Factors affecting e-government adoption in the state of Qatar

Electronic government (e-government) initiatives are in their early stages in many developing countries and faced with various issues pertaining to their implementation, adoption and diffusion. Although e-government has increased transparency and improved communication and access to information for citizens, digital diffusion of information is often achieved at high cost to government agencies. Conversely, citizens’ adoption of e-government services has been less than satisfactory in most countries. While studies by researchers continue to outline the most salient adoption constructs, as well as various frameworks and models for understanding adoption, research by independent consultancy/research organisations has produced a host of statistics and league tables of good and bad practices of service delivery. Like many other developing countries, the e-government initiative in the state of Qatar has faced a number of challenges since its inception in 2000. This study utilises the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to explore the adoption of e-government services in the state of Qatar. 1179 citizens were surveyed to collect primary data. A regression analysis was conducted to examine the influence of the factors adapted from the UTAUT on e-government adoption. Reliability test reported values of the various constructs vary between (0.74) and (0.91). The findings reveal that effort expectancy and social influences determine citizens’ behavioural intention towards e-government. Additionally, facilitating conditions and behavioural intention were found to determine citizens’ use of e-government services in Qatar. Implications for practice and research are discussed

E-government adoption in Qatar: An investigation of the citizens' perspective

Electronic government (e-government) initiatives are in their early stages in many developing countries and faced with various issues pertaining to their implementation, adoption and diffusion. Like many other developing countries, the e-government initiative in the state of Qatar has faced a number of challenges since its inception in 2000. Using a survey based study this paper describes citizens‟ behavioural intention and adoption in terms of applying and utilising the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of technology (UTAUT) model to explore the adoption and diffusion of e-government services in the state of Qatar. A regression analysis was conducted to examine the influence of e-government adoption factors and the empirical data revealed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influences determine citizens‟ behavioural intention towards e-government. Moreover, facilitating conditions and behavioural intention were found to determine citizens‟ use of e-government services in the state of Qatar. Implications for practice and research are discussed

Natural ventilation in insect screened single span greenhouses under warm weather

The ventilation rates of different types of ridge vents in combination with insect-screened side vents were assessed in single greenhouses in terms of the difference in temperature and humidity inside and outside under tropical conditions. The A-frame (slanted roof) was comparatively advantageous over the conventional arch frame (curved roof) for keeping daytime temperature lower in single span greenhouse with insect-screenedside vents (mesh size: 1 by 1 mm) and without roof vents. The inclusion of ridge vents further reduced the internal temperature and relative humidity (RH) in the A-frame greenhouse during the daytime. The openingarea of the ridge vent within the range between 9.3% and 14% (of the floor area) did not significantly change the ventilation based internal temperature and RH when operated under low wind speeds (0.5±0.5 m s-1). Meanwhile the effect of ridge orientation, with respect to wind direction, on greenhouse ventilation was not obvious in terms of temperature or RH under inconsistent wind directions and low wind speeds. Greenhouse ventilation positively responded to low winds (0.25 m s-1) by reducing internal temperature as well as RH. However, the response to a further increase in wind speed from 0.25 to 0.5 m s-1 was not significant. Based on climate control characteristics an A-frame single-span greenhouse design with double sided alternate ridge vents and insect-screened side vents could be appropriate for tropical climates under low wind speeds and inconsistent wind directions as a cost effective and user-friendly greenhouse design. Particularly, it is highly applicable for the small-scale controlled environment vegetable production in mid and low elevations in the wet zone of Sri Lanka. Keywords: Alternate ridge vent, curved roof, continuous ridge vent, ridge orientation, wind effect

Impact of Decision Making, Reward Management on Job Performance: Mediation of Job Satisfaction: A Case of a Private Banks in Sri Lanka

With the huge competition prevailing in the business world, organizations focusing more on job performance than ever before as less performed employees will lead the organizations for destruction. With this interest, organizations looking forward to recognize how job performance can be enhanced within the organization, which leads to a competitive edge. By identifying this importance, this study is focused on to investigate the impact of decision making and reward management on job performance, and to identify the mediation effect of job satisfaction on the above relationships. self administered questionnaires were used to collect the date and data were collected from 311 employees in private banks in Sri Lanka. The impact of decision making and reward management on job performance were significant and partial mediation of job satisfaction on the above relationships were found out. Thereby, this study sign the managers of the organizations to focus more on practices of the organizations to enhance the performance of the employees. Keywords: Decision Making, Job Performance, Job Satisfaction, Private Banks, Reward Management, Sri Lank

The Need and Value of Biosciences in Dental Education: Embedding Biosciences into Curricula to Foster Deep Learning and Improve Learning Outcomes and Experiences

It is generally taken for granted that dental education must include basic biosciences in the curricula. However, debate still exists about its usefulness and the best methods to teach it in dental schools. The objective of this paper is to review and explore the arguments surrounding the need for bioscience in a dental curriculum and develop a rationale of curriculum design principles for bioscience dentistry subjects. In this context, an example of the redesign of a dental human bioscience subject at La Trobe University was used. The basic biosciences teach how scientific reasoning can be applied to clinical decision making and provides a framework for solving clinical problems. Competency in applying bioscience principles to clinical problems is best achieved when it is integrated in a clinical context using active learning methods, like a hybrid problem based-learning program. Also, by adopting active learning environments this will encourage a broader range of skills and capabilities like teamwork and communication, attributes that oral health professionals will need in the future. Dental students will be better prepared to learn, understand and apply bioscience concepts if these important curriculum design principles are followed

Combining Image Processing Techniques and Mobile Sensor Information for Marker-less Augmented Reality Based Reconstruction

