bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Teachers' attitudes towards training in ICT: a critical approach
Authors: Giavrimis Panagiotis , Giossi Stella , Papastamatis Adamantios 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe aim of the present study is to investigate why teachers participate in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes, what their sociological approaches are, and where they focus their attention in order to achieve the objectives of their training in these new technologies.Design/methodology/approachThe sample group of this research consists of 162 teachers who work in primary schools in Northern Greece. There were 70 (43.2 percent) men and 92 (56.8 percent) women. For the fulfilment of the general research an improvised questionnaire was designed concerning the training of teachers in ICT. In total, it comprises 80 questions.FindingsThe findings of the research study show that one of the main reasons for primary school teachers' participation in ICT programmes is their interest in exploiting ICT, in both their teaching and in their personal lives. They consider lifelong education as necessary to the practice of teaching and useful in settling educational inequalities, while at the same time they think that in‐service education should be in accordance with the requirements of the modern social‐cultural environment.Originality/valueThis is an interesting research on ICT training of teachers in Greece, developing a critical thinking approach towards ICT in‐service training. The article stresses that the in‐service training interact and are affected by the social and political orientations that prevail in social and educational policy.
The long‐term effects of information security e‐learning on organizational learning
Authors: Hagen Janne , Albrechtsen Eirik , Ole Johnsen Stig 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure and discuss the long‐term effects of an e‐learning tool aiming at improving the information security knowledge, awareness, and behaviour of employees.Design/methodology/approachThe intervention study had two assessments of knowledge and attitudes among employees: one survey, one week before the intervention, and one survey eight months after the intervention. The population was divided into an intervention group and a control group, where the only separated the groups was participation in the intervention (i.e. the e‐learning tool).FindingsThe study documents that the effects of the intervention on security awareness and behavior partly remains more than half a year after the intervention, but that the detailed knowledge on information security issues diminished during the period. The study also discusses how such courseware can contribute to long‐term organizational learning compared with human interventions such as action research. Both human resource management and internal promotion are necessary input in the process to successfully educate and train employees in information security.Research limitations/implicationsOne weakness of concern is the low response rate of 37 in the final analysis.Practical implicationsThe study can document that short‐time effects of software supported information security awareness on employees' knowledge, behaviour, and awareness diminish over time. It is thus important to maintain and continually perform information security awareness. More interventions studies, following the same principles as presented in this paper, of other user‐directed measures is needed, to test and document the effects of different measures.Originality/valueThe paper is innovative in the area of information security research as it shows how an information security intervention can be measured.
Understanding consumer intention with respect to purchase and use of pirated software
Authors: Mohd Suki Norazah , Ramayah T. , Mohd Suki Norbayah 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study factors that influence consumers' intention to purchase and use of pirated software.Design/methodology/approachThis study tests the impact of five factors (procedural fairness, reciprocal fairness, distributive fairness, subjective norm, and attitude) on intention towards software piracy by 289 consumers' in Malaysia. Survey questions from prior studies were adopted and customized, and the model was analyzed using partial least squares and structural equation modeling tool (Smart‐PLS 2.0 M3).FindingsThe results indicated that a significant and positive relationship exists between reciprocal fairness, procedural fairness, subjective norm, attitude, and consumers' intention towards software piracy.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was restricted to consumers within one country (Malaysia). Additional studies across other countries are encouraged. This research can help businesses better improve the ways to reduce software piracy rates. They get to understand more about the exact problem and cause behind software piracy and can target better strategies to curb this problem.Practical implicationsThis study is useful for researchers, managers, and software vendors willing to highlight the factors that contribute to software piracy.Originality/valueThe study highlights factors that influence consumers' intention towards software piracy, which has not been widely studied especially in Malaysia.
Empowerment, knowledge conversion and dimensions of organizational learning
Authors: Van Grinsven Marlieke , Visser Max 
Published: July 2011

PurposeResearch on antecedents of organizational learning generally ignores the fact that organizational learning is at least a two‐dimensional construct and that its dimensions may be conflicting. This research often fails to investigate the simultaneous effects of antecedents on these dimensions. To address this gap in the literature, this paper aims to discuss the effects of empowerment and knowledge conversion, two factors often considered to be important antecedents of organizational learning.Design/methodology/approachThe approach adopted involves a review of and reflection on the pertinent literature on learning organizations, organizational learning, empowerment and knowledge conversion.FindingsIt is found that both antecedents have contradictory effects on two dimensions of organizational learning. Empowerment affects second‐order learning in a positive sense, but first‐order learning in a negative sense. Knowledge conversion is positively related to first‐order learning, but negatively to second‐order learning. Thus, it appears that efforts to improve organizational learning on one dimension may have (unintended) effects on the other, unmeasured dimension.Originality/valueThe paper connects disjointed streams of theory and research in a novel way that is of interest and importance to both the academic literature and to organizational practitioners.
