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1 – 10 of 27
Article
Publication date: 10 September 2018

James Francis Ohene-Djan and Sandra A. Fernando

The SETUP09 system consists of both navigation and a computer-aided drawing technique for people who are blind and visually impaired (BVI). The purpose of this paper is to address…

Abstract

Purpose

The SETUP09 system consists of both navigation and a computer-aided drawing technique for people who are blind and visually impaired (BVI). The purpose of this paper is to address the need for a screen navigation technique, which can facilitate a user’s ability to produce art, and scientific diagrams electronically, by introducing a compass-based screen navigation method.

Design/methodology/approach

BVI computer users were tested using different screen navigation tasks to assess the accuracy and efficiency of this compass-based navigation technique by using a prototype (SETUP09) and tactile paper grid maps.

Findings

The results confirmed that the compass-based navigation facilitates higher accuracy in screen-based moving and location recognition with a noticeable reduction in time and effort.

Research limitations/implications

Improvements such as the addition of a sound layer to the interface, use of hotkeys, braille and user speech inputs are yet to be tested.

Social implications

The current lack of suitable and efficient screen navigation technology is a limiting factor for BVI students and computer users in producing diagrams and drawings. This may place limitations on their career progression and life contentment. It is challenging for a BVI person to draw diagrams and art, which are commonly taught in education or used in industry. The compass-based screen navigation system was developed to address BVI users’ need to be able to create such content.

Originality/value

A compass-based navigation method enables screen navigation through a formal command language and enables intuitive movement to a screen location using matrix-style compass directions with zoom-in and zoom-out capabilities.

Details

Journal of Enabling Technologies, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6263

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2019

Andre Eduardo Staedele, Sandra Rolim Ensslin and Fernando Antônio Forcellini

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the analysis of the characteristics and gaps of a literature fragment from the international scientific publications on performance…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the analysis of the characteristics and gaps of a literature fragment from the international scientific publications on performance evaluation in lean production, aiming to generate new knowledge and suggestions for future scientific research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors have adopted “ProKnow-C” methodology, a qualitative research approach that is used for literature selection, identification, analysis and reflection on the established characteristics.

Findings

From a bibliographic portfolio of 67 research works, 91 per cent of the works have individual metrics and 84 per cent have sets of metrics. Evaluating the focus of the performance measurement system, 34 per cent of works measure performance, 43 per cent compare performance and only 18 per cent assist in strategic planning. Evaluating the phases of the PMS life cycle, 87 per cent attend to the design, and 66 per cent attend to the activities of data collection, allow diagnosis, evaluate performance and communicate results. However, only 3 per cent of the studies analysed the use of PMS after its implementation and no research evidenced the review of metrics and objectives based on strategic planning.

Research limitations/implications

The search formula to capture the bibliographic portfolio (BP) was limited to the following terms: performance measurement, performance evaluation, performance assess*, performance appraisal, management, indicator*, critical factors, best practices, lean production, lean manufacturing and lean system. The BP was determined based on the limitations set by the research authors: articles published in English and Portuguese languages, from 2000 to 2018, in the Engineering Village, Scopus, EBSCO, Web of Science, ProQuest and Science Direct databases, which were freely available on the internet. Lastly, conceptual knowledge was used to select the articles, so there is a chance that unintentional losses could happen.

Practical implications

As practical implications for practitioners, the authors have identified that a PMS from an organisation that aims to become “lean” needs to be defined and revised considering its strategy, adjusting its set of metrics and targets to the internal and external challenges. As practical implications for researchers, opportunities have been identified to develop longitudinal studies in PMS utilisation and review to understand how the measurement system must evolve over time through changes in the internal and external environments of organisations.

Originality/value

This research adds value because its results allow researchers and practitioners to visualise the boundaries of the knowledge from the BP, about performance management in lean production, and what their gaps are in relation to the reference model of performance evaluation. This research is original because it was not observed in the literature review, a research that used the ProKnow-C methodology for analysis of the alignment and gaps between lean production and performance evaluation.

