An Assessment of the University Usage of Social Media Platforms: Case from Lebanon—Theoretical Foundations—Part 1

This paper, part of two, aims to assess how a selection of Lebanese Universities utilizes social media platforms to attract potential student candidates. Social Media is considered a significant recruitment tool universities use to attract high school graduates from the millennium digital generation. Different universities have dealt differently with social media, so capturing recorded activity is essential to assess such efforts and pinpoint gaps to justify student recruitment investments by universities. This study uses a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods. A descriptive comparative analysis is carried out based on collected data from the different university social media platforms to help categorize selected universities in their efforts, successes, and gaps. However, this paper, the first part of two, represents the theoretical foundations needed for the study. Paper part two (2) will follow to illustrate the numerical and graphical analysis. Results show a lack of motivation schemes to attract potential candidates and encourage them to interact with such platforms. Moreover, universities lack specialized digital marketing staff to produce the appropriate content and design marketing strategies that are attractive, interactive, and with high response rates to inquiries

Technical Analysis: Exploring MACD in the Lebanese Stock Market

The stock markets have shown a great growth in the financial world that required traders to deal with many quantitative methods to analyze markets in order to predict commodities’ future prices. This study assesses the effect of technical analysis on the Lebanese stock markets by using a tool known as the Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) oscillator that explores how MACD can be utilized to optimize profits in the Lebanese stock exchange, during the trading process. The study is performed on closing prices of shares of six Lebanese banks and a real estate company, over a time period extending from the beginning of the year 2004 till the end of the year 2014. Results are meant to indicate whether MACD is able to optimize profits and forecast the Lebanese stock prices. It is concluded that the application of MACD in the decision making process for investing in the Lebanese stock market does not significantly contribute to the maximization of profitability on investments

Forensic Analysis of WhatsApp SQLite Databases on the Unrooted Android Phones

WhatsApp is the most popular instant messaging mobile application all over the world. Originally designed for simple and fast communication, however, its privacy features, such as end-to-end encryption, eased private and unobserved communication for criminals aiming to commit illegal acts. In this paper, a forensic analysis of the artefacts left by the encrypted WhatsApp SQLite databases on unrooted Android devices is presented. In order to provide a complete interpretation of the artefacts, a set of controlled experiments to generate these artefacts were performed. Once generated, their storage location and database structure on the device were identified. Since the data is stored in an encrypted SQLite database, its decryption is first discussed. Then, the methods of analyzing the artefacts are revealed, aiming to understand how they can be correlated to cover all the possible evidence. In the results obtained, it is shown how to reconstruct the list of contacts, the history of exchanged textual and non-textual messages, as well as the details of their contents. Furthermore, this paper shows how to determine the properties of both the broadcast and the group communications in which the user has been involved, as well as how to reconstruct the logs of the voice and video calls. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2022-03-02-06 Full Text: PD

An Assessment of the University Usage of Social Media Platforms: Case from Lebanon—Analytics—Part 2

This paper, the second part of two, aims to provide results and findings to support the main objective of the research, i.e., to assess how a selection of Lebanese Universities utilizes social media platforms to attract potential student candidates. Social Media in the last decade has become a significant recruitment media adopted by universities around the globe, including Lebanon, to attract and effectively recruit millennial high school graduates who are digitally proficient and smart. Six universities were involved, so capturing recorded activity is essential to assess such efforts and pinpoint gaps that must be addressed to justify student recruitment investments by universities. This study is based on a mixed approach though with a concentration on the quantitative, deductive, and descriptive approaches capitalizing on collected data from the different university social media platforms and performing the required analysis to help categorize selected universities in their efforts, successes, and gaps. This paper shows the numerical, graphical, and discussion analyses of the results. Results confirm there is a lack of motivation schemes to attract potential candidates and encourage them to interact with such platforms. Moreover, universities lack specialized digital marketing staff to produce the appropriate content and design marketing strategies that are attractive, interactive, and with high response rates to inquiries

Students\u27 Perceptions of Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) Process

Researchers have mixed views about Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) as means to evaluate teaching where some agreed and others viewed SET as being biased. This study aims to measure students’ perceptions of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the evaluation process in Lebanon. A survey questionnaire was administered to students from five Lebanese universities. Findings revealed that students were positive and perceived the evaluation process as effective and appropriate to evaluate teaching. Students identified students’ perceptions, instructors’ behavior, and course characteristics as variables that may impact the process. Results and implications were discussed for future research

A Descriptive Analysis of Job Satisfaction among Faculty Members: Case of Private Vocational and Technical Education Institutions, Baabda, Mount Lebanon, Lebanon

The study aimed to assess Job Satisfaction (JS) among teaching staff in private vocational and technical education institutions in Mount Lebanon, Lebanon. The study is descriptive and analytic, using a sample of 200 teachers from 13 schools and institutes chosen according to the coordinated random method. A questionnaire created and validated by Warr, Cook, and Wall is adopted to measure job satisfaction. This questionnaire includes personal information like job status, educational level, number of years of work, monthly income, age, gender, and social status. Using a seven-level Likert scale, it also contains 15 items to measure various dimensions of job satisfaction (internal and external factors). Results show a low overall mean of 4.69 out of 7 with a standard deviation of 1.15 for job satisfaction, based on data analysis using the SPSS program. Also, the majority of respondents are not satisfied with the wage received (the overall mean of job satisfaction=3.83, with a standard deviation of 2.00); there is a low level of JS among teachers concerning the degree of job security (mean=4.13 with a standard deviation of 1.91); there are no statistically significant differences in JS among teachers due to demographics. Capitalizing on the results, recommendations are made