Perception on benefits of construction waste management in the Singapore construction industry
Authors: Hwang Bon‐Gang , Bao Yeo Zong 
Published: July 2011

PurposeIncreased disposal costs and reduction in number of landfills have created a need for implementing effective waste management in the construction industry. As every construction project is unique in its way of development, benefits from the waste management may also differ from project to project and thus project characteristics should be taken into consideration when implementing the strategy. This study seeks to investigate how different project characteristics affect perception on benefits, from construction waste management, based on the survey results from 66 industry experts.Design/methodology/approachA literature review was conducted to gather information on project characteristics and its classification, construction waste management, waste management plan and its benefits. Subsequently, a set of questions was formulated to gain insight and opinion on the selection of project characteristics and particular benefits of construction waste management. A set of questions pertaining to different project characteristics linked with benefits of waste management was sent to each of the personnel for their views.FindingsThe results of this study establishes that the key materials used in projects, project size in terms of total installed costs, and project type have perceptual impacts on benefits from construction waste management.Originality/valueUnderstanding how project characteristics will affect the benefits can help the construction industry to identify projects to which the waste management should first be applied, maximizing its benefits.
Relationship between the financial crisis of Korean construction firms and macroeconomic fluctuations
Authors: Kim Sangki , Lee Sanghyo , Kim Jaejun 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThis study aims to analyze the relationship between the financial crisis of Korean construction firms and macroeconomic fluctuations.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, current ratio has been used an acting variable for liquidity ratio, and debt ratio for leverage ratio. GNI (Gross National Income), L (index of Liquidity), exchange rate, interest, and CPI (Consumer Price Index) were used for the macroeconomic variables. VECM consisted of Crt model and Drt model to analyze the relationship between current ratio and macroeconomic variables, and between debt ratio and macroeconomic variables, in order to analyze each model through variance decomposition and impulse response function.FindingsIn Crt model, L is revealed as highly influencing current ratio. In other words, most fundraising is focused on highly capable financial institutes, investment corporations and public funds, since the scale of construction project funds is huge. Such financial sources actually belong to index L (index of Liquidity), but are calculated as current liability in the financial statements of construction firms, knotting an inverse relationship with current ratio. In Drt model, interest is revealed as significant against debt ratio. This seems to be because each construction project needs to raise substantial funds, and the amount to repay is directly influenced by interest fluctuation.Research limitations/implicationsThe collected data are limited, as the time series data of current ratio and debt ratio were secured based on the financial statements of the most capable 30 construction firms in Korea. If the sample companies were divided in future research according to scale, in order to analyze the relation between financial crisis and macroeconomic fluctuation by company scale, a more developed result could be obtained.Practical implicationsThis study is a useful research to analyze the dynamic relationship between the financial crisis of construction firms and macroeconomic fluctuations. This study can be used to establish a set of countermeasures to apply in the event of macroeconomic fluctuation.Originality/valueThe financial ratios of construction firms are directly used for analysis, making this a more practical analysis than studies of the relationship between macroeconomic fluctuations and the comprehensive indices of construction business.
Conflict management in the Middle East
Authors: Posthuma Richard A. 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThis introduction aims to summarize five studies in this special issue on conflict management in the Middle East. These studies highlight how conflict management research relates to important issues in this critical region of the world.Design/methodology/approachThe five studies were combined into this single issue so that readers can compare, contrast, and integrate scholarship from many countries, including Egypt, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and Turkey, and cultures in this region.FindingsThe studies show that several conceptualizations of national culture can help in understanding and predicting negotiation and conflict management behaviors in this region.Research implicationsThe studies show the need for future research on conflict management in the Middle East and show that theories and methods used in other countries and cultures can be adapted to this region.Originality/valueFour of the five studies used original data not reported elsewhere and gathered in countries that have not been reported in prior studies.
