Search results for: academic entrepreneurship
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 2938

Search results for: academic entrepreneurship

1258 Forecasting the Future Implications of ChatGPT Usage in Education Based on AI Algorithms

Authors: Yakubu Bala Mohammed, Nadire Chavus, Mohammed Bulama

Abstract:

Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT) represents an artificial intelligence (AI) tool capable of swiftly generating comprehensive responses to prompts and follow-up inquiries. This emerging AI tool was introduced in November 2022 by OpenAI firm, an American AI research laboratory, utilizing substantial language models. This present study aims to delve into the potential future consequences of ChatGPT usage in education using AI-based algorithms. The paper will bring forth the likely potential risks of ChatGBT utilization, such as academic integrity concerns, unfair learning assessments, excessive reliance on AI, and dissemination of inaccurate information using four machine learning algorithms: eXtreme-Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Support vector machine (SVM), Emotional artificial neural network (EANN), and Random forest (RF) would be used to analyze the study collected data due to their robustness. Finally, the findings of the study will assist education stakeholders in understanding the future implications of ChatGPT usage in education and propose solutions and directions for upcoming studies.

Keywords: machine learning, ChatGPT, education, learning, implications

Procedia PDF Downloads 209
1257 Factors Affecting Students' Performance in the Examination

Authors: Amylyn F. Labasano

Abstract:

A significant number of empirical studies are carried out to investigate factors affecting college students’ performance in the academic examination. With a wide-array of literature-and studies-supported findings, this study is limited only on the students’ probability of passing periodical exams which is associated with students’ gender, absences in the class, use of reference book, and hours of study. Binary logistic regression was the technique used in the analysis. The research is based on the students’ record and data collected through survey. The result reveals that gender, use of reference book and hours of study are significant predictors of passing an examination while students’ absenteeism is an insignificant predictor. Females have 45% likelihood of passing the exam than their male classmates. Students who use and read their reference book are 38 times more likely pass the exam than those who do not use and read their reference book. Those who spent more than 3 hours in studying are four (4) times more likely pass the exam than those who spent only 3 hours or less in studying.

Keywords: absences, binary logistic regression, gender, hours of study prediction-causation method, periodical exams, random sampling, reference book

Procedia PDF Downloads 292
1256 Makerspaces as Centers of Innovation: An Assessment of the Impact of Technology Incubation Centers in Nigeria

Authors: Bisi Olawoyin

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The idea of knowledge sharing facilitated by the internet and complemented by a collaborative offline process in form of shared workshops called Makerspaces has become an attractive economic development agenda worldwide. Towards this end, Nigeria has established a number of Technology Incubation Centers (TICs) across the country with a view to using them as institutional mechanisms for commercializing Research and Development results; thus helping to promote venture creation and economic development. This study thus examines the impact of the nurturing by the TICs, on the performance of selected incubated enterprises that have grown into medium scale businesses in different sectors of the economy. The objective is to determine the extent to which the process of incubation has contributed to their growth in relation to similar businesses that developed outside the TICs. Six enterprises nurtured by TICs and six others outside, these were selected for the study. Data were collected in respect of the twelve enterprises covering their first five years of operation. Performances in terms of annual turnover, market share, and product range were analysed by scatter diagram plotted to show these variables against time and on comparative basis between TIC and non-TIC enterprises. Results showed an initial decline in performance for most of the incubatees in the first two years due to sluggish adjustment to withdrawal of subsidies enjoyed at the TICs. However, four of them were able to catch up with improved performance and surpass their non–TIC counterparts consistently from the third year. Analysis of year on year performance also showed average growth rate of 7% and 5 % respectively for TIC and non–TIC enterprises. The study, therefore, concludes that TICs have great role to play in nurturing new, innovative businesses but sees the need for government to address the provision of critical facilities especially electricity and utilities that constitute critical cost components for businesses. It must also address the issue of investment grants, loans including the development of technology/industrial parks that will serve to boost business survival.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, incubation, innovation, makerspaces

Procedia PDF Downloads 209
1255 A Study of Native Speaker Teachers’ Competency and Achievement of Thai Students

Authors: Pimpisa Rattanadilok Na Phuket

Abstract:

This research study aims to examine: 1) teaching competency of the native English-speaking teacher (NEST) 2) the English language learning achievement of Thai students, and 3) students’ perceptions toward their NEST. The population considered in this research was a group of 39 undergraduate students of the academic year 2013. The tools consisted of a questionnaire employed to measure the level of competency of NEST, pre-test and post-test used to examine the students’ achievement on English pronunciation, and an interview used to discover how participants perceived their NEST. The data was statistically analysed as percentage, mean, standard deviation and One-sample-t-test. In addition, the data collected by interviews was qualitatively analyzed. The research study found that the level of teaching competency of native speaker teachers of English was mostly low, the English pronunciation achievement of students had increased significantly at the level of 0.5, and the students’ perception toward NEST is combined. The students perceived their NEST as an English expertise, but they felt that NEST had not recognized students' linguistic difficulty and cultural differences.

