to herself. Much of her approach can be explained by her bicultural Russian and American background; her leadership style, values, and behavior exhibited a blend of both cultures. These characteristics are analyzed using an integrative framework that recognizes the importance of a quality orientation in all aspects of leadership. The analysis of Olga Kirova's leadership style also takes into account bicultural influences upon her values, ethics, and managerial behavior, and notes a number of similarities and differences from the more traditional Russian leadership style. Conclusions and recommendations are presented about the utility of the framework in a Russian setting, and its value in evaluating leadership styles of potential Russian business partners.

To consider the economic and physical impact of electronic journals on remotely stored print stock.

A collection of print journals was used as an object for consideration. Physical and heritage aspects of the collection are examined and questions are posed regarding the wisdom of future retention in response to increased demand for electronic alternatives.

Emerging trends predict a predominance of periodical literature in electronic form. The future of local remote storage for low demand printed journal collections needs to be evaluated in economic as well as cultural terms.

Based on a collection at the Boole Library, University College Cork, Ireland.

Similar consideration should be given to collections in other regional libraries.

Contributes to discussions on the long‐term value of retaining print journal holdings.