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1 – 10 of 373
Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 January 2022

Mari Vallez, Carlos Lopezosa and Rafael Pedraza-Jiménez

Universities play an important role in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study aims to examine the visibility of information…

3986

Abstract

Purpose

Universities play an important role in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study aims to examine the visibility of information about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the websites of Spanish and major international universities, by means of a quantitative and qualitative analysis with an online visibility management platform that makes use of big data technology.

Design/methodology/approach

The Web visibility of the universities studied in relation to the terms “SDG”, “Sustainable Development Goals” and “2030 Agenda” was determined using the SEMrush tool. Information was obtained on the number of web pages accessed and the queries formulated (query expansion). The content indexed by Google for these universities was compiled, and finally, the search engine optimization (SEO) factors applicable to the websites with the highest Web visibility were identified.

Findings

The universities analysed are content creators but do not have very high Web visibility in Web searches for information on the SDGs. Of the 98 universities analysed, only four feature prominently in search results.

Originality/value

Although research exists on the application of SEO to different areas, there have not, to date, been any studies examining the Web visibility of universities in relation to Web searches for information on the 2030 Agenda. The main contributions of this study are the global perspective it provides on the Web visibility of content produced by universities about the SDGs and the recommendations it offers for improving that visibility.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 23 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 April 2019

Mohammad Moradi

As a relatively new computing paradigm, crowdsourcing has gained enormous attention in the recent decade. Its compliance with the Web 2.0 principles, also, puts forward…

2254

Abstract

Purpose

As a relatively new computing paradigm, crowdsourcing has gained enormous attention in the recent decade. Its compliance with the Web 2.0 principles, also, puts forward unprecedented opportunities to empower the related services and mechanisms by leveraging humans’ intelligence and problem solving abilities. With respect to the pivotal role of search engines in the Web and information community, this paper aims to investigate the advantages and challenges of incorporating people – as intelligent agents – into search engines’ workflow.

Design/methodology/approach

To emphasize the role of the human in computational processes, some specific and related areas are studied. Then, through studying the current trends in the field of crowd-powered search engines and analyzing the actual needs and requirements, the perspectives and challenges are discussed.

Findings

As the research on this topic is still in its infancy, it is believed that this study can be considered as a roadmap for future works in the field. In this regard, current status and development trends are delineated through providing a general overview of the literature. Moreover, several recommendations for extending the applicability and efficiency of next generation of crowd-powered search engines are presented. In fact, becoming aware of different aspects and challenges of constructing search engines of this kind can shed light on the way of developing working systems with respect to essential considerations.

Originality/value

The present study was aimed to portrait the big picture of crowd-powered search engines and possible challenges and issues. As one of the early works that provided a comprehensive report on different aspects of the topic, it can be regarded as a reference point.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 August 2017

Xiu Susie Fang, Quan Z. Sheng, Xianzhi Wang, Anne H.H. Ngu and Yihong Zhang

This paper aims to propose a system for generating actionable knowledge from Big Data and use this system to construct a comprehensive knowledge base (KB), called GrandBase.

2036

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a system for generating actionable knowledge from Big Data and use this system to construct a comprehensive knowledge base (KB), called GrandBase.

Design/methodology/approach

In particular, this study extracts new predicates from four types of data sources, namely, Web texts, Document Object Model (DOM) trees, existing KBs and query stream to augment the ontology of the existing KB (i.e. Freebase). In addition, a graph-based approach to conduct better truth discovery for multi-valued predicates is also proposed.

Findings

Empirical studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the approaches presented in this study and the potential of GrandBase. The future research directions regarding GrandBase construction and extension has also been discussed.

Originality/value

To revolutionize our modern society by using the wisdom of Big Data, considerable KBs have been constructed to feed the massive knowledge-driven applications with Resource Description Framework triples. The important challenges for KB construction include extracting information from large-scale, possibly conflicting and different-structured data sources (i.e. the knowledge extraction problem) and reconciling the conflicts that reside in the sources (i.e. the truth discovery problem). Tremendous research efforts have been contributed on both problems. However, the existing KBs are far from being comprehensive and accurate: first, existing knowledge extraction systems retrieve data from limited types of Web sources; second, existing truth discovery approaches commonly assume each predicate has only one true value. In this paper, the focus is on the problem of generating actionable knowledge from Big Data. A system is proposed, which consists of two phases, namely, knowledge extraction and truth discovery, to construct a broader KB, called GrandBase.

Details

PSU Research Review, vol. 1 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2399-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 September 2022

Dušan Mladenović, Anida Rajapakse, Nikola Kožuljević and Yupal Shukla

Given that online search visibility is influenced by various determinants, and that influence may vary across industries, this study aims in investigating the major predictors of…

6144

Abstract

Purpose

Given that online search visibility is influenced by various determinants, and that influence may vary across industries, this study aims in investigating the major predictors of online search visibility in the context of blood banks.