Keywords: competency, native English-speaking teacher (NET), English teaching, learning achievement

Procedia PDF Downloads 359
1254 The Influence of Social Media on Gym Memberships in the UAE

Authors: Mohammad Obeidat

Abstract:

In recent years, social media has revolutionized the way businesses market their products and services. Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok have become powerful tools for reaching large audiences and engaging with consumers in real-time. These platforms allow businesses to create visually appealing content, interact with customers, and leverage user-generated content to enhance brand visibility and credibility. Recent statistics indicate that businesses that actively participate in social media marketing see improvements in brand visibility, customer engagement, and revenue generation. For example, several studies reveal that 70% of business-to-consumer marketers have gained customers through Facebook. This study aims to contribute to the academic literature on social media marketing and consumer behavior, specifically within the context of the fitness industry in the UAE. The findings will provide valuable insights for gym and fitness center managers, marketers, and social media strategists looking to enhance their engagement with potential customers. By understanding the impact of social media on purchasing decisions, businesses can tailor their marketing efforts to meet consumer expectations better and drive membership growth.

Keywords: social media, consumer behavior, digital native, influencer

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1253 Doing Bad for a Greater Good: Moral Disengagement in Social and Commercial Entrepreneurial Contexts

Authors: Thorsten Auer, Sumaya Islam, Sabrina Plaß, Colin Wooldridge

Abstract:

Whether individuals are more likely to forgo some ethical values if it is for a “great” social mission remains questionable. Research interest in the mechanism of moral disengagement has risen sharply in the organizational context over the last decades. Moral disengagement provides an explanatory approach to why individuals decide against their moral intent and describes the tendency to make unethical decisions due to a lack of self-regulation given various actions and their consequences. In our study, we examine the differences between individual decision-making given a commercial and social entrepreneurial context. Thereby, we investigate whether individuals in a social entrepreneurial context, characterized by pro-social goals and purpose beyond profit maximization, tend to make more or less “unethical” decisions in trade-off situations than those given a profit-focused commercial, entrepreneurial context. While a general priming effect may explain the tendency for individuals to make less unethical decisions given a social context, it remains unclear how individuals decide given a trade-off in that specific context. The trade-off in our study is characterized by the option to decide (un-) ethically to enhance the business purpose (in the social context, a social purpose, in the commercial context, a profit-maximization purpose). To investigate which characteristics of the context –and specifically of a trade-off – lead individuals to disregard and override their ethical values for a “greater good”, we design a conjoint analysis. This approach allows us to vary the attributes and scenarios and to test which attributes of a trade-off increase the probability of making an unethical choice. We add survey data to examine the individual propensity to morally disengage as an influencing factor to prefer certain attributes. Currently, we are in the final process of designing the conjoint analysis and plan to conduct the study by December 2022. We contribute to a better understanding of the role of moral disengagement in individual decision-making in a (social) entrepreneurial trade-off.

Keywords: moral disengagement, social entrepreneurship, unethical decision, conjoint analysis

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1252 The Effect of Using Water Wireless Aqua Com System on the Development of Dolphin Kick Movements on the Female Swimming Team at the Faculty of Physical Education

Authors: Wisal Alrabadi

Abstract:

The study's goal was to see how the use of water wireless Aqua Com System and its accompanying music affected the Female Swimming Team at the Faculty of Physical Education's development of dolphin kick movements. To that end, a training program consisting of (12) training units spread out over four weeks, three units per week, was created and applied to a study sample of (10) students from the swimming pool enrolled in the first semester of the academic year 2022. Pre-measuring and timing the movements of dolphins kicking with and without fins above and below, measuring the water's surface over a distance of 25 meters. The results showed that there are statistically significant differences in favor of telemetry from the start within the limits of the area specified for a distance of 15 m after the comparison between the pre and post-measurement using the test (T) of the double samples, and this indicates the impact of the training program using the Aqua Com System in the swimming team(Female) at Faculty of Physical Education, and in light of this a set of recommendations was developed.

Keywords: aqua com system training program, accompanying music, dolphin kick movements, swimming team female

Procedia PDF Downloads 129
1251 Role of Leadership in Project Management

Authors: Miriam Filipová, Peter Balco

Abstract:

At present, in Slovak and Czech Republic, the education within the field of Project Management is carried out either within the higher education or via commercial entities, whilst the most used contents are the commonly used methodologies of project management. Obtaining a diploma after completing a university degree or a training certificate does not automatically mean the success of the project or the success of the project manager. The importance of leadership and soft skills in project management is either not included at all within the training of project managers, or it is only partially reflected. From the methodology perspective, the most important things during the preparation and management of the projects are preparation of the project plan, resource planning, and project realization in accordance with the chosen methodology. However, the key element on which the success of the project depends on are the people – whether they are team members on the supplier's side, the stakeholders, or the end users. This research focuses on the real needs of working project managers, on the development of their strengths, expertise, skills, and knowledge regarding leadership and soft skills. At the same time, it looks into identifying the elements that they consider to be key to the success of the projects they have managed and successfully delivered. The result of this research is the input for creating recommendations for a comprehensive education of project managers in the field of leadership and soft skills.

