Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
AN ASSESSMENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A REAL ESTATE TEACHING DEPARTMENT – CASE STUDY: DEPARTMENT OF LAND ECONOMY, KNUST, KUMASI, GHANA

The department of Land Economy has pertinent problems inhibiting teaching and learning. It is not known how students generally rate the level of teaching and learning in the department. The university evaluates lectures and courses through student evaluation questionnaires. Over the years it is realized that most of the students do not take these assessments seriously as they do not see how their inputs are incorporated into a better course design. Also participation of third and final year students dwindles because of reasons mentioned above. The main objective is to review teaching and learning activities Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of operating environment factors on the performance of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in Nigeria. Design/Methodology – A questionnaire based survey research method was adopted for the study. Descriptive statistics and correlation matrix analyses were used to investigate the significance contribution Political Leadership, Investors Perception, Infrastructure and Social Security to REIT dividend based performance. Findings – The study found that there is significant correlation among Political Leadership, Infrastructure and Social Security while Investors Perception exhibits non-significant correlation with any other factor. The performance of REIT in term of dividend distribution is low in Nigeria with loss in capital value over the period of study. The external factors have effect on REIT performance. Practical Implications – Most studies have examined the effects of economic factors such as size, FFO, NAV, Market Index etc, on REIT dividend performance. This study will be useful to Industry players especially fund managers on the possible effects of external factors on REIT performance in order to take right decision on locations to invest especially in this era of globalisation. Originality/Value of Work – The paper contributes to the body of knowledge on REIT with its special focus on external factors influences on REIT dividend performance in the developing nations like Nigeria, where the operating environment is characterised with peculiar challenges of paucity of property stocks and high external factor risk.
Direct Observation of Biaxial Nematic Order in Auxetic Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Auxetic materials exhibit a negative Poisson’s ratio, i.e., they become thicker rather than thinner in at least one dimension when strained. Recently, a nematic liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) was shown to be the first synthetic auxetic material at a molecular level. Understanding the mechanism of the auxetic response in LCEs is clearly important, and it has been suggested through detailed Raman scattering studies that it is related to the reduction of uniaxial order and emergence of biaxial order on strain. In this paper, we demonstrate direct observation of the biaxial order in an auxetic LCE under strain. We fabricated ~100 μm thick LCE strips with complementary geometries, exhibiting either planar or homeotropic alignment, in which the auxetic response is seen in the thickness or width of the sample, respectively. Polarized Raman scattering measurements on the planar sample show directly the reduction in the uniaxial order parameters on strain and suggest the emergence of biaxial order to mediate the auxetic response in the sample thickness. The homeotropic sample is studied via conoscopy, allowing direct observation of both the auxetic response in the width of the sample and increasing biaxiality in the LCE as it is strained. We verified that the mechanism of the auxetic response in auxetic LCEs is due to the emergence of the biaxial order and conclude such materials can be added to the small number of biaxial nematic systems that have been observed. Importantly, we also show that the mechanical Frèedericksz transition seen in some LCEs is consistent with a strain-induced transition from an optically positive to an optically negative biaxial system under strain, rather than a director rotation in a uniaxial system.
Interest of a Commercialized Pneumocystis jirovecii Quantitative PCR to Discriminate Colonization from Pneumocystis Pneumonia according to the Revised EORTC/MSGERC Criteria

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is highly sensitive to diagnose Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pj) pneumonia (PCP). However, differentiating PCP and colonization remains difficult. This study aimed to establish the performances of the commercialized qPCR MycoGENIE® Pj kit (Ademtech) to distinguish PCP and Pj colonization. Patients with a positive Pj qPCR on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or upper respiratory tract (URT) samples were prospectively included between May 2019 and December 2020 at Bordeaux University Hospital. They were classified in “PCP” or “Pj colonization” groups based on the revised EORTC/MSGERC criteria. The two groups’ results were compared; ROC curves were produced to determine the best thresholds. Excluding the low number of HIV-positive subjects, there were 100 PCP (32 BAL, 68 URT) and 70 Pj colonization (34 BAL, 36 URT). Pj loads were significantly higher in PCP compared to Pj colonization group (p ≤ 0.01). The best cut-offs for PCP diagnosis were 31.45 Cq/8275 copies/mL for BAL and 32.33 Cq/8130 copies/mL for URT (sensitivity = 59.4%, 63.3%, specificity = 82.4%, 88.9%, respectively). Fungal load quantification using MycoGENIE® Pj qPCR helps discriminating PCP from colonization, high fungal loads being indicative of probable PCP. Low load results should be interpreted with caution, in accordance with clinical and radiological signs.
Higher Education Marketing: Opportunities and Challenges in the Digital Era

