Internet and Social Media Access Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness: Mixed-Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Youth experiencing homelessness are at a risk for a variety of adverse outcomes. Given the widespread use of the internet and social media, these new technologies may be used to address their needs and for outreach purposes. However, little is known about how this group uses these resources. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated how homeless adolescents use these technologies for general and health-related purposes, whether the scope of their use changes with housing status, and their interest in a website dedicated to youth experiencing homelessness. METHODS: A convenience sample of youth aged 18 to 21 years was recruited from a youth-specific homeless shelter. All participants completed a 47-item survey, with 10 individuals completing a semistructured interview. Descriptive statistics, exact testing, logistic regression, and generalized estimating equation modeling was performed for quantitative data analysis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and NVivo 10 (QSR International) was employed to facilitate double coding and thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 87 participants completed the survey with a mean age of 19.4 (SD 1.1) years. While experiencing homelessness, 56% (49/87) accessed the internet at least once a day, with 86% (75/87) accessing once a week. Access to a smartphone was associated with a 3.03 greater odds of accessing the internet and was the most frequently used device (66% of participants, 57/87). While experiencing homelessness, subjects reported a 68% decreased odds in internet access frequency (odds ratio [OR] 0.32, P\u3c.001), 75% decreased odds in spending greater amounts of time on the internet (OR 0.25, P\u3c.001), and an 87% decreased odds of social media use (OR 0.13, P=.01). Ten participants completed the semistructured interview. Several themes were identified, including (1) changes in internet behaviors while experiencing homelessness, (2) health status as a major concern and reason for Internet use, and (3) interest in a website dedicated to youth experiencing homelessness. While experiencing homelessness, participants indicated their behaviors were more goal-oriented and less focused on leisure or entertainment activities. CONCLUSIONS: While homeless youth experience changes in the frequency, amount of time, and specific uses of the internet and social media, study participants were able to access the internet regularly. The internet was used to search health-related topics. Given the importance of smartphones in accessing the internet, mobile-optimized websites may be an effective method for reaching this group

Supporting Multiple Paths to Objects in Information Hierarchies: Faceted Classification, Faceted Search, and Symbolic Links

We present three fundamental, interrelated approaches to support multiple access paths to each terminal object in information hierarchies: faceted classification, faceted search, and web directories with embedded symbolic links. This survey aims to demonstrate how each approach supports users who seek information from multiple perspectives. We achieve this by exploring each approach, the relationships between these approaches, including tradeoffs, and how they can be used in concert, while focusing on a core set of hypermedia elements common to all. This approach provides a foundation from which to study, understand, and synthesize applications which employ these techniques. This survey does not aim to be comprehensive, but rather focuses on thematic issues

Program Transformations for Information Personalization

Personalization constitutes the mechanisms necessary to automatically customize information content, structure, and presentation to the end user to reduce information overload. Unlike traditional approaches to personalization, the central theme of our approach is to model a website as a program and conduct website transformation for personalization by program transformation (e.g., partial evaluation, program slicing). The goal of this paper is study personalization through a program transformation lens and develop a formal model, based on program transformations, for personalized interaction with hierarchical hypermedia. The specific research issues addressed involve identifying and developing program representations and transformations suitable for classes of hierarchical hypermedia and providing supplemental interactions for improving the personalized experience. The primary form of personalization discussed is out-of-turn interaction—a technique that empowers a user navigating a hierarchical website to postpone clicking on any of the hyperlinks presented on the current page and, instead, communicate the label of a hyperlink nested deeper in the hierarchy. When the user supplies out-of-turn input, we personalize the hierarchy to reflect the user\u27s informational need. While viewing a website as a program and site transformation as program transformation is non-traditional, it offers a new way of thinking about personalized interaction, especially with hierarchical hypermedia. Our use of program transformations casts personalization in a formal setting and provides a systematic and implementation-neutral approach to designing systems. Moreover, this approach helped connect our work to human-computer dialog management and, in particular, mixed-initiative interaction. Putting personalized web interaction on a fundamentally different landscape gave birth to this new line of research. Relating concepts in the web domain (e.g., sites, interactions) to notions in the program-theoretic domain (e.g., programs, transformations) constitutes the creativity in this work

Effective Marketing Strategies to Reach Mobile Users

Reaching users on mobile devices has never been more critical for retailers given the ubiquitous use of mobile devices. U.S. consumers who shop online are using personal computers less and mobile devices more when doing so. The purpose of this single case study was to explore mobile device marketing strategies used by retail marketing leaders to reach mobile users effectively. Rogers\u27s diffusion of innovation theory provided the conceptual framework for the study. Participants included a purposeful sample of 8 marketing managers employed by a Fortune 1000 retail organization in the Pacific Northwest. Data collected via in-person, semistructured interviews and a review of the marketing plan documents were thematically analyzed and methodically triangulated. There were 11 themes that emerged from the interviews and marketing plan document review. The results indicated that mobile marketing managers could focus their efforts on 3 of the 11 themes to reach mobile users. The 3 primary themes included getting close to their customers to learn about customers\u27 preferences, gathering and using big data in an intelligent way, and tailoring experiences by sending messages and offers at times when users are most likely to transact. Results from this study may foster positive social change by increasing profits within the organization as a result of more effective mobile device marketing strategies. The profits retailers generate through effective mobile device marketing strategies could allow them to provide additional community support through charitable donations and provide additional support through the creation of new positions within the community

