Volume 2, Issue 4, October 2009 Edition
A Review of Social Media Use in E-Government
Michael J. Magro
Abstract
In the past few years, e-government has been a topic of much interest among those excited about the advent of Web 2.0 technologies. This paper reviews the recent literature concerning Web 2.0, social media, social networking, and how it has been used in the public sector. Key observations include literature themes such as the evolution of social media case studies in the literature, the progress of social media policies and strategies over time, and social media use in disaster management as an important role for government. Other observations include the lack of a tangible goal for e-government, and the idea that significant change is still needed in government culture, philosophy of control, and resource management before broad sustainable success can be achieved in the use of social media.
Key words: e-government, social media, social networking
Cognitive Emotion Regulation of Teachers In Relation To Their Gender and Experience
K.P.Shanmuga vadivu
Abstract
Everybody deals with negative, unpleasant and stressful events from time to time in every field. And they respond to their own way .Especially teaching profession is multidimensional. In this perspective sometimes their emotions affect and intertwined with many of their cognitive process like thinking, decision making and problem solving abilities. The present study was conducted to identify the cognitive emotion regulation of male and female teachers with experience above 10 years and below 10 years in sri vijay vidyalaya matriculation higher secondary school, Dharmapuri, Tamilnadu. Hence for this intention survey method was used. 55 male and 55female teachers were selected, for the sample by adopting stratified random sampling technique. The data was collected by using cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ) (Garnefski et al., 2001) was used to assess what teachers tend to think after the experiences of threatening or stressful life events. The data was analyzed by using‘t’ test. The findings of gender analysis indicates that female teachers possess more cognitive emotion regulation than Male teachers whereas analysis of experience indicates that teachers who are having more than 10 years are having greater cognitive emotional strategy than teachers with less than 10 years experience.
Key words: cognitive emotion regulation, teachers, gender, experience
Abdur Rahman Shukri and his Romantic imagination on love poetry
Md. Atowar Rahman
Abstract
One of the most well known writers and a pre-Romantic poet of Diwan group and an innovative critic Abdur Rahman Shukri was born in Alexandria (1886-1958).Throughout the formative phases of Abdur Rahman Shukri’s life, many figures were responsible for shaping his love and imagination on poetry. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the love and imagination on Shukri’s poetry. Imagination is regarded as a tool of insight into a higher order of reality which many render those who have glimpsed it in capable of coping with this mundane world. Shukri’s love poetry is marked by its excessive idealization of the beloved. Shukri addresses the beloved in the traditional masculine form, and occasionally uses conventional love and imagery. He has an unmistakable tendency to express himself in generalizations, sentiments and moral perception in the manner of traditional gnomic verse and his intellectual ability as manifested in his writings.
Key words: Abdur Rahman Shukri, contribution to Arabic poetry, love and imagination, theme and styles
Learning Entropy: Multiscale Measure for Incremental Learning
Ivo Bukovsky
Abstract
First, this paper recalls a recently introduced method of adaptive monitoring of dynamical systems and presents the most recent extension with a multiscale-enhanced approach. Then, it is shown that this concept of real-time data monitoring establishes a novel non-Shannon and non-probabilistic concept of novelty quantification, i.e., Entropy of Learning, or in short the Learning Entropy. This novel cognitive measure can be used for evaluation of each newly measured sample of data, or even of whole intervals. The Learning Entropy is quantified in respect to the inconsistency of data to the temporary governing law of system behavior that is incrementally learned by adaptive models such as linear or polynomial adaptive filters or neural networks. The paper presents this novel concept on the example of gradient descent learning technique with normalized learning rate.
