TOWARDS CLOSING GENDER GAPS IN ARAB COUNTRIES: UNDERSTANDING GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SMARTPHONE ADOPTION AND USE IN IRAQ (5)

This paper examines gender differences in Iraq in terms of smartphone adoption and use, with a specific focus on the factors that can affect women’s adoption and use of smartphones. The research used the mobile phone acceptance and use model proposed by Ameen et al. (2015). In total, 533 questionnaires were distributed to consumers aged 18–29 and the data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The findings revealed that three factors in the model had significantly different effects on the behavioural intention of groups of men and women. These factors were culture-specific beliefs and values, habit, and perceived relative advantage. The model fitted well with both groups, but the order of significance of the factors differed between them. The findings indicate that when targeting Iraqi women, other factors in addition to price must be considered

Indigenous Health – Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States - Laying Claim to a Future that Embraces Health for Us All.

Improving the health of all peoples has been a call across the globe for many decades and unfortunately remains relevant today, particularly given the large disparities in health status of peoples found around the world. Rather than differences in health, or health inequalities, we use a different term, health inequities. This is so as mere differences in health (or inequalities ) can be common in societies and do not necessarily reflect unfair social policies or practices. For example, natural ageing implies older people are more prone to illness. Yet, when differences are systematic, socially produced and unfair, these are considered health inequities. Certainly making judgments on what is systematic, socially produced and unfair, reflects value judgments and merit open debate. We are making explicit in this paper what our judgments are, and the basis for these judgment

Strategic Managerial Change and Organisational Innovation

Without any doubt, the number, amplitude and speed of changes are increasing rapidly in all fields in the last period. In this context it is essential to identify and to deal primordially with strategic changes. This paper deals with the concept of strategic change revealing the main success factors involved taking into consideration transition to the knowledge based economy. The connection between the strategic managerial change, stability and organisational equilibrium is the key for organisation performance. In the last part of the study we analyze the innovation as the specific form of change, focusing on the sources of change and innovation in organizations divided in two categories – internal and external.change; strategically change; organisational equilibrium; balanced dinamism; innovation; innovation principles; change sources; knowledge.

Sustainable Development Policies in Europe

The objective of this paper is to investigate the actual situation in the shift towards the implementation of Sustainable Development Policies in Europe. The aim is to highlight the key role of the European Union in bringing about sustainable development within Europe and also on the wider global stage. It will show how the European Commission performs its commitment in reaching a sustainable regulation by issuing some documents and declarations. The paper frames the EU action into an international framework of strategies, agreements and policies on SD and, at the same time, provides an overview on experiences of SD strategy implementations at the national level, according to the commission pressing on MS to produce their own SD strategy and implement it. Indicators systems, issues of interest and fields of actions are compared: the analysis of these elements aims to highlight common scenarios of SD strategies that reveal the trends towards a more sustainable growth in the European Union.Sustainable Development, Globalization, Environment Policy, Strategy for Sustainable Development, Good Governance, Participation