Understanding the relationship between smartphone addiction and well-being: the mediation of mindfulness and moderation of hedonic Apps

The advent of handheld devices such as smartphones has changed the way we connect, navigate, and entertain and has been recognized as a revolution in information and communication technologies (ICT). Despite the plethora of benefits of this new technology, concerns have been raised about the unintended adverse consequences to well-being in the form of addictive use. Past research has linked smartphone addiction to negative consequences, but it remains unclear how, why, and when (i.e., under what conditions) smartphone addiction, in turn, is related to well-being. This study attempts to fill this void by addressing these questions through the lens of the stimulus-organism-response framework. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Flexibility and Sharīʿah Compliance of Islamic Financial Contracts: An Evaluative Framework

Although the key distinguishing feature of Islamic finance is compliance with Sharīʿah, there is criticism from various quarters on the Sharīʿah compliance of its products. However, there is no objective way to assess the Sharīʿah compliance of Islamic financial contracts. This article develops a structured framework for analysing Sharīʿah compliance of Islamic financial contracts by deconstructing them and developing principles of evaluation based on concepts from Islamic legal theory. Other than providing a framework to assess Sharīʿah compliance of Islamic financial contracts, this article also alludes to an important issue regarding the contracts’ flexibility. Using concepts from Islamic legal theory, the article classifies different contractual stipulations according to their legal weight, and identifies how legal perspectives on the requirements of compliance can determine the flexibility of contracts. An evaluative framework is used to assess the Sharīʿah compliance of an actual muḍārabah (silent partnership) contract and finds it to be defective

Social Network Sites in Businesses: Combating Technostress

This survey research examined social networking sites (SNS) internal to the company to determine how SNS use affects attitudes, and ultimately turnover intentions. We hypothesize that due to social capital, emotional dissonance, and conservation of resource theories, work SNS use will decrease work isolation, which will decrease work-related attitudes and increase turnover intentions. Due to social capital theory, we propose that work SNS use will decrease work isolation. Due to emotional dissonance theory, we hypothesize that work isolation will decrease positive emotions and job satisfaction, and increase job tensions, such as work stress. All three of these factors will increase turnover intentions. These findings suggest that technology has the potential of reducing technostress symptoms at work. We found that incorporating internal SNS in businesses improves attitudes and behaviors, which is important for managers to consider as ways to save costs due to employee turnover

Internet Technology Factors, Quality Information Delivery and Supply Chain Information Performance in Malaysian Manufacturing Companies

Quality Information delivery (QID) is defined as a managerial behavior in storing and distributing material to get the right information to the right customer, and supplier, at the right time, at the right place, in the right condition, in the right quantity, and at the right cost. The main dimensions of infiormation quality delivery are developed from the behavior-based perspective such as timeliness, consistent representation and accessibility. In this manner QID refers to the success online information exchange in a timely, accessible and consistent fashion to both customers and suppliers. This study examined the relationship between information quality delivery and supply chain information performance (SCIP) among Malaysian munufacturing companies. This study also investigated the influence of Internet technology fuctors (ITF) on QID. Last but not least, this study also examined the mediating effect of QID on the relationship between antecedent factors und supply chain information performance. A total of 151 manufacturing companies are involved in this study by voluntarily completing the survey questionnaires. The study's results indicated that QID has a positive influence on supply chain information performance. Four major antecedent factors i.e. collective efficacy, supply chain-commitment, management support and perceived security were found to have significant influence on QID. Quality Information Delivery partially mediates the relationship between management support, supply chain-commitment, and supply chain information performance. This research ends with the suggestion for the industry, discusses the limitations of the study and gives some suggestions for future research

Social Networking Site Use among Caregivers of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience higher levels of stress relative to those of children with other developmental disabilities and typical development. To date, little research has empirically examined the relationship between social supports, social networking site (SNS) use, and stress among caregivers of children with ASD. Using the resiliency model of family stress, adjustment, and adaptation as a theoretical framework, we explore the links between perceived social supports, SNS use, and stress among caregivers of children with ASD. We do this by conducting a crosssectional research design and using a structural equation modeling statistical approach. Practical and theoretical implications will be revealed by this study

Self–assessment in EFL Grammar Classroom: A Study of EFL Learners at the Centre for Languages and Translation, Ibb University

