Social media and student lifecycle: impact on career success

Over the past few years online social networks have become one of the most popular applications on the Internet. Naturally, social media is attracting a significant attention from researchers probing its educational applicability. Online social networking services (SNS) offer a straightforward way to connect people and support information sharing and communication. University students are often ahead of the rest in the adoption of new technologies, and according to (Quan-Haase, 2007) their communication networks tend to be dense and multilayered. Extant literature abounds with evidence of business opportunities (e.g. Aldrich & Kim, 2007) and educational use (e.g. Mastrodicasa,2008) of social networks. However, very little research attention has been paid towards a systematic adoption of SNS throughout the complete student lifecycle . With the aim of achieving higher levels of success in learning as well as improving their career prospects. This study investigates the use of social media by business students. KU business students and students from four international HE institutions in Europe, including Russia and Greece, have participated in the study. Social media has the potential of providing an easy-to use platform to connect students throughout their entire lifecycle from aspiration rising, enrolment, learning and teaching leading on to employment, alumni communication and life-long learning. This is especially important as the stages of employability management and life-long learning take a centre stage in managing student expectations and influencing their decision of taking up places at which university

The role of learning analytics in networking for business and leisure: A study of culture and gender differences in social platform users

Engagement with social networking sites is influenced by the cognitive and learning processes which in turn is influenced by culture. This paper aims at unbundling the effect of culture on the use of social network sites and thus contributes to our understanding on the way cognitive and learning processes influence the engagement with social networks. The study of over 600 social networking users addresses how professional and leisure use of social networks differs across cultures, gender and other demographics. Firstly, by utilising ANOVA techniques we associate users' behaviour with nationality and furthermore through the use of an ordered logistics regression we delineate clusters of users by the purpose of social networking adoption and their cultural characteristics. Our study helps bridge the gap in literature on identifying how cultural traits, nationality and gender affect both business and leisure use of social networking. The implications of differences in user behaviour driven by nationality and gender warrant further need for applying learning analytics in social platforms to enhance user experience. Future directions of research on social networking in relation to cognition and culture are offered for discussion

Impact of Brexit on the Internationalisation of SMEs in Kent

Kent County Council commissioned some research in 2016 as part of an EU-funded project to better understand the current situation with the internationalisation (export activities) of local companies including barriers to exporting and the challenges faced by businesses. This follow-up report was commissioned to better understand the evolving outlook of Kent businesses relating to international trade as the UK prepares to leave the European Union. It builds on quantitative and qualitative findings from a survey on SMEs’ internationalisation in October-November 2016, a roundtable of local businesses organised by Kent Business School in February 2017 and the Kent Business Summit that took place in January 2018. The report starts with a discussion of the impact on inward and outward Foreign Direct Investments and continues with a discussion of the impact on both facets of SMEs internationalisation, i.e. exporting and importing activity. It then provides evidence on the impact of Brexit on the overall economic activity and concludes by summarising the key findings and recommendations. A summary of the findings reveals the following important issues: Firms and especially SMES should be aware of their position in global value chains. Foreign exchange fluctuations are a major factor especially for SMEs that do not have the resources to hedge in the medium and long term. Access to talent and skills could have an important effect. Brexit could be an opportunity but this requires the development of an entrepreneurial approach that enables firms to become resilient. Kent’s economy has the necessary characteristics to develop innovation and entrepreneurship. These findings suggest that Brexit has a negative impact but this could be mitigated with appropriate support in the following areas: Supporting businesses to having better planning and scenario analysis. Enabling access to talent through the retention and attraction of highly skilled labour force. Supporting an entrepreneurial approach to business through access to funding and additional specialised support in the development of ideas

Hotel Recruitment and Selection Practices: The Case of Greek Hotel Industry

open access journalHotel industry, as a service industry, is greatly dependent upon its employees. Recruitment and Selection practices constitute an important starting stage for hotels towards generating an efficient and productive workforce. The present study, by focusing on 5* and 4* hotels, examines the current trends in the implementation and effectiveness of recruitment and selection practices in the Greek hotel industry, controlling for class category, size and ownership. An inferential quantitative research design was used, and an online survey was conducted, using a seven–point questionnaire. The study concludes that hotel industry, at least in Greece, is still using old – fashioned and cost effective recruitment and selection methods. Findings also outline that 5* and 4* hotels do not differentiate their mix of methods used in recruiting and selecting future employees. Internal recruitment methods are mostly considered to be effective in contrast to external recruitment methods. While interviews and reference checks are listed at the top of the effectiveness list of selection methods. The findings of this research enhance industry understanding of the use and effectiveness of recruitment and selection methods and indicate the need for hotels of superior class to re–examine their recruitment and selection methods and adopt more contemporary ones in their mix

Cross region comparative study on the Internationalisation of Small and Medium Enterprises

