Aim/Purpose: To understand the change of entrepreneurial initiatives by analysing some new initiatives that came up the last years based on IT enabled business models Background: The theme is described from an educational perspective by offering examples of successful entrepreneurship initiatives Methodology: Description of some cases: Waynabox, Lock up, Uber, Pinterest Contribution: This project tries to become a guide for youth in order to understand various aspects: first, the entrepreneurial aspects that have to be considered before starting a business; secondly, the characteristics that successful businesses have in common; and finally how an entrepreneur can be innovative and how they can achieve the success Findings: Only the 10% of the start-ups exist more than three years. Among the causes of failure are the high saturation of the market and the market competition, which are connected to the ignorance of the real necessity of customers. The company has to identify the needs of customers. They have to define and target their customers by observing and analyzing the market and, above all, getting in touch with the customers. The business plan is something that has to be carried out before the beginning of the project, and has to exist on paper. Everything has to be planned and organised, and the objectives have to be clearly stated in order to stay focused Recommendations for Practitioners : To use existent business models as an inspiration for the creation of a new business model. It is really important to avoid copying the business model itself. One thing that a company needs to do is to make the difference offering new characteristics adapted to the current customer’s experiences Recommendation for Researchers: It is really important to have a good relation with the customer, to attend their needs and to help them with all the doubts that they can have about the company. An entrepreneur cannot be guided by his own interests. He has to invest in order to know the needs of the potential customers Impact on Society : Customer experience is key to have success in new business models

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents an exploratory case study into using 360° videos to present small segments of lecture content for IT students in an Australian University. The aim of this study was to understand; what is the impact of incorporating 360° videos into class content for students and teaching staff? In this study the 360° videos are described as “learning atoms”. Learning atoms are short duration videos (1 to 5 minutes) captured in 360°. Background: Within this paper we conducted experiments in the classroom using 360° videos to determine if they have an impact on student's feeling of presence with class content. Additionally, to follow up, how does the inclusion of 360° impact on the teaching experience. Methodology: The methodology used in this study focused on both quantitative and qualita-tive aspects. Data was captured at the same time during the teaching period to address the research questions. In order to gauge the feeling of presence within the classroom a short survey was administered to students in the undergraduate IT class at the start (pre) and end (post) of the semester using the same questions to measure any change. Contribution: The main contributions from this study were that we demonstrated there is a potential for providing an alternative ‘immersive’ content presentation for students. This alternative content took the form of 360° learning atoms, whereas further showed our nuance process for creating and publishing of these atoms. Findings: The results show that for students, learning atoms can help improve the sense of presence, particularly for remote students, however the interactive experience can take student’s attention away from the lecturer. The results present potential for providing an alternative ‘immersive’ content presentation for students, however problems for uptake are present for both students and teachers, such as image capture quality and file size Impact on Society: We foresee this approach as being a new approach to teaching students in higher education within online spaces to increase engagement and move towards having a richer virtual experience no matter the location. Future Research: Future research will be conducted to resolve whether presence and engagement is supported by the inclusion of 360° videos in the classroom.

Aim/Purpose: The study describes empirical research into agile Requirements Engineering (RE) practices based on an analysis of data collected in a large higher education organization. Background: Requirements Engineering (RE) in agile development contexts is considerably different than in traditional software development. The field of agile RE is still nascent where there is a need to evaluate its impact in real-world settings. Methodology: Using a case study methodology, the study involved interviewing nine experienced software practitioners who reflected on the use and implementation of various agile RE practices in two software development projects of a student management system. Contribution: The primary contribution of the paper is the evaluation of agile RE practices in a large tertiary educational organization. Based on the analysis of the data, it provides valuable insights into the practice of agile RE in a specific context (i.e., education), but just as importantly, the ones that were omitted or replaced with others and why. Findings: While the evolutionary and iterative approach to defining requirements was followed in general, not all agile practices could be fully adhered to in the case organization. Although face-to-face communication with the customers has been recognized as one the most important agile RE practices, it was one of the most difficult practices to achieve with a large and diverse customer base. Addressing people issues (e.g., resistance to change, thinking, and mindset) was found to be a key driver to following the iterative RE process effectively. Contrary to the value-based approach advocated in the literature, the value-based approach was not strictly adhered to in requirements prioritization. Continuous integration was perceived to be a more beneficial practice than prototyping, as it allows frequent integration of code and facilitates delivering working software when necessary. Recommendations for Practitioners: Our study has important implications for practitioners. Based on our empirical analysis, we provide specific recommendations for effective implementation of agile RE practices. For example, our findings suggest that practitioners could address the challenges associated with limited face-to-face communication challenges by producing flexible, accessible, and electronic documentation to enable communication. Recommendations for Researchers: Researchers can use the identified agile RE practices and their variants to per-form in-depth investigations into agile requirements engineering in other educational contexts. Impact on Society: There are a number of new technologies that offer exciting new opportunities that can be explored to maximize the benefits of agile and other requirements techniques. Future Research: Future research could conduct case studies in different contexts and thus con-tribute to developing bundles or collections of practices to improve software development processes in specific contexts.

