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Prospects for South Americans pursuing F1 “getting better” – Colapinto | RaceFans Round-up

In the round-up: F1 hopes for South Americans "getting better" • Verschoor back to MP for fifth F2 season • Verstappen races in charity event



  • RaceFans Round-up

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Alpine confirm switch to Mercedes power when Renault ends F1 engine project | Formula 1

Alpine have officially announced they will use Mercedes power units when Formula 1 introduces its new engine regulations in 2026.




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Alpine must make up for 0.3-second deficit with 2025 chassis – Briatore | RaceFans Round-up

In the round-up: Alpine must make up for 0.3-second deficit with 2025 chassis - Briatore • Stolen Lauda helmet goes on display • Wittich 'has not resigned'




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Configure your shipping and returns directly in Search Console

This post discusses a new and easier way to add shipping or return information directly in Search Console.




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Developing a Mobile Collaborative Tool for Business Continuity Management

We describe the design of a mobile collaborative tool that helps teams managing critical computing infrastructures in organizations, a task that is usually designated Business Continuity Management. The design process started with a requirements definition phase based on interviews with professional teams. The elicited requirements highlight four main concerns: collaboration support, knowledge management, team performance, and situation awareness. Based on these concerns, we developed a data model and tool supporting the collaborative update of Situation Matrixes. The matrixes aim to provide an integrated view of the operational and contextual conditions that frame critical events and inform the operators' responses to events. The paper provides results from our preliminary experiments with Situation Matrixes.




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Ontology-based Competency Management: the Case Study of the Mihajlo Pupin Institute

Semantic-based technologies have been steadily increasing their relevance in recent years in both the research world and business world. Considering this, the present article discusses the process of design and implementation of a competency management system in information and communication technologies domain utilizing the latest Semantic Web tools and technologies including D2RQ server, TopBraid Composer, OWL 2, SPARQL, SPARQL Rules and common human resources related public vocabularies. In particular, the paper discusses the process of building individual and enterprise competence models in a form of ontology database, as well as different ways of meaningful search and retrieval of expertise data on the Semantic Web. The ontological knowledge base aims at storing the extracted and integrated competences from structured, as well as unstructured sources. By using the illustrative case study of deployment of such a system in the Human Resources sector at the Mihajlo Pupin Institute, this paper shows an example of new approaches to data integration and information management. The proposed approach extends the functionalities of existing enterprise information systems and offers possibilities for development of future Internet services. This allows organizations to express their core competences and talents in a standardized, machine processable and understandable format, and hence, facilitates their integration in the European Research Area and beyond.




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Législatives : le cadeau de Jospin à Emmanuel Macron...

On semble s'acheminer vers une vague En Marche de forte magnitude aux prochaines Législatives. Si Les Républicains espèrent limiter la casse, c'est à dire avec un perte d'une centaine de députés. L'enjeu de LR, c'est l'après avec en ligne de mire, un...






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An intelligent approach to classify and detection of image forgery attack (scaling and cropping) using transfer learning

Image forgery detection techniques refer to the process of detecting manipulated or altered images, which can be used for various purposes, including malicious intent or misinformation. Image forgery detection is a crucial task in digital image forensics, where researchers have developed various techniques to detect image forgery. These techniques can be broadly categorised into active, passive, machine learning-based and hybrid. Active approaches involve embedding digital watermarks or signatures into the image during the creation process, which can later be used to detect any tampering. On the other hand, passive approaches rely on analysing the statistical properties of the image to detect any inconsistencies or irregularities that may indicate forgery. In this paper for the detection of scaling and cropping attack a deep learning method has been proposed using ResNet. The proposed method (Res-Net-Adam-Adam) is able to achieve highest amount of accuracy of 99.14% (0.9914) while detecting fake and real images.




