Mobile devices are the constant companions of technology users of all ages. Studies show, however, that making calls is a minimal part of our engagement with today’s smart phones and that even texting has fallen off, leaving web browsing, gaming, and social media as top uses. A cross-disciplinary group of faculty at our university came together in the mLearning Scholars group to study the potential for using mobile devices for student learning. The group met bi-weekly throughout a semester and shared thoughts, ideas, resources, and examples, while experimenting with mobile learning activities in individual classes. This paper summarizes student perceptions and adoption intent for using mobile devices for learning, and discusses implementation issues for faculty in adding mobile learning to a college course. Outcomes reflect that mobile learning adoption is not a given, and students need help in using and understanding the value in using personal devices for learning activities.

Human behaviour, which is led by the human, emotional and occasionally fallible brain, is highly influenced by the environment in which choices are presented. This research paper explores the synergistic potential of the Internet of Behaviours (IoB) and digital nudges in the financial sector as new avenues for intervention while shedding light on the IoB benefits and the digital nudges' added value in these financial settings. Afterward, it proposes an IoB-Nudges conceptual model to explain how these two concepts would be incorporated and investigates their complementary relationship and benefits for this sector. Finally, the paper also discusses key challenges to be addressed by the IoB framework.

In this article, we have attempted to study the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has gradually increased and impacted the world. The authors integrate the knowledge from cognitive psychology literature to illustrate how the limitations of the human mind might have a critical role in the decisions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors show the correlation between different biases in various contexts involved in the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the ways in which we can nudge ourselves and various stakeholders involved in the decision-making process. This study uses a typology of biases to examine how different patterns of biases affect the decision-making behaviour of people during the pandemic. The presented model investigates the potential interrelations among environmental transformations, cognitive biases, and strategic decisions. By referring to cognitive biases, our model also helps to understand why the same performance improvement practices might incite different opinions among decision-makers.

Numerous Internet of Things (IoT) applications require brain-empowered intelligence. This necessity has caused the emergence of a new area called cognitive IoT (CIoT). Reasoning, planning, and selection are typically involved in decision-making within the network bandwidth limit. Consequently, data minimisation is needed. Therefore, this research proposes a novel technique to extract conscious data from a massive dataset. First, it groups the data using k-means clustering, and the entropy is computed for each cluster. The most prominent cluster is then determined by selecting the cluster with the highest entropy. Subsequently, it transforms each cluster element into an informative element. The most informative data is chosen from the most prominent cluster that represents the whole massive data, which is further used for intelligent decision-making. The experimental evaluation is conducted on the 21.25 years of environmental dataset, revealing that the proposed method is efficient over competing approaches.

Aim/Purpose: This article examines how learning activities draw on resources in the work context to learn. Background The background is that if knowledge no longer is seen mainly as objects, but processes, how then to understand boundary objects? Our field study of learning activities reveals the use of pictures, documents and emotions for learning in the geographically distributed Norwegian Labor Inspection Authority Methodology: The study is a qualitative study consisting of interview data, observation data, and documents. Contribution: Contribute to practice based theorizing. Findings: Three ideal types of representing practices have been identified, i.e., ‘Visualizing’, ‘Documenting’ and ‘Testing’. All three are combined with storytelling, sensing, reflections and sensemaking, which point at the importance of processes in learning. The article also add insights about how emotions can be an important resource for boundary spanning – and sensemaking – by creating the capability of reflecting upon and integrating different knowledge areas in the in- practice context. Recommendations for Practitioners: Look for boundary objects within your field to promote online learning. Recommendation for Researchers: Study boundary objects in work context to understand learning. Impact on Society Role of objects in human learning. Future Research: Focus on how emotions can be used for online learning.