Aim/Purpose This paper focuses on systematizing and rethinking the conformity of modern transdisciplinarity with its prime cause and initial ideas. Background The difficulties of implementing transdisciplinarity into science and education are connected with the fact that its generally accepted definition, identification characteristics, and methodological features are still missing. In order to eliminate these disadvantages of transdisciplinarity, its prime cause and initial ideas had to be detected. It is also important to analyze the correspondence of the existing opinions about transdisciplinarity with the content of these cause and ideas. Methodology The qualitative analysis of the literature reviews on the subject of transdisciplinary was used in order to determine the correspondence of the opinions about the transdisciplinarity with the meaning of its prime cause and initial ideas. These opinions had to be generalized as well. Through this method, it was possible to detect and classify opinions into 11 groups including 39 stereotypes of transdisciplinarity. For substantiation of transdisciplinary approaches that are consistent with the approaches of contemporary science, C.F. Gauss random variables normal distribution was used. The “Gauss curve” helped to show the place of transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches in the structure of academic and systems approaches. The “Gauss curve” also demonstrated the step-by-step “broadening of the scientific worldview horizon due to sequential intensification of synthesis, integration, unification, and generalization of the disciplinary knowledge.” Contribution After reconsideration of the results on qualitative analysis of the literature reviews, the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity could be formulated, including the definition for transdisciplinary and systems transdisciplinary approaches. It was proven that transdisciplinarity is a natural stage for the development of contemporary science and education, and the transdisciplinary approaches were able to suggest the methods and tools to solve the complex and poorly structured problems of science and the society. Findings Many existing stereotypes of transdisciplinarity do not meet its prime cause and initial ideas. Such stereotypes do not have deep philosophic and theoretical substantiation. They also do not suggest the transdisciplinary methods and tools. Thus, the authors of such stereotypes often claim them to be transdisciplinary or suggest perceiving them as transdisciplinarity. This circumstance is the reason why many disciplinary scientists, practitioners, and initiators of higher education view transdisciplinarity as a marginal direction of contemporary science. Based on the generalized definition of transdisciplinarity, as well as its prime cause and initial ideas, it was shown that transdisciplinarity is presented in contemporary science in the form of two different approaches, i.e., the transdisciplinary approach and systems transdisciplinary approach. The objective of the transdisciplinary approach is to ensure science development at the stage of synthesis and integration of disciplinary knowledge, while the objective of the systems transdisciplinary approach is to ensure that the problems of modern society are solved through unification and generalization of the disciplinary knowledge. Recommendation for Researchers The researchers should consider that within the limits of the transdisciplinary approach, the disciplinary specialists are managed. Within the limits of the systems transdisciplinary approach, the disciplinary knowledge is managed. Thus, the transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and research with participation of the scientists of the complementary disciplines. An example of such research can be a team of researchers of medical disciplines and complementary disciplines from chemistry, physics, and engineering. The systems transdisciplinary approach is efficient for organization and performance of research with participation of the scientists of non-complementary disciplines such as economics, physics, meteorology, chemistry, ecology, geology, and sociology. Future Research In terms of the main initial idea, transdisciplinarity is formed as a global approach. The global approach should have a traditional institutional form: it should be a science discipline (meta-discipline) and have carriers with the transdisciplinary worldview. Training for such carriers can be organized by the universities within the limits of the systems transdisciplinarity departments and Centers of Systems Transdisciplinary Retraining for Disciplinary Specialists. Thus, it is reasonable to initiate discussion for the idea to reform the disciplinary structure of the universities considering creation of such departments and centers.

Aim/Purpose. Business schools need to design, develop and deliver courses that are relevant to business problem-solving. Current pedagogies do not often provide the insight – or experience – necessary to close the gap between theory and practice. Background. The paper describes an initiative to design, develop and deliver courses in business-technology problem-solving that thoroughly immerses students in the actual world of business. Methodology. The methodology included case-based analysis where actual cases where selected to model problem-solving scenarios. Contribution. Several courses are developed that immerse students into actual problem-solving experiences. Findings The courses will be delivered to business students to assess the impact of immersive/experiential learning. Recommendations for Practitioners. Additional courses should be informed by actual cases; the commitment to relevance should be expanded. Recommendations for Researchers. Ongoing research to measure the impact of immersive/experiential learning is recommended. Impact on Society. Business schools should rethink the content of their courses and the pedagogies that have dominated business schools for many decades. Future Research. Additional research will include more courses and additional immersive/experiential pedagogies.

The purpose of this paper was to explore the current and potential use of Facebook for learning purposes by Jordanian university students. The paper attempted to compare such use with other uses of Facebook. Further, the paper investigated Jordanian university students’ attitudes towards using Facebook as a formal academic tool, through the use of course-specific Facebook groups. To that end, quantitative data were collected from a sample of 451 students from three Jordanian public universities. Findings indicated that the vast majority of Jordanian students had Facebook accounts, which echoes its popularity amongst Jordanian youth compared to other types of online social networking sites. While both “social activities” and “entertainment” were the primary motivators for Jordanian students to create and use Facebook accounts, a growing number of them were using Facebook for academic purposes too. Further, Jordanian students had a positive attitude toward the use of “Facebook groups” as an educational tool for specific courses, and under specific conditions. Based on its findings, the paper provides suggestions for Jordanian higher institutions to invest in the application of Facebook as a formal academic tool.

The purpose of the study is to identify influential factors in the use of collaborative networks within the context of manufacturing. The study aims to investigate factors that influence employees’ learning, and to bridge the gap between theory and praxis in collaborative networks in manufacturing. The study further extends the boundary of a collaborative network beyond enterprises to include suppliers, customers, and external stakeholders. It provides a holistic perspective of collaborative networks within the complexity of the manufacturing environment, based on empirical evidence from a questionnaire survey of 246 respondents from diverse manufacturing industries. Drawing upon the socio-technical systems (STS) theory, the study presents the theoretical context and interpretations through the lens of manufacturing. The results show significant influences of organizational support, promotive interactions, positive interdependence, internal-external learning, perceived effectiveness, and perceived usefulness on the use of collaborative networks among manufacturing employees. The study offers a basis of empirical validity for measuring collaborative networks in organizational learning and knowledge/information sharing in manufacturing.

Analogical thinking is one of the most effective tools to generate innovative ideas. It enables us to develop new ideas by transferring information from well-known domains and utilizing them in a novel domain. However, using analogical thinking does not always yield appropriate ideas, and there is a lack of consensus among researchers regarding the evaluation methods for assessing new ideas. Here, we define the appropriateness of generated ideas as having high structural and low superficial similarities with their source ideas. This study investigates the relationship between thinking process and the appropriateness of ideas generated through analogical thinking. We conducted four workshops with 22 students in order to collect the data. All generated ideas were assessed based on the definition of appropriateness in this study. The results show that participants who deliberate more before reaching the creative leap stage and those who are engaged in more trial and error for deciding the final domain of a new idea have a greater possibility of generating appropriate ideas. The findings suggest new strategies of designing workshops to enhance the appropriateness of new ideas.