Keywords: project management, leadership, soft skills, education, academic degree, certificates, skills, talents, knowledge

Procedia PDF Downloads 143
1250 Influence of Leadership Tenure and Succession on Institutional Goal Attainment in the University of Ibadan, Nigeria (2006-2015)

Authors: Ismial A. Raji, Blessing Egbezieme Oladejo, Babatunde Kasim Oladele

Abstract:

The study investigated the influence of leadership succession and tenure on goal attainment in the University of Ibadan. Leadership styles, tenure politics, organization succession, leadership succession, goal attainment in terms of research, teaching and public services were considered. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 250 consisting 90 academic staff, 100 Senior Non-Teaching Staff and 60 Junior Non-Teaching Staff. Questionnaire was the instrument used to collect data. The instrument reliability coefficient was 0.88. Data collected were analysed with descriptive statistics. The result revealed that a significant relationship exist between leadership succession, tenure and goal attainment (r= .648, 0.466 and 0.479p< .0.5) Also, There was no statistical significant interaction between the effects of leadership tenure and leadership succession on goal attainment, F (38, 131) = 1.356, p = .104. The main influence of the independent variables on goal attainment were significant at F (24, 131) = 1.682, p=.034 and F (26, 131) = 2.182, p=.002. The study concluded that leadership succession and tenure are key factors for goal attainment in the University of Ibadan. The study recommended that an effective leadership succession and tenure processes should be maintained and sustained by higher institutions of learning.

Keywords: leadership tenure, style, succession, institutional goal

Procedia PDF Downloads 235
1249 Infernal Affairs (Hong Kong) versus Double Face (Japan): Remaking and Context

Authors: Roman Kusaiko

Abstract:

For decades, remaking was one of the film industry’s main practices but has become vivid in recent years. The latest geopolitical developments, though, are becoming a new challenge for filmmakers regarding cultural landscapes and contextual differences. Deglobalization may also affect transnational remaking practices. Thus, these upcoming challenges can be addressed through the analysis of contemporary academic thought, primarily from adaptation and film studies and their understanding of the issues of transmediality and how it affects film remaking. However, the analysis would be insufficient without conducting case studies. This paper is part of broader research about transnational remaking practices and their cultural and contextual specifics. This paper aims to understand whether shifting medium affects remaking as a critical category and present case studies of the popular Hong Kong motion picture Infernal Affairs and its transition into the Japanese remake Double Face. Consequently, the analysis of their contextual distinctions will lead to the correct categorization of the transnational remakes allowing scholars and filmmakers to better understand the existing remaking practices and whether they affect the final result.

Keywords: cinema, context, culture, films, remaking, transmediality

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1248 Entrepreneurial Leadership in a Startup Context: A Comparative Study on Two Egyptian Startup Businesses

Authors: Nada Basset

Abstract:

Problem Statement: The study examines the important role of leading change inside start-ups and highlights the challenges faced by an entrepreneur during the startup phase of the business. Research Methods/Procedures/Approaches: A qualitative research approach is taken, using the case study analysis method. A comparative study was made between two day care nurseries in Greater Cairo. Non-probability purposive sampling was used and a triangulation of semi-structured interviews, document analysis and participant-observation were applied simultaneously. The in-depth case study analysis took place over a longitudinal study of four calendar months. Results/Findings: Findings demonstrated that leading change in an entrepreneurial setup must be initiated by the entrepreneur, who must also be the owner of the change process. Another important finding showed that the culture of change, although created by the entrepreneur, needs the support and engagement of followers, who should be sharing the same value system and vision of the entrepreneur. Conclusions and Implications: An important implication suggests that during the first year of a start-up lifecycle, special emphasis must be made to the recruitment and selection of personnel, who should play a role into setting the new start-up culture and help it grow or shrink. Another drawn conclusion is that the success of the change must be measured in both quantitative and qualitative terms. Increasing revenues and customer attrition rates -as quantitative KPIs- must be aligned with other qualitative KPIs like customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and organizational commitment and business reputation. Originality of Paper: The paper addresses change management in an entrepreneurial concept, with an empirical application on an Egyptian start-up model providing a service to both adults and children. This privileges the research as the constructs measured merged together the level of satisfaction of employees, decision-makers (parents of children), and the users (children).

Keywords: leadership, change management, entrepreneurship, startup business

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1247 Effects of Bilingual Education in the Teaching and Learning Practices in the Continuous Improvement and Development of k12 Program

Authors: Miriam Sebastian

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This research focused on the effects of bilingual education as medium of instruction to the academic performance of selected intermediate students of Miriam’s Academy of Valenzuela Inc. . An experimental design was used, with language of instruction as the independent variable and the different literacy skills as dependent variables. The sample consisted of experimental students comprises of 30 students were exposed to bilingual education (Filipino and English) . They were given pretests and were divided into three groups: Monolingual Filipino, Monolingual English, and Bilingual. They were taught different literacy skills for eight weeks and were then administered the posttests. Data was analyzed and evaluated in the light of the central processing and script-dependent hypotheses. Based on the data, it can be inferred that monolingual instruction in either Filipino or English had a stronger effect on the students’ literacy skills compared to bilingual instruction. Moreover, mother tongue-based instruction, as compared to second-language instruction, had stronger effect on the preschoolers’ literacy skills. Such results have implications not only for mother tongue-based (MTB) but also for English as a second language (ESL) instruction in the country