Marker-less Augmented Reality(AR) based recon- struction using mobile devices, is a near impossible task. When considering vision based tracking approaches, it is due to the lack of processing power in mobile devices and when considering mobile sensor based tracking approaches, it is due to the lack of accuracy in mobile Global Positioning System(GPS). In order to address this problem this research presents a novel approach which combines image processing techniques and mobile sensor information which can be used to perform precise position localization in order to perform augmented reality based reconstruction using mobile devices. The core of this proposed methodology is tightly bound with the image processing technique which is used to identify the object scale in a given image, which is taken from the user’s mobile device. Use of mobile sensor information was to classify the most optimal locations for a given particular user location. This proposed methodology has been evaluated against the results obtained using 10cm accurate Real-Time Kinematic(RTK) device and against the results obtained using only the Assisted Global  Positioning  System(A-GPS)  chips  in  mobile  devices. Though  this  proposed  methodology  require  more  processing time than A-GPS chips, the accuracy level of this proposed methodology outperforms that of A-GPS chips and the results of the experiments carried out further convince that this proposed methodology facilitates improving the accuracy of position local- ization for augmented reality based reconstruction using mobile devices under certain limitations

Non-invasive respiratory support in the management of acute COVID-19 pneumonia: considerations for clinical practice and priorities for research

Non-invasive respiratory support (NIRS) has increasingly been used in the management of COVID-19-associated acute respiratory failure, but questions remain about the utility, safety, and outcome benefit of NIRS strategies. We identified two randomised controlled trials and 83 observational studies, compromising 13 931 patients, that examined the effects of NIRS modalities-high-flow nasal oxygen, continuous positive airway pressure, and bilevel positive airway pressure-on patients with COVID-19. Of 5120 patients who were candidates for full treatment escalation, 1880 (37%) progressed to invasive mechanical ventilation and 3658 of 4669 (78%) survived to study end. Survival was 30% among the 1050 patients for whom NIRS was the stated ceiling of treatment. The two randomised controlled trials indicate superiority of non-invasive ventilation over high-flow nasal oxygen in reducing the need for intubation. Reported complication rates were low. Overall, the studies indicate that NIRS in patients with COVID-19 is safe, improves resource utilisation, and might be associated with better outcomes. To guide clinical decision making, prospective, randomised studies are needed to address timing of intervention, optimal use of NIRS modalities-alone or in combination-and validation of tools such as oxygenation indices, response to a trial of NIRS, and inflammatory markers as predictors of treatment success

Factors affecting e-Government implementation and adoption in the State of Qatar

Electronic government (e-government) has established as an effective mechanism for increasing government productivity and efficiency and a key enabler of citizen-centric services. However, e-government implementation is surrounded by organisational, technological, political and social issues, which have to be considered and treated carefully in order to facilitate this change. Conversely, from an adoption perspective, e-government services are yet to be universally accepted as a medium for accessing online public services since its inception more than a decade ago. In terms of prior research into understanding the implementation challenges and adoption factors, most existing literature focus into either the implementation context or adoption context separately and no research studies were found that take a holistic viewpoint of both implementation and adoption. Furthermore, only a few researchers have explored and reflected on the important factors that can impact e-government implementation using well founded theoretical models or frameworks. Besides, there is no universal model for e-government implementation and adoption that is applicable for all countries to ensure success, especially for developing and Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC). Therefore, this thesis attempts to explore and investigate the key challenges that influence e-government implementation and the factors influencing citizen adoption in the state of Qatar. By simultaneously analysing and aligning the implementation issues of e-government with the adoption aspects, this study aimed to develop a better understanding of the gaps that exists between implementation and adoption. Through combining the implementation and adoption aspects of e-government, this thesis proposes a unified conceptual model which could be used as a frame of reference by government institutions that seek to implement and diffuse e-government systems in Qatar. To do so, the research draws from two well established theoretical models, Institutional Theory (for understanding implementation) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model (for understanding adoption). The research adopted a multi-method approach [combining qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (survey) methods] to explore practices and experiences of implementing and adopting e-government systems in the State of Qatar.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Maximizing the optical performance of planar CH3NH3PbI3 hybrid perovskite heterojunction stacks

A vapour-phase reaction process has been used to deposit smooth and uniform CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite material to enable the measurement of its optical dispersion relations, n and k, by ellipsometry. Fitting was achieved with a combination of Tauc-Lorenz, critical point parabolic band (CPPB) and harmonic oscillators. We have used the dispersion relations in an all-optical model of new planar device architectures in order to establish design rules for future materials choices to maximize the short-circuit current (Jsc) performance. For 500nm of MAPI with no window layer, the maximum performance expected from the model is Jsc=21.63mAcm-2. The ability of thin layers (in the range 20-60nm) of a range of window layer materials (TiO2, WO3, ZnO, Nb2O5, CdS, and Cd0.4 Zn0.6S) to enhance the short-circuit current of the devices was investigated. The performance of the oxides showed interference behaviour, with the first maxima in their J sc curves exceeding the value achievable without a window layer. However, after the first maximum, the performance generally fell off with increasing thickness. The only material to stay greater than the no-window condition for the entire investigated range is WO3. The highest performance (J sc of 22.47mAcm-2) was obtained with 59nm of WO3, with that of TiO2, ZnO, and Nb2O5 being marginally lower. Parasitic absorption in CdS window layers caused the J sc to decrease for all non-zero thicknesses - it gives no interference enhancement and its use cannot be recommended on optical grounds. Use of the wider gap alloy Cd0.4Zn0.6S gave higher currents than did CdS but its performance was not so high as for the oxides. Observations are made on the practicalities of fabricating the target structures in the fabrication of practical PV devices