Aim/Purpose: This study is carried out to determine the factors influencing the implementation of IT governance in public sector. Background: IT governance in organizations plays strategic roles in deciding whether IT strategies and investments of both private and public organizations could be efficient, consistent, and transparent. IT governance has the potential to be the best practice that could improve organizational performance and competency. Methodology: The study involves qualitative and quantitative approaches, where data were collected through questionnaire, observation, interview, and document study through a sample of 367 respondents. The collected data were analyzed using Structured Equation Modeling (SEM) for validating the model and testing the hypotheses. Besides, semi-structured interview, observation, and document study were also carried out to obtain the management’s feedback on the implementation of IT governance and its activities. Contribution: The results of this study contribute to knowledge regarding good IT governance. Practically, this study can be used as a guideline for the future development and good IT governance. Findings: The findings reveal that policy has a significant direct influence on system planning, the management of IT investment, system realization, operation and maintenance, and organizational culture. The existence of IT governance policies, the success of the IT process can work well. Monitoring and evaluation processes also significantly affect system plan-ning, management of IT investment, system realization, operation and maintenance, and organizational culture. It indicates the process of monitoring and evaluation required for indications of financial efficiency, infrastructure, resources, risk and organizational success. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is important for organizational management to pay more attention to the organization’s internal controls in order to create good IT governance. Recommendation for Researchers: A comparative study between Indonesia and developing countries on the implementation of IT governance is needed to capture the differences be-tween those countries. Impact on Society: Knowledge of the factors influencing the implementation of IT governance as an effort to implement and improve the quality of IT governance. Future Research: Future studies should look further at the policy and IT governance models, specifically in public organizations, besides other influencing factors. Moreover, the outcome of this study could be generated as a guideline for the advanced development of IT governance and as a point of improvement as a way to generate a better good IT governance. It is essential because such evidence is lacking in current literature.

Aim/Purpose: This study aimed to examine the relationships among compatibility, relative advantage, complexity, IT Infrastructure, security, top Management Support, financial Support, information Policies, employee engagement, customer pressure, competitive pressure, information integrity, information sharing, attitude toward adopting technology factors, and CRM adoption Background: Customer relationship management (CRM) refers to the use of the process, information, technology, and people for the management of the interactions between the organization and its customers. Therefore, there is a need for SMEs to implement CRM practices in their businesses for competitive advantage. However, in developing nations, the adoption rate of such practices remains low. This low rate may be attributed to the lack of important factors that guide CRM adoption, and as such, the present study attempts to investigate the factors affecting CRM adoption in Palestinian SMEs. This paper used the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DOI), Resource-Based View (RBV), and Technology, Organization, and Environment Framework (TOE) framework to identify the determinant factors from the technological, organizational, environmental, and information culture perspectives. Methodology: This study uses a quantitative approach to investigate the relationships between the variables. A questionnaire was designed to collect data from 420 SMEs in Palestine. 331respondents completed and returned the survey. The Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) approach was used to assess both the measurement and structural models. Contribution: This study contributes to both theory and practitioners by providing insights into factors that affect CRM adoption in Palestinian SMEs, which did not explore before. Future research suggestions are also provided. Findings: The results of the study prove that the adoption of CRM depends on compatibility (CMP), security (SEC), top management support (TMS), information policies (INP), financial resources (FR), employee engagement (EEN), competitive pressure (COP), customers pressure (CUP), attitude toward adopting technology (ATA), information integrity (INI), and information sharing (INS). Surprisingly, complexity (CMX), IT infrastructure (ITI), and relative advantage (RLA) do not play any role in CRM adoption in Palestine. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study provides practitioners with the important factors for CRM adoption upon its successful implementation in the context of Palestinian SMEs. Recommendation for Researchers: Our findings may be used to conduct further studies about compatibility, security, top management support, information policies, financial resources, employee engagement, competitive pressure, customers pressure, attitude toward adopting technology, information integrity, information sharing factors, and CRM adoption by using different countries, procedure, and context. Impact on Society: The proposed framework provides insights for SMEs which have significant effects for research and practice to help facilitate the adoption of CRM Future Research: The findings may also be compared to other studies conducted in different contexts and provide deeper insights into the influence of the examined contexts on the employees’ intention toward CRM adoption in banking and universities. It would be fruitful to test whether the results hold true in developed and developing countries.