Keywords: bilingualism, effects, monolingual, function, multilingual, mother tongue

Procedia PDF Downloads 117
1246 Social Enterprise Strategies for Financial Sustainability in the Economic Literature

Authors: Adam Bereczk

Abstract:

Due to persistent socioeconomic problems regarding sustainability and labour market equilibrium in Europe, the subjects of social economy gained considerable academic attention recently. At the meantime, social enterprises pursuing the double bottom line criteria, struggling to find the proper management philosophies and strategies to make their social purpose business financially sustainable. Despite the strategic management literature was developed mainly on the bases of large corporations, in the past years, the interpretation of strategy concepts became a frequent topic in scientific discussions in the case of small and medium-sized enterprises also. The topic of strategic orientations is a good example of the trend. However, less is known about the case of social enterprises, despite the fact, the majority of them are small businesses engaged in real business activities. The main purpose of this work is to give a comprehensive summary of different perspectives regarding the interpretations of strategic orientations of social enterprises. The novelty of this work is it shows the previous outcomes and models of scholars from various fields of economic science who tried to intertwine the two spheres in different forms, methodize the findings and draw attention to the shortcomings.

Keywords: social enterprises, business sustainability, strategic orientations, literature review

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1245 Self-Disclosure of Location: Influences of Personality Traits, Intrinsic Motivations and Extrinsic Motivations

Authors: Chechen Liao, Sheng Yi Lin

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With the popularity of smartphone usage and the flourish of social networks, many people began to use the 'check-in' functions to share their location information and days of live and self-disclosure. In order to increase exposure and awareness, some stores provide discounts and other benefits to attract consumers to 'check-in' in their stores. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether personality traits, intrinsic motivations, extrinsic motivations, and privacy concerns would affect self-disclosure of location for consumers. Research data were collected from 407 individuals that have used Facebook check-in in Taiwan. This study used SmartPLS 2.0 structural equation modeling to validate the model. The results show that information sharing, information storage, enjoyment, self-presentation, get a feedback, economic reward, and keep up with trends had significant positive effects on self-disclosure. While extroversion and openness to use have significant positive effects on self-disclosure, conscientiousness and privacy concerns have significant negative effects on self-disclosure. The results of the study provide academic and practical implications for the future growth of location-based self-disclosure.

Keywords: check-in, extrinsic motivation, intrinsic motivation, personality trait, self-disclosure

Procedia PDF Downloads 154
1244 Voices of Dissent: Case Study of a Digital Archive of Testimonies of Political Oppression

Authors: Andrea Scapolo, Zaya Rustamova, Arturo Matute Castro

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The “Voices in Dissent” initiative aims at collecting and making available in a digital format, testimonies, letters, and other narratives produced by victims of political oppression from different geographical spaces across the Atlantic. By recovering silenced voices behind the official narratives, this open-access online database will provide indispensable tools for rewriting the history of authoritarian regimes from the margins as memory debates continue to provoke controversy among academic and popular transnational circles. In providing an extensive database of non-hegemonic discourses in a variety of political and social contexts, the project will complement the existing European and Latin-American studies, and invite further interdisciplinary and trans-national research. This digital resource will be available to academic communities and the general audience and will be organized geographically and chronologically. “Voices in Dissent” will offer a first comprehensive study of these personal accounts of persecution and repression against determined historical backgrounds and their impact on collective memory formation in contemporary societies. The digitalization of these texts will allow to run metadata analyses and adopt comparatist approaches for a broad range of research endeavors. Most of the testimonies included in our archive are testimonies of trauma: the trauma of exile, imprisonment, torture, humiliation, censorship. The research on trauma has now reached critical mass and offers a broad spectrum of critical perspectives. By putting together testimonies from different geographical and historical contexts, our project will provide readers and scholars with an extraordinary opportunity to investigate how culture shapes individual and collective memories and provides or denies resources to make sense and cope with the trauma. For scholars dealing with the epistemological and rhetorical analysis of testimonies, an online open-access archive will prove particularly beneficial to test theories on truth status and the formation of belief as well as to study the articulation of discourse. An important aspect of this project is also its pedagogical applications since it will contribute to the creation of Open Educational Resources (OER) to support students and educators worldwide. Through collaborations with our Library System, the archive will form part of the Digital Commons database. The texts collected in this online archive will be made available in the original languages as well as in English translation. They will be accompanied by a critical apparatus that will contextualize them historically by providing relevant background information and bibliographical references. All these materials can serve as a springboard for a broad variety of educational projects and classroom activities. They can also be used to design specific content courses or modules. In conclusion, the desirable outcomes of the “Voices in Dissent” project are: 1. the collections and digitalization of political dissent testimonies; 2. the building of a network of scholars, educators, and learners involved in the design, development, and sustainability of the digital archive; 3. the integration of the content of the archive in both research and teaching endeavors, such as publication of scholarly articles, design of new upper-level courses, and integration of the materials in existing courses.