The higher educational institutions (HEIs), including universities and colleges are increasingly seeking new resources, competences and capabilities to improve their corporate reputation. Therefore, this paper has relied on a generic approach to critically analyze the marketing environment of HEIs. A SWOT analysis was used to examine the micro and the macro environmental factors that can have an effect on their delivery of student-centered education and on their capacity to produce high-impact and influential research publications. The findings of this research suggest that several HEIs are diversifying their portfolios as they are increasingly recruiting domestic and international students. Hence, this contribution deliberates on traditional and contemporary marketing communications that are being used in different contexts to attract students and prolific faculty employees to HEIs. Moreover, it explains that successful HEIs are capable of forging fruitful and collaborative relationships with different stakeholders, including business, industry, as well as with research institutions in order to improve their academic branding. These issues imply that tomorrow’s HEIs ought to leverage themselves through effective marketing communications amid intensifying competition.
Age of Drinking Initiation as a Moderator of the Efficacy of a Brief, Web-Based Personalized Feedback Alcohol Intervention

ABSTRACT Early initiation of alcohol use is associated with high-risk drinking and an increased risk of adult alcohol dependence. The current study tested age of drinking initiation as a moderator of the efficacy of a brief, Web-based intervention on frequency of drinking and alcohol-related consequences among ninth-grade students (N = 513). At a three-month follow-up, students in the intervention group reported a reduction in drinking frequency and alcohol-related consequences relative to those in the control group. In addition, age of drinking initiation was a significant moderator of intervention efficacy. Intervention effects were greatest among two groups of students—those who reported abstinence at baseline and those who initiated drinking at age 11 or younger. Results support a brief, Web-based intervention as a promising strategy for reducing frequency of drinking and the associated consequences as a prevention strategy for students who report no drinking history and as an intervention strategy for early initiators who are at the highest risk for developing alcohol-related problems.
Relational bonding strategies, customer satisfaction, and loyalty in the container shipping market

Purpose In recent years, the business of container lines has faced severe challenges such as overcapacity and low profitability. To survive in such a competitive market, container lines need to maintain long-term customer relationships by enhancing the satisfaction and loyalty of customers. The purpose of this paper is to adopt a social exchange theory (SET) approach and investigate the impact of relational bonding strategies on the satisfaction and loyalty of customers in container shipping. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on SET, a theoretical model that specifies the relationships between relational bonding strategies, customer satisfaction and loyalty was proposed. Survey data were collected from 175 freight forwarders. The obtained data were analyzed using structural equation modelling. Findings The results indicate that financial bonding strategies have the most significant direct effects on customer satisfaction, while social bonding strategies have the strongest direct impact on customer loyalty. Financial bonding strategies, on the other hand, have the strongest total effects on customer loyalty. Intermodal and basic operations are found to have the equal total effects on customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications By identifying the most effective relational bonding strategies for enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty, this study’s findings allow container lines to better allocate their resources and implement effective relational marketing policies to satisfy and retain their customers. Originality/value This research analyses and validates the determinants of customer satisfaction and loyalty from a relational lens and empirically contributes to the field of relational marketing in the container shipping industry.
The impact of Mutual Obligation on mature age NewStart Allowance recipients: a program evaluation