Management style as a mediator of the power distance‐influence tactics relationship
Authors: Koslowsky Meni , Baharav Hadar , Schwarzwald Joseph 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe paper aims to examine whether power distance and management style predict social power choice and whether management style also acts as a mediator in a model linking all three variables.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted within the Israeli Police Force using regular patrol and special patrol units. A total of 40 captains or officers and 151 policemen/women completed scales assessing power distance, captain's managerial style, and influence tactics chosen by them in conflict situations. The data were analyzed from two different perspectives: captains and policemen.FindingsHarsh tactics were found to differ significantly by power distance whereas the parallel comparison for soft tactics was not significant. The mediation hypothesis tested separately on both samples was supported only for the subordinate group. Management style added significant variance for explaining the dependent variable and also mediated the relationship between power distance and harsh tactic choice.Research limitations/implicationsUsing alternative methods for the research design such as observational data or manipulating the independent variables with different scenarios would provide support for the robustness of the findings.Practical implicationsAs power distance is increasing, the need to gain compliance in a task oriented situation increases the usage of harsh influence tactics. Conversely, for a similar power distance but in an interpersonal oriented situation, the supervisor may well decide to apply more soft tactics which are more likely to foster a free exchange of ideas and encourage compliance on the part of the patrolman.Originality/valueTheoretically, the findings of a mediator effect aids in understanding power strategy choice. Specifically, managerial style is not independent of power distance but rather helps maintain the existing organizational culture. Methodologically, the use of two data sets, supervisors and subordinates, reduces bias attributed to common method variance.
Good organizational soldiers: conflict‐related stress predicts citizenship behavior
Authors: Karam Charlotte M. 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine employee behavior in times of conflict. The author seeks to examine the relationship between employee conflict‐related stress and engagement in organizational citizenship behavior and to explore cohesiveness as a potential cross‐level moderator of this relationship.Design/methodology/approachSurvey data were collected as part of a larger study examining organizational citizenship in the Middle East. During data collection armed conflict broke out in Lebanon. A total of 553 employees working in 62 workgroups participated. Hierarchical liner modeling was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsContrary to previous research, employees engaged in more OCB when they experienced greater amounts of stress. This relationship is more pronounced in cohesive groups than in non‐cohesive groupsResearch limitations/implicationsThe results extend the understanding of the stress‐OCB relationship within the context of conflict. Furthermore, these findings bring to light the tremendous importance of paying attention to context and the nested‐nature of human behavior.Practical implicationsThis study highlights that even under armed conflict; employees continue to work and are willing to put in extra effort at work to help coworkers and the organization in general.Social implicationsThe results suggest that extraordinary times call for extraordinary efforts and that employees often meet this challenge through their engagement in behaviors that will contribute positively to the social‐psychological environment of the workplace.Originality/valueThe paper provides a unique examination of employee behavior in times of conflict. It is a rare instance of fieldwork in conflict zones and it adds to the paucity of research within the Middle East.
A cross‐cultural study of coworker trust
Authors: Costigan Robert D. , Insinga Richard C. , Jason Berman J. , Kranas Grazyna , Kureshov Vladimir A. 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between an employee's trust of coworkers and that employee's enterprising behavior. The extent to which cultural dimensions, in‐group collectivism and power distance, moderate the trust‐behavior relationship is considered.Design/methodology/approachA rigorous research methodology was employed to minimize potential problems with common method variance. Trust ratings were provided by 135 US, 203 Turkish, 100 Polish, and 86 Russian focal employees. Their 524 coworkers provided enterprising behavior ratings for these focal employees.FindingsThe results show that both cognitive‐ and affect‐based trusts of coworkers is associated with enterprising behavior. The findings also indicate that the affect‐based trust/enterprising behavior relationship is stronger in higher power distance cultures than in lower power distance cultures. In‐group collectivism, however, does not moderate the trust enterprising behavior relationships.Originality/valueTrust is thought to nurture enterprising behavior in the workplace. This study looks at the relationship between trust of coworkers and enterprising behavior, an under investigated but key behavior in the modern organization. The moderating role of power distance implies that organizational interventions promoting affect‐based trust in coworker relationships may have bigger payoffs as far as behavior change in the high‐power distance context than in the low.
