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Article
Publication date: 2 November 2012

Nives Zubcevic, Felix Mavondo and Sandra Luxton

The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between attitudes to academic achievement and post university success using perceptions of attractiveness, gender, ethnic…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between attitudes to academic achievement and post university success using perceptions of attractiveness, gender, ethnic identity, personality, and social acceptance as antecedents.

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire was completed by male (N=116) and female (N=126) university students from various cultural backgrounds. To evaluate the proposed relationships, multiple regression analysis was used.

Findings

The findings suggest that attractiveness is related to attitudes to academic achievement and success through its association with social appeal and acceptance. Ethnic identity is also related to both academic achievement and post university success. Personality is not positively related to academic achievement. Finally, social acceptance is positively related to academic achievement for males and to success for females.

Research limitations/implications

Whilst the survey targeted students from various cultural backgrounds studying in Australia, it did not look at university students from other countries. A cross‐cultural perspective could reveal further differences in attitudes.

Originality/value

This study links attractiveness and academic achievement theories. The findings have implications for tertiary institutions and suggest academics and policy‐makers to vigorously promote core personality and values such as intelligence, communication skills, and sincerity, rather than allow superficial values such as attractiveness to be placed at the centre stage of students' endeavour.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 24 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 June 2012

Lu Xiao and Nicole Askin

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of Wikipedia as a venue for academic publishing.

3196

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of Wikipedia as a venue for academic publishing.

Design/methodology/approach

By looking at other sources and studying Wikipedia structures, the paper compares the processes of publishing a peer‐reviewed article in Wikipedia and the open access journal model, discusses the advantages and challenges of adopting Wikipedia in academic publishing, and provides suggestions on how to address the challenges.

Findings

Compared to an open access journal model, Wikipedia has several advantages for academic publishing: it is less expensive, quicker, more widely read, and offers a wider variety of articles. There are also several major challenges in adopting Wikipedia in the academic community: the web site structure is not well suited to academic publications; the site is not integrated with common academic search engines such as Google Scholar or with university libraries; and there are concerns among some members of the academic community about the site's credibility and impact in academia.

Originality/value

This paper promotes a fundamental idea for adjusting methods of creating and disseminating academic knowledge. It is a valuable resource for those interested in academic innovation, for research librarians, and for the academic community in general. This topic has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Karen Yvonne Green, Meng Huang, Keith S. Walker, Steven A. Wallace and Xinlei Zhao

The increasing number of online courses in higher education has provided students with convenience and flexibility. However, some adverse effects also come with online learning…

Abstract

Purpose

The increasing number of online courses in higher education has provided students with convenience and flexibility. However, some adverse effects also come with online learning, including negatively affecting student beliefs in themselves and their perceptions of the instructor. Both are important factors for academic success. Grounded in media richness theory, this study aims to examine the impact of medium choices by investigating instructor messages on student beliefs and perceptions in an online course.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a survey methodology using validated items to assess university student perceptions following faculty interactions (video versus customized email).

Findings

The authors find that videos and personalized emails, using mass distribution Excel features, help increase student beliefs, including social belongingness and self-efficacy, and improve students' perceptions of the instructor and learning environment.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by establishing that the richness of media of faculty messages can impact student beliefs, which in turn, may help with student success and retention. The activities used in this study are low-effort for the instructor and may have lasting effects on the students. In addition, this study fills a gap in the literature by examining multiple forms of the richness of media and their impact on multiple aspects of students' beliefs and perceptions of the instructor.

Details

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

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 May 2018

D. Kirk Davidson, Kanji Tanimoto, Laura Gyung Jun, Shallini Taneja, Pawan K. Taneja and Juelin Yin

The origins of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been widely attributed to the work of scholars, and business managers as well, in North America and Western Europe…

Abstract

The origins of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been widely attributed to the work of scholars, and business managers as well, in North America and Western Europe. Inevitably, however, as the economic interaction of individual firms and entire nations has grown over the past several decades — call it globalization — so too has the concept and the practice of CSR spread throughout the world. It is certainly time to explore how CSR is being incorporated into the practice of business management in other regions and other countries. Therefore, in this chapter we will focus on Asia: specifically on Japan, South Korea, India, and China. It is interesting for academicians to understand how CSR is being absorbed and adapted into the business cultures of these four countries. Perhaps of even greater importance, it is vital that business managers know what to expect about the interaction between business and society as well as the government as their commercial activities grow in this burgeoning part of the world.