Keywords: digital archive, dissent, open educational resources, testimonies, transatlantic studies

Procedia PDF Downloads 95
1243 Luffa cylindrica as Alternative for Treatment of Waste in the Classroom

Authors: Obradith Caicedo, Paola Devia

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Methylene blue (MB) and malachite green (MG) are substances commonly used in classrooms for academic purposes. Nevertheless, in most cases, there is no adequate disposal of this type of waste, their presence in the environment affects ecosystems due to the presence of color and the reduction of photosynthetic processes. In this work, we evaluated properties of fibers of Luffa cylindrica in removal from dyes of aqueous solutions through an adsorption process. The point of zero charge, acid and basic sites was also investigated. The best conditions of the adsorption process were determined under a discontinuous system, evaluating an interval of the variables 2 3 : pH value, particle size of the adsorbent and contact time. The temperature (18ºC), agitation (220 rpm) and adsorbent dosage (10g/L) were constant. Measurements were made using UV- Visible spectrophotometry. The point of zero charge for Luffa cylindrica was 4,3. The number of acidic and basic sites was 2.441 meq/g and 1,009 meq/g respectively. These indicate a prevalence of acid groups. The maximum dye sorption was found to be at a pH of 5,5 (97,1 % for MB) and 5,0 (97,7% for MG) and particle size of the adsorbent 850 µm. The equilibrium uptake was attained within 60 min. With this study, it has been shown that Luffa cylindrica can be used as efficient adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue, and malachite green from aqueous solution in classrooms.

Keywords: adsorption, dye removal, low-cost adsorbents, Luffa cylindrical

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1242 Mindfulness Meditation in Higher Education

Authors: Steve Haberlin

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United States college students are experiencing record-high stress and anxiety rates, and due to technological advances, there are more distractions in the classroom. With these challenges comes the need to explore additional, non-traditional pedagogical strategies that can help students de-stress, become centered, and feel more deeply connected to content. In addition, embedding contemplative practices, such as mindfulness meditation, in the higher education classroom could assist faculty in presenting a more holistic education that encourages students to develop self-awareness, emotional intelligence, compassion, interconnectedness, and other “non-academic” qualities. Brief meditation may help students de-stress, focus, and connect. A facilitation guide could also help faculty implement classroom meditation practices; however, additional research is needed to determine how to best train faculty, what meditation techniques work best with students, and how to handle resistance. In this paper, a two-phase study is presented that involves a mindfulness meditation intervention with 180 undergraduate students at a private college in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through qualitative surveys and journaling and analyzed for themes. Findings included a majority of students reporting improved calm, reduced stress, and increased focus and ability to transition to classroom instruction.

Keywords: college students, higher education, mindfulness meditation, stress

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1241 Temporary Autonomous Areas in Time and Space: Psytrance Rave Parties as an Expression Area of Altered States of Consciousness in Turkey

Authors: Ugur Cihat Sakarya

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This research focuses on psychedelic trance music events in Turkey in the context of altered states of consciousness (ASC). The fieldwork that was conducted from 2018 to 2019 is the main source of the research. Participant observation method was followed in 15 selected events. To direct the musical experiences of participants, performances were also presented as a Dj. Ten of these events are open-air festivals. Five of them are indoor parties. The observations made during fieldwork and suitable answers for inference from the interviews with participants, artists, DJs, and volunteers were selected, compiled, and presented. In the result, findings showed that these activities are perceived as temporary autonomous areas by the participants both in time and space and that these activities are suitable areas for expressing themselves as a group (psyfamily) against mainstream culture. It has been observed that the elements that complement the altered states of consciousness in these events are music, visual arts, drug use, and desire to experience spiritual experiences. It is thought that this first academic study -about this topic in Turkey- will open a door for future researches.

Keywords: consciousness, psychedelic, psytrance, rave, Turkey

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1240 Carl Schmitt in the Age of Immanence: A Critical Reading

Authors: Manuel Iretzberger

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This paper aims to uncover the ideological aspects in the political thought of Carl Schmitt, who is enjoying an ever-increasing popularity in various academic fields, following in the wake of rising interest in questions of sovereignty and legitimacy. Given Schmitt’s biography, i.e. his role as the ‘Crown Jurist of the Third Reich’ (Gurian), an extraordinarily thorough examination is necessary; however, instead of merely ‘deconstructing’ his works, certain ontological truths he might have attained, shall be taken seriously. To this end, his notions of politics and the state of exception are scrutinized, which are indeed considered intriguing, yet prove to be enigmatic and impalpable at the core when read closely. In order to explain this conjuncture, both Schmitt’s philosophy of history and his ‘secret discussion’ (Agamben) with Walter Benjamin are depicted. As it turns out – it is argued – his concept of the Political has to be conceived of as embedded in a much broader context: In a post-transcendental, immanent age, he regards traditional modes of representation as no longer feasible and clings to authoritarianism as a surrogate – his Catholicism plays a decisive role here, forcing him to inject normatively biased assumptions into his political writings. Seeing Schmitt perform ‘rearguard action’ not only serves to disarm his work of most of its menacing aura, it also allows drawing conclusions about ways of legitimatizing democratic rule in modern times, as the paper tries to outline in its last section.