Aim/Purpose: This journal paper seeks to understand historical aspects of data management, leading to the current data issues faced by organizational executives in relation to big data and how best to present the information to circumvent big data challenges for executive strategic decision making. Background: This journal paper seeks to understand what executives value in data visualization, based on the literature published from prior data studies. Methodology: The qualitative methodology was used to understand the sentiments of executives and data analysts using semi-structured interview techniques. Contribution: The preliminary findings can provide practical knowledge for data visualization designers, but can also provide academics with knowledge to reflect on and use, specifically in relation to information systems (IS) that integrate human experience with technology in more valuable and productive ways. Findings: Preliminary results from interviews with executives and data analysts point to the relevance of understanding and effectively presenting the data source and the data journey, using the right data visualization technology to fit the nature of the data, creating an intuitive platform which enables collaboration and newness, the data presenter’s ability to convey the data message and the alignment of the visualization to core the objectives as key criteria to be applied for successful data visualizations Recommendations for Practitioners: Practitioners, specifically data analysts, should consider the results highlighted in the findings and adopt such recommendations when presenting data visualizations. These include data and premise understanding, ensuring alignment to the executive’s objective, possessing the ability to convey messages succinctly and clearly to the audience, having knowledge of the domain to answer questions effectively, and using the right technology to convey the message. Recommendation for Researchers: The importance of human cognitive and sensory processes and its impact in IS development is paramount. More focus can be placed on the psychological factors of technology acceptance. The current TAM model, used to describe use, identifies perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use as the primary considerations in technology adoption. However, factors that have been identified that impact on use do not express the importance of cognitive processes in technology adoption. Future Research: Future research requires further focus on intangible and psychological factors that could affect technology adoption and use, as well as understanding data visualization effectiveness in corporate environments, not only predominantly within the Health sector. Lessons from Health sector studies in data visualization should be used as a platform.

Aim/Purpose: This explanatory study aimed to determine the mediating role of ERP in the relation between the effect of a socio-technical approach and decision-making environment, and firms’ sustainable performance. Background: Although earlier studies have discussed the critical success factors of the failure or success of an ERP system and the extent to which it achieves its desired objectives, the current study focused on the significant impact of socio-technical elements and decision-making environment on the success of the ERP system (i.e., sustainable performance). In addition, the lack of research on ERP as a mediator in the above relationship motivated this study to bridge the literature gap. Methodology: The data was collected using questionnaires distributed to 233 randomly selected employees of three multinational companies (BP, LUKOIL, and Eni) operating in Iraq. The structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Contribution: The study contributes to the literature by examining the mediating role of the ERP system in the relationship between socio-technical elements and the decision-making environment, as well as, the moderating role of organizational culture in the relationship between socio-technical elements and ERP systems. Findings: The results showed that ERP is a significant mediator between the linkage of socio-technical elements and the decision-making environment while organizational culture has an insignificant moderating role in the relationship between socio-technical elements and ERP systems. Recommendations for Practitioners: In a developing country like Iraq, there is a need to implement ERP to achieve better sustainable performance through change management and organizational development that ultimately work towards enhancing individual capabilities, knowledge, and training. Recommendation for Researchers: The researchers are recommended to conduct an in-depth study of the phenomenon based on theoretical and empirical grounds, particularly in light of the relationship of socio-technical elements and decision-making environments. Impact on Society: This study provides a reference for organizations with similar cultural backgrounds in using ERP systems to minimize pollution in Iraqi context. Future Research: A more in-depth study can be performed using a bigger sample, which not only includes the oil industry but also the other industries.

Aim/Purpose: The research work investigated the information seeking process of undergraduates in a specialised university in Nigeria, in the course of a group assignment. Background: Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process (ISP) model is used as lens to reveal how students interact with information in the affective, cognitive and physical realms. Methodology: Qualitative research methods were employed. The entire seventy-seven third year students in the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas and their course lecturer were the participants. Group assignment question was analysed using Bloom’s Taxonomy while the information seeking process of the students was garnered through dialogue journaling on WhatsApp Messenger. Contribution: The research explicates how students’ information seeking behaviour can be captured beyond the four walls of a classroom by using a Web 2.0 tool such as WhatsApp Messenger. Findings: The apparent level of uncertainty, optimism, and confusion/doubt common in the initiation, selection, and exploration phases of the ISP model and low confidence levels were not markedly evident in the students. Consequently, Kuhlthau’s ISP model could not be applied in its entirety to the study’s particular context of teaching and learning due to the nature of the assignment. Recommendations for Practitioners: The study recommends that the Academic Planning Unit (APU) should set a benchmark for all faculties and, by extension, the departments in terms of the type/scope and number of assignments per semester, including learning outcomes. Recommendation for Researchers: Where elements of a guided approach to learning are missing, Kuhlthau’s ISP may not be employed. Therefore, alternative theory, such as Theory of Change could explain the poor quality of education and the type of intervention that could enhance students’ learning. Impact on Society: The ability to use emerging technologies is a form of literacy that is required by the 21st century work place. Hence, the study demonstrates students’ adaptation to emerging technology. Future Research: The study is limited to only one case site. It would be more helpful to the Nigerian society to have this study extended to other universities for the purpose of generalisation and appropriate intervention.