Details

Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management, vol. 30 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-038X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 7 September 2020

Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, Ricardo Godinho Bilro and Fernando José de Aires Angelino

The purpose of this paper is to review studies on the use of virtual reality (VR) and gamification to engage students in higher education for marketing issues to identify the…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review studies on the use of virtual reality (VR) and gamification to engage students in higher education for marketing issues to identify the research topics, the research gaps and to prepare a future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review is performed based on two search terms applied to Web of Science, resulting in a final pool of 115 articles. A text-mining approach is used to conduct a full-text analysis of papers related to VR and gamification in higher education. The authors also compare the salient characteristics presented in the articles.

Findings

From this analysis, five major research topics are found and analysed, namely, teaching methodologies and education, experience and motivation, student engagement, applied theories in VR and gamification. Based on this and following the theory concept characteristics methodology framework, the paper provides directions for future research.

Originality/value

There is no comprehensive review exploring the topics, theories, constructs and methods used in prior studies concerning VR and gamification applied to higher education services based on all the articles published in well-regarded academic journals. This review seeks to provide deeper insights, to help scholars contribute to the development of this research field.

Propósito

En este documento se revisan los estudios sobre el uso de la realidad virtual (RV) y la Gamificación para involucrar a los estudiantes en la educación superior en marketing, se identifican los principales temas de investigación tratados, las lagunas de investigación y se sugiere una agenda futura de investigación.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Una revisión de la literatura basada en dos búsquedas en Web of Science (WOS) permitió identificar 115 artículos. La minería de textos se utilizó para realizar un análisis de texto completo de los artículos relacionados con RV y gamificación en la educación superior. Los autores también compararon las características más destacadas de los artículos.

Hallazgos

A partir de este análisis, se encuentran y analizan cinco grandes temas de investigación: metodologías de enseñanza y educación, experiencia y motivación, compromiso de los estudiantes, aplicadas a la RV y la gamificación. Basándose en esto y siguiendo el marco del TCCM, el artículo proporciona una agenda futura de investigación.

Originalidad/valor

No hay una revisión exhaustiva que explore los temas, las teorías, construcciones y métodos utilizados en estudios anteriores relativos a RV y gamificación aplicados a servicios de educación superior basados en todos los artículos publicados en revistas académicas. Esta revisión proporciona una panorámica más detallada y sugiere a los académicos nuevas líneas de trabajo para seguir desarrollando este campo de investigación.

目的

本文的目的是回顾为了提高学生参与高等教育而使用虚拟现实(VR)和游戏化的营销方面的研究,以确定它们的研究主题,研究差距,并以此准备未来的研究议程。

文章设计/方法

本文的文献综述是基于Web of Science的两个搜索词进行的,最终搜索出115篇文章。本文采用文本挖掘方法,对与高等教育中的虚拟现实和游戏化相关的论文进行全文分析。作者还比较了这些文章中呈现的显著特征。

研究结果

从这一调查中,我们发现并分析了五大研究主题,即教学方法与教育、体验与动机、学生参与、虚拟现实应用理论和游戏化。在此基础上,遵循理论概念、特征、方法论框架,为今后的研究提供了方向。

本文独创性/价值

目前,在权威学术期刊上发表的所有文章,都没有对以往关于虚拟现实和游戏化应用于高等教育服务的研究的主题、理论、结构和方法进行全面的综述。本文旨在提供更深刻的见解,以帮助学者们为这一研究领域的发展做出贡献。

Abstract

Details

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1755-4217

Article
Publication date: 7 August 2023

Gonzalo Maldonado-Guzmán, Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes and Sandra Yesenia Pinzón-Castro

Green innovation and sustainability are two contemporary initiatives that are gaining more and more attention from researchers, academics and industry professionals as they are…