Keywords: Benjamin, history, immanence, Schmitt, sovereignty

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1239 Human Capital Discourse and Higher Education Policy

Authors: Tien-Hui Chiang

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Human capital discourse encourages many countries to expand the capacity of HEIs. Along with this expansion, the higher education system is redefined as a free market and in turn it is privatized and commercialized. However, the state’s role in education is to balance social justice and capital accumulation. This role is further regulated by a specific form of neoliberalism constituted by social contexts. These correlations call for exploring the influence of human capital discourse on interwoven issues, such as the state’s role in education, higher education policy, and employability. Method: According to the perspective of neoliberal governmentality, answers to the above four research questions are likely to be embedded within discourses in documents related to higher education policies. Consequently, this study adopts a qualitative approach by analyzing official documents, including government reports, official statistics, circulars and official statements. Documents were collected and subjected to content analysis, with a particular focus on the period from 2005 to 2021. The technique of content analysis was applied to decode keywords and core concepts of these documents. Findings: Neoliberalism is exerted through human capital discourse in China particularly in the changes in higher education policies moving from quantitative expansion to quality control via employment or employability. Such changes highlight that the principle of “n”eoliberalism is more suitable for illustrating the practice of free market logic in different social contexts. The modifications of neoliberalism adopted by the Chinese government reflect that the state’s mission is to secure social security or the common good, so that public managerialism - in the form of programs for employment, internship and entrepreneurship - is adopted in the name of the public interest and the collective mission. Public managerialism now is not only targeted towards social institutions but the population more generally, incarnated here by college graduates. Its practice is not only to renovate organizational cultures but to activate people’s commitment to national development.

Keywords: employability, higher education expansion, neoliberalism, human capital discourse

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1238 Optimizing the Public Policy Information System under the Environment of E-Government

Authors: Qian Zaijian

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E-government is one of the hot issues in the current academic research of public policy and management. As the organic integration of information and communication technology (ICT) and public administration, e-government is one of the most important areas in contemporary information society. Policy information system is a basic subsystem of public policy system, its operation affects the overall effect of the policy process or even exerts a direct impact on the operation of a public policy and its success or failure. The basic principle of its operation is information collection, processing, analysis and release for a specific purpose. The function of E-government for public policy information system lies in the promotion of public access to the policy information resources, information transmission through e-participation, e-consultation in the process of policy analysis and processing of information and electronic services in policy information stored, to promote the optimization of policy information systems. However, due to many factors, the function of e-government to promote policy information system optimization has its practical limits. In the building of E-government in our country, we should take such path as adhering to the principle of freedom of information, eliminating the information divide (gap), expanding e-consultation, breaking down information silos and other major path, so as to promote the optimization of public policy information systems.

Keywords: China, e-consultation, e-democracy, e-government, e-participation, ICTs, public policy information systems

Procedia PDF Downloads 839
1237 An Exploratory Entrepreneurial Study of Wine Production in Namibia: A Case of Grape Farmers in Ausenkehr, Namibia

Authors: Wilfred Isak April, Anthony Adenyanju

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Research has proven that no other beverage has been adored and criticized at the same time as wine. It is important to reiterate that a selected grape production that results in the manufacturing of wine should be scrutinized with the greatest care. In addition, it should be laid down until optimum maturity, carefully selected for serving and ritually tasted by likeminded individuals. This paper aims to explore the entrepreneurial opportunities available through wine production in Namibia. In our daily lives, to the naked eye, consumers usually buy a bottle of wine according to affordability and what is on offer at the moment, sometimes get themselves intoxicated and also finish the bottle on the same day it has been purchased. When taking this as a comparison to those who are accustomed to grape production and wine-producing regions, it is usually a beverage purchased from the local produce cooperative, resembling a dispenser from a petrol pump at a fuel/gas station, usually taken home more than 5 liters at a particular point in time and enjoy it with a meal. It is very important to highlight that grapes are a non-climatic type of fruit, which usually occurs in clusters. Bringing it closer to context, this paper is based on the Republic of Namibia, which is a developing economy with so much potential. A qualitative research methodology will be applied with a purposive sampling technique. Moreover, in this study, a sample of 50 grape farmers will be interviewed. Data will be collected through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The envisaged results clearly illustrate that grape production contributes significantly not only to households but also to the larger economy. Studies of this nature are of crucial importance to Namibia since the country became a signatory of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1993 and has also become a subsequent member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) subsequent to its creation after signing the Marrakech agreement in 1994. Given the latter mentioned, Namibia has made a commitment to the directives of WTO, meaning Namibian manufacturers have to compete in the global market.