The main aim of the present study is to provide a comparison of the six regional reports on the internationalisation of SMEs from the first stage of the SME Internationalisation Exchange (SIE) Interreg project. This study builds on the findings produced by regional studies from Kent County in the UK, Cantabria in Spain, Aquitaine in France, Kujawsko-Pomorskie (Torun) in Poland, Usti in Czech Republic and Molise in Italy. It focuses on identifying the levels of internationalisation across regions, facilitating factors and barriers to internationalisation of SMEs, measurement of the effectiveness of support mechanisms and providing useful recommendations to further support the internationalisation of SMEs within and across the partner regions. Despite the differences in the methodological approaches from the different partners a number of findings have been put forward. Levels of Internationalisation (page 15) – Most regions have gone through a period of large trade deficits in the last 20 years. Deepening of EU integration and the availability of funding to support internationalisation initiatives has enabled regions to turn around and demonstrate trade surpluses in the last decade. Despite the spread of internationalisation activities in the different regions it is common that a substantial proportion of them can be attributed to a rather small number of companies and an even smaller number of sectors. For all regions, other EU markets represent the key customers of their international activities. Facilitators to Internationalisation (page 19) – Ability to innovate has been identified as a key facilitator. Both process as well as product innovation have been brought forward by SMEs as factors that enhance their internationalisation efforts. Access to specialised information through the local support mechanisms and access to financial subsidies have also been identified as important facilitators. Barriers to Internationalisation (page 21) – Both external and internal barriers exist. External barriers are usually associated with the volatility and the uncertainty of the institutional environment that creates additional risks for SMEs. Internal barriers are either informational ones or functional ones. The former correspond to lack of access to specialised information about foreign markets whilst the latter correspond to lack of specialised, primarily marketing, resources to effectively enter foreign markets. Support Mechanisms (page 25) – All studies identified a complex and bureaucratic environment of support mechanisms. Significant overlaps exist between national and local/regional support mechanisms and this leads to lack of awareness and therefore lack of engagement from SMEs. A number of best practices have been identified throughout the regions that facilitate better engagement, better information dissemination and a more focused or tailored approach to the needs of individual SMEs. Recommendations (page 28) – Two major recommendations have been put forward. First, the establishment of a cross-regional business network that will enable SMEs to take advantage of opportunities in other regions and share risks across borders. Trust in this network will be infused by the existing collaboration of partners across regions. Second, the establishment of a policy laboratory that will foster sharing of best practice across regions but will also monitor and evaluate the implementation of policies across regions through engagement with a small number of SMEs

Choice of Location and the Roles of Foreign Subsidiaries: Evidence from UK Regions

In this paper we investigate the location determinants of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) in the UK at a regional level. The paper focuses on a relatively under investigated field, that of the linkage between choice of regional location- within a particular host countryand subsidiary roles. The key contribution steaming from this analysis is that we provide, for the first time, detailed support of the location factors affecting distinctive types of subsidiaries. The external environment affects differently the two types of subsidiaries under investigation with agglomeration features playing the most significant role. At the same time idiosyncratic FDI factors do seem to play the most important role for both types of subsidiaries. Important policy implications are then raised, regarding the design of welltargeted FDI promoting policies aiming both at upgrading regional potential as well as specific sectors and companies.UK Regions, subsidiaries, agglomeration, location choice

Cultural distance and internationalization. The world’s largest food and drink multinationals

The final version of this paper was published by “Agribusiness. An International Journal “, vol 27 (4), 2011. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/agr.20283/abstractThis paper analyses the expansion of the world’s largest food and beverage multinational enterprises (hereafter, F&B MNEs) over 1996-2002 using a database that provides detailed information on the location and activities of more than 8,000 affiliates. The research provides abundant empirical support to the view that F&B MNEs operate on a worldwide scale and although their share of foreign to total affiliates is lower than in the average MNE they have a wide country spread. The great physical dispersion of the F&B MNEs’ assets, however, does not necessarily imply expansion to cultural distant areas. World’s leaders in this industry are more likely to expand their operations to countries that display cultural characteristics similar to those of the home-country. We observe differences concerning cultural distance among different companies. Western F&B MNEs seem more culturally rooted than Japanese ones, probably owing to differences in the product-mix and the activities developed by the companies. A comparison of 1996, 2000 and 2002 data shows that F&B MNEs are gradually expanding to increasingly unfamiliar environments. Complementary analysis of 3,507 M&A operations involving the sampled MNEs between 1987 and 2003 confirms these findings.Peer reviewe

Evaluating the effects of cultural and psychic distance on multinational corporate performance: a meta-analysis

The conceptual and empirical relationship between Cultural and Psychic Distance (CD&PD) and Multinational Enterprises (MNE) performance is a subject that still remains considerably underexplored. Regardless of the large number of studies, previous studies have delivered a mixed bag of results. Although previous meta-analyses have analysed the overall relationship as presented in the literature, they did not produce in-depth investigations of the moderators of the relationship. In this paper we claim that it is this lack of moderators which is the potential source of inconsistency in literature findings. Using a sample of 56 articles, the meta-analysis results indicate that different variables advocate a different relationship between CD&PD and multinational enterprises performance, thus confirming the vast number of moderators for the relationship as well as their crucial role. The most important sources of inconsistency identified from the analysis are the different measures used to capture the CD&PD and multinational enterprises performance

