468,582 research outputs found

    Numeracy, literacy and ESOL: evaluation of entry and level 1 awards (National report from the Inspectorate 1998-99)

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    During the past 20 years a range of awards has been developed to meet the demand for external validation of students’ achievements. Since the introduction of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 (the Act) there has been a particularly sharp increase in the use of external awards to accredit the achievements of students wanting to improve their literacy and numeracy, and those wishing to improve their spoken and written English. It is often mistakenly thought that external awards are necessary to meet the requirements of schedule 2 of the Act, to secure funding from the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC), and to meet the requirements of colleges’ own information systems. Most students now study for an award. This inspectorate national exercise was devised to evaluate those awards which are frequently used at entry level and level 1 in numeracy, literacy and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and to judge the impact of these qualifications on the curriculum, teaching and learning, and on students’ achievements

    A theory-grounded framework of Open Source Software adoption in SMEs

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    This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in European Journal of Information Systems. The definitive publisher-authenticated version Macredie, RD and Mijinyawa, K (2011), "A theory-grounded framework of Open Source Software adoption in SMEs", European Journal of Informations Systems, 20(2), 237-250 is available online at: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ejis/journal/v20/n2/abs/ejis201060a.html.The increasing popularity and use of Open Source Software (OSS) has led to significant interest from research communities and enterprise practitioners, notably in the small business sector where this type of software offers particular benefits given the financial and human capital constraints faced. However, there has been little focus on developing valid frameworks that enable critical evaluation and common understanding of factors influencing OSS adoption. This paper seeks to address this shortcoming by presenting a theory-grounded framework for exploring these factors and explaining their influence on OSS adoption, with the context of study being small- to medium-sized Information Technology (IT) businesses in the U.K. The framework has implications for this type of business – and, we will suggest, more widely – as a frame of reference for understanding, and as tool for evaluating benefits and challenges in, OSS adoption. It also offers researchers a structured way of investigating adoption issues and a base from which to develop models of OSS adoption. The study reported in this paper used the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour (DTPB) as a basis for the research propositions, with the aim of: (i) developing a framework of empirical factors that influence OSS adoption; and (ii) appraising it through case study evaluation with 10 U.K. Small- to medium-sized enterprises in the IT sector. The demonstration of the capabilities of the framework suggests that it is able to provide a reliable explanation of the complex and subjective factors that influence attitudes, subjective norms and control over the use of OSS. The paper further argues that the DTPB proved useful in this research area and that it can provide a variety of situation-specific insights related to factors that influence the adoption of OSS

    The Structured Process Modeling Method (SPMM) : what is the best way for me to construct a process model?

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    More and more organizations turn to the construction of process models to support strategical and operational tasks. At the same time, reports indicate quality issues for a considerable part of these models, caused by modeling errors. Therefore, the research described in this paper investigates the development of a practical method to determine and train an optimal process modeling strategy that aims to decrease the number of cognitive errors made during modeling. Such cognitive errors originate in inadequate cognitive processing caused by the inherent complexity of constructing process models. The method helps modelers to derive their personal cognitive profile and the related optimal cognitive strategy that minimizes these cognitive failures. The contribution of the research consists of the conceptual method and an automated modeling strategy selection and training instrument. These two artefacts are positively evaluated by a laboratory experiment covering multiple modeling sessions and involving a total of 149 master students at Ghent University

    Should Marketing Managers Be Concerned about Attitudes towards Marketing and Consumerism in New Zealand: A Longitudinal View

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    New Zealand has gone through a radical metamorphosis since free market economics were introduced in the mid-1980s. Marketing managers are particularly interested in the views of consumers about issues dealing with marketing activities. Negative views could signal consumer backlash against free market activities. This study examines the views of consumers from 1986 to 2001 on a range of issues dealing with marketing and consumerism. The results clearly show that consumers are less negative about marketing and consumerism issues since 1986. It seems likely that New Zealand has evolved in terms of the consumerism life cycle over the last 15 years. Marketing managers should continue to remain proactive in their responses to consumer discontents. Implications for New Zealand and for other countries are addressed

    POSITIONING NIGERIAN SERVICE SECTOR TOWARDS VISION 2020: STYLIZED FACTS FROM BANKING SUB-SECTOR

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    The paper investigates the relationships between institutional enactments and the challenges of Nigerian commercial banks survival (1980-2006) towards policy option for realizing vision 2020. The divergence between government expectations and banks’ reality coupled with macroeconomics, and competitors’ activities could create failures in the sector. Using statistical data, the authors elucidate the impact of re-engineered interventions on banks’ survival over the period. The empirical results, among others, indicate that the high level unemployment rate in Nigeria poses a threat to banks’ survival. The statistical output also shows that government interventions could lead to a counterproductive effect on commercial banks’ strength, if not properly guided. Thus, for commercial banks to be well positioned as the nation approaches the year 2020, efforts to reduce the level of unemployment and ensure that government policies in the sub-sector are consistent and well articulated, would be rewarding

    The effect of digital signage on shoppers' behavior: the role of the evoked experience

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    This paper investigates the role of digital signage as experience provider in retail spaces. The findings of a survey-based field experiment demonstrate that digital signage content high on sensory cues evokes affective experience and strengthens customers’ experiential processing route. In contrast, digital signage messages high on “features and benefits” information evoke intellectual experience and strengthen customers’ deliberative processing route. The affective experience is more strongly associated with the attitude towards the ad and the approach behavior towards the advertiser than the intellectual experience. The effect of an ad high on sensory cues on shoppers’ approach to the advertiser is stronger for first-time shoppers, and therefore important in generating loyalty. The findings indicate that the design of brand-related informational cues broadcast over digital in-store monitors affects shoppers’ information processing. The cues evoke sensory and affective experiences and trigger deliberative processes that lead to attitude construction and finally elicit approach behavior towards the advertisers
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