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E-recruitment adoption among job-seekers: role of vividness and perceived internet stress in shaping their intentions

Drawn from technology acceptance model, this study establishes a theoretical framework for the analytical interpretation of factors affecting job-seekers intention to use e-recruitment websites. Using the data obtained from 379 respondents in India, ten hypotheses derived from the experimental model are evaluated using a structural equation modelling technique. Vividness, perceived usefulness (PU), and attitude have been shown to have a significant positive impact on the behavioural intentions (BIs) of job-seekers, although perceived ease of use (PEOU) did not. Furthermore, perceived internet stress (PIS) is observed to be a significant antecedent PEOU; and PEOU is of PU. Such findings broaden our knowledge of e-recruiting in various ways and offer qualitative insights into the potential impact of website functionality on the attractiveness of job-seekers.




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Developing digital health policy recommendations for pandemic preparedness and responsiveness

Disease pandemics, once thought to be historical relics, are now again challenging healthcare systems globally. Of essential importance is sufficiently investing in preparedness and responsiveness, but approaches to such investments vary significantly by country. These variations provide excellent opportunities to learn and prepare for future pandemics. Therefore, we examine digital health infrastructure and the state of healthcare and public health services in relation to pandemic preparedness and responsiveness. The research focuses on two countries: South Africa and the USA. We apply case analysis at the country level toward understanding digital health policy preparedness and responsiveness to a pandemic. We also provide a teaching note at the end for use in guiding students in this area to formulate digital health policy recommendations for pandemic preparedness and responsiveness.




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The role of pre-formation intangible assets in the endowment of science-based university spin-offs

Science-based university spin-offs face considerable technology and market uncertainty over extended periods of time, increasing the challenges of commercialisation. Scientist-entrepreneurs can play formative roles in commercialising lab-based scientific inventions through the formation of well-endowed university spin-offs. Through case study analysis of three science-based university spin-offs within a biotechnology innovation ecosystem, we unpack the impact of <i>pre-formation</i> intangible assets of academic scientists (research excellence, patenting, and international networks) and their entrepreneurial capabilities on spin-off performance. We find evidence that the pre-formation entrepreneurial capabilities of academic scientists can endow science-based university spin-offs by leveraging the scientists' pre-formation intangible assets. A theory-driven model depicting the role of pre-formation intangible assets and entrepreneurial capabilities in endowing science-based university spin-offs is developed. Recommendations are provided for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to more effectively commercialise high potential inventions in the university lab through the development and deployment of pre-formation intangible assets and entrepreneurial capabilities.




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Developing Cross-Cultural Awareness in IT: Reflections of Australian and Chinese Students




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Beyond Coursework: Developing Communities in an Online Program of Study

The nexus between paid work and study is important. Developing opportunities to facilitate this link is a key part of good course design especially in postgraduate programs. Strong communities of practice can also assist with improving links between research and practice. The online study environment affords some challenges to achieving these goals. The current study proposes that offering formalised interaction points— synchronous or asynchronous— during online study, is critical to facilitating the link between work and study. Twenty-five graduates of a postgraduate program were interviewed to explore their experiences of an online program of study. Three key themes emerged and are described in this paper: engaging with study, building a new framework for my practice, and implementing changes to my practice. Online learning programs need to embed opportunities for interaction that are meaningful and allow for development of ideas and discussion, aiming to take learning beyond the program of study.




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Novice Programmers’ Coping with Multi-Threaded Software Design

Aim/Purpose: Multi-threaded software design is considered to be difficult, especially to novice programmers. In this study, we explored how students cope with a task that its solution requires a multi-threaded architecture to achieve optimal runtime. Background: An efficient exploit of multicore processors architecture requires computer programs that use parallel programming techniques. However, parallel programming is difficult to understand and apply by novice programmers. Methodology: The students had to address a two-stage problem: (1) design an optimal runtime solution to a given problem with no additional instructions; and (2) provide an optimal runtime multi-threaded design to the same problem. Interviews were conducted with a representative group of students to understand the underlying causes of their provided designs. We used qualitative research methods to gain refined insights regarding the students’ decision making during the design process. To analyze the gained data, we used content analysis tools. Contribution: The case study presented in this paper will help the teacher to stress the merits and limitations of various parallel architectures and confront students with the consequences of their solutions via performances’ benchmark. Findings: Analysis of the student’s solutions to the first stage revealed that the majority of them did not provide a multi-threaded solution ignoring the optimal runtime requirement. At the second stage, seven various architectures were provided differing in the number of involved threads, the data structures used, and the synchronization mechanism employed. The majority of the solutions were sub-optimal and only a few students provided an optimal one. Recommendations for Practitioners: We recommend conducting class discussions that will follow a task similar to the one used in this study. Recommendation for Researchers: To be able to generalize the received results this research should be repeated with larger study participant groups from various academic institutions. Impact on Society: Understanding the difficulties of novice programmers may lead to quality software systems. Future Research: To be able to generalize the received results this research should be repeated with larger study participant groups from various academic institutions.