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to identify the main factors influencing consumers’ adoption of social commerce (s-commerce). Based on the socio-technical theory, the study suggests a research model that investigates the key social and technical factors driving consumers’ decision to purchase from social commerce websites. In addition, the research model explores the interactive relationship among these factors. Background: The phenomenon of social commerce (s-commerce) has emerged due to the increased penetration of social media and the rapid development of Web 2.0 technologies. Electronic commerce (e-commerce) companies have made significant efforts to shift their operations to s-commerce. Therefore, to facilitate their efforts to transform, various research has been conducted to investigate the main factor influencing the adoption of s-commerce. Most of these studies have emphasised the social aspects related to s-commerce design features to understand how the use of advanced web technologies influence how customers interact with each other in s-commerce environments. However, s-commerce is viewed as a socio-technical system that requires the investigation of both social and technical factors to help in the design of effective s-commerce platforms. Methodology: To validate the proposed research model, 418 paper-based and online questionnaires were collected from online shoppers in Jordan. The Structure Equation Modelling (SEM) approach was used to test the proposed hypotheses. Contribution: This study offers a research model that serves as a theoretical framework for investigating customers’ behaviour in s-commerce environment. It represents a strong context-specific model that includes both the technical and social facilitators of s-commerce. The research model participates in gaining an improved understanding of how customers’ intention, actual purchase and post-purchase experience are formed in the s-commerce environment. Findings: The results of Structure Equation Modelling (SEM) reveal that s-commerce constructs, familiarity and user experience have a positive influence on the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of s-commerce. In addition, perceptions of its usefulness and ease of use have a positive influence on trust, which in turn influences the purchase intention and the actual purchase. Finally, the post-purchase experience significantly influences both trust and purchase intention. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study shows that social commerce constructs strengthen customers’ perceptions of usefulness. S-commerce service providers are required to provide their customers with various channels to seek social support. Both familiarity and user experience are key enablers of customers’ perceived ease of use. S-commerce service providers consider the variation in customers’ familiarity and experience with s-commerce websites because this has a significant influence on purchase intentions and behaviour. Consequently, system designers should offer useful and sufficient information and tutorials that effectively guide customers in their searching, decision-making and purchasing activities throughout the shopping process. S-commerce service providers should understand the importance of providing secure payment systems and make their privacy policies clear to customers. Post-purchase experience has an influential role in reinforcing customers’ trust and purchase intention. The findings confirm the important role of post-purchase experience in retaining customers by improving their trust and repurchase intention. Therefore, making a customer’s post-purchase experience pleasant should be a key priority for s-commerce service providers because it has a significant influence on customers’ trust and repurchase intentions. Recommendation for Researchers: This study offers a unidimensional conceptualisation of the design features of s-commerce. These features include three main forms: recommendations and referrals, communities and forums, and reviews and ratings. Such conceptualisation provides additional insights and an understanding of the activities of information sharing in s-commerce. The significance of the technical side of s-commerce is highlighted and empirical proof is provided that social interactions guided by social technologies enhance customers’ perceived usefulness of an s-commerce website, thus increasing their trust and intention to purchase which leads to an actual purchase. This offers insights into the various types of s-commerce characteristics that contribute to facilitating customers’ purchase behaviour on s-commerce websites. Impact on Society: The findings offer insights which have important implications for research and practice to help facilitate the adoption of s-commerce. Future Research: This study considered the s-commerce websites as a homogenous online environment. Additional research could collect data from diverse online communities, such as professional groups, to provide a comprehensive understanding of how a wider variety of user behaviour is affected. Second, this was a quantitative study based on data collected in a questionnaire. Further studies may consider using qualitative or mixed methodologies (i.e. focus groups and interviews) to explore other technical and social factors that influence the use of s-commerce.

Aim/Purpose: This article proposes a methodology for selecting the initial sets for clustering categorical data. The main idea is to combine all the different values of every single criterion or attribute, to form the first proposal of the so-called multiclusters, obtaining in this way the maximum number of clusters for the whole dataset. The multiclusters thus obtained, are themselves clustered in a second step, according to the desired final number of clusters. Background: Popular cluster methods for categorical data, such as the well-known K-Modes, usually select the initial sets by means of some random process. This fact introduces some randomness in the final results of the algorithms. We explore a different application of the clustering methodology for categorical data that overcomes the instability problems and ultimately provides a greater clustering efficiency. Methodology: For assessing the performance of the proposed algorithm and its comparison with K-Modes, we apply both of them to categorical databases where the response variable is known but not used in the analysis. In our examples, that response variable can be identified to the real clusters or classes to which the observations belong. With every data set, we perform a two-step analysis. In the first step we perform the clustering analysis on data where the response variable (the real clusters) has been omitted, and in the second step we use that omitted information to check the efficiency of the clustering algorithm (by comparing the real clusters to those given by the algorithm). Contribution: Simplicity, efficiency and stability are the main advantages of the multicluster method. Findings: The experimental results attained with real databases show that the multicluster algorithm has greater precision and a better grouping effect than the classical K-modes algorithm. Recommendations for Practitioners: The method can be useful for those researchers working with small and medium size datasets, allowing them to detect the underlying structure of the data in an intuitive and reasonable way. Recommendation for Researchers: The proposed algorithm is slower than K-Modes, since it devotes a lot of time to the calculation of the initial combinations of attributes. The reduction of the computing time is therefore an important research topic. Future Research: We are concerned with the scalability of the algorithm to large and complex data sets, as well as the application to mixed data sets with both quantitative and qualitative attributes.

Aim/Purpose: Systematic literature reviews seek to locate all studies that contain material of relevance to a research question and to synthesize the relevant outcomes of those studies. The primary aim of this paper was to synthesize both research and practice reports on micro-credentials (MCRs). Background: There has been an increase in reports and research on the plausibility of MCRs to support dynamic human skills development for an increasingly impatient and rapidly changing digital world. The integration of fast-paced emerging technologies and digitalization necessitate alternative learning paradigms. MCRs offer time, financial, and space flexibility and can be stacked into a larger qualification, thereby allowing for a broader range of transdisciplinary competencies within a qualification. However, MCRs often lack the academic rigor required for accreditation within existing disciplines. Methodology: The study followed the PRISMA framework (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses), which offers a rigorous method to enhance reporting quality. The study used both academic research and practice reports. Contribution: The paper makes a theoretical contribution to the discourse about the need for innovation within existing educational paradigms for continued relevance in a changing world. It also contributes to the debate on the role of MCRs in bridging the gap between practice and academia despite the growing difference between their interests, and the role that MCRs play in the social-economic plans of countries. Findings: The key findings are that investments in MCRs are mainly in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Education sectors, and have taken place mainly in high-income countries and regions – contexts that particularly value practice-accredited MCRs. Low-income countries, by contrast, remain traditional and insist on MCRs that are formally accredited by a recognized academic institution. This contributes to a widening skills gap between low- and high-income countries or regions, which results in greater global disparities. There is also a growing divide between academia and practice concerning their interest in MCRs (a reflection of the rigor versus relevance debate), which partially explains why many global and larger organizations have gone on to create their own learning institutions. Recommendations for Practitioners: We recommend that educational mechanisms consider the critical importance of MCRs as part of innovative efforts for life-wide (different sectors) and life-long (same sector) learning, especially in low-income countries. MCRs provide dynamic mechanisms to fill skills gaps in an increasing ruthless international battle for talent. Recommendation for Researchers: We recommend focused research into skills and career pathways using MCRs while at the same time remaining responsive to transdisciplinary efforts and sensitive to global and local changes within any sector. Impact on Society: Work and society have transformed over time, and more so in the new digital age, yet academia has been slow in adapting to the changes, forcing organizations to create their own learning institutions or to use MCRs to fill the skills gap. The purpose of education goes beyond preparing individuals for work, extending further to creating an environment where individuals and governments seek their own social and economic outcomes. MCRs provide a flexible means for co-creation between individuals, education, organizations, and government that could stem global rising unemployment, social exclusion, and redundancy. Future Research: Future research should focus on the co-creation of MCRs between practitioners and academia.