Australia joined the other OECD countries in employing active labour market policies (ALMPs) in the early 1990s, when labour force participation rates, especially of mature age men, continued to fall and unemployment benefit continued to rise. While there is consensus in the literature regarding the negative association between social security benefits and labour force participation, the empirical findings to date are limited to linking aggregate trends as appropriate individual-level data were not available then. Nevertheless, the government continues to use ALMPs despite inconclusive empirical evidence. In July 2002, the coverage of the Mutual Obligation (MO) was increased to include mature age NewStart Allowance (NSA) recipients aged 35 to 49. The Welfare Reform Task Force hailed MO as the key to addressing social and economic disadvantage of job seekers. Participation in community service, training or part-time work are supposed to enable NSA recipients to exit NSA and work. In this research, the effectiveness of MO in facilitating exits from NSA is assessed by applying program evaluation methods. The longitudinal administrative dataset is used to represent the individual’s workforce participation decision-making by taking into account his/her time-use preference, participation barriers and expected labour demand. It is found that MO is not effective in the way the previous government envisioned it to be. MO is more of a policy-tightening exercise than an active labour market policy aimed at enhancing the skills of the mature age NSA recipients. Only 2.2 per cent of mature age NSA entrants manifested the behavioural change the government intended - take up an MO activity, complete it and leave income support to work. This raises questions on the cost effectiveness of MO as an ALMP given the expenditure on the program.
The effects of online store informativeness and entertainment on consumers’ approach behaviors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how informativeness and entertainment, two important online store characteristics, influence consumers’ approach behaviors. The current research also investigates the mechanism and boundary condition behind these relationships. Design/methodology/approach The study proposed a conceptual framework that included five variables to understand consumers’ approach behaviors toward online stores. By surveying 307 Chinese online shoppers using a comprehensive questionnaire, the authors collected data that were then used to test the hypotheses. Data were examined using regression analysis. Findings The results showed that online store informativeness and entertainment significantly affected consumers’ approach behaviors. In the relationship between these two online store characteristics and consumers’ approach behaviors, pleasure played a mediating role. Hedonic value moderated the effect of informativeness on consumers’ approach behaviors. However, the moderating role of hedonic value was not significant in the relationship between entertainment and consumers’ approach behaviors. Originality/value The present study supplements the research on online store characteristics based on the perception of overall online store environmental cues. This paper also examines the online shopping experience of consumers in emerging markets like China.
New Business Models in the Digital Economy Applied to the Smart Tourism Sector - The Case of U.Porto´s Digital Museum App

The tourism sector is probably one of the most important sectors in Portugal, so business model innovation is of great value to the industry. Considering that mobile applications are a trend worldwide, particularly in the tourism sector, there is room for innovation and opportunity for new players to enter the market. From this perspective, the University of Porto Digital Museum brings a new horizon to the city's tourist scene and positions the University as a reference partner in this field. This paper aims to evaluate the opportunity to value an application developed in the academic context by evaluating implementation scenarios in the market, offering real value to customers and gaining space in such a dynamic market. This application is also an important tool for preserving the cultural heritage of the University and the city which is literally an open air museum. The study explores key concepts for the understanding of this sector and presents a case study, which analyzes issues related to Intellectual Property involving the relationship between the University of Porto and the company Weblevel, partner institutions in the development of the University of Porto Digital Museum application. In addition, it presents a Benchmarking study conducted on Google Play and AngelList platforms, which aimed to identify good practices and a better understanding of the universe of mobile applications aimed at the tourism sector.
The significance of the contribution of children to conceptualising the destination of the future

As there is a growing demand of cutting-edge technology as part of the tourism experience from the digital native population and because little is known about this group as tourism consumers despite the fact they will be the core tourism spender of tomorrow, the purpose of this paper is to give children an opportunity to share their vision of the destination of the future. ,From a methodological point of view, a qualitative approach is adopted. Children were asked to draw, communicate and display their view on their Winchester of the future. The data collected are used to formulate an innovative, smart-based future-fit management approach for products and services design. ,To fully meet the needs and expectation of the coming generation of tourists, Winchester (city located in the South of England, and surrounded by some of the most visited UK destinations, namely London, Oxford and Cambridge) will have to adopt an ambidextrous management approach when developing products and services for customers of the future. This ambidextrous management approach will balance metaphorical thinking and objective thinking in product and service design. ,There is a scarcity of studies on children in tourism research despite the fact the industry and academics recognise the value and impact of children, and more specifically, their role in purchase decisions. Equally important, this research is also going to contribute to the body of knowledge on smart management of destinations.
The Effect of Audit and Service Qualities on Client Loyalty Through Client Satisfaction as Mediating Variable (Empirical Study of Public Accounting Firm in Bali)