Keywords: wine production, entrepreneurship, innovation, development, Namibia, internalisation, creativity

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1236 Process Mining as an Ecosystem Platform to Mitigate a Deficiency of Processes Modelling

Authors: Yusra Abdulsalam Alqamati, Ahmed Alkilany

Abstract:

The teaching staff is a distinct group whose impact is on the educational process and which plays an important role in enhancing the quality of the academic education process. To improve the management effectiveness of the academy, the Teaching Staff Management System (TSMS) proposes that all teacher processes be digitized. Since the BPMN approach can accurately describe the processes, it lacks a clear picture of the process flow map, something that the process mining approach has, which is extracting information from event logs for discovery, monitoring, and model enhancement. Therefore, these two methodologies were combined to create the most accurate representation of system operations, the ability to extract data records and mining processes, recreate them in the form of a Petri net, and then generate them in a BPMN model for a more in-depth view of process flow. Additionally, the TSMS processes will be orchestrated to handle all requests in a guaranteed small-time manner thanks to the integration of the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), the BPM engine, and allowing business owners to take part throughout the entire TSMS project development lifecycle.

Keywords: process mining, BPM, business process model and notation, Petri net, teaching staff, Google Cloud Platform

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1235 Extent of I.C.T Application in Record Management and Factors Hindering the Utilization of E-Learning in the Government Owned Universities in Enugu State, Nigeria

Authors: Roseline Unoma Chidobi

Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to identify the extent of Information Communication Technology (ICT) application in record management and some factors militating against the utilization of e-learning in the universities in Enugu state. The study was a survey research the quantitative data were collected through a 30 – item questionnaire title extent of ICT Application in Record management and militating Factors in the utilization of e-learning (EIARMMFUE). This was administered on a population of 603 respondents made up of university academic staff and senior administrative staff. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-test statistics on a modified 4 point rating scale. Findings of the study revealed among others that ICT are not adequately applied in the management of records in the Universities in Nigeria. Factors like wrong notion or superstitious believe hinder the effective utilization of e – learning approach. The study recommended that the use of ICT in record management should be enhanced in order to achieve effective school management. All the factors militating against the effective utilization of e-learning approach should be addressed for the maximum realization of teaching and learning.

Keywords: e-learning, information communication, teaching, technology, tertiary institution

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1234 Teaching Swahili as a Foreign Languages to Young People in South Africa

Authors: Elizabeth Mahenge

Abstract:

Unemployment is a problem that face many graduates all over the world. Every year universities in many parts of the world produce graduates who are looking for an employment. Swahili, a Bantu language originated in East African coast, can be used as an avenue for youth’s employment in South Africa. This paper helps youth to know about job opportunities available through teaching Swahili language. The objective of this paper is capacity building to youths to be teachers of Swahili and be ready to compete in the marketplace. The methodology was through two weeks online training on how to teach Swahili as a foreign language. The communicative approach and task-based approach were used.  Participants to this training were collected through a WhatsApp group advertisement about “short training for Swahili teachers for foreigners”. A total number of 30 participants registered but only 11 attended the training. Training was online via zoom. The contribution of this paper is that by being fluent in Swahili one would benefit with teaching job opportunities anywhere in the world. Hence the problem of unemployment among the youths would be reduced as they can employ themselves or being employed in academic institutions anywhere in the world. The paper calls for youths in South Africa to opt for Swahili language courses to be trained and become experts in the teaching Swahili as a foreign language.

Keywords: foreign language, linguistic market, Swahili, employment

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1233 Fostering Social Challenges Within Entrepreneur University Systems: The Case of UPV

Authors: Cristobal Miralles Insa

Abstract:

The network of chairs of the "Valencian Public System of Social Services" (VPSSS) is sponsored by the Valencian Institute of Training, Research, and Quality in Social Services and aims to promote research, dissemination, and evaluation of the needs that arise in the field of the public system of social services. It also seeks to transfer knowledge to foster the development of public policies in this field. Given that it is an Interuniversity Chair among the five public universities in Valencia, there is coordination of complementary themes and roles for this objective, with Universitat Politènica de València focusing primarily on promoting innovation and social entrepreneurship to address multiple social challenges through its platform INSSPIRA. This approach is aimed at the entire university community and its various interest groups, carrying out research, teaching, and dissemination activities that promote social inclusion, personal development, and autonomy for groups in situations of vulnerability, lack of protection, dependence, or social urgency. Although it focuses on the Valencian context, both the issues in this context and the tools in process to address them, often have a universal and scalable character and has been inspiring for the innovation system of UPV. This entrepreneurial incubator goes along from early stages of students on the campus until the so-called “StartUPV” system, where students are challenged with social problems that require creative solutions. Therefore, the Chair is conceived with a holistic spirit and an inspiring vocation that engages the whole university community. In this communication, it is described the entities and individuals participating in this UPV Chair of VPSSS, followed by the presentation of different work lines and objectives for the chair. Subsequently, a description of various activities undertaken to promote innovation in social services are described, where support to teaching and extracurricular activities in this field are exposed. It must be noted that some awareness and dissemination of activities are carried out in a transversal mode as they contribute to different objectives simultaneously; with special focus on Learning-Service approaches that achieved very good results which are also summarized.