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E- Assessment with Multiple-Choice Questions: A 5 Year Study of Students’ Opinions and Experience

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study is to understand student’s opinions and perceptions about e-assessment when the assessment process was changed from the traditional computer assisted method to a multiple-choice Moodle based method. Background: In order to implement continuous assessment to a large number of students, several shifts are necessary, which implies as many different tests as the number of shifts required. Consequently, it is difficult to ensure homogeneity through the different tests and a huge amount of grading time is needed. These problems related to the traditional assessment based on computer assisted tests, lead to a re-design of the assessment resulting in the use of multiple-choice Moodle tests. Methodology: A longitudinal, concurrent, mixed method study was implemented over a five-year period. A survey was developed and carried out by 815 undergraduate students who experienced the electronic multiple-choice questions (eMCQ) assessment in the courses of the IS department. Qualitative analyses included open-ended survey responses and interviews with repeating students in the first year. Contribution: This study provides a reflection tool on how to incorporate frequent moments of assessment in courses with a high number of students without overloading teachers with a huge workload. The research analysed the efficiency of assessing non-theoretical topics using eMCQ, while ensuring the homogeneity of assessment tests, which needs to be complemented with other assessment methods in order to assure that students develop and acquire the expected skills and competencies. Findings: The students involved in the study appreciate the online multiple-choice quiz assessment method and perceive it as fair but have a contradictory opinion regarding the preference of the assessment method, throughout the years. These changes in perception may be related to the improvement of the question bank and categorisation of questions according to difficulty level, which lead to the nullification of the ‘luck factor’. Other major findings are that although the online multiple-choice quizzes are used with success in the assessment of theoretical topics, the same is not in evidence regarding practical topics. Therefore, this assessment needs to be complemented with other methods in order to achieve the expected learning outcomes. Recommendations for Practitioners: In order to be able to evaluate the same expected learning outcomes in practical topics, particularly in technology and information systems subjects, the evaluator should complement the online multiple-choice quiz assessment with other approaches, such as a PBL method, homework assignments, and/or other tasks performed during the semester. Recommendation for Researchers: This study explores e-assessment with online multiple-choice quizzes in higher education. It provides a survey that can be applied in other institutions that are also using online multiple-choice quizzes to assess non-theorical topics. In order to better understand the students’ opinions on the development of skills and competencies with online multiple-choice quizzes and on the other hand with classical computer assisted assessment, it would be necessary to add questions concerning these aspects. It would then be interesting to compare the findings of this study with the results from other institutions. Impact on Society: The increasing number of students in higher education has led to a raised use of e-assessment activities, since it can provide a fast and efficient manner to assess a high number of students. Therefore, this research provides meaningful insight of the stakeholders’ perceptions of online multiple-choice quizzes about practical topics. Future Research: An interesting study, in the future, would be to obtain the opinions of a particular set of students on two tests, one of the tests using online multiple-choice quizzes and the other through a classical computer assisted assessment method. A natural extension of the present study is a comparative analysis regarding the grades obtained by students who performed one or another type of assessment (online multiple-choice quizzes vs. classical computer assisted assessment).