Abstract

Purpose

Green innovation and sustainability are two contemporary initiatives that are gaining more and more attention from researchers, academics and industry professionals as they are considered important business strategies to improve environmental conditions and obtain better organizational performance. Besides, the growth of uncontrolled economic activities leads to an imbalance of economic, social and environmental values in different sectors. However, little is known about the mediating role that economic, social and environmental sustainability has in the relationship between green innovation and firm performance. Previous literature has focused on developed economies, but not on a developing economy such as that of Mexico. Therefore, this research aims to fill this existing gap by exploring the mediating effects of sustainability in the relationship between green innovation and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical research model that theorizes, through ten hypotheses, the antecedents and consequences of the mediating effect of economic, social and environmental sustainability and the occurrence between green innovation and firm performance is proposed. The model is tested through PLS-SEM using data that were collected using a questionnaire survey that was distributed among companies in the automotive industry in Mexico. In total, a sample of 460 responses was obtained.

Findings

The results suggest that green innovation has significant positive effects on economic and environmental sustainability, as well as on firm performance, but not on social sustainability. The results also indicate that the relationship between green innovation and firm performance improves considerably with the mediation of economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

Despite the present study focused on an industrial sector that is commonly at the forefront of technological development, it was limited to a specific region of Mexico. Thus, its results must be taken with caution as more extensive results including other regions and nations will be required to further validate the results obtained from the present study.

Practical implications

The findings of this study have important implications for both policymakers and managers of manufacturing firms in the automotive industry as they can be used as a basis to formulate better strategies and policies to enhance the capabilities of companies to develop innovations that could reduce environmental risks and other consequences of climate change.

Originality/value

The present study adds to the innovation and sustainability body of knowledge by analyzing and discussing the mediating role of sustainability in the relationship between green innovation and firm performance. It also generates new knowledge about the mediating effect that sustainability has on the relationship between green innovation and firm performance, particularly in the context of a developing economy such as that of Mexico.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 34 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2021

Sandra Tena-Monferrer, Juan Carlos Fandos-Roig, Javier Sánchez-García and Luis J. Callarisa-Fiol

With the gradual decline of the small retail sector in the past recent years, few researchers have been addressing the issue from a motivational approach. This paper aimed to…

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Abstract

Purpose

With the gradual decline of the small retail sector in the past recent years, few researchers have been addressing the issue from a motivational approach. This paper aimed to examine the role of utilitarian, hedonic and ethical motives in the process of forming consumer loyalty in a retail setting.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 213 surveys were carried out among regular fashion and accessories shoppers in Spanish small-sized retailers. A two-step methodology proposed by Anderson and Gerbing (1988) was applied to test the model.

Findings

Ethical shopping motivation was found to have the most relevant impact on its perceived quality and on its reassurance to a small-sized retailer, as it represented a strategic asset. Although the most appropriate approach would not be focused mainly on ethical aspects in order to be competitive in the new retailing landscape, consumers should recognize that they are contributing to a worthy cause while enjoying the shopping experience.

Practical implications

Small-sized retailers should provide consumers with good reasons for shopping in their businesses rather than their competitors’. Moreover, it is key to differentiate and build customer loyalty with the purpose of becoming more competitive. As a consequence, in this paper, we propose a measurement scale that can be used to evaluate abstract and complex consumers’ shopping motivations.

Originality/value

The pursuit of more precise knowledge of factors that lead consumers to shop for a specific product is vital for small-sized retailers, toward sustainable competitiveness. Here we analyzed the impact of the three innovative dimensions in shopping motivation on consumers’ perceived quality and their influence on repurchase intention.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 50 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 November 2010

Sandra Ma Sánchez Cañizares and Fernando J. Fuentes García

The main objective of this article is to analyse, in depth, the role of gender differences among potential entrepreneurs, their psycho‐sociological traits and the incentives and…

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Abstract

Purpose

The main objective of this article is to analyse, in depth, the role of gender differences among potential entrepreneurs, their psycho‐sociological traits and the incentives and principal obstacles women encounter when initiating a business activity.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted in this study focuses on university students as a fundamental source of potential future entrepreneurs. The fieldwork is based on a sample of 1,400 students at the University of Córdoba (Spain).

