Search results

Ubiquitous access to digital technologies is becoming an integral part of our business, home, and leisure environments, yet despite a quarter century of educational technology initiatives, ubiquitous computing remains conspicuously absent from our schools. In this chapter, we argue that simply putting more computers in schools will not solve the problem, but rather that teaching, learning, and technology integration need to be reconceptualized within a ubiquitous computing framework before the full educational possibilities inherent in digital technologies can be realized. Using examples from our laboratory classroom, we discuss how teaching needs to be reconceived more as “conducting” than “instructing”; how learning needs to become more the responsibility of the student, and located with her in an expanded space and time that extends beyond the classroom; and how technology integration needs to be understood not as an add-on, device-driven enterprise, but one motivated by teaching and learning needs and in which multiple technology choices are readily available to teachers and students both within and beyond the classroom.

Diana Betout is a graduate student at the University of Illinois, Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She is studying teacher education. She plans to pursue her career as an elementary teacher.

The literature on foreignness has, to date, stressed the liability of foreignness (LOF) and the advantage of foreignness (AOF). Drawing on industrial organisation theory, institutional theory, the resource-based view of the firm and the literature on networking, the authors’ research develops an integrated framework to explore the impact of foreignness on internationalisation depth from the perspective of the duality of foreignness (LOF versus AOF) within multiple dimensions. These dimensions are isomorphism, home country of origin, institutional distance and dual embeddedness of multinational enterprises (MNEs).

In this study, the authors empirically test hypotheses arising from this new theoretical framework by examining the characteristics of a sample of 324 Chinese MNEs (CMNEs) that were operating in 63 countries from 1999 to 2018. Employing regression analysis on a panel of 9,410 observations, the results show that foreignness does exhibit multilevel complexity and duality.

The authors’ empirical results show that isomorphism pressures, country of origin and institutional distance have a negative effect on internationalisation depth (as an outcome of LOF) but that dual embeddedness, on the part of MNEs, exerts a positive impact on internationalisation depth (as an outcome of AOF). The implications for research on multilevel complexity and the duality of foreignness are discussed, and managerial implications are outlined.

The implications of the authors’ findings for MNEs should not be generalised to developed countries without examining the characteristics of both China as an emerging country and its MNEs. The second limit is regarding ownership; this framework has limitations due to choosing China and its OFDIs for testing internationalisation depth. Finally, for subsequent research, examining the dynamics of foreignness completes the nature of multicomplexity, defined by external and internal factors of foreignness changing over time and space.

CMNE managers are advised to actively scrutinise their behaviours in the local country to overcome the differences in routines, values and practices inherent in local institutions (Chen et al., 2019). The results imply that CMNEs should be careful not to overuse their home country image when penetrating a new market. Thus, a strategy to reduce a home government's hegemonic or otherwise negative image may be wise when operating abroad. Finally, the authors’ model suggests that CMNEs equipped with great RCN CIPs for identifying, scanning and interpreting local institutions can enhance internationalisation depth.

The authors’ research contributes to research on foreignness by emphasising foreignness as a construct of multilevel complexity. The authors argue that foreignness arises due to varying factors at the host, home, host-home levels and at the level of the organisational entity. The authors’ definition of foreignness and empirical results supports the notion that isomorphism pressures (host country-level factors), country-of-origin of home country (home country-level factors) and institutional distance (host-home country-level factors) are inextricably negatively linked with internationalisation depth (as effects of LOF). By contrast, the dual embeddedness of MNEs (the factor of organisational level) represents a positive relationship with internationalisation depth (as effects of AOF).

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the causal relationships and speed of adjustment of stock prices to changes in macroeconomic information (MEI) in Ghana from 1996 to 2018 using monthly data. The paper seeks to conduct the investigation at individual MEI level rather than the composite MEI.

Quantitative approach was used in this paper. Monthly data span of 1996–2018 was used. The delay and half-life technique was used to determine the speed with which the information resulting from the changes in the macroeconomic are evident in the stock price. Thereafter, Toda–Yamamoto Granger no-causality approach was used to examine the causal relationship amongst variables.

The paper revealed that although the market adjustment to MEI has improved, the speed is till slow. The exchange rate exhibited the slowest speed in respect of the market reaction while the market reaction to money supply was the fastest. Toda–Yamamoto Granger no-causality estimation also revealed a bi-directional causality between MEI (gross domestic product, interest rate and money supply) and stock price and uni-directional relationship flowing from MEI (the exchange rate and foreign direct investment) to stock price. The paper also found no causality between inflation and stock price.