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The Utilization of 3D Printers by Elementary-Aged Learners: A Scoping Review

Aim/Purpose: This review’s main objective was to examine the existing literature on the use of 3D printers in primary education, covering students aged six to twelve across general, special, and inclusive educational environments. Background: A review of the literature indicated a significant oversight – prior reviews insufficiently distinguish the application of 3D printing in primary education from its utilization at higher educational tiers or focused on particular subject areas and learning domains. Considering the distinct nature and critical role of primary education in developing young students’ cognitive abilities and skills, it is essential to concentrate on this specific educational stage. Methodology: The scoping review was selected as the preferred research method. The methodological robustness was augmented through the utilization of the backward snowballing technique. Consequently, a total of 50 papers were identified and subjected to thorough analysis. Contribution: This review has methodically compiled and analyzed the literature on 3D printing use among elementary students, offering a substantial addition to academic conversations. It consolidated and organized research on 3D printers’ educational uses, applying robust and credible criteria. Findings: Many studies featured small sample sizes and limited research on inclusive and special education. The analysis revealed 82 distinct research goals and 13 educational fields, with STEM being the predominant focus. Scholars showed considerable interest in how 3D printers influence skills like creativity and problem-solving, as well as emotions such as engagement and motivation. The majority of studies indicated positive outcomes, enhancing academic achievement, engagement, collaboration, creativity, interest, and motivation. Nonetheless, challenges were noted, highlighting the necessity for teacher training, the expense of equipment, technical difficulties, and the complexities of blending new methods with traditional curricula. Recommendations for Practitioners: To capitalize on the benefits that 3D printers bring, curriculum planners are urged to weave them into their programs, ensuring alignment with educational standards and skill development. The critical role educators play in the effective implementation of this technology necessitates targeted professional development programs to equip them with the expertise for successful integration. Moreover, 3D printing presents a unique opportunity to advance inclusive education for students with disabilities, offering tailored learning experiences and aiding in creating assistive technologies. In recognizing the disparities in access to 3D printing, educational leaders must address the financial and logistical barriers highlighted in the literature. Strategic initiatives are essential to democratize 3D printing access, ensuring all students benefit from this educational tool. Recommendation for Researchers: Comparative studies are critical to elucidate the specific advantages and limitations of 3D printing technology due to the scarcity of research contrasting it with other tools. The variability in reporting durations of interventions and research environments underscores the necessity for uniform methodologies and benchmarks. Because research has predominantly focused on STEM/STEAM education, expanding into different educational areas could provide a comprehensive understanding of 3D printing’s capabilities. The existence of neutral and negative findings signals an opportunity for further investigation. Exploring the factors that impede the successful integration of 3D printing will inform the creation of superior pedagogical approaches and technological refinements. Future Research: As the review confirmed the significant promise of 3D printing technology in enriching education, especially in the context of primary education, the imperative for continued research to refine its application in primary education settings is highlighted.




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Unveiling green advances: sustainable innovations shaping hotels

This paper explores innovative ideas and strategies for promoting environmental sustainability within the hotel industry, with the goal of streamlining these concepts for practical application in the industry and facilitating future academic research. The research methodology encompassed extensive online desk research, yielding a collection of 87 articles that were subject to thorough analysis. Additionally, personal consultations were conducted with industry experts to align their insights with the identified innovative ideas. To facilitate comprehension, appropriate terminology was assigned to these concepts. Subsequently, a post-discussion phase was conducted, engaging in one-on-one sessions with five industry experts to distil these insights into four distinct directions. This paper holds potential value for both industry stakeholders and academics, serving as a structured compendium of ideas and innovations crucial for advancing sustainability in the hotel sector. Moreover, it provides a solid foundation for further academic research.




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A data mining method based on label mapping for long-term and short-term browsing behaviour of network users

In order to improve the speedup and recognition accuracy of the recognition process, this paper designs a data mining method based on label mapping for long-term and short-term browsing behaviour of network users. First, after removing the noise information in the behaviour sequence, calculate the similarity of behaviour characteristics. Then, multi-source behaviour data is mapped to the same dimension, and a behaviour label mapping layer and a behaviour data mining layer are established. Finally, the similarity of the tag matrix is calculated based on the similarity calculation results, and the mining results are output using SVM binary classification process. Experimental results show that the acceleration ratio of this method exceeds 0.9; area under curve receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) value increases rapidly in a short time, and the maximum value can reach 0.95, indicating that the mining precision of this method is high.