Findings

The results suggest that women are less prone to initiate entrepreneurial activity and that fear of failure is a major obstacle to setting up a company. Furthermore, gender attributes were correlated to a higher probability of embarking on a venture of this type in the future.

Practical implications

The Organization for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) considers research in this area to be crucial for understanding the economic and social phenomenon of growing female entrepreneurship due to its enormous potential for innovation and job creation. Programmes to promote entrepreneurial activity must take into account differences between men and women in terms of their perceptions and entrepreneurial culture.

Originality/value

Research into the gender perspective of entrepreneurial intention is key to gaining deeper insight into the economic and social phenomenon of female entrepreneurship. This study focuses on education, namely the elements that influence the entrepreneurial attitudes and culture of young people and the differences in perception between women and men.

Details

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, vol. 29 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-7149

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1984

Sandra M. Huszagh and Arthur Murphy

This paper examines influence in husband/wife purchasing decisions for durable goods among Mexican consumers in three income groups. Results indicate traditional husband dominance…

Abstract

This paper examines influence in husband/wife purchasing decisions for durable goods among Mexican consumers in three income groups. Results indicate traditional husband dominance in less affluent households, and female participation through joint decision making in middle class households. A set of demographic variables in addition to income further differentiate traditional from joint influence households. Findings by product provide further distinctions between husband dominant and joint influence groups.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 1 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2007

Shervin Shahnavaz and Solvig Ekblad

While the literature contains plenty of theoretical models for cultural competence training of health care staff, the personnel and clinicians have seldom been asked for their…

Abstract

While the literature contains plenty of theoretical models for cultural competence training of health care staff, the personnel and clinicians have seldom been asked for their views on transcultural competence. Focus group interviews that we carried out in this study showed that the main concern of the participants (interprofessional teams in Swedish psychiatry) is to understand the culturally diverse in psychiatry, rather than being culturally competent. Three major themes of the process of understanding emerged in our analyses: (1) diversity reflection (sub‐themes: reflecting on co‐existent cultural differences and similarities, moving from a one‐dimensional to a multi‐dimensional approach to cultural diversity and self‐reflection), (2) cultural knowledge and skill acquisition (generic and specific) and (3) communication (sources, discrimination). Listening to staff's learning needs may motivate greater sensitivity to the needs of their culturally diverse patients.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2019

Helen M.G. Watt, John Ehrich, Sandra E. Stewart, Tristan Snell, Micaela Bucich, Nicky Jacobs, Brett Furlonger and Derek English

The purpose of this paper is to develop a professional self-efficacy scale for counsellors and psychologists encompassing identified competencies within professional standards…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a professional self-efficacy scale for counsellors and psychologists encompassing identified competencies within professional standards from national and related international frameworks for psychologists and counsellors.

Design/methodology/approach

An initial opportune sample of postgraduate psychology and counselling students (n=199) completed a ten-minute self-report survey. A subsequent independent sample (n=213) was recruited for cross-validation.

Findings

A series of exploratory analyses, consolidated through confirmatory factor analyses and Rasch analysis, identified a well-functioning scale composed of 31 items and five factors (research, ethics, legal matters, assessment and measurement, intervention).

Originality/value

The Psychologist and Counsellor Self-Efficacy Scale (PCES) appears a promising measure, with potential applications for reflective learning and practice, clinical supervision and professional development, and research studies involving psychologists’ and counsellors’ self-perceived competencies. It is unique in being ecologically grounded in national competency frameworks, and extending previous work on self-efficacy for particular competencies to the set of specified attributes outlined in Australian national competency documents. The PCES has potential utility in a variety of applications, including research about training efficacy and clinical supervision, and could be used as one component of a multi-method approach to formative and summative competence assessment for psychologists and counsellors. The scale may be used to assess students’ perceived competencies relative to actual competency growth against national standards, and to identify trainees’ and practitioners’ self-perceived knowledge deficits and target areas for additional training.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

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