The findings although revealed improved level of market efficiency in comparison with the earlier data, the speed of adjustment is still undesirable. Rigorous approach should be adopted for the implementation of major reforms such as alternative market so as to increase the number of share listing and to increase the scope of investors' participation to enhancing trading volume and marketability and ultimately speed up information diffusion.

The practical implication of the low level of information processing rate of Ghana Stock Exchange (averagely more than a month) is that astute investors and market analysts could employ MEI to outperform the market prior to their infusion onto the stock market.

This study is one of the few studies in the Ghanaian literature that has extended the investigation of the speed of adjustment beyond composite or aggregate macroeconomic level estimation to estimation at individual variable level. This contribution is very relevant since each macroeconomic variable has unique characteristics and require specific policy framework, it is important to consider the speed of adjustment from the perspective of each of the individual variables.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how consumers’ trust is enhanced by e-commerce-based agribusiness companies. It also aims to shed light on the role of social commerce in improving consumers’ trust.

To achieve the research purpose, an in-depth multiple case study is performed. In this study, three cases in short food supply chain (SFSC) in China are selected, and they are all e-commerce agribusiness companies. They adopted common ways to build up, maintain and reinforce consumers’ trust.

It is revealed that the companies innovatively adopted social commerce, both online and offline, to overcome the trust problems usually faced by e-commerce companies. It is also shown that offline contact with potential consumers is an important first step for agribusiness e-commerce entrepreneurs to build up trust with consumers.

By adopting a multiple case study method, the research has limited generalizability to other types of SFSCs. Since the findings are from Chinese agribusiness e-commerce companies, the generalization to other sectors must be done with caution.

Some managerial implications are given as follows: first, offline contact with consumers could be realized through different channels. Taking advantage of existing social network or trying to find consumers in urban communities might be effective ways. Second, trust building with consumers is not an easy task, managers need to emphasize trust building, trust maintaining, as well as trust reinforcing with consumers. In agri-food sector, managers might need to specifically address the importance of food safety and quality so as to not lose consumer trust in one night.

The study has mainly two contributions: first, it has managerial implications for agribusiness e-commerce entrepreneurs, addressing the important role of social presence in building up consumer trust. Second, it contributes to social presence and social relations literature by providing new empirical evidence from e-commerce in agri-food sector and in developing countries.

The melamine milk scandal caused a crisis of confidence in food containing dairy products. The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of precautionary behaviour to avoid food containing dairy products among Taiwanese college students.

Of the total respondents selected using a multistage cluster sampling plan, 1,213 respondents completed the questionnaire.

The survey results showed that subjective norms, attitude, perceived behavioural control, attention to news, and perceived credibility of information are significantly associated with the intention to take precautionary behaviour.

The paper developed a modified theory of planned behaviour (TPB) that focused on attention and perceived credibility of milk scandal‐related information as additional determinants of precautionary behaviour to avoid food containing dairy products. The inclusion of attention and perceived credibility of information constructs enabled a better model fit than that of the TPB model.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dividend policy for firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange. The results are consistent with the prediction of the catering theory in that managers choose a dividend policy to cater to the demand of investors.

Logistic regressions are used to test the catering theory hypothesis.

The results find that the firms distribute more stock dividends than other types of dividends when the dividend premium (DP) for stock dividends is positive. In contrast, firms shift from stock dividends to other types of dividends such as mixed dividends and cash dividends when the DP for stock dividends is negative.

The marginal contribution of this paper is that the firms change their dividend policy via DP to cater to the demand of investors.

The purpose of this paper is to extend the technology readiness and acceptance model (TRAM) to consider an individual’s health consciousness (HC), thereby improving the capability of the model to predict an individual’s attitude toward and intention to download and use dietary and fitness apps.

A total of 994 participants completed a self-reported online questionnaire. Structural equation modeling and χ² difference testing were conducted to compare the predictive capability of the proposed health consciousness TRAM (HC-TRAM) and the TRAM. The comparison of the proposed HC-TRAM in terms of potential and actual users of dietary and fitness apps was also discussed.

The results obtained from the HC-TRAM and the TRAM indicate that in addition to technology readiness, HC exerts a positive effect on the perceived ease of use and usefulness of dietary and fitness apps. χ² difference test results indicated that the predictive capability of the proposed HC-TRAM is higher than that of the TRAM.