The present study investigated the implementation of self-assessment in EFL grammar classroom to identify the attitudes of EFL learners at the Centre for Languages and Translation, Ibb University towards self-assessment, their perceptions of the advantages of self-assessment, and the problems or difficulties that EFL learners may face while carrying out self-assessment activities. To collect data, the researcher used three instruments: a questionnaire, a structured interview, and a focus group discussion. The questionnaire was administered to (85) EFL learners. Using the stratified sampling technique, the researcher selected randomly (14) learners for the interviews and (21) learners to participate in the focus group discussions. The findings of the study indicated that EFL learners perceive the benefits of self-assessment and have positive attitudes towards it. The study reported that the learners did not have any problems or difficulties while carrying out self-assessment activities, which may be due to the nature of the self-assessment technique and activities used and the sufficient training and guidance that the EFL learners received. The study showed that there were statistically significant differences in the mean scores of the learners’ responses according to the frequency of doing self-assessment activities, but not according to the variables Gender and Proficiency Level. As the study indicated that self-assessment is helpful and has several advantages for EFL learners and that EFL learners have positive attitudes towards it, the researcher recommended that EFL teachers should think about integrating self-assessment into their classrooms

Using Alternative Assessment to Assess Undergraduate EFL Students at Yemeni Universities: Challenges from the Perspectives of Faculty

The present study aimed at investigating alternative assessment (AA) within the Yemeni university EFL classrooms in terms of identifying the challenges of using AA to assess undergraduate EFL students from the perspectives of the faculty. Data were collected, through a questionnaire, from (66) lecturers and professors of different ranks who teach EFL at the collegiate level in two Yemeni public universities and one national university. The results of the study indicated that faculty members of English departments at Yemeni universities face some challenges of using AA to assess undergraduate EFL students. These challenges belong to various factors, including the instructional environment, the students, the management of Yemeni universities, the faculty members, or the nature of AA. Statistically significant differences were found in the mean scores according to years of experience variable between respondents with less than 5 years and those with 5-10 years of experience in favor of those with less than 5 years of experience, but not according to the type of university, gender, and specialization variables. Accordingly, some recommendations were given to address the identified challenges, which might lead to a better implementation of AA in Yemeni university EFL classrooms

Explaining the Accounting Disclosure Index of Stock Exchanges by Foreign Exchange Market Activity

In this article, researcher-created accounting disclosure index of 23 stock exchanges for the year 1992 and its relationship with variables including foreign exchange turnover, economic and financial indicators were investigated. The accounting disclosure index of global stock exchanges crafted by Adhikari and Tondkar (1992) was regressed on foreign market turnover which was utilized as a proxy for foreign exchange market activity. The OLS results supported that along with the activity of foreign exchange market; GNI per capita, market capitalization, energy and electric consumption, number of listed companies were significantly related with the accounting disclosure index. The foreign market turnover was found to be positively influencing the accounting disclosure index. The models explained about 73% of the variation in the index with an F-ratio of 26.56 indicating the overall significance of the model

Open Data Discourse: Consumer Acceptance of Personal Cloud: Integrating Trust and Risk with the Technology Acceptance Model

This paper provides the data used to analyze the conceptual replication of Pavlou (2003) by Moqbel and Bartelt (2015) which studied factors that impacted consumer’s behavioral intentions to make online transactions by integrating trust and perceived risk with the technology acceptance model (TAM). We provide a detailed description of the data so it meets the open data standards. In particular, we explain the structure of the data so that other researchers can easily analyze the same dataset to come to the same results and conclusions. Our dataset consists of 240 observations which includes the following constructs: perceived trust, perceived risk, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, satisfaction, and perceived familiarity. Control variables include age, sex, educational level, race/ethnicity, employment status, and work experience. Future studies are encouraged to follow the footsteps of this study in providing open data to support the body of knowledge in the IS field

Synthesis of Biopolymer from Coconut Residue and Performance as Drag Reducing Agent (DRA) in Water Injection Well

Over the past 20 years, polymers have been utilized in oil and gas industries as drag reducing agent (DRA) to overcome pressure drop and optimize the flow capacity in water flooding system. Yet a new eco-friendly DRA extracted from organic materials (coconut residue) is introduced to replace polymers due to its abundance and ability to perform as effective as polymer in accelerating the flow in oil and gas systems. This research intends to describe the preparation process of CMC from coconut waste and then evaluate its effectiveness as DRA in water injection well. The result of injecting these chemicals in water injection well will reduce the number of injection wells by causing a significant improvement in the flow rate which will be able to push the hydrocarbon towards production column. At the meantime, the effect of DRA upon formation permeability is going to be investigated as well as the mechanical shear degradation of biopolymer. The effect of this new drag reducing agent extracted from coconut residue on formation permeability will be evaluated by using benchtop permeability system and observe if such permeability reduction can be induced. Mechanical degradation obstructs the implementation of biopolymer for turbulent drag reduction. In general mechanical degradation refers to the process in which the chemical chain is broken due to mechanical disturbance and result in losing biopolymer its practical usage as DRA. Thus, mechanical degradation is studied by exposing 0.5% and 1.0% solution of biopolymer to a high stirring speed and observe its influence on the viscosity of the solution with respect to time. The decrease of viscosity with time is an evident of mechanical degradation of biopolymer which is educed due to shear stirring