Key words: incremental learning; adaptation plot; multiscale; learning entropy; individual sample learning entropy; approximate learning entropy; order of learning entropy; learning entropy of a model; non-Shannon entropy; novelty detection; chaos; time series; HRV; ECG
Can Facebook be an Effective Tool in Disseminating Environmental Messages to Society? A Case Study of 12 Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGO) in Malaysia
Nur Nasliza Arina Mohamad Nasir, Jamilah Ahmad
Abstract
Environmental issues are not new in Malaysia. These issues are always associated with society because of there is lack of civic mindedness among certain quarters of the Malaysian society. Therefore, it is very important to enhance society awareness and understanding towards the importance of preserving and conserving the environment. In this era of globalisation, Facebook that triggers worldwide phenomenon is considered as the most popular communication medium and widely used by Malaysians. As of November 2012, the number of Malaysians who use Facebook was 13,461,860. Considering the huge number of Facebook users in Malaysia, it is very important for ENGOs to use Facebook as a delivery medium of information in disseminating environmental messages to the society. With regard to this study, it was conducted to investigate the role of Facebook in helping ENGO to disseminate environmental messages to society, to identify the effectiveness of two way communication between ENGOs and society through Facebook and to gauge the effectiveness of Facebook in delivering environmental messages to society. This study employed face-to-face in-depth interviews in order to get the insight from 12 ENGOs’. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study indicate that, the effectiveness of Facebook in disseminating environmental messages to society relies on several factors such as the target audiences identified by ENGOs, ENGOs’ objectives and purposes as well as the number of people that ‘like’ ENGOs’ Facebook pages .
Key words: Environment, Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (ENGO), Facebook, Society, Thematic Analysis
Measure for Measure or A Pound of Flesh? (A comparison of quality assurance schemes)
Chris Greensted
Abstract
Business schools and H.E. institutions in general are subject to a range of quality assurance mechanisms, some of which result in accreditation. A taxonomy is suggested that classifies these mechanisms into subject-specific and programme-specific QA/accreditation and “whole school” schemes. Subject- and programme- specific schemes have value in terms of requiring clear thinking about the purpose of the programmes and how they should be delivered and quality controlled. They aim to give a range of stakeholders some assurance about the quality of the subjects and programmes offered. However, they do not give a clear picture of the quality of the business school as a whole, but only some of the component parts. Whole school accreditation on the other hand assesses the complete range of activities of a school and can benchmark it against international best practice. Examples include the American AACSB and European EQUIS schemes and the latter is explained in the paper. EQUIS is primarily a tool to help schools improve through the benchmarking exercise but generates consultancy advice from the peer review team consisting of Deans from schools of international standing. While there are strong reasons for UK schools to undergo the EQUIS process, it will be a challenge for many schools to reach the standards. The paper proposes the possibility of ABS or LTSN establishing a UK equivalent.
Key words: quality assurance, accreditation, EQUIS, EQUAL, QAA, RAE
Impact of Job Insecurity, Role Perception and Self Efficacy on Bankers’ Affective Wellbeing
Aramide, Olufemi Kunle, Adebisi, Kolawole Shittu, Aderibigbe, John Kolawole
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of job insecurity, role perception and self efficacy on banker’s affective wellbeing. Survey research redesign and quota sampling technique were adopted in this study. 250 male and female bankers participated while data was collected from using a validated questionnaire form. Two hypotheses were tested and results showed that role perception, job insecurity and self efficacy jointly predicted affective wellbeing (F (3,202) = 16.08; P< .05); self efficacy is the most independent predictor of affective wellbeing (β= .29; t=4.16; P<.05); role perception (β= .22; t= 3.41; P<.05) also predicted affective wellbeing while job insecurity (β= .01; t= 0.21; P>.05) did not. However, results indicated that age, gender, years of experience and organizational tenure did not either jointly or independently predict affective wellbeing. Hence, it was recommended that managers in the banking sector should pay adequate attention to the salient psychological factor of job insecurity, role perception and self-efficacy of employees and ensure that they are well trained and sensitized on the necessity of putting on a high level of confidence in handling work-life situations, ascertain permanent employment status and enhance the positive perception of bankers as this positively increases their well-being.
Key words: Affective Wellbeing, Bankers, Job Insecurity, Role Perception, Self-Efficacy
Disabled Future in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Elsheikh, A. S., Alqurashi A.M.
Abstract
Many people in Saudi Arabia are living with different kinds of disability including learning disability.This number is growing andincreasinglyirritatingasaresultofthe increasingnumberoftrafficaccidentsand the fast advances in technology which increases the learning disabilities. These challengingproblems cannot be faced without proper planning, endorsement of special disability development projects, conducting edge cutting researches on disability and utilizing the modern technologies to collect, record, retrieve and share all the disability data of the different Saudi region. Thus the overall objectives of this article are to provide basic information on disability problems in Saudi Arabia to help service providers to plan, design and execute proper services for the disabled welfare in thefuture.