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National ICT policy challenges for developing countries: a grounded theory informed literature review

This paper presents a review of the literature on the challenges of national information and communication technology (ICT) policies in the context of African countries. National ICT policies have been aligned with socio-development agendas of African countries. However, the policies have not delivered the expected outcomes due to many challenges. Studies have been conducted in isolation to highlight the challenges in the policy process. The study used grounded theory informed literature review to holistically analyse the problems in the context of African countries. The results were categorised in the typology of the policy process to understand the challenges from a broad perspective. The problems were categorised into agenda setting, policy formulation, legal frameworks, implementation and evaluation. In addition, there were constraints related to policy monitoring in the policy phases and imbalance of power among the policy stakeholders. The review suggests areas of further research.




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The role of shopping apps and their impact on the online purchasing behaviour patterns of working women in Bangalore

The study aims to analyse the impact of shopping applications on the shopping behaviour of the working women community in Bangalore, a city known as the IT hub. The research uses a quantitative analysis with SPSS version 23 software and a structured questionnaire survey technique to gather data from the working women community. The study uses descriptive statistics, ANOVA, regression, and Pearson correlation analysis to evaluate the perception of working women regarding the significance of online shopping applications. The results show that digital shopping applications are more prevalent among the working women community in Bangalore. The study also evaluates the socio-economic and psychological factors that influence their purchasing behaviour. The findings suggest that online marketers should enhance their strategies to improve their business on digital platforms. The research provides valuable insights into the shopping habits of the working women community in Bangalore.




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Customer Service Factors Influencing Internet Shopping in New Zealand




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Concept Mapping as a Tool for Curriculum Quality




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A Second Opinion on the Current State of Affairs in Computer Science Education: An Australian Perspective




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Developing a Business Simulation Game: Integrating Multiple Development Tools




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A Multi-Criteria Based Approach to Prototyping Urban Road Networks




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An Architecture of a Computer Learning Environment for Mapping the Student’s Knowledge Level




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Offshore Outsourcing: New Spin Or Same Old Business




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The Discovery Camp: A Talent Fostering Initiative for Developing Research Capabilities among Undergraduate Students




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Developing a Model of Next Generation Knowledge Management




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Aligning Efficacy Beliefs and Competence: A Framework for Developing Technical Knowledge




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The Role of Management Games in Mapping Learning Styles to Elements of Business Know-How Acquisition: A Case Study




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Digital Divide: The Case of Developing Countries




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Mentoring Doctoral Students in a Developing Society




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Developing an Interactive Social Media Based Learning Environment




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Exploring the Aspects of Digital Divide in a Developing Country




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Evaluation of a Team Project Based Learning Module for Developing Employability Skills




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Strengthening the Online Auction Culture of the Philippines




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Securing the Information and Communications Technology Global Supply Chain from Exploitation: Developing a Strategy for Education, Training, and Awareness




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Critical Design Factors of Developing a High-quality Educational Website: Perspectives of Pre-service Teachers




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Learning and Assessment Practices of Doctoral Studies of Developing and Developed Countries: A Case Study of Doctoral Studies in Bangladesh




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The Impact of a University Experience Program on Rural and Regional Secondary School Students: Keeping the Flame Burning

Aim/Purpose: The uptake of university by regional students has been problematic for various reasons. This paper discusses a program, initiated by a South Australian regional university campus, aimed at attracting regional students into higher education. Background: A qualitative descriptive approach to study was used to determine the value of the program on participating students and school staff. Year 10 students from Roxby Downs, Port Augusta and Port Lincoln high schools were invited to participate in a two-day regionally-focussed school-university engagement program that linked students with the university campus and local employers. Methodology: A survey was administered to determine the impact of the program. Perceptions about the program by school staff were gathered using a modified One-Minute Harvard questionnaire. While 38 Year 10 students and 5 school staff members participated, 37 students and 3 staff evaluated the program. Findings: The findings revealed that the majority of the students would like to attend university, but financial and social issues were important barriers. The students learned about the regional university, what it can offer in terms of programs and support, and the employment prospect following university. The school staff benefited by developing a closer relationship with students and becoming better informed about the regional university. Recommendation for Practitioners: One way by which university uptake may be increased is to provide similar immersion programs featuring engagement with employers, our recommendation to other regional universities. In increasing the levels of education, individuals, communities and the society in general are benefited.