Design/methodology/approach

To formalize the online visibility, the authors have found theoretical foundations in activity theory, while to quantify online visiblity the authors have used the search engine optimization (SEO) Index, ranking, and a number of visitors. The examined model includes ten hypotheses and was tested on data from 57 blood banks.

Findings

Results challenge shallow domain knowledge. The major predictors of online search visibility are Alternative Text Attribute (ALT) text, backlinks, robots, domain authority (DA) and bounce rate (BR). The issues are related to the number of backlinks, social score, and DA. Polarized utilization of SEO techniques is evident.

Practical implications

The methodology can be used to analyze the online search visibility of other industries or similar not-for-profit organizations. Findings in terms of individual predictors can be useful for marketers to better manage online search visibility.

Social implications

The acute blood donation problems may be to a certain degree level as the information flow between donors and blood banks will be facilitated.

Originality/value

This is the first study to analyze the blood bank context. The results provide invaluable inputs to marketers, managers, and policymakers.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 47 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 8 January 2020

Elham Rostami, Fredrik Karlsson and Ella Kolkowska

The purpose of this paper is to survey existing information security policy (ISP) management research to scrutinise the extent to which manual and computerised support has been…

1389

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to survey existing information security policy (ISP) management research to scrutinise the extent to which manual and computerised support has been suggested, and the way in which the suggested support has been brought about.

Design/methodology/approach

The results are based on a literature review of ISP management research published between 1990 and 2017.

Findings

Existing research has focused mostly on manual support for managing ISPs. Very few papers have considered computerised support. The entire complexity of the ISP management process has received little attention. Existing research has not focused much on the interaction between the different ISP management phases. Few research methods have been used extensively and intervention-oriented research is rare.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should to a larger extent address the interaction between the ISP management phases, apply more intervention research to develop computerised support for ISP management, investigate to what extent computerised support can enhance integration of ISP management phases and reduce the complexity of such a management process.

Practical implications

The limited focus on computerised support for ISP management affects the kind of advice and artefacts the research community can offer to practitioners.

Originality/value

Today, there are no literature reviews on to what extent computerised support the ISP management process. Findings on how the complexity of ISP management has been addressed and the research methods used extend beyond the existing knowledge base, allowing for a critical discussion of existing research and future research needs.

Details

Information & Computer Security, vol. 28 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4961

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 April 2023

Keenan Cross

The purpose of this study is to survey the landscape of online collections of digital games.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to survey the landscape of online collections of digital games.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the study identifies existing sites hosting collections and criteria that make a collection valuable for research, then it reports on sites that fit the criteria and analyzes trends.

Findings

Most sites provide simple binary downloads, but some choose encapsulation. Common metadata terms consistently include genre, year of release and publisher. Most sites claim the right to provide their collections as “abandonware,” but remove games if they are asked to.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted using a very limited subcategory of digital games, which could be expanded in other studies. Future research may require a multilingual team to account for collections based in non–English-speaking countries. Direct communication with sites’ management may be valuable in the future as well, but was not conducted in this study.

Practical implications

The study identifies practices that have developed organically in this field without any guiding standards. Understanding these may aid in Humanities research into digital games, as well as potential collection development in the future.

Social implications

Digital games are increasingly important as cultural artifacts, and there is a growing effort to preserve them for the future, but there are no standards for collecting and providing them. Understanding how this is currently done can help in providing access into the future for both casual and analytical use.

Originality/value

While game preservation is a growing and active field of research, no study has been published in recent years on this particular subject. It will be valuable for the development of future collections and for research using current ones.

Details

Digital Transformation and Society, vol. 2 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2755-0761

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 April 2019

Ricardo Antônio Câmara, Emerson Antonio Maccari and Renato Ribeiro Nogueira Ferraz

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contribution of a project management approach to develop a tool to support the management of Brazilian stricto sensu graduate…

1350

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contribution of a project management approach to develop a tool to support the management of Brazilian stricto sensu graduate programs (SS-GP). The Adaptive approach was chosen by applying the Project Management Life Cycle (PMLC) method.

Design/methodology/approach

The study corresponds to the concept of applied research. The qualitative approach was used. The research strategy was the action research, where participants cooperate to understand their environment, identify problems and seek a solution, simultaneously producing and using the knowledge produced.

Findings

The results showed one possible way to apply a contingency project management approach to develop the tool. In addition, indicated that its application facilitated the project work, especially when finding a solution for the project’s development and when dealing with the changes inherent to the uncertainties about the problem.

Research limitations/implications

The lack of more updated information and the limitation of time and resources led to the reduction of the environment scope and of the number of functionalities developed.

Practical implications

To contribute to the generation of knowledge and expertise to support the management of SS-GP in activities such as providing information to the CAPES evaluation system, academic production analysis, collaborative researcher network analysis and post-graduation program monitoring and evaluation.