Key words: disability, models, management, development
Michael J. Magro
Abstract
In the past few years, e-government has been a topic of much interest among those excited about the advent of Web 2.0 technologies. This paper reviews the recent literature concerning Web 2.0, social media, social networking, and how it has been used in the public sector. Key observations include literature themes such as the evolution of social media case studies in the literature, the progress of social media policies and strategies over time, and social media use in disaster management as an important role for government. Other observations include the lack of a tangible goal for e-government, and the idea that significant change is still needed in government culture, philosophy of control, and resource management before broad sustainable success can be achieved in the use of social media.
Key words: e-government, social media, social networking
 [Abstract-PDF]
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[References]
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2.4.10.2009.1
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Cognitive Emotion Regulation of Teachers In Relation To Their Gender and Experience
K.P.Shanmuga vadivu
Abstract
Everybody deals with negative, unpleasant and stressful events from time to time in every field. And they respond to their own way .Especially teaching profession is multidimensional. In this perspective sometimes their emotions affect and intertwined with many of their cognitive process like thinking, decision making and problem solving abilities. The present study was conducted to identify the cognitive emotion regulation of male and female teachers with experience above 10 years and below 10 years in sri vijay vidyalaya matriculation higher secondary school, Dharmapuri, Tamilnadu. Hence for this intention survey method was used. 55 male and 55female teachers were selected, for the sample by adopting stratified random sampling technique. The data was collected by using cognitive emotion regulation questionnaire (CERQ) (Garnefski et al., 2001) was used to assess what teachers tend to think after the experiences of threatening or stressful life events. The data was analyzed by using‘t’ test. The findings of gender analysis indicates that female teachers possess more cognitive emotion regulation than Male teachers whereas analysis of experience indicates that teachers who are having more than 10 years are having greater cognitive emotional strategy than teachers with less than 10 years experience.
Key words: cognitive emotion regulation, teachers, gender, experience
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.2
|
Abdur Rahman Shukri and his Romantic imagination on love poetry
Md. Atowar Rahman
Abstract
One of the most well known writers and a pre-Romantic poet of Diwan group and an innovative critic Abdur Rahman Shukri was born in Alexandria (1886-1958).Throughout the formative phases of Abdur Rahman Shukri’s life, many figures were responsible for shaping his love and imagination on poetry. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the love and imagination on Shukri’s poetry. Imagination is regarded as a tool of insight into a higher order of reality which many render those who have glimpsed it in capable of coping with this mundane world. Shukri’s love poetry is marked by its excessive idealization of the beloved. Shukri addresses the beloved in the traditional masculine form, and occasionally uses conventional love and imagery. He has an unmistakable tendency to express himself in generalizations, sentiments and moral perception in the manner of traditional gnomic verse and his intellectual ability as manifested in his writings.
Key words: Abdur Rahman Shukri, contribution to Arabic poetry, love and imagination, theme and styles
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.3
|
Learning Entropy: Multiscale Measure for Incremental Learning
Ivo Bukovsky
Abstract
First, this paper recalls a recently introduced method of adaptive monitoring of dynamical systems and presents the most recent extension with a multiscale-enhanced approach. Then, it is shown that this concept of real-time data monitoring establishes a novel non-Shannon and non-probabilistic concept of novelty quantification, i.e., Entropy of Learning, or in short the Learning Entropy. This novel cognitive measure can be used for evaluation of each newly measured sample of data, or even of whole intervals. The Learning Entropy is quantified in respect to the inconsistency of data to the temporary governing law of system behavior that is incrementally learned by adaptive models such as linear or polynomial adaptive filters or neural networks. The paper presents this novel concept on the example of gradient descent learning technique with normalized learning rate.