Aim/Purpose: The use of digital technology, such as an electronic records management system (ERMS), has prompted widespread changes across organizations. The organization needs to support its operations with an automation system to improve production performance. This study investigates ERMS’s potentiality to enhance organizational performance in the oil and gas industry. Background: Oil and gas organizations generate enormous electronic records that lead to difficulties in managing them without any system or digitalization procedure. The need to use a system to manage big data and records affects information security and creates several problems. This study supports decision-makers in oil and gas organizations to use ERMS to enhance organizational performance. Methodology: We used a quantitative method by integrating the typical partial least squares (SEM-PLS) approach, including measurement items, respondents’ demographics, sampling and collection of data, and data analysis. The SEM-PLS approach uses a measurement and structural model assessment to analyze data. Contribution: This study contributes significantly to theory and practice by providing advancements in identity theory in the context of big data management and electronic records management. This study is a foundation for further research on the role of ERMS in operations performance and Big Data Management (BDM). This research makes a theoretical contribution by studying a theory-driven framework that may serve as an essential lens to evaluate the role of ERMS in performance and increase its potentiality in the future. This research also evaluated the combined impacts of general technology acceptance theory elements and identity theory in the context of ERMS to support data management. Findings: This study provides an empirically tested model that helps organizations to adopt ERMS based on the influence of big data management. The current study’s findings looked at the concerns of oil and gas organizations about integrating new technologies to support organizational performance. The results demonstrated that individual characteristics of users in oil and gas organizations, in conjunction with administrative features, are robust predictors of ERMS. The results show that ERMS potentiality significantly influences the organizational performance of oil and gas organizations. The research results fit the big ideas about how big data management and ERMS affect respondents to adopt new technologies. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study contributes significantly to the theory and practice of ERMS potentiality and BDM by developing and validating a new framework for adopting ERMS to support the performance and production of oil and gas organizations. The current study adds a new framework to identity theory in the context of ERMS and BDM. It increases the perceived benefits of using ERMS in protecting the credibility and authenticity of electronic records in oil and gas organizations. Recommendation for Researchers: This study serves as a foundation for future research into the function and influence of big data management on ERMS that support the organizational performance. Researchers can examine the framework of this study in other nations in the future, and they will be able to analyze this research framework to compare various results in other countries and expand ERMS generalizability and efficacy. Impact on Society: ERMS and its impact on BDM is still a developing field, and readers of this article can assist in gaining a better understanding of the literature’s dissemination of ERMS adoption in the oil and gas industry. This study presents an experimentally validated model of ERMS adoption with the effect of BDM in the oil and gas industry. Future Research: In the future, researchers may be able to examine the impact of BDM and user technology fit as critical factors in adopting ERMS by using different theories or locations. Furthermore, researchers may include the moderating impact of demographical parameters such as age, gender, wealth, and experience into this study model to make it even more robust and comprehensive. In addition, future research may examine the significant direct correlations between human traits, organizational features, and individual perceptions of BDM that are directly related to ERMS potentiality and operational performance in the future.

With the continuous growth and importance of data, the need for strong data protection becomes crucial. Encryption plays a vital role in preserving the confidentiality of data, and attribute-based encryption (ABE) offers a meticulous access control system based on attributes. This study investigates the integration of Fernet encryption with initialisation vector (IV) and ABE, resulting in a hybrid encryption approach that enhances both security and flexibility. By combining the advantages of Fernet encryption and IV-based encryption, the hybrid encryption scheme establishes an effective and robust mechanism for safeguarding data. Fernet encryption, renowned for its simplicity and efficiency, provides authenticated encryption, guaranteeing both the confidentiality and integrity of the data. The incorporation of an initialisation vector (IV) introduces an element of randomness into the encryption process, thereby strengthening the overall security measures. This research paper discusses the advantages and drawbacks of the hybrid encryption of Fernet and IV with ABE.

This study aims to identify and understand the perspectives of automotive aftersales stakeholders regarding current challenges posed by decarbonisation strategies. It examines potential responses that the automotive aftersales business could undertake to address these challenges. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with automotive industry experts from Europe and Latin America. This paper focuses primarily on impacts of decarbonisation upon automotive aftersales and the potential role of data in that business. Results show that investment in technology will be a condition for businesses that want to remain active in the industry. Furthermore, experts agree that incumbent manufacturers are not filling the technology gap that the energy transition is creating in the automotive sector, a consequence of which will be the entrance of new players from other sectors. The current aftersales businesses will potentially lose bargaining control. Moreover, policy makers are seen as unreliable leaders of the transition agenda.

Campus discovery is an important feature of a university student induction process. Approaches towards campus discovery differ from course to course and can comprise guided tours that are often lengthy and uninspiring, or self-guided tours that run the risk of students failing to complete them. This paper describes a campus self-discovery induction game (Geospatial Crypto Reconnaissance) which aims to make students aware of campus resources and facilities, whilst at the same time allowing students to make friends and complete the game in an enthusing and exciting way. In this paper we describe the game construct, which comprises of a location, message, and artefact, and also the gameplay. Geospatial Crypto Reconnaissance requires students to identify a series of photographs from around the campus, to capture the GPS coordinates of the location of the photograph, to decipher a ciphered message and then to return both the GPS coordinates and the message for each photograph, proving that the student has attended the location. The game had a very high satisfaction score and we present an analysis of student feedback on the game and also provide guidance on how the game can be adopted for less technical cohorts of students.