Aim/Purpose: This article takes ‘tourism decision-making behavior’ as an entry point, and deeply analyzes the factors influencing the travel decision-making of Chinese ‘American Travel’ tourists and their degree of influence, so as to provide a reference for the development of Chinese outbound tourism. Background: With the development of China’s economy and the improvement in people’s level, the outbound tourism market of Chinese residents has developed rapidly. The United States has become an important tourism destination country for Chinese residents’ outbound tourism, and China has also become one of the important tourist source countries of American tourism. However, the rapid development of ‘American tourism’ has also caused competition problems in China’s tourism industry. For example, prices and tourism products have become a means of competition among tourism enterprises. As the main body of consumption, tourists’ decision-making behavior will be affected by various factors. Methodology: Drawing lessons from previous scholars’ research results on tourism decision-making behavior, the influencing factors of tourism decision-making behavior are summarized. A theoretical model and index system of factors influencing tourism decision-making behavior of Chinese residents ‘Travel in the United States’ are established, research hypotheses are put forward, questionnaire data are collected, and SPSS and Amos are used to analyze and verify the theoretical model. Contribution: This research expands the literature on topics related to tourism decision-making in research and practice. It establishes a theoretical model and index system for the factors that influence the decision-making behavior of Chinese residents’ ‘American Travel’ tourism. In addition, we propose countermeasures for tourism products, enterprises, and the government. Findings: Prior knowledge and external information have a positive influence on tourism perception and value perception, and a negative influence on risk perception. Risk perception value perception has a positive and negative influence on tourism decision-making and tourism motivation, respectively. Tourism motivation has a positive influence on tourism decision-making and has a positive impact. Recommendation for Researchers: According to the research conclusions of this article, the following counter-measures and suggestions are put forward from three aspects of tourism: products, enterprises, and governments. On the basis of existing tourism products, relevant operating companies should pay more attention to the upgrading and transformation of tourism, leisure and entertainment products in scenic spots to increase the willingness of tourists to travel. When considering corporate marketing and promotion plans, tourism companies operating related businesses should increase the weight of their marketing budgets in online marketing, increase investment in online marketing, and develop mobile applications that meet the preferences of Chinese residents in the United States. Do a good job in the timely publication of safety reminders and local information. Safety is an important foundation for tourism development and the core concern of many tourists. Future Research: Due to the important research on the impact of tourism activities, the influencing factors are many and complex, and the psychological process of tourism decision-making is carried out directly. There are still unconsidered factors that need to be studied in depth. In the future, it is possible to compare multiple resource-featured themes, and increase the characteristics of potential tourists, and the factors affecting the selection behavior of regional cultural tourists, and so forth, in order to make the research more applicable and practical instructive significance.

Aim/Purpose: The aim of the present study is to investigate how pre-game superstition and anxiety can drive the consumption and purchase of sports products and objects by triathletes. Methodology: We tested our hypotheses via a cross-sectional study on a sample of N=124 triathletes. Contribution: The originality of our work stands in the provision of empirical evidence on the role of superstition and anxiety in characterized consumer decision-making of triathletes. Theoretically and practically, our results can extend our knowledge of the role of cognitive factors in consumer behaviors among athletes. Findings: The results of the Structural Equation Modelling provided evidence of our hypothesized relationship between pre-game anxiety and superstition, and cognitive biases. Pre-game anxiety increases the level of incidence of specific cognitive biases characterized by intuitive and implicit thinking, while superstition leads to more rational and personal cognitive biases, which affect their purchasing of sports products before games and competitions.