Public Accountant Firm is a form of public accounting organization that obtains permits in accordance with the laws and regulations that seek to provide professional services in the practice of public accounting. As a business organization, Public Accountant Firm is engaged in a relatively competitive service sector. The increasing number of local Public Accountant Firm and foreign accountants in Indonesia makes competition more competitive. For companies that need auditing services, this provides an alternative to choosing or switching accounting firms. This situation encourages Public Accountant Firm to continuously strive to exceed client expectations so that clients become satisfied and loyalty will be created. The study was conducted on companies that were audit clients of the Public Accountant Office in Bali for the 2017 financial year using primary data obtained from the questionnaire. The method of determining the sample is convenience sampling and obtained 64 companies, using Path Analysis. The results showed that audit quality and service quality significantly influence client satisfaction. Audit quality, service quality and client satisfaction significantly influence client loyalty. Client satisfaction can fully mediate the influence of audit quality and service quality on client loyalty.
Fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa

The paper reviews the existing literature on fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa and provides a coherent analysis of both the theoretical underpinnings and the results ' or outcomes, when available ' of existing fertilizer subsidy schemes. It tries to identify the role of fertilizer subsidies in the broader food security mandate. The paper concludes with a set of recommendations to identify the opportunity of adopting subsidies as part of a national food security strategy and to suggest entry points for improving their design and efficiency.
Green Human Resource Management Practices and Employee Engagement: Empirical Evidence from RMG sector in Bangladesh

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between green HRM practices and employee behavior namely employee engagement in ready-made garment (RMG) industry, Bangladesh, an under-researched area. Further, this paper also proposes the research framework under the tenet of resource-based view (RBV) theory by identifying research gaps. The framework is proposed for the direct influence of green HRM factors on employees’ workplace behavior. Self-administered questionnaire is used to collect the data from non-managerial employees working in RMG sector of Bangladesh. This study uses partial least squares method to analyze the data. Results of this study show that ‘green employee participation’ and ‘green training and development’ are statistically significant to employee engagement. These results suggests that green HRM practices are important resources to make the employees engage towards their jobs which reflects the implication of RBV to examine green HRM-employee engagement relationship.
Working within resource constraints: a qualitative segmentation study

ABSTRACT Social marketers are often operating with scarce financial and human resources preventing costly quantitative segmentation methods from being applied. This paper explores the utility of applying qualitative research to identify groups that can be used for social marketing planning and program implementation. Drawing from a single water use case, six focus groups employing a semi-structured discussion guide involving 43 participants who were living and working within the site were conducted. Focus group interviews were audiotaped and manual coding was used to identify major segments within one water use market. Four distinctive segments emerged. The generated segments were denominated comfort users, careless users, price-sensitive users, and contradictory users respectively, with comfort users constituting the largest segment. This paper contributes to the literature by offering a method permitting social marketers operating within limited budgets to apply segmentation. Research limitations and future research directions are outlined.
A continuum of transformative service exchange: insights for service and social marketers

Transformative service research (TSR) and social marketing share a common goal, which is to institute social change that improves individual and societal well-being. However, the mechanism via which such improved well-being results or so-called “transformation” occurs, is not well understood. The purpose of this paper is to examine the claims made in the TSR literature to identity the themes and scholarly meaning of “transformative” service exchange; ascertain the mechanisms used in service contexts to realize transformation, including to motivate long-term, sustainable societal change; and develop a transformative service exchange continuum to guide research and managerial approaches that aim to create uplifting social change. The authors recommend their continuum as a framework to inform how social marketing and service scholars design service solutions to address wicked social problems. ,This paper presents a qualitative study where Leximancer, a text-mining tool, is used to visualize the structure of themes and concepts that define transformative service exchanges as explained and applied in the literature. Additionally, a profiling analysis of transformation as it is discussed in the TSR literature is used to identify the mechanisms that service marketers have developed to establish current theorization of service thinking for social change. These qualitative phases of analysis then inform the development of the transformative service exchange continuum. ,A scoping review identified 51 articles across 12 journals, based on this study’s selection criteria for identifying transformative service exchanges. The Leximancer analysis systematically and efficiently guided the authors’ interpretation of the large data corpus and was used in the identification of service themes. The use of text-mining software afforded a detailed lens to enrich the authors’ interpretation and clarification of six high-level concepts for inclusion on a transformative service exchange continuum. ,This paper aims to unpack the meaning of transformative service exchange by highlighting the mechanism(s) used by researchers when designing social change outcomes. It contributes to TSR via the development of the continuum across micro, meso and macro levels. The temporal nature of transformative service exchanges is also elucidated. This continuum integrates current TSR studies and can guide future service studies in the TSR and social marketing domains.