Strategies That Small Business Leaders Use to Motivate Millennial Employees

Millennial workers occupy the majority of employment positions worldwide, which is a concern to business leaders in the United States related to having knowledge and ability to train, motivate, and retain millennial employees. Using Gilbert\u27s behavior engineering model as a conceptual framework, this multiple case study explored the strategies that business leaders used to motivate their millennial employees. The study population included 4 leaders of small restaurant businesses in eastern North Carolina. Data were collected from semistructured, face-to-face interviews using 7 open-ended questions and review of company documents, websites, and social media. Data were coded and analyzed following Morse\u27s method of data analysis. Three themes emerged from data analysis: rewards and recognition, high-quality leader-member relationship, and professional development. The findings of this research are significant for small business leaders who want to implement effective motivational strategies to manage millennial employees to keep their organizations productive and profitable. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to help millennial workers grow in their careers, become financially stable, and develop into prospective leaders prepared to propel their organizations and societies in the future

Marketing Strategies Used by Franchise Small Businesses to Retain Customers

Franchised small businesses will not survive their first 5 years if they cannot implement marketing strategies that appeal to their customers. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the marketing strategies that successful franchise small business leaders used to retain customers. The population comprised 4 business leaders at franchise small businesses in North Carolina. Competitive advantage theory and blue ocean theory grounded this study. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews and review of company marketing materials. Data were thematically analyzed, and 6 themes emerged: personalization of customer service, market segmentation, innovative advertising, networking, brand identity, and loyalty programs. Market segmentation and innovative advertising are fundamental strategies for retaining customers within the target market, whereas personalization of customer service can help build positive relationships with customers. These findings could improve customer loyalty and customer satisfaction, which might increase the number of successful small businesses in the United States. The implications for positive social change include the potential for business leaders to develop effective marketing strategies to retain customers, which may benefit customers through an increase in job opportunities in the local business community

Brain–computer interface in the context of information retrieval systems in a library

Purpose – The subject of this paper is the idea of Brain–Computer Interface (BCI). The main goal is to assess the potential impact of BCI on the design, use and evaluation of information retrieval systems operating in libraries. Design/methodology/approach – The method of literature review was used to establish the state of research. The search according to accepted queries was carried out in the Scopus database and complementary in Google Scholar. To determine the state of research on BCI on the basis of library and information science, a specialist LISTA abstract database was also searched. The most current papers published in the years 2015–2019 in the English language or having at least an abstract in this language were taken into account. Findings – The analysis showed that BCI issues are extremely popular in subject literature from various fields, mainly computer science, but practically does not occur in the context of using this technology in information retrieval systems. Research limitations/implications – Due to the fact that BCI solutions are not yet implemented in libraries and are rarely the subject of scientific considerations in the field of library and information science, this article is mainly based on literature from other disciplines. The goal was to consider how much BCI solutions can affect library information retrieval systems. The considerations presented in this article are theoretical in nature due to the lack of empirical materials on which to base. The author’s assumption was to initiate a discussion about BCI on the basis of library and information science, not to propose final solutions. Practical implications – The results can be widely used in practice as a framework for the implementation of BCI in libraries. Social implications – The article can help to facilitate the debate on the role of implementing new technologies in libraries. Originality/value – The problem of BCI is very rarely addressed in the subject literature in the field of library and information science

Successful Marketing Strategies Employed by Traditional AM/FM Radio Stations

An increase in Internet radio adverting spending is negatively affecting the revenue of traditional radio stations. Some general managers and sales directors at traditional radio stations lack marketing strategies to compete effectively with Internet radio. Grounded by the attitude toward the ad theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore marketing strategies that successful general managers and sales directors used at traditional radio stations to compete effectively with Internet radio. The population consisted of 8 general managers and sales directors at traditional radio stations located in southeast Florida, who demonstrated success in developing marketing strategies to compete with Internet radio. Data were collected from semistructured face-to-face interviews and marketing campaign literature. The process of member checking improved the credibility of the analysis and interpretations. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify keywords, phrases, and concepts. The process led to the following 4 key themes: (a) evolution of Internet radio, (b) traditional radio and Internet media platforms, (c) marketing strategies to yield results, and (d) effectiveness of marketing tactics. The findings from the study may contribute to positive social change by providing knowledge useful in improving the lives of consumers by providing targeted messages regarding needed goods and services through free media

Sustaining Open Educational Resources (OER) initiatives in higher education: practices, successes, and challenges

INTRODUCTION: For the past decade, many educational institutions have launched initiatives to provide services and funding for professors to adopt, adapt, and create OER for enhancing student success. The initiatives could initially encourage faculty to use OER in their courses, but the continued effort to sustain proved difficult. GOAL: The research goal is to explore how higher education institutions sustain OER initiatives by examining the experiences and perspectives of the key players: faculty, administrators, librarians, and instructional designers who work on the front line of OER initiatives as OER users, educators, and advocates. METHODS: Exploratory two-case studies with qualitative methods including interviews, focus groups, and documents. FINDINGS: The findings indicate that student success, people's ideology, and interest in OER are the driving forces behind OER initiatives. A combination of efforts was needed from grassroots and top-down to sustain the initiatives. Successful practices include a combination of institutional incentives and support, connecting key players, and implementing faculty outreach strategies. Themes are also identified for successes and challenges of sustaining initiatives. Successes include: (1) reducing costs for students; (2) helping faculty rethink courses and seek new ways of teaching; and (3) providing faculty freedom to customize for teaching as they desire. Challenges include: (1) experiencing difficulty in getting faculty on board; (2) needing a master database to increase OER discoverability; and (3) experiencing personnel turnover.Includes bibliographical references