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to explore levels of Technological Access (ownership, access to, and usage of computer devices as well as access to Internet services) and levels of Technological Efficacy (technology related skills) as they pertain to underserved (UNS) and underrepresented (UNR) students. Background: There exists a positive correlation between technology related access, technology related competence, and academic outcomes. An increasing emphasis on expanding online education at the author’s institution, consistent with nationwide trends, means that it is unlikely that just an increase in online offerings alone will result in an improvement in the educational attainment of students, especially if such students lack access to technology and the technology related skills needed to take advantage of online learning. Most studies on levels of Technological Access and Technological Efficacy have dealt with either K-12 or minority populations with limited research on UNS and UNR populations who form the majority of students at the author’s institution. Methodology: This study used a cross-sectional survey research design to investigate the research questions. A web survey was sent to all students at the university except first semester new and first semester transfer students from various disciplines (n = 535). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the survey data. Contribution: This research provides insight on a population (UNS and UNR) that is expanding in higher education. However, there is limited information related to levels of Technological Access and Technological Efficacy for this group. This paper is timely and relevant as adequate access to technology and technological competence is critical for success in the expanding field of online learning, and the research findings can be used to guide and inform subsequent actions vital to bridging any educational equity gap that might exist. Findings: A critical subset of the sample who were first generation, low income, and non-White (FGLINW) had significantly lower levels of Technological Access. In addition, nearly half of the survey sample used smartphones to access online courses. Technological Efficacy scores were significantly lower for students who dropped out of or never enrolled in an online course. Transfer students had significantly higher Technological Efficacy scores while independent students (determined by tax status for federal financial aid purposes) reflected higher Technological Efficacy, but at a marginally lower level of significance. Recommendations for Practitioners: Higher education administrators and educators should take into consideration the gaps in technology related access and skills to devise institutional interventions as well as formulate pedagogical approaches that account for such gaps in educational equity. This will help ensure pathways to sustained student success given the rapidly growing landscape of online education. Recommendation for Researchers: Similar studies need to be conducted in other institutions serving UNS and UNR students in order to bolster findings and increase awareness. Impact on Society: The digital divide with respect to Technological Access and Technological Efficacy that impacts UNS and UNR student populations must be addressed to better prepare such groups for both academic and subsequent professional success. Addressing such gaps will not only help disadvantaged students maximize their educational opportunities but will also prepare them to navigate the challenges of an increasingly technology driven society. Future Research: Given that it is more challenging to write papers and complete projects using a smartphone, is there a homework gap for UNS and UNR students that may impact their academic success? What is the impact of differing levels of Technological Efficacy on specific academic outcomes of UNS and UNR students?

Aim/Purpose: To explore the incidence of addiction potential within the Iranian public working population, describing how many Iranian public employees fall within the diagnostic categories of low, moderate, and high addiction potential. Also, to investigate the predicting role of occupational variables such as perceived stress, job security, and job satisfaction on addiction potential and belonging to low, moderate, and high addiction potential diagnostic categories. Background: Substance addiction among employees can lead to several negative consequences at the individual and organizational levels. Also, it is the fourth cause of death in Iran. However, few studies have been conducted on the topic among employees, and non among Iranian employees. Methodology: The study participants were 430 employees working in governmental offices of the North Khorasan province, Iran. Descriptive statistical analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted to explore the incidence of addiction potential within the analyzed population and to investigate whether occupational variables such as perceived stress, job security, and job satisfaction predicted low, moderate, or high addiction potential. Contribution: This paper suggests that perceived stress might act as a risk factor for developing addiction, whereas job security and job satisfaction might be protective factors against the likelihood of addiction development. Findings: More than half of the sample showed moderate to high addiction potential. Perceived stress was positively related to addiction potential. Job security and job satisfaction were negatively related to addiction potential. Recommendation for Researchers: When addressing the topic of substance addiction, researchers should focus on the preventative side of investigating it; that is, addiction risk rather than already unfolded addiction. Also, researchers should be mindful of the cultural context in which studies are conducted. Future Research: Future research might investigate other relevant occupational predictors in relation to employee addiction potential, such as leadership style, work-life balance, and worktime schedule, or expand on the relevant causal chain by including personality traits such as neuroticism.

Zhigang WU,Yaohui ZHU, Vol.E107-D, No.11, pp.1385-1395
This article focuses on improving the BiSeNet v2 bilateral branch image segmentation network structure, enhancing its learning ability for spatial details and overall image segmentation accuracy. A modified network called “BiconvNet” is proposed. Firstly, to extract shallow spatial details more effectively, a parallel concatenated strip and dilated (PCSD) convolution module is proposed and used to extract local features and surrounding contextual features in the detail branch. Continuing on, the semantic branch is reconstructed using the lightweight capability of depth separable convolution and high performance of ConvNet, in order to enable more efficient learning of deep advanced semantic features. Finally, fine-tuning is performed on the bilateral guidance aggregation layer of BiSeNet v2, enabling better fusion of the feature maps output by the detail branch and semantic branch. The experimental part discusses the contribution of stripe convolution and different sizes of empty convolution to image segmentation accuracy, and compares them with common convolutions such as Conv2d convolution, CG convolution and CCA convolution. The experiment proves that the PCSD convolution module proposed in this paper has the highest segmentation accuracy in all categories of the Cityscapes dataset compared with common convolutions. BiConvNet achieved a 9.39% accuracy improvement over the BiSeNet v2 network, with only a slight increase of 1.18M in model parameters. A mIoU accuracy of 68.75% was achieved on the validation set. Furthermore, through comparative experiments with commonly used autonomous driving image segmentation algorithms in recent years, BiConvNet demonstrates strong competitive advantages in segmentation accuracy on the Cityscapes and BDD100K datasets.
Publication Date: 2024/11/01

If partnering with local firms is an intuitive strategy with which to mitigate uncertainty in foreign ventures, then why don't organizations always partner with local firms, especially in uncertain settings? We address this question by unbundling the effects of uncertainty in foreign ventures at the venture and country levels. We contend that, while both levels increase the need for partnering with local firms in foreign ventures, country-level uncertainty increases the difficulty of partnering with local firms and decreases the likelihood of such partnerships. We also posit that experiential learning helps firms manage the two types of uncertainty, and thereby reduces the need for partnering—yet, experience in the host country makes partnering more feasible and increases the likelihood of such partnerships. To test our hypotheses, we conceptualize the decision to partner with a local firm in a foreign venture as a multilayered decision, and model it accordingly. Using a global sample of venture capital investments made between 1984 and 2011, we find support for the distinct effects of venture- and country-level uncertainty as well as for corresponding levels of experiential learning. These findings have implications for the literature on cross-border venture capital investment and international business in general.