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Gen Z Self-Portrait: Vitality, Activism, Belonging, Happiness, Self-Image, and Media Usage Habits

Aim/Purpose. This study examined the self-perception of adolescents and young people aged 17-21 – how they perceived their personal characteristics, self-image, vitality, belonging to a local and global (glocal) society, happiness index and activity, media usage habits in general and smartphones in particular – in other words, it sought to produce a sketch of their character. Background. Different age groups are influenced by various factors that shape them, including living environment, technological developments, experiences, common issues, events of glocal significance, and more. People belonging to Gen Z were born at the end of the previous century and the beginning of the 21st century (up to 2010). This generation was born into the digital technological age and is the first one born into the environment defined by smartphones, and social media. Its members are referred to as “digital natives” because they were born after the widespread adoption of digital technology in the Western world. They entered an environment characterized by the widespread daily use of smartphones, the Internet, and technology in general. Methodology. This was a quantitative study based on a sample of 418 Israeli adolescents and young people aged 17-21. The following questionnaires were administered anonymously and disseminated online to an audience of youths aged 17-21 across Israel: A demographic questionnaire; Self-esteem; Vitality; Belonging vs. alienation; Social-emotional aspects; Usage habits in digital environments; Usage habits of learning on a smartphone; Open questions. Contribution. The current study tried to define clusters to characterize adolescents and youth aged 17-21. Findings Results show that study participants had high self-esteem and vitality, felt be-longing, happy, and satisfied with their life, and perceived themselves as active and enterprising at an average level or above. The study identified two clusters. Participants in Cluster 1 were characterized by higher parameter averages than those in Cluster 2 on the self-image, vitality, belonging, happiness, and activism scales. Participants in Cluster 1 felt that using a smartphone made life easier, helped them solve everyday problems, made everyday conduct easier, and allowed them to express themselves, keep up to date with what is happening with their friends, disseminate information conveniently, be involved in social life, and establish relationships with those around them. They thought that it was easy to collaborate with others and to plan activities and events. Recommendations for Practitioners. When examining cluster correlations with data in relation to other variables, it is apparent that participants in Cluster 1 had more options to reach out for help, report more weekly hours spent talking and meeting with friends and feel that using a smartphone makes everyday life easier and facilitates their day-to-day conduct than did participants in Cluster 2. The smartphone allows them to express themselves, keep updated regarding what is happening with their friends and disseminate information easily, helps them be involved in social life and establish connections with those around them. They find it easy to communicate and cooperate with others and to plan activities and events. By contrast, participants in Cluster 2 felt that the smartphone complicates things for them and creates problems in their daily lives. They feel that the use of social networks burdens them and that the smartphone prevents them from being more involved in their social life, and from establishing relationships with those around them. They felt that communication by smartphone creates more problems in understanding messages. Recommendations for Researchers. One of the challenges of this generation is forming an independent identity and self-regulation in a digital, global, across-the-border era that offers a variety of possibilities and communities. They must examine the connection between the digital and personal spaces, to be able to enjoy virtual communities and a sense of togetherness, and at the same time maintain privacy, autonomy, and individuality. Many studies point to the blurring of boundaries between the private-personal and the public, at numerous problems in social networks, including social problems, shaming, and exclusion from various groups and activities. The fear of shaming and the desire to keep up with everything that is happening create a state of mental stress, and adolescents often feel that they urgently need to check their smartphones. Sharing with others can help them deal with negative content and experiences and avoid the dangers lurking in their web surfing. Yet sharing, especially with friends, often causes intimate content to become public and leads to shaming and invasion of privacy. Impact on Society. Gen Z was born into an environment where smartphones, the Internet, and technology in general, are widely used in everyday routine, and they make extensive use of technological means in all areas of life. One of the characteristics of this generation is “globalization.” The present study showed that about 84% of participants felt to a moderate degree or higher that they were citizens of the world. Future Research. The findings of this study revealed a significant difference in self-image between males and females. An attempt was made to explain the findings in light of previous studies, but the need arose for studies on the self-image of young people of Gen Z that would shed light on the subject.