Product innovation has become a crucial part of the sustainability of the coconut agro-industry in Indonesia, covering upstream and downstream sides. To overcome this challenge, it is necessary to create several model stages using a hybrid method that combines machine learning based on multiple criteria decision making and mass balance analysis. The research case study was conducted in Tembilahan district, Riau province, Indonesia, one of the primary coconut producers in Indonesia. The analysis results showed that potential products for domestic customers included coconut milk, coconut cooking oil, coconut chips, coconut jelly, coconut sugar, and virgin coconut oil. Furthermore, considering the experts, the most potential product to be developed was coconut sugar with a weight of 0.26. Prediction of coconut sugar demand reached 13,996,607 tons/year, requiring coconut sap as a raw material up to 97,976,249.

Social welfare, or the good society, is of central concern to the Academy of Management. In this paper, we review the concept of social welfare, suggesting that regardless of discipline, social welfare is defined as a multi-dimensional phenomenon. We then review the literature on the corporate objective within a market economy, where the dominant view is that of a single-objective function. Analyzing this view, we argue for a multi-dimensional objective for organizations in order to meet social welfare objectives: where decision making within a market economy better utilizes the benefits of markets. We suggest that improvements in social welfare are possible where markets are better-enabled to operate among stakeholders unconstrained by some single-valued objective. In doing so, we respond to the critics of stakeholder theory who argue that it is an untenable theory due to its inability to specify how stakeholder objectives are to be prioritized.

Donald Trump was elected Tuesday to a second, nonconsecutive term as president.

After working at a crowded and dangerous internment camp in Iraq, Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather O'Brien returned to the U.S. with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Creating and maintaining a biodiversity data collection has been a much-needed worldwide exercise for years, yet there is no single standard on how to do this. This has led to a myriad of datasets often incompatible with each other. To make the most out of biodiversity data and to ensure that its use for environmental monitoring and conservation is both easy and legal, EU BON published recommendations that provide consistent Europe-wide Data Publishing Guidelines and Recommendations in the EU BON Biodiversity Portal.

The report "Data Policy Recommendations for Biodiversity Data. EU BON Project Report" featured in the Research Ideas & Outcomes (RIO) journal, is the first contribution in a pioneering comprehensive project outputs compilation taking advantage of RIO's unique option to publish collections of project results.

Lyubomir Penev presenting the EU BON collection in RIO at the project's biodiversity data sharing and data publishing workshop in Sofia; Credit: Pensoft

Biodiversity data and information provide important knowledge for many biological, geological, and environmental research disciplines. Additionally, they are crucial for the development of strong environmental policies and the management of natural resources. Information management systems can bring together a wealth of information and a legacy of over 260 years of biological observations which are now dispersed in a myriad of different documents, institutions, and locations.

EU BON aims to build a comprehensive "European Biodiversity Portal" that will incorporate currently scattered Europe-wide biodiversity data, while at the same time helping to realize a substantial part of the worldwide Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON). To achieve this ambitious plan, EU BON identifies the strong need for a coherent and consistent data policy in Europe to increase interoperability of data and make its re-use both easy and legal.

"Biodiversity data and information should not be treated as commercial goods, but as a common resource for the whole human society. The EU BON data sharing agreement is an important step in this direction," comments the lead author of the report Dr. Willi Egloff from Plazi, Switzerland.

In its report, the EU BON project analysis available single recommendations and guidelines on different topics. On this basis, the report provides structured guidelines for legislators, researchers, data aggregators, funding agencies and publishers to be taken into consideration towards providing standardized, easy-to-find, re-shareable and re-usable biodiversity data.

"We are extremely happy that EU BON is among the first to take advantage of our project outputs collections option in RIO. The first report they are publishing with us deals with issues of opening up data, and digitizing and collecting scientific knowledge, all close to RIO's mission to open up the research process and promote open science," says Prof. Lyubomir Penev, Founder and Publisher of RIO.