After new ventures have exhausted the limited financial resources of founders, family, and friends, they often pursue initial external capital. To secure investment, entrepreneurs can signal about their venture's latent potential by aligning themselves with reliable third parties. Such affiliations affirm the new venture's legitimacy and provide substantive benefits in the form of mentoring, access to resources, and ongoing monitoring. However, early stage financing is an especially "noisy" signaling environment owing to the large number of startups seeking funding, many of which will not survive. The real value of third party affiliations in this context resides in their ability to unlock the potential of other more pedestrian signals, such as the entrepreneur's characteristics and actions that might otherwise go unnoticed. We borrow from the sensemaking literature to explain how third party affiliation signals disambiguate signals with multiple possible interpretations so that potential investors interpret them positively. Findings support our theory that a startup's characteristics and actions are signals that remain relatively unnoticed unless a startup combines them with a third party affiliation that enhances the signal's value, thus increasing the likelihood of receiving external capital.

Drawing on theories of behavioral decision making and situational strength, we developed and tested a multilevel model that explains how the performance outcomes of personal initiative tendency depend on the extent of alignment between organizational control mechanisms and proactive individuals' risk propensities. Results from a sample of 383 middle managers operating in 34 business units of a large multinational corporation indicated that risk propensity weakens the positive relationship between personal initiative tendency and job performance. This negative moderating effect was further amplified when middle managers receive high job autonomy but was attenuated in business units with a strong performance management context. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on proactivity, risk taking, and organizational control.

What are the long-term consequences of initially beneficial high-reputation workplace ties? Under uncertainty, acolytes (i.e., subordinates with work connections to high-reputation industry leaders) are likely to benefit in terms of signaling fitness for promotion in the external job market. Analysis of promotion outcomes of coaches in the NFL over 31 years showed that the acolyte effect was reduced for individuals for whom uncertainty was the least (acolytes with considerable industry experience or high centrality in the co-worker industry network). There was no support for either a knowledge-transfer or an intrinsic quality explanation for why acolytes initially gained advantage. Rather, the evidence supported the idea that ties to high-reputation leaders were somewhat randomly distributed so that acolytes faced ex post settling up consequences after their promotions: fewer further promotions or lateral moves, more demotions. Thus, acolytes initially benefited from a loose-linkage between their unobservable quality and signals offered by their industry-leader ties, but they also suffered as the unreliability of social network signals became evident. The results suggest that a competitive job market may exhibit self-correction over time. We offer countervailing theory and evidence to the prevailing view that high-reputation third-party endorsements perpetuate a rich-get-richer social structure resistant to performance outcomes.

ALLIES and supporters of the United States who praise it as the champion of democracy, freedom and human rights will now be rushing to join the media queue to congratulate the incoming president.

In their public messaging, they are likely to extol the outcome as yet another example of American exceptionalism and a role model for the countries of the world they regard as autocratic and necessary to bring down to uphold their definition of democracy and the Western rule of law.

Privately though, they will be feeling and reacting differently. They are also likely to be afraid of what will now follow.

The explanation is not far to find. Though portrayed in Western media as offering vastly different visions of the US for the next four years as well as being diametrically opposed in their foreign policy objectives, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump concur in adherence to the slogan made famous by Trump: that is to “Make America Great Again” (Maga).

It is a slogan that Democrat party leaders embrace just as strongly but would rather not
let the rest of the world be aware of or knowledgeable about.

How will Maga impact US foreign policy?

Post-election, the Maga agenda will be pushed hard and at the expense of the interests and concerns of the rest of the world. Maga foreign policy impact will be felt not only by countries that the US sees as rivals and enemies – China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Serbia, Venezuela, Belarus and others.

It will also inflict costs on allies including Canada, European Union nations, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and a few others such as the Philippines, previously provided with generous financial and military support by a moneyed and powerful benefactor, which is now relatively impoverished and less influential.

Countries not hitched to the American ideological bandwagon that see themselves as independent such as Mexico, India and Vietnam will find that sitting on the fence in the next four years will be much less comfortable as the new US president will not shield or spare them from the looming policy changes in trade, immigration, security, climate change and wherever else he or she sees as important and necessary to uplift the US and stem its decline.

Earlier in July, The Economist drew up a table ranking the vulnerability of various countries likely to be impacted by a new Trump presidency’s core policies. The table, The Trump Risk Index, assessed the exposure and vulnerability of America’s 70 largest trading partners to potential policy changes.

Although no similar table was drawn up for a Harris presidency, if one were to be drawn up, it is likely that there will be little or no difference in the index finding and ranking.

Increasingly, we find that liberal and conservative American analysts – both now recognising that the US is in an existential crisis – are converging in support of Maga to be the focus of US foreign policy.

The crisis, a long-developing one, exposes not only the deep divisions within American society with equal numbers on Republican and Democrat sides of the political fence in disagreement on the domestic policy reforms that the country badly needs.

It also brings to attention the current status of the US described by Trump as “a failing country”. It is a description that some Americans have taken umbrage with but which many Democrat supporters agree on while denouncing the Republican and Trumpian rhetoric and record on failing to improve the state of the nation.