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Evaluating and Developing Innovation Capabilities with a Structured Method




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A Knowledge Integration Methodology for Developing Customized Maintenance Documents




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KenVACS: Improving Vaccination of Children through Cellular Network Technology in Developing Countries

Health Data collection is one of the major components of public health systems. Decision makers, policy makers, and medical service providers need accurate and timely data in order to improve the quality of health services. The rapid growth and use of mobile technologies has exerted pressure on the demand for mobile-based data collection solutions to bridge the information gaps in the health sector. We propose a prototype using open source data collection frameworks to test its feasibility in improving the vaccination data collection in Kenya. KenVACS, the proposed prototype, offers ways of collecting vaccination data through mobile phones and visualizes the collected data in a web application; the system also sends reminder short messages service (SMS) to remind parents on the date of the next vaccination. Early evaluation demonstrates the benefits of such a system in supporting and improving vaccination of children. Finally, we conducted a qualitative study to assess challenges in remote health data collection and evaluated usability and functionality of KenVACS.




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Research Foci, Methodologies, and Theories Used in Addressing E-Government Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Developing Countries

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the key research foci, methodologies, and theoretical perspectives adopted by researchers when studying E-government accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWDs), particularly in developing countries. The study aims to develop a conceptual framework for designing accessible E-government for PWDs in developing countries. Background: Studies on E-government accessibility for persons with disabilities in developing countries have been minimal. The few studies conducted until now have failed to integrate PWDs, a population already marginalized, into the digital society. Accessibility has been identified by researchers as a major hindrance to PWDs participating in E-government. It is imperative therefore to examine the manner in which researchers investigate and acquire knowledge about this phenomenon. Methodology : The study synthesizes literature from top IS journals following a systematic literature review approach. The data synthesis focuses on identifying key concepts relating to E-government accessibility for PWDs. Contribution: The study contributes to the field of E-government, with a focus on how E-government services can be made accessible to PWDs. The study calls on researchers to reflect on their epistemological and ontological paradigms when examining accessibility of E-government services in developing countries. Findings: The findings show that most researchers focus on the evaluation of E-government websites and predominantly adopt quantitative methods. The study also reveals that the use of technological determinism as a theoretical lens is high among researchers. Recommendations for Practitioners : The study recommends that E-government web developers and policy makers involve PWDs from design to evaluation in the development of E-government applications. Recommendation for Researchers: The study advocates the need to conduct studies on E-government accessibility by employing more qualitative and mixed approaches to gain in-depth and better understanding of the phenomenon. Impact on Society : This study creates greater awareness and points out inadequacies that society needs to address to make E-government more inclusive of and participatory for PWDs. Future Research: Further empirical work is required in order to refine the relevance and applicability of various constructs in EADM so as to arrive at a framework for addressing E-government accessibility for PWDs in developing countries.




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Contextualist Inquiry into E-Commerce Institutionalization in Developing Countries: The Case of Mozambican Women-led SMMES

Aim/Purpose: This study explores how women-led SMMEs in developing countries, specifically in the Mozambican context, institutionalise e-commerce by focusing on the ongoing interaction between the SMME, its context, and process of e-commerce institutionalization. Background: It is believed that institutionalization of e-commerce provides significant benefits of unlimited access to new markets, and access to new, improved, inexpensive and convenient operational methods of transacting. Although prior studies have examined the adoption of e-commerce and the enabling and constraining factors, few have examined e-commerce (i) institutionalization (that is, post-adoption), and (ii) from a gender perspective. This study aims to respond to this paucity in the literature by exploring how women-led SMMEs in developing countries, specifically in the Mozambican context, institutionalise e-commerce. Methodology: The study follows a qualitative inquiry approach for both data collection and analysis. Semi-structured interviews were adopted for data collection and thematic analysis implemented on the data. SMMEs were purposively sampled to allow for the selection of information-rich SMMEs for study and specifically those that have gone through the experience of adoption and in some cases have institutionalized e-commerce. Contribution: The empirical findings explain how the institutionalization process from interactive e-commerce to transactive e-commerce unfolds in the Mozambican context. Findings: Transition from interactive to transactive e-commerce is firstly influenced by (i) the type of business the SMME is engaged in; and (ii) customer and trading partner’s readiness for e-commerce. Secondly, the transition process is influenced by the internal factors of (i) manager’s demographic factors; (ii) mimetic behaviour arising from exposure to (foreign) organizations in the same industry that have mature forms of e-commerce; (iii) the business networks developed with some of these organizations that have mature forms of e-commerce; (iv) access to financial resources; and (v) social media technologies. Thirdly, the process is influenced by external contextual factors of (i) limited government intervention towards e-commerce endeavors; (ii) limited to lack of financial institutions readiness for e-commerce; (iii) lack of local available IT expertise; (iv) consumer’s low purchasing power due to economic recessions; (vi) international competitive pressure; and (vii) sociocultural practices. Recommendations for Practitioners: The study provides SMME managers, practitioners, and other stakeholders concerned with women’s development with a better understanding of the process in order to develop appropriate policies and interventions that are suitable for the reality of women-led SMMEs in Mozambique and other developing countries with similar contextual characteristics. Recommendation for Researchers: The study contributes to the existing debate of e-commerce and the use of ICT for development in developing countries by providing a distinct contribution of the institutionalization process and how the contextual structures influence this process. Impact on Society: Women-led SMME managers can learn from the different experiences, and compare their e-commerce efforts with SMMEs that were able to institutionalize and make strategies for improvements within their organizations. Future Research: The manner in which women-led SMMEs employ e-commerce requires further investigation to understand how issues related to gender, the cultural context, and different regions or countries impact this process.