For each of these four countries, we will provide an overview of the extent to which CSR has become a part of the academic community and also how it is being practiced and incorporated in everyday management affairs. We will see that there are very significant differences among these countries which lead to the natural question: why? To answer this question, we will use an eight-part analytical framework developed specifically for this purpose. We will look at the history, the dominant religious beliefs, the relevant social customs, the geography, the political structures, the level of economic development, civil society institutions, and the “safety net” of each country. As a result of this analysis, we believe, academicians can learn how CSR is absorbed and spread into commercial affairs, and managers can profit from learning more about what to expect when doing business in this increasingly important region.

Article
Publication date: 17 August 2018

Nnedinma Umeokafor and Abimbola Windapo

There are serious implications for adopting inappropriate research strategies and methods, and this is evident in the Built Environment (BE) given the under adoption of…

Abstract

Purpose

There are serious implications for adopting inappropriate research strategies and methods, and this is evident in the Built Environment (BE) given the under adoption of qualitative strategies in some countries. Therefore, based on empirical evidence from Nigeria, the purpose of this study is to examine the challenges to and opportunities for establishing Qualitative Approach (QA) to BE research in higher education institutions (HEIs) and to develop an improvement framework for QA.

Design/methodology/approach

Academics and research students in the BE research of Nigerian HEIs were interviewed and the data analysed thematically. Based on the findings, including recommendations from the respondents, a framework for improving the use of QA in BE research was developed and academics evaluated it for workability.

Findings

This study reveals that the challenges to QA in BE research include information constraints, socio-cultural issues and the negative attitudes of senior academics to QA. The opportunities include the realisation for a paradigm shift, the characteristics of the socio-cultural context and features of BE and the general potentials of QA. The proposed framework encompasses encouraging and providing a platform for international collaboration between academics in developing and developed countries, and preferential treatment for QA. It also enables regulatory and incentive mechanisms, which will act as drivers.

Practical implications

This study provides stakeholders in academia with knowledge and a detailed guideline for establishing QA to research in the BE.

Originality/value

This study provides a country context-based detailed guide for establishing QA in HEIs BE research towards ensuring that research strategies adopted in BE research are fit for purpose, in turn are aligned to addressing problems in the society. There is little or no study of this nature in BE.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, vol. 16 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 September 2017

Josep Lladós-Masllorens, Eduard Aibar, Antoni Meseguer-Artola, Julià Minguillón and Maura Lerga

The purpose of this paper is to explore which personal and contextual factors affect the use of Wikipedia as a teaching resource in higher education institutions.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore which personal and contextual factors affect the use of Wikipedia as a teaching resource in higher education institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research question is approached by investigating faculty perceptions and attitudes in two large Spanish universities. For this purpose, a comprehensive empirical study has been employed, based on an online survey to faculty members and the inclusion of a decision-making model in the analysis.

Findings

Data provide evidence that a combination of cultural, social and subjective factors influences the decision to use Wikipedia. This decision is not only associated with lecturers’ individual characteristics, but mostly with surrounding influences. Teaching uses are more frequent when academics have close reference models and when they perceive that Wikipedia is being positively valued by their colleagues.

Research limitations/implications

The present study provides a creative framework to analyze the main determining factors of Wikipedia usage by faculty. The inclusion of both internal and external factors in the decision process has proved to be a valuable novelty.

Practical implications

The study detects the main factors affecting the negative or reluctant attitude toward Wikipedia and provides some recommendations to overcome these barriers.

Originality/value

The study widens the scope of previous investigations supplying a new research framework and including, for the first time, a prominent online university in the analysis in order to discard the potential effects of digital and information illiteracy among students and faculty members.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 41 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 March 2022

Christopher Weilage and Eva Stumpfegger

Most research using extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and other technology acceptance models (TAM) are quantitative studies. This leaves room…

Abstract

Purpose

Most research using extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and other technology acceptance models (TAM) are quantitative studies. This leaves room for interpretation when they are applied to university lecturers’ acceptance of online teaching because the models were originally created for the consumer perspective. This study aims to bridge this gap by integrating existing (quantitative) research with (qualitative) reasoning.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reflects online and hybrid teaching acceptance by reviewing exemplary existing research using UTAUT2 as the conceptual framework.

Findings

UTAUT2 TAMs use a broad range of criteria that do not immediately agree with university lecturers’ acceptance of online teaching. This study finds that existing research results are inconclusive and attempts to link criteria when suitable. Performance expectancy should not only encompass individual attitudes and skills but also the nature of the subject taught. Social influence is driven by recognition and student evaluations. Hedonic motivation best fits the elsewhere well-researched concept of intrinsic motivation. This study suggests that universities choose their online teaching technology wisely, promote its ease of use and offer training as well as continuous support to lecturers, especially when addressing future uncertainties.

