Communication Channels Research Articles

Customer Relationship Management Factors and Value Chain Model

CRM is an acronym for "customer relationship management," which stands for "customer relationship management system." Gartner first used the phrase "customer relationship management" in 2005. An essential part of the CRM approach is the CRM systems, which gather information from various communication channels such as a company's website, telephone, email, live chat, marketing materials, social media, and more. This information is collected according to different marketing aspects. This aspect of the CRM strategy is very vital to its overall functioning. When it comes to doing business, one of the most difficult tasks that might arise is trying to determine a customer's precise needs. For enterprises to become familiar with the problem recognition of clients, interviewing tactics are implemented. At the beginning of the procedure, the focus is placed on the customer to devise a strategy for maintaining a lucrative and significant long-term collaboration between the two parties. This plan is established to keep the customer at the center of the procedure.

Contextual Factors Influencing Online Support Providers’ Motivations and Message Provision

This study examined how contextual factors influence support providers’ motivations and message provision. Participants (N = 602) provided supportive messages in response to support-seeking posts sent either publicly or privately through either Facebook or an online support group. Findings revealed that providers’ motivations and message provision varied as a function of the channel and privacy of communication. Moderated mediation analyses showed that privacy moderated the indirect effect of channel on verbal person-centered message provision through approach motivation. This project advances extant understanding regarding direct and indirect effects of contextual