Competitive Intelligence Capabilities of Social Media Analytics for Value Creation

In recent times, social media has been a major tool where traces of clients’ engagements of a business product or services are kept. The petabytes of daily social media data are utilized to make informed decisions grounded in context. Businesses are tapping into this chunk of data to make intelligent decisions. The use of these Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is shown to drive business value. Existing reviews of Social Media Analytics (SMA) use and other digital innovations lack the theorisation of the value created from the use of SMA as a digital transformation of businesses(Matarazzo et al. 2021). Davenport and Ronanki (2018), purports that there are three main business needs that make use AI technology. These are, process automation, cognitive insights and cognitive engagement. Gaining competitive intelligence from social media data has become a market requirement among businesses. Competitive intelligence is “a process that includes collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination providing strategic information that can be used in a decision making process” (Acharya et al. 2018). Fan and Gordon (2014) indicated that social media analytics produces intelligence that contributes to creating competitive advantages and business value. On this premises, it is interesting to study the competitive intelligence capabilities of SMA and value creation. This study sought to theorise the ways to create business value from the use of SMA. The study seeks to answer the research question: What value is derived from the competitive intelligence capabilities of Social Media analytics. This research will adopt both conceptual analysis and empirical quantitative design to achieve its objectives. A cross-sectional survey research design will be adopted in this study. Managers of the banking and telecommunication companies in Ghana, specifically in Greater Accra region, will be chosen to respond to the survey questionnaire that will be administered. The key informants will be managers of these companies because their experiences, and professional knowledge about SMA use will provide reliable information to this study. The study will use partial least square-based structural equation modelling to evaluate the measurement items. This study is one of the few types of research to investigate the causal relationships between the SMA, competitive intelligence, and value creation. This study contributes to information systems literature by conceptualising the competitive intelligence capabilities of SMA to understand the value that is derived from its use

Social Media Aggression: An Assessment Based on the Contemporary Deterrence Theory

The role played by incendiary messages identifies as online radicalism is a low-cost tool that has been a medium to violence and potential dangers to social media users and the society at large. The unregulated mass communication evolves as an overtly aggressive, a covertly aggressive, and non-aggressive society. Strategies to attract compliance to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ethics to scrutinize the applicability of the theories of neutralization and deterrence on cognition and behaviour have been recognised in Information Systems (IS) research. This study uses the contemporary deterrence theory to explain illicit, deviant, and unethical behaviours of social media user\u27s with the construct and effect of the Sub-Saharan Africa cultural values. The study seeks to answer the research question: What are the influencers of the adolescent intention to engage in social media aggression? The study draws on the contemporary deterrence theory to answer the underpinning research question

Determinants and challenges of supplying microlife insurance in Ghana

The mass adoption of microlife insurance products among low-income earners in Ghana is based on the increased risks to livelihoods normally neglected by mainstream insurance. Microlife insurance is crucial for not only providing insurable coverage for the cost of targeted threats to low-income earners but also providing incentives for anyone who seeks protection against economic losses. In this study, a holistic analysis of the determinants and challenges of supplying microlife insurance in Ghana is carried out using factor analysis with principal component analysis. Primary data were sourced from 193 respondents related to the development of microlife insurance products. Out of 20 critical determinants extracted for the supply of microlife insurance products, four principal groups/components were established. They include affordable but profit-oriented products, active consideration of consumer-oriented conditions, strong internal position and controls, and favourable external factors. Further, 39 challenges associated with supplying microlife insurance products were identified and divided into five major groups: poor premium income, asymmetric information, weak internal systems, increased industry-related challenges and unfavourable external factors. The findings could serve as a checklist for microlife insurers to develop measures to sustain microlife insurance products while they mitigate obstacles to improve net profits from products. The results could also stimulate dialogue within the insurance industry as well as the research community on advancing microlife insurance to support the general populace. However, the article is limited in scope and so caution must be exercised in generalising the application of the findings

Work-related respiratory health conditions among construction workers: a systematic narrative review