Keywords: social innovation, entrepeneurship, university, vulnerable sectors

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1232 Implementation of Building Information Modeling in Turkish Government Sector Projects

Authors: Mohammad Lemar Zalmai, Mustafa Nabi Kocakaya, Cemil Akcay, Ekrem Manisali

Abstract:

In recent years, the Building Information Modeling (BIM) approach has been developed expeditiously. As people see the benefits of this approach, it has begun to be used widely in construction projects and some countries made it mandatory to get more benefits from it. To promote the implementation of BIM in construction projects, it will be helpful to get some relevant information from surveys and interviews. The purpose of this study is to research the current adoption and implementation of BIM in public projects in Turkey. This study specified the challenges of BIM implementation in Turkey and proposed some solutions to overcome them. In this context, the challenges for BIM implementation and the factors that affect the BIM usage are determined based on previous academic researches and expert opinions by conducting interviews and questionnaire surveys. Several methods are used to process information in order to obtain weights of different factors to make BIM widespread in Turkey. This study concluded interviews' and questionnaire surveys' outcomes and proposed some suggestions to promote the implementation of BIM in Turkey. We believe research findings will be a good reference for boosting BIM implementation in Turkey.

Keywords: building information modelling, BIM implementations, Turkish construction industry, Turkish government sector projects

Procedia PDF Downloads 122
1231 Indigenous Conceptualization of School Readiness: Mother's Perspective in Pakistan

Authors: Ayesha Inam, R. Moazzam, Z. Akhtar

Abstract:

School readiness plays a significant role in helping a child deal with various school demands and expectations as well as in determining academic success outcomes. There is a scarcity of data concerning the condition of school readiness in Pakistan. This qualitative research seeks to examine the perspective of mothers about school readiness along with its four domains (self-care, socio-emotional, physical and cognitive) as well as about the appropriate age of entry into formal preschool. Fifteen interviews were conducted with mothers of pre-school children in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It was found that mothers shared the common perception that children should be socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively prepared to be ready for pre-school. The results concluded that the mothers unanimously agreed in their perceptions that three to four years was the appropriate age range for children to begin pre-school and that early or late entry into pre-school had negative implications for children’s ability to learn and understand, and hence, their school readiness. Mental age was perceived as a more important criterion for deciding when to send children to pre-school. Mothers were found to send their children to school earlier, and children were found to be increasingly exposed to technology, both of which were found to influence children’s readiness for school. Both schools and mothers were found to play an instrumental role in preparing children for school and in school adjustment by nurturing their skills and abilities.

Keywords: perception of mothers, Pakistan, school readiness, entry to preschool

Procedia PDF Downloads 142
1230 A Mixed Expert Evaluation System and Dynamic Interval-Valued Hesitant Fuzzy Selection Approach

Authors: Hossein Gitinavard, Mohammad Hossein Fazel Zarandi

Abstract:

In the last decades, concerns about the environmental issues lead to professional and academic efforts on green supplier selection problems. In this sake, one of the main issues in evaluating the green supplier selection problems, which could increase the uncertainty, is the preferences of the experts' judgments about the candidate green suppliers. Therefore, preparing an expert system to evaluate the problem based on the historical data and the experts' knowledge can be sensible. This study provides an expert evaluation system to assess the candidate green suppliers under selected criteria in a multi-period approach. In addition, a ranking approach under interval-valued hesitant fuzzy set (IVHFS) environment is proposed to select the most appropriate green supplier in planning horizon. In the proposed ranking approach, the IVHFS and the last aggregation approach are considered to margin the errors and to prevent data loss, respectively. Hence, a comparative analysis is provided based on an illustrative example to show the feasibility of the proposed approach.

Keywords: green supplier selection, expert system, ranking approach, interval-valued hesitant fuzzy setting

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1229 Study of Indian and Southeast Asian Literature to Trace Evolution of Hanuman

Authors: Subramanian Chidambaran

Abstract:

Right from the Vedic period, we have instances of human heroes being deified and later even assimilated into other deities. Many scholars opine Indra to be one such Vedic deity who rose from a ‘human leader’ to the position of Devata. We also see the assimilation of the Vedic deity Rudra into Śiva in post-Vedic period. Thus the current deities and Gods we worship in the polytheistic Hindu system have been a result of many such deifications and assimilations. Hanumān is one such contemporary character in Indian culture that changed from a valiant hero of the Rāmāyaṇa to a prominent deity in present days. There are also many arguments on whether Hanumān was truly a monkey or a human as the term ‘vānara’ could be interpreted as ‘vā narah’ i.e. ‘or a human’. Despite the popularity of this deity, there is very little academic research done on the genesis and evolution of him. There are many questions that arise - Does Hanumān find any mention (in any form) in literature or archaeological evidence prior to Vālmῑki Rāmāyaṇa? What is the character of Hanumān in the Vālmῑki Rāmāyaṇa? How has this evolved in later Indian literature and where do we see the deification process beginning? What’s the character of Hanumān in literature beyond Indian shores such as Southeast Asian literature and how does it compare with those in Indian literature? This paper is an attempt to answer these questions and trace the evolution of the character Hanumān right from the Vālmῑki Rāmāyaṇa to other Indian literature as well as Southeast Asian literature.

Keywords: Hanumān, Indian, Rāmāyaṇa, Southeast Asia

Procedia PDF Downloads 259