Brand romance: a complementary approach to explain emotional attachment toward brands
Authors: Patwardhan Hemant , Balasubramanian Siva K. 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThis research aims to explain consumer attraction to brands when stimulation needs are paramount using the perspective of the Self‐Expansion Model. In doing so, it seeks to identiy brand romance – a more proximal construct to brand loyalty and aims to offer a complementary perspective to understand emotional attachment to brands.Design/methodology/approachA series of four studies developed and validated a three‐factor, 12‐item measurement scale for brand romance using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Reliability, convergent, criterion, discriminant and nomological validities were established.FindingsBrand romance is a reliable, valid, and a more proximal construct that explains loyalty significantly better than attitudes.Research limitations/implicationsStudent subjects constitute the sample and the findings are cautiously generalizable to adult populations. Future research should focus on teasing out product category effects, extending generalizability to other product categories and integrating the Attachment Theory perspective with the study's findings to offer a more comprehensive explanation for loyalty.Practical implicationsConsumers are likely to remain loyal to brands to which they are attracted. The brand romance construct captures this attraction. Marketers need to infuse their brands with novel perspectives, resources and identities on a continuous basis to satisfy stimulation needs and keep the attraction strong. This involves creating new brand associations that help the brand to stay relevant.Originality/valueTo the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to apply the Self‐expansion Model to brand relationships. The research contributes a unique perspective in explaining emotional attachment to brands brought on by stimulation needs. It fills a gap in the emotional attachment literature and provides marketers with a tool to monitor consumers' attraction to brands.
Antecedents of intention to purchase mass customized products
Authors: Tang Zhongjun , Luo Jianghong , Xiao Juan 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThis paper seeks to empirically identify factors influencing Chinese consumers' intention to purchase customized desk top (PC for short) and their effect levels.Design/methodology/approachSurvey and structural equation modeling techniques were used.FindingsThis research finds that: attitude toward purchasing customized PC, followed by self‐confidence, and subjective norm influence behavioral intention most significantly; perceived knowledge has a very strong and positive effect on self‐confidence and attitude; and subjective norm and perceived usefulness influence attitude positively. In contrast, a direct effect of perceived knowledge on behavioral intention is rejected. Experience for males and females moderates the confirmed relationships except the relationship between perceived knowledge and attitude for females. Gender for respondents with and without experience moderates the confirmed relationships except the effects of attitude and subjective norm on behavioral intention for respondents without experience and the effect of self‐confidence on behavioral intention for respondents with experience.Practical implicationsIt appears that customized PC providers should be aware that mass customization is applicable to markets where consumers are familiar with PC, hold a positive attitude toward purchasing a customized PC, and have confidence in their capability to make an effective decision in purchasing a customized PC.Originality/valueLittle attention has been paid to empirical testing factors and their effect levels on consumers' intention to purchase customized products. No research has been conducted to empirically identify factors influencing Chinese consumers' intention to purchase customized PC and their effect levels, while this research fills this gap.
EPortfolios, professional development and employability: some student perceptions
Authors: Woodley Carolyn , Sims Rob 
Published: July 2011

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore business students' views about using ePortfolios at Victoria University (VU) in Melbourne. It also examines the extent to which students present ePortfolios to prospective employers in applying for jobs.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on the literature on ePortfolio use and the role of ePortfolios in the recruitment process together with results from an online survey of Professional Development students about the use of ePortfolios and the PebblePad platform.FindingsAn analysis of online responses examines student views about the usefulness of ePortfolios, the PebblePad platform, and the relevance of an ePortfolio assessment task. The findings suggest that few students use or expect to use ePortfolios beyond the assessment requirements and highlight students' polarised views about the usefulness of PebblePad.Research limitations/implicationsVU's Business Faculty needs to adopt a whole‐of‐course approach to embedding ePortfolios in the curriculum.Practical implicationsAt VU, ePortfolios are promoted to students as a personal learning system and as a creative means of communicating their employability skills. The findings suggest a need to review how ePortfolios are used, promoted and assessed in VU's programs.Originality/valueEPortfolios offer a structured, digital space where students can present evidence of employability skills and reflective capacity. While VU's Business students develop an ePortfolio to showcase their skills in one mandatory subject, ePortfolios must be better promoted as offering a medium for students to develop, store, and creatively present themselves to potential employers in a whole‐of‐course approach.