Originality/value

To fill a gap pointed out by several studies, that it is not possible to automatically generate input lists to be processed by ScriptSucupira tool, based on filtered criteria, comprising the entire universe of the Brazilian SS-PG. The creators of ScriptSucupira also declared to ignore the existence of an artifact similar to that.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 18 August 2021

Maria Giovanna Confetto and Claudia Covucci

For companies that intend to respond to the modern conscious consumers' needs, a great competitive advantage is played on the ability to incorporate sustainability messages in…

3745

Abstract

Purpose

For companies that intend to respond to the modern conscious consumers' needs, a great competitive advantage is played on the ability to incorporate sustainability messages in marketing communications. The aim of this paper is to address this important priority in the web context, building a semantic algorithm that allows content managers to evaluate the quality of sustainability web contents for search engines, considering the current semantic web development.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the Design Science (DS) methodological approach, the study develops the algorithm as an artefact capable of solving a practical problem and improving the operation of content managerial process.

Findings

The algorithm considers multiple factors of evaluation, grouped in three parameters: completeness, clarity and consistency. An applicability test of the algorithm was conducted on a sample of web pages of the Google blog on sustainability to highlight the correspondence between the established evaluation factors and those actually used by Google.

Practical implications

Studying content marketing for sustainability communication constitutes a new field of research that offers exciting opportunities. Writing sustainability contents in an effective way is a fundamental step to trigger stakeholder engagement mechanisms online. It could be a positive social engineering technique in the hands of marketers to make web users able to pursue sustainable development in their choices.

Originality/value

This is the first study that creates a theoretical connection between digital content marketing and sustainability communication focussing, especially, on the aspects of search engine optimization (SEO). The algorithm of “Sustainability-contents SEO” is the first operational software tool, with a regulatory nature, that is able to analyse the web contents, detecting the terms of the sustainability language and measuring the compliance to SEO requirements.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 33 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 November 2021

Koraljka Golub, Pawel Michal Ziolkowski and Goran Zlodi

The study aims to paint a representative picture of the current state of search interfaces of Swedish online museum collections, focussing on search functionalities with…

2630

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to paint a representative picture of the current state of search interfaces of Swedish online museum collections, focussing on search functionalities with particular reference to subject searching, as well as the use of controlled vocabularies, with the purpose of identifying which improvements of the search interfaces are needed to ensure high-quality information retrieval for the end user.

Design/methodology/approach

In the first step, a set of 21 search interface criteria was identified, based on related research and current standards in the domain of cultural heritage knowledge organization. Secondly, a complete set of Swedish museums that provide online access to their collections was identified, comprising nine cross-search services and 91 individual museums' websites. These 100 websites were each evaluated against the 21 criteria, between 1 July and 31 August 2020.

Findings

Although many standards and guidelines are in place to ensure quality-controlled subject indexing, which in turn support information retrieval of relevant resources (as individual or full search results), the study shows that they are not broadly implemented, resulting in information retrieval failures for the end user. The study also demonstrates a strong need for the implementation of controlled vocabularies in these museums.

Originality/value

This study is a rare piece of research which examines subject searching in online museums; the 21 search criteria and their use in the analysis of the complete set of online collections of a country represents a considerable and unique contribution to the fields of knowledge organization and information retrieval of cultural heritage. Its particular value lies in showing how the needs of end users, many of which are documented and reflected in international standards and guidelines, should be taken into account in designing search tools for these museums; especially so in subject searching, which is the most complex and yet the most common type of search. Much effort has been invested into digitizing cultural heritage collections, but access to them is hindered by poor search functionality. This study identifies which are the most important aspects to improve.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 30 October 2023

Koraljka Golub, Xu Tan, Ying-Hsang Liu and Jukka Tyrkkö

This exploratory study aims to help contribute to the understanding of online information search behaviour of PhD students from different humanities fields, with a focus on…

Abstract

Purpose

This exploratory study aims to help contribute to the understanding of online information search behaviour of PhD students from different humanities fields, with a focus on subject searching.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on a semi-structured interview within which the participants are asked to conduct both a controlled search task and a free search task. The sample comprises eight PhD students in several humanities disciplines at Linnaeus University, a medium-sized Swedish university from 2020.

Findings

Most humanities PhD students in the study have received training in information searching, but it has been too basic. Most rely on web search engines like Google and Google Scholar for publications' search, and university's discovery system for known-item searching. As these systems do not rely on controlled vocabularies, the participants often struggle with too many retrieved documents that are not relevant. Most only rarely or never use disciplinary bibliographic databases. The controlled search task has shown some benefits of using controlled vocabularies in the disciplinary databases, but incomplete synonym or concept coverage as well as user unfriendly search interface present hindrances.

Originality/value

The paper illuminates an often-forgotten but pervasive challenge of subject searching, especially for humanities researchers. It demonstrates difficulties and shows how most PhD students have missed finding an important resource in their research. It calls for the need to reconsider training in information searching and the need to make use of controlled vocabularies implemented in various search systems with usable search and browse user interfaces.

1 – 10 of 373