What is perhaps most unsettling is that the disorder and instability in the US may see the new president become more reliant on US military superiority to ensure American dominance in global geopolitics.

The US military may again be called upon to underpin the foreign policy actions needed to make America great again.

Is a last hurrah coming to ensure that the US continues its defence of the unipolar world that it has shaped and is fixated on preserving?

Lim Teck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

MADRID: Schools in flood-hit towns in eastern Spain will be closed on Wednesday as the region braces for more torrential rains, officials said.

National weather office AEMET on Tuesday placed parts of Valencia as well as Catalonia in the northeast and Andalusia in the south and the Balearic Islands on orange alert -- the second highest level -- for strong or torrential rains until Thursday.

The alert comes two weeks after an exceptional Mediterranean storm caused Spain's deadliest floods in decades.

The October 29 storm killed 223 people, the bulk of them in the Valencia region, according to the latest official tally.

Dozens of town halls in Valencia, including Chiva, one of the worst-hit sites, suspended classes and closed public gyms because of the threats of more heavy rain.

“In response to the information provided by the emergency services, school and sports activities will be SUSPENDED from tomorrow until further notice,“ Chiva town hall wrote on X.

A military vehicle drove through towns in Valencia using a megaphone to warn of the expected storms and urge people not to make “unnecessary trips,“ images broadcast on Spanish public television TVE showed,

While the amount of rain that is forecast to fall in Valencia is less than what fell two weeks ago, local officials warned sewage systems are clogged with mud and could struggle to cope with significant precipitation making more flooding possible.

Outrage at the authorities for their perceived mismanagement before and after the floods triggered mass protests on Saturday, the largest in Valencia city which drew 130,000 people.

Classes were also suspended on Wednesday in parts of southern Catalonia as well as some towns and cities in Andalusia, inclusing Malaga.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s government is monitoring developments in the United States for potential changes in policies as a new administration prepares to take office in Washington, said Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli.

He said that given the influence the US has on the global economy, any country in the world would conduct some level of due diligence on the impacts a change in the US administration might bring.

“That is part and parcel of planning. While we await the next few announcements, we will observe how the Trump administration will impact the global economy and ours,” he told reporters after the Sesi Libat Urus Industri Rancangan Malaysia Ke-13 today.

Rafizi said Malaysia must be nimble and agile to react and respond to any geopolitical and international developments that may arise from a change in administration, not only in the US but in any of its large trading partners. “And the US is a very large trading partner for us,” he pointed out.

However, Rafizi noted that many of Malaysia’s plans concerning semiconductors and energy transition are driven by domestic needs and are largely structural. “That means it’s something we have to go through to prepare our industry and economy to be more robust. So in that sense, I think all the key reforms that need to be done still have to be done.”

Additionally, he said, Malaysia’s 13th Malaysia Plan will include initiatives to position the country as a global provider of a comprehensive artificial intelligence-driven data centre ecosystem. “The government’s focus has always been to tap into the opportunities presented by the data centre boom.”

Rafizi emphasised that Malaysia aims to avoid simply attracting data centre without integrating into the data centre value chain and supply chain. “We have been working on a few catalytic interventions to create the ecosystem.”

Rafizi said that by the end of this decade, Malaysia aims to participate in the entire data centre value chain, first benefiting from existing and future data centers in the country. “But more importantly, for us to begin exporting our own data centers around the world.”

For the 13th Malaysia Plan that is being prepared, Rafizi said, the Ministry of Economy is not only holding engagement sessions with state governments but also ensuring that it includes input from key strategic industries.

The sessions focus on the electronics, aerospace and automotive industries, and the process will continue to align government and industry planning. “The main goal is to transition our industries from assembly-based to innovation and creation-based industries,” Rafizi said.

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Egypt has bolstered Malaysia-Egypt bilateral relations, unlocking RM4.8 billion (US$1.1 billion) in potential export opportunities for Malaysia, according to the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI).

MITI stated that this export potential was largely generated through a roundtable meeting attended by 60 industry and business leaders from 47 Egyptian firms and key business associations, as well as 40 representatives from 20 Malaysian companies.

“During the session, productive discussions between Malaysian and Egyptian companies identified export potential worth RM4.8 billion (US$1.1 billion), particularly in high-value sectors such as automotive, chemicals, oleochemicals and renewable energy,” MITI said in a statement.

Egyptian companies also expressed interest in investment opportunities in Malaysia, particularly in medical devices and pharmaceuticals, MITI added.

The official visit took place from Nov 10-12, 2024.

In a bilateral meeting during the visit, MITI Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Egypt’s Minister of Investment and International Trade Hassan El Khatib agreed to reactivate the Malaysia-Egypt Joint Trade and Investment Committee (JTIC).

Malaysia will host the second JTIC Meeting in early 2025, focusing on collaboration in the semiconductor sector, renewable energy, the halal industry and digital transformation.

The two ministers further agreed that Malaysia’s Investment Development Board (MIDA) and Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) should sign a memorandum of understanding to enhance bilateral investment relations.

To support Malaysian exporters’ access to North African and Arab markets, MITI noted that Malaysia’s trade office in Cairo, managed by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), was upgraded in January 2024, offering improved market access and export support services.

Meanwhile, national carmaker Proton has expanded into the Egyptian market with a local assembly plant.

Assembly activities began with the first delivery of Proton’s completely knocked down (CKD) vehicles in September 2024, and sales are expected to start in January 2025, with a target of 16,000 units for the period 2024–2026, MITI reported.

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Egypt from January to September 2024 rose 21.4% year-on-year to RM3.0 billion (US$648 million), compared to RM2.4 billion (US$545.5 million) in the same period last year.

Egypt was Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner in Africa in 2023.

Tengku Zafrul said MITI is confident this bilateral relationship will continue to grow, positively impacting the economy and supporting the objectives of the New Malaysian Industrial Master Plan (NIMP) by 2030.

“MITI and its agencies will take prompt follow-up action to ensure that all agreed initiatives are implemented efficiently,” he added.

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