Key words: incremental learning; adaptation plot; multiscale; learning entropy; individual sample learning entropy; approximate learning entropy; order of learning entropy; learning entropy of a model; non-Shannon entropy; novelty detection; chaos; time series; HRV; ECG
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.4
|
Can Facebook be an Effective Tool in Disseminating Environmental Messages to Society? A Case Study of 12 Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGO) in Malaysia
Nur Nasliza Arina Mohamad Nasir, Jamilah Ahmad
Abstract
Environmental issues are not new in Malaysia. These issues are always associated with society because of there is lack of civic mindedness among certain quarters of the Malaysian society. Therefore, it is very important to enhance society awareness and understanding towards the importance of preserving and conserving the environment. In this era of globalisation, Facebook that triggers worldwide phenomenon is considered as the most popular communication medium and widely used by Malaysians. As of November 2012, the number of Malaysians who use Facebook was 13,461,860. Considering the huge number of Facebook users in Malaysia, it is very important for ENGOs to use Facebook as a delivery medium of information in disseminating environmental messages to the society. With regard to this study, it was conducted to investigate the role of Facebook in helping ENGO to disseminate environmental messages to society, to identify the effectiveness of two way communication between ENGOs and society through Facebook and to gauge the effectiveness of Facebook in delivering environmental messages to society. This study employed face-to-face in-depth interviews in order to get the insight from 12 ENGOs’. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. The findings of this study indicate that, the effectiveness of Facebook in disseminating environmental messages to society relies on several factors such as the target audiences identified by ENGOs, ENGOs’ objectives and purposes as well as the number of people that ‘like’ ENGOs’ Facebook pages .
Key words: Environment, Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation (ENGO), Facebook, Society, Thematic Analysis
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.5
|
Measure for Measure or A Pound of Flesh? (A comparison of quality assurance schemes)
Chris Greensted
Abstract
Business schools and H.E. institutions in general are subject to a range of quality assurance mechanisms, some of which result in accreditation. A taxonomy is suggested that classifies these mechanisms into subject-specific and programme-specific QA/accreditation and “whole school” schemes. Subject- and programme- specific schemes have value in terms of requiring clear thinking about the purpose of the programmes and how they should be delivered and quality controlled. They aim to give a range of stakeholders some assurance about the quality of the subjects and programmes offered. However, they do not give a clear picture of the quality of the business school as a whole, but only some of the component parts. Whole school accreditation on the other hand assesses the complete range of activities of a school and can benchmark it against international best practice. Examples include the American AACSB and European EQUIS schemes and the latter is explained in the paper. EQUIS is primarily a tool to help schools improve through the benchmarking exercise but generates consultancy advice from the peer review team consisting of Deans from schools of international standing. While there are strong reasons for UK schools to undergo the EQUIS process, it will be a challenge for many schools to reach the standards. The paper proposes the possibility of ABS or LTSN establishing a UK equivalent.
Key words: quality assurance, accreditation, EQUIS, EQUAL, QAA, RAE
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.6
|
Impact of Job Insecurity, Role Perception and Self Efficacy on Bankers’ Affective Wellbeing
Aramide, Olufemi Kunle, Adebisi, Kolawole Shittu, Aderibigbe, John Kolawole
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of job insecurity, role perception and self efficacy on banker’s affective wellbeing. Survey research redesign and quota sampling technique were adopted in this study. 250 male and female bankers participated while data was collected from using a validated questionnaire form. Two hypotheses were tested and results showed that role perception, job insecurity and self efficacy jointly predicted affective wellbeing (F (3,202) = 16.08; P< .05); self efficacy is the most independent predictor of affective wellbeing (β= .29; t=4.16; P<.05); role perception (β= .22; t= 3.41; P<.05) also predicted affective wellbeing while job insecurity (β= .01; t= 0.21; P>.05) did not. However, results indicated that age, gender, years of experience and organizational tenure did not either jointly or independently predict affective wellbeing. Hence, it was recommended that managers in the banking sector should pay adequate attention to the salient psychological factor of job insecurity, role perception and self-efficacy of employees and ensure that they are well trained and sensitized on the necessity of putting on a high level of confidence in handling work-life situations, ascertain permanent employment status and enhance the positive perception of bankers as this positively increases their well-being.
Key words: Affective Wellbeing, Bankers, Job Insecurity, Role Perception, Self-Efficacy
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.7
|
Disabled Future in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Elsheikh, A. S., Alqurashi A.M.
Abstract
Many people in Saudi Arabia are living with different kinds of disability including learning disability.This number is growing andincreasinglyirritatingasaresultofthe increasingnumberoftrafficaccidentsand the fast advances in technology which increases the learning disabilities. These challengingproblems cannot be faced without proper planning, endorsement of special disability development projects, conducting edge cutting researches on disability and utilizing the modern technologies to collect, record, retrieve and share all the disability data of the different Saudi region. Thus the overall objectives of this article are to provide basic information on disability problems in Saudi Arabia to help service providers to plan, design and execute proper services for the disabled welfare in thefuture.
Key words: disability, models, management, development
| [Abstract-PDF]
|
[References]
|
2.4.10.2009.8
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