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Effects of Advocacy Banners after Abandoning Products in Online Shopping Carts

Aim/Purpose: This study empirically analyzed and examined the effectiveness of the online advocacy banners on customers’ reactions to make replacements with the similar products in their shopping carts. Background: When a product in a shopping cart is removed, it might be put back into the cart again during the same purchase or it may be bought in the future. Otherwise, it might be abandoned and replaced with a similar item based on the customer’s enquiry list or on the recommendation of banners. There is a lack of understanding of this phenomenon in the existing literature, pointing to the need for this study. Methodology: With a database from a Taiwanese e-retailer, data were the tracks of empirical webpage clickstreams. The used data for analyses were particularly that the products were purchased again or replaced with the similar ones upon the advocacy banners being shown when they were removed from customers’ shopping carts. Few pre-defined Apriori rules as well as similarity algorithm, Jaccard index, were applied to derive the effectiveness. Contribution: This study addressed a measurement challenge by leveraging the information from clickstream data – particularly clickstream data behavior. These data are most useful to observe the real-time behavior of consumers on websites and also are applied to studying click-through behavior, but not click-through rates, for web banners. The study develops a new methodology to aid advertisers in evaluating the effectiveness of their banner campaign. Findings: The recommending/advocating titles of “you probably are interested” and “the most viewed” are not significantly effective on saving back customers’ removed products or repurchasing similar items. For the banners entitled “most buy”, “the most viewed” might only show popularity of the items, but is not enough to convince them to buy. At the current stage on the host website, customers may either not trust in the host e-retailer or in such mechanism. Additionally, the advocating/recommending banners only are effective on the same customer visits and their effects fade over time. As time passes, customers’ impressions of these banners may become vague. Recommendations for Practitioners: One managerial implication is more effective adoption of advocacy/recommendation banners on e-retailing websites. Another managerial implication is the evaluation of the advocacy/recommendation banners. By using a data mining technique to find the association between removed products and restored ones in e-shoppers’ shopping carts, the approach and findings of this study, which are important for e-retailing marketers, reflect the connection between the usage of banners and the personalized purchase changes in an individual customer’s shopping cart. Recommendation for Researchers: This study addressed a new measurement which challenges to leverage the information from clickstream data instead of click-through rates – particularly retailing webpages browsing behavior. These data are most useful to observe the real-time behavior of consumers on websites and also are applied to studying click-through behavior. Impact on Society: Personalization has become an important technique that allows businesses to improve both sales and service relationships with their online customers. This personalization gives e-marketers the ability to deliver real effectiveness in the use of banners. Future Research: The effectiveness is time- and case-sensible. Business practitioners and academic researchers are encouraged to apply the mining methodology to longevity studies, specific marketing campaigns of advertising and personal recommendations, and any further recommendation algorithms.