Evaluating student expectations: social networks in career development

Online social networks have become increasingly popular among Higher Education (HE) students. This brings new challenges to the way universities adapt social networks to meet student expectations and how they enhance career development and relationships with employers. This study reports the findings of a survey of 272 UK and international business school students on career development and entrepreneurship as a part of a wider study of online social networking in HE. The results of the study reveal key differences between undergraduate, postgraduate and international student population. The paper argues for a pressing need to raise the awareness of British undergraduate students on the enhancement of their career prospects through best practice in building and exploiting social capital on online social networks. The conclusions of the study help better understand motivations and barriers to an effective application of social networks in Higher Education

Συγκρίσεις τρόπων μεταφοράς ηλεκτικής ενέργειας στα ελληνικά σχολικά εγχειρίδια Φυσικής, 1860 - 1930

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία επιχειρεί να εξετάσει από ιστορική σκοπιά τον τρόπο με τον οποίο αναπαράχθηκε η περίφημη διαμάχη ανάμεσα στο συνεχές και το εναλλασσόμενο ρεύμα στην Ελλάδα, αντλώντας το πρωτογενές της υλικό από σχολικά εγχειρίδια φυσικής, πρωτοβάθμιας και δευτεροβάθμιας εκπαίδευσης, τα οποία διδάσκονται στη χώρα από το δεύτερο μισό του 19ου αιώνα έως και τις αρχές του 20ου. Εισαγωγικά θα ανατρέξουμε στην περίοδο που ξεκινά ο λεγόμενος «πόλεμος των ρευμάτων» στις ΗΠΑ. Θα παρακολουθήσουμε ορισμένα επεισόδια της έκβασής του και ακολουθώντας το ιστορικό νήμα θα φτάσουμε έως και την οριστική λήξη του «πολέμου» το 1892, η οποία αναδεικνύει σε νικητή το εναλλασσόμενο έναντι του συνεχούς, με το πρώτο να καθιερώνεται ως, υποτίθεται, εγγενώς ανώτερο. Στη συνέχεια θα περιγράψουμε πως η ίδια διαμάχη αναβιώνει τριάντα χρόνια μετά στην Ελλάδα και ποια είναι τα χαρακτηριστικά που λαμβάνει, μέσα από τις αντιπαραθέσεις που έλαβαν χώρα στις συνεδριάσεις του Τεχνικού Επιμελητηρίου. Για το σκοπό αυτό θα αξιοποιήσουμε ως δευτερογενείς πηγές τις διπλωματικές εργασίες του ΚωνσταντίνουΛουκόπουλου και του Ιωάννη Γαρύφαλλου,οι οποίες αναφέρονται ακριβώς στη διαμάχη συνεχούς – εναλλασσόμενου στην Ελληνική περίπτωση. Στο κύριο μέρος της εργασίας, παρουσιάζουμε την έρευνα σε ελληνικά σχολικά συγγράμματα Φυσικής που εκδίδονταισε μια περίοδο που το διακύβευμα για το ποιο ηλεκτρικό ρεύμα υπερτερεί παραμένει ανοικτό (1860-1930), με στόχο την ανεύρεση υποστηρικτικών γραμμών ως προς τη μία ή την άλλη επιλογή. Στην κατάληξη της εργασίαςεπιδιώκουμε να εξάγουμε ένα συμπέρασμα για το πώς οδηγηθήκαμειστορικά στην αποδοχή της θέσης περί εγγενούς ανωτερότητας του εναλλασσόμενου ρεύματος, μέσα από τον λόγο των σχολικών συγγραμμάτων.The present thesis attempts to examine from a historical perspective how the famous conflict between the continuous and alternating current was reproduced in Greece. Its primary material is high school textbooks of Physics taught in the country from the second half of the 19th century until the beginning of the 20th. We will briefly look at the period when the so-called "war of currents" begins in America. We will watch some episodes of its outcome and, following the historical thread, we will reach the definitive end of the "war" in 1892, which brings the victory of alternating current and make clear that is overrated compared to direct current. In the following we will describe how the same conflict revives thirty years later in Greece and what are the characteristics it receives, through the controversies that took place at the meetings of the Technical Chamber. To this end, we will use as secondary sources the diplomatic papers of Konstantinos Loukopoulos and Ioannis Garyfalos, which refer precisely to the ongoing dispute between direct and alternating current in the Greek case. In the main part of this thesis, we present the research in Greek Physics textbooks published during a period in which the question of which type of current is “superior” remains open (1860-1930), aiming to find support lines for one or the other. At the conclusion of the thesis, we seek to draw a conclusion on how we have historically been led to accept the position on the inherent superiority of AC, through the discourse of school textbooks