Originality/value

This study explains the implications of using TAMs for research of higher education online teaching. Potential reasons and arguments for the inconclusiveness of the studies reviewed are discussed, and measures for university policy and communication improvement are suggested.

Details

On the Horizon: The International Journal of Learning Futures, vol. 30 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1074-8121

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 August 2021

Johannes Jaeger

Public debates and scholarly literature on football fandom are often characterised by generalisation and lacking differentiation. The changing ethnography of fans, affected by the…

1379

Abstract

Purpose

Public debates and scholarly literature on football fandom are often characterised by generalisation and lacking differentiation. The changing ethnography of fans, affected by the rapid commercialisation and internationalisation of the game, reinforces the demand for contemporary classification criteria and fan typologies that take the complexity and heterogeneity of fans into account and draw a more differentiated picture of fans and sub-groups.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the grounded theory methodology and a systematic literature review on stakeholder theory, stakeholder classification criteria and football fandom, the authors conduct and analyse 14 semi-structured expert interviews with fan managers employed by German professional football clubs. Building on the analysis, the authors identify, present and discuss ten contemporary criteria and five corresponding typologies for the classification of football fans.

Findings

The grounded theory analysis suggests that football fans can be characterised according to ten classification criteria. Building on the analysis, the authors derive five fan typologies that differ in their characteristics along the continua of the identified criteria. Typologies comprise (1) active fans, (2) consuming fans, (3) event fans, (4) corporate fans and (5) passive followers.

Originality/value

The paper enlarges prior knowledge on the behavioural and attitudinal characteristics of fans as individuals and adds knowledge regarding relationships within fan groups, and regarding formal and non-formal relations between fans and clubs. The results provide scholars with a framework for further scientific investigation and practitioners with a concept for a more sophisticated and differentiated approach to managing fan relations.

Details

Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal, vol. 11 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-678X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2003

Sarah J.A. Harper, Pearl‐Jane Dewar and Barbara A. Diack

This study investigated retail influence on the decision making of both parent and child during the purchase of children’s casual‐wear clothing. Principally, it analyses the…

5125

Abstract

This study investigated retail influence on the decision making of both parent and child during the purchase of children’s casual‐wear clothing. Principally, it analyses the impact of influential agents on the buying outcome by examining the parent‐child relationship and the retailer influence in relation to need and motivations. By means of 100 parent and child questionnaires and one retail interview, it was concluded that parents were the most influential in deciding which clothes were bought, but children were found to exert a strong influence. The importance of branding to eight to ten year olds supports previous research in that it is closely correlated to peer pressure and the need to be accepted. Retailers were found to influence decision making mainly by the use of merchandise and branding to attract both children and parents. Recommendations for further research are discussed.

Details

Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management: An International Journal, vol. 7 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1361-2026

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2022

Albanë Gashi, Genc Zhushi and Besnik Krasniqi

This paper aims at identifying crucial factors that affect student satisfaction with synchronous e-learning. For this purpose, a research model comprised of perceived usefulness…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims at identifying crucial factors that affect student satisfaction with synchronous e-learning. For this purpose, a research model comprised of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), computer anxiety (CA), self-efficacy (SE), system accessibility (SA), perceived interaction (PI) and perceived flexibility (PF) was developed.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purpose of this research, an online questionnaire was used. All of the measures are adapted from previously validated instruments and adjusted to fit the research aim. Accordingly, the questionnaire resulted in 49 items, which yielded eight constructs. To test the hypothesized model, structural equation modeling was employed on a valid sample of 263 higher education students.

Findings

According to the results, PU, PI, CA and flexibility were all found to be significant. PU demonstrated the most contribution following by PF and PI.

Research limitations/implications

Even though this study has included some critical factors theorized to influence e-learning settings, it does not incorporate all elements. In terms of sample size, a bigger sample would be more favorable. Lastly, the study took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, where free movement and social activities were restricted, which may have influenced students' perception of synchronous e-learning.

Practical implications

This research contributes to a greater understanding of the student experience with synchronous e-learning, and its findings can provide relevant stakeholders, particularly e-learning practitioners, with insights into effectively adopting and improving such settings.

Originality/value

This study uses an integrated model of several constructs to investigate student satisfaction in terms of just synchronous e-learning rather than e-learning in general. Several validated instruments were used and tested in a new context and sample. Additionally, the study provides evidence during COVID-19.

Details

The International Journal of Information and Learning Technology, vol. 41 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4880

Keywords

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