The drivers and inhibitors of a person’s readiness to embrace modern information technology play roles when predicting his or her intention to download and use dietary and fitness apps. HC should be promoted by encouraging people to eat right and regularly perform appropriate exercise to prevent obesity and overweight, thereby maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

This study incorporated individual cognitive factors and HC into the TRAM to fill the literature gap and deepen and broaden existing theoretical frameworks of the TRAM in the public health sector.

This study aims to analyze how bed and breakfast (B&B) experience influences customer value cocreation (CVCC) through emotional psychological factors under the social servicescape (SSC).

A moderated chain mediation model was constructed based on the SSC framework. This study collected 722 valid questionnaires through convenience sampling in Xiamen, China, and tourists with B&B experiences were taken as samples. A structural equation model analysis was used to test relevant hypotheses.

Results reveal that B&B experience is the core factor to stimulate CVCC. In this process, the individual emotional psychological factors [pleasant arousal (PAL) and place attachment (PAT)] play the critical chain mediating role. In addition, localness positively moderates the reinforcing effect of B&B experience on PAL and strengthens the positive effect of PAL on PAT.

The findings can provide useful CVCC strategies for B&B operators. They can achieve CVCC by enhancing customer experiences, strengthening emotional interactions and building local culture, thereby improving the competitiveness of B&Bs.

Current research lacks an in-depth analysis on the internal relationship and logic between B&B experience and CVCC, especially from emotional psychological perspectives. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first studies to reveal the mechanism of the CVCC process of B&Bs under the SSC from an emotional psychological perspective. It provides a new theoretical model for research on the CVCC of experience-dominant logic.

本研究旨在分析社会服务场景下, 民宿体验如何通过情感心理影响顾客的价值共创。

基于社会服务场景框架, 本研究构建了一个有调节的链式中介模型。研究者针对具有民宿住宿体验的游客进行调查, 在中国厦门采用便利抽样技术收集了722份有效问卷, 并采用结构方程模型检验提出的相关假设。

在社会服务场景下, 民宿体验是激发顾客价值共创的核心因素。在此过程中, 个体情感心理因素（愉悦唤醒和地方依恋）发挥了重要的中介作用, 有效衔接了民宿体验到顾客价值共创的实现过程。此外, 地方性是独特的地方文化体验因子, 正向调节了民宿体验对愉悦唤醒的强化作用, 也增强了愉悦唤醒对地方依恋的积极作用。

研究结论为民宿管理者如何提升顾客价值共创贡献了经营策略。民宿管理者可以通过提升顾客体验、加强情感互动和打造地方文化来实现价值共创, 进而提升民宿竞争力。

当前关于民宿体验与顾客价值共创之间的内在关系及逻辑缺乏深入分析, 仍缺乏情感心理视角的探索。本研究首次从情感心理视角揭示了社会服务场景下民宿顾客价值共创的过程机理, 为以顾客体验为主导逻辑的价值共创研究提供了新的理论模型。

Este estudio pretende analizar cómo la experiencia en un B&B influye en la cocreación de valor para el cliente (CVCC) a través de factores psicológicos emocionales en el marco social del servicescape.

Se construyó un modelo de mediación en cadena moderado basado en el marco social del servicescape. En este estudio se recogieron 722 cuestionarios válidos mediante un muestreo de conveniencia en Xiamen, China, y se tomaron como muestra turistas con experiencias en establecimientos Bed and Breakfast (B&B). Se utilizó un análisis de modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (SEM) para poner a prueba las hipótesis pertinentes.

Los resultados revelan que la experiencia en el B&B es el factor central para estimular la CVCC. En este proceso, los factores psicológicos emocionales individuales (excitación placentera y apego al lugar) desempeñan un papel mediador en cadena. Además, el carácter local modera positivamente el efecto de refuerzo de la experiencia de B&B sobre la excitación placentera y refuerza el efecto positivo de la excitación placentera sobre el apego al lugar.

Los resultados pueden proporcionar estrategias de CVCC útiles para los operadores de B&B. Pueden lograr la CVCC mejorando las experiencias de los clientes, reforzando las interacciones emocionales y construyendo la cultura local, mejorando así la competitividad de los B&B.

La investigación actual carece de un análisis en profundidad sobre la relación interna y la lógica entre la experiencia de los B&B y la CVCC, especialmente desde las perspectivas psicológicas emocionales. Este estudio es uno de los primeros que revela el mecanismo del proceso de CVCC de los B&B bajo el modelo social del servicescape desde una perspectiva psicológica emocional. Proporciona un nuevo modelo teórico para la investigación sobre la CVCC en la lógica dominante de la experiencia.