Original Source:

Egloff W, Agosti D, Patterson D, Hoffmann A, Mietchen D, Kishor P, Penev L (2016) Data Policy Recommendations for Biodiversity Data. EU BON Project Report. Research Ideas and Outcomes2: e8458. doi: 10.3897/rio.2.e8458

The conference covers scenarios and modelling applications in marine, freshwater and terrestrial systems, across all relevant disciplines of natural and social sciences. It is open to scientists and experts working in the field, policy makers and practioners. The conference focuses on: (i) Exploring recent advances in modelling human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services, (ii) Addressing the use of scenarios and models for decision support, (iii) Mobilising observations of biodiversity and ecosystem services for model development and testing, (iv) Capacity building for developing scenarios and models and for their use in decision making, (v) Horizon scanning and addressing gaps in knowledge.

More information available on the conference website.

“This expansion is not just about growth; it’s about building a stronger foundation for our teams and brands to thrive.”

The post Jack’s Abby acquires Night Shift Brewing, making it the largest craft brewer in Mass. appeared first on Boston.com.

"He puts himself in some bad situations, which he needs to learn from those. But we just love how combative he is."

The post Are the Bruins making the right call sending Matt Poitras to Providence? appeared first on Boston.com.

In a recent article, I gave a broad account of the evolution of the violin with a particular focus on the work of the Cremona ... Read more

The post The Impact of Stradivarius on Violin Making appeared first on CMUSE.

These days the majority of migrants crossing the US border with Mexico are from Central America. But that wasn’t always the case. For decades, the majority of people crossing the border were Mexicans, seeking jobs and opportunity in the US. Many would stay, without official permission, have families and build new lives. Author Ana Raquel Minian tells us how tighter border regulations had the unintended consequence of encouraging Mexicans to stay.

Also, the city of New Orleans is apologizing for the lynching of eleven Italians in the city in 1891. We hear from Michael Santo, a lawyer who pushed for the city to set the record straight;plus, how records of ritual scarring could help some Americans of African descent learn a little more about their family histories; also the story of Barney, a former slave who was granted freedom by joining the British army in the American revolution; and researchers learn that Casimir Pulaski, the man known as the 'Father of the American Cavalry,' was intersex. It’s a story of gender and identity for the history books.

(The U.S.-Mexico border barrier in Tijuana, Mexico. Credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

According to several reports this week, the Red Sox intend to be serious players in the Juan Soto Sweepstakes. Both the New York Post and ESPN reported that the Red Sox have plans to meet with Soto and his representatives in southern California this week. Both outlets reported that the Sox are among seven or eight bidders for the outfielder, with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays among others — including perhaps even the small-market Tampa Bay Rays — also in the running.

In this highly competitive market, strong GC-subcontractor relationships have never been more critical.

For many walls and ceilings contractors, the days of estimators working with full-size plans and a single digitizer are a thing of the past.

Washington — The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health’s work group on heat injury and illness prevention is set to meet virtually in April.

Washington – Health and safety standards could be weakened in certain cases because small businesses have been left out of the federal rulemaking process, according to a report from the Center for Effective Government.

It was introduced last year and has the potential to transform donor behaviour. But are charities ready for open banking? Liam Kay reports

Rebecca Cooney finds out how Making a Difference Locally is living up to its name

Washington – OSHA will delay enforcing a new interpretation of its Process Safety Management Standard, prompting a bipartisan group of lawmakers to call for the agency to withdraw that interpretation.

Washington – OSHA failed to follow federal rulemaking requirements when it used a memorandum to announce a revised definition of retail facilities exempt from the Process Safety Management Standard, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled.

OSHA’s rulemaking process has several steps, but not everyone agrees all the steps are needed. With some agency rules taking decades to promulgate, a few OSHA-watchers have suggested ways to speed up the process.

The big splash security systems integrators made in the market during the first three quarters of 2008 was tempered by a fourth quarter that looked more like a quiet ripple

Washington — OSHA is initiating a multipronged approach to protecting workers from extreme heat exposure, both outdoors and indoors, the agency has announced.

Highlighted are benefits of AI-enabled automation and interoperability, while addressing key considerations for security integrators in managing vulnerabilities and optimizing smart home ecosystems.

West Lafayette, IN — Researchers at Purdue University have outlined recommendations for enhancing the safety of a popular method for repairing water pipes that may release hazardous chemicals into the air, as part of a recent study on rehabilitating damaged drainage culverts.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, one of the most difficult things for many workplaces was the almost instantaneous shut-down and the need to send employees home to work.