An Assessment of Students’ Preferences Using Social Media Platforms on Their Selection of Private Universities in Lebanon

This paper assesses the behavior of prospective students of private universities in Lebanon on social media platforms; classifies them according to the extent and the way they use these platforms, and investigates students’ preferences using social media to choose a private University. A quantitative approach was adopted using a structured questionnaire administered to a convenient sample of 527 students from private universities in Lebanon who responded willingly. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS program employing descriptive statistics. The university sample consisted of six Lebanese Higher Education Institutions that belong to different socio-economic categories, diverse cultures, many geographic locations, and varying chronological seniority. Results showed the influence of university pages on these platforms on students’ decisions and their adoption as a primary source of information before making their choices. Universities were unsuccessful in providing an effective communication channel with students or enabling two-way communication and motivating participation in comments, content creation, sharing experiences related to the universities, or sharing posts from their pages. Authors recommend universities review their motivational schemes for students to interact on university platforms regarding access to information and communication. For marketing, it is necessary to hire qualified staff, and provide a consistent and updated policy

Leaderships’ Role in Managing Crisis in the Lebanese Health Sector: An Assessment of Influencing Factors

This paper aims to assess the healthcare leadership’s role in crisis management, examine, and investigate the influencing factors. A quantitative analysis approach with a positivism philosophy is adopted. Primary data are collected using a structured questionnaire distributed to a sample of hospital employees in Lebanon. Data analysis used IBM SPSS version 25; whereby descriptive statistics (i.e., frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations) and inferential statistics (i.e., factor analysis, multivariable linear regression) were obtained. Results revealed that leaders’ traits and skills like proactivity and communication, gender, hospital location, organization’s culture, and stakeholders’ engagement influence the effectiveness of leaders’ decision-making in a crisis management context. Also, the results confirmed the alternative hypotheses that the explanatory factors have a direct and statistically significant relationship with leaders’ decision-making effectiveness. Outcomes of this research serve as an eye opener to policymakers, health care managers, and stakeholders that a fully integrated effort is a must to mitigate serious crisis consequences

E-Learning and its Influence on Enhancing the University Performance During the Outbreak of the Corona Pandemic

Purpose: This paper aims to determine the influence of e-learning and its dimensions on university performance, taking the University of Basra’s various faculties as a field study.   Theoretical Framework: The study’s hypotheses are divided into one central hypothesis and four sub-hypotheses constructed and grounded on the dimensions of e-learning. Infrastructure, technical support, management, organization, and content were taken as dimensions of the independent variable, and University Performance as the dependent variable.   Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper uses a quantitative method with a deductive approach. One hundred sixty participants responded to a structured questionnaire as part of the study’s descriptive analytical procedure. Data were analyzed using the SPSS program. Statistical analyses were applied to test the research hypotheses and meet the study’s goals.   Findings: Results revealed a positive association linking the application of e-learning dimensions. Universities are motivated to apply e-learning strategies due to their positive influence on leveraging university performance. Infrastructure, technical support, management and organization, and content positively influence university performance.   Research, Practical and Social Implications: This paper highlights the features and dimensions influencing university performance significantly in the Iraqi context. Hence, executives of public and private universities will be able to determine the actions to be adopted to advance and progress the implementation of e-learning and performance.   Originality/Value: The paper’s originality stems from the significance and recency of the addressed topic. This paper is the first empirical research presenting a diagnosis of e-learning dimensions and university performance at Basra University during the outbreak of the corona pandemic. It is an original paper conducted in the Iraqi context

The Gender Wage Gap within the Agricultural Sector: A Case from South Lebanon

Agriculture is considered an important energizer of a country’s economic growth and poverty alleviation efforts. However, this sector is underperforming especially in developing countries in part because women, who are often a crucial human resource in agriculture and the rural economy, face difficulties that reduce their productivity and their effective involvement. This paper sheds light on the gender pay gap in Lebanon, in general, and the agriculture sector of South Lebanon, in particular. Exploratory quantitative analysis is applied using a convenient sample of 385 agricultural employees chosen from the Lebanese agricultural institutions in South Lebanon. The paper objectives include the assessment of the wage gap in the agricultural sector in South Lebanon, analyzing opinions towards the wage gap in South Lebanon, quantifying the impact of the gender pay gap on women, identifying the causes that lead to the existence of a wage gap, and the exploration of the existence of wage gap discrimination. Findings showed that the wage gap in the agricultural sector is affected by experience, age, family responsibilities, and physical ability which is a vital factor affecting the wage difference, while the nationality and the educational level had no effect on wage gap. Also, the study showed that there is a 40% wage gap, where the numbers of male and female employees with their average hourly wages were considered which is a significant difference in pay. The outcomes are important for NGOs, policy makers and rural authorities to plan innovatively and capitalize on the untapped female workforce in the agricultural sector of the country