Background Emerging evidence in both developed and developing countries indicate that occupational health hazards and diseases among construction workers constitute a significant public health challenge. While occupational health hazards and conditions in the construction sector are diverse, a burgeoning body of knowledge is emerging about respiratory health hazards and diseases. Yet, there is a notable gap in the existing literature in terms of comprehensive syntheses of the available evidence on this topic. In light of this research gap, this study systematically reviewed the global evidence on occupational health hazards and related respiratory health conditions among construction workers.Methods Using meta-aggregation, guided by the Condition (respiratory health conditions), Context (construction industry) and Population (construction workers) (CoCoPop) framework and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, literature searches were conducted on Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar for relevant studies on respiratory health conditions affecting construction workers. Four eligibility criteria were used in scrutinising studies for inclusion. The quality of the included studies was assessed based on Joanna Briggs Institute’s Critical Appraisal tool, while the reporting of the results was guided by the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines.Results From an initial pool of 256 studies from the various databases, 25 studies published between 2012 and October 2022 were identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. In all, 16 respiratory health conditions were identified, with cough (ie, dry and with phlegm), dyspnoea/breathlessness and asthma emerging as the top three respiratory conditions among construction workers. The study identified six overarching themes of hazards that are associated with respiratory health conditions among construction workers. These hazards include exposure to dust, respirable crystalline silica, fumes, vapours, asbestos fibres and gases. Smoking and extended period of exposure to the respiratory hazard were found to increase the risk of contracting respiratory diseases.Conclusions Our systematic review indicates that construction workers are exposed to hazards and conditions that have adverse effects on their health and well-being. Given the considerable impact that work-related health hazards can have on the health and socioeconomic well-being of construction workers, we suggest that the implementation of a comprehensive occupational health programme is essential. Such a programme would extend beyond the mere provision of personal protective equipment and would incorporate a range of proactive measures aimed at controlling the hazards and mitigating the risk of exposure to the occupational health hazards

Determinants of intention to conceal tuberculosis status among family members: an analysis of seven Sub-Saharan African countries

Abstract Background Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health burden in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), accounting for about 25% of global TB cases. In several communities, TB diagnosis, treatment, and control have become a critical challenge, largely due to the intention to conceal TB status among family members. It is therefore crucial to understand the factors associated with the intentions to conceal TB status among family members in SSA. Methods This quantitative study utilised data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS). The objective was to examine the factors associated with the intention to conceal the TB status of family members. The sample consisted of 58,849 individuals aged 10 years or older from seven SSA countries. Binary logistic regression was employed to assess the associations between TB status concealment and various socio-demographic and economic variables. Results The overall prevalence of TB status concealment intentions for the seven countries was 28.0% (95% CI: 27.6–28.4). Malawi and Eswatini accounted for the highest (47.3%) and lowest (3.0%) prevalence of TB concealment intentions respectively. TB status concealment intentions decreased with increasing age (p < 0.001). Living in rural areas was associated with lower odds of intending to conceal the TB of family members compared to living in urban areas (aOR = 0.92; p = 0.008). Higher education levels were associated with lower odds of TB status concealment intentions (aOR = 0.50; p < 0.001) compared to lower education levels. As participants wealth index increased, the odds of TB status concealment intentions decreased (aOR = 0.83; p < 0.001). Country of residence also showed significant associations with individuals in Ghana (aOR = 4.51; p < 0.001), Lesotho (aOR = 2.08; p < 0.001), Malawi (aOR = 4.10; p < 0.001), Namibia (aOR = 4.40; p < 0.001), and Sao-Tome and Principe (aOR = 5.56; p < 0.001) showing higher odds of TB status concealment intentions compared to Eswatini. Conclusions The findings conclude that several social determinants of health, including age, urbanicity, education, and wealth contribute to TB status concealment intentions for family members. Considering these factors is important for designing targeted interventions to improve TB control in the sample. In light of the unavailability of cultural variables in the dataset, future research can leverage qualitative approaches to conduct a more comprehensive exploration of the cultural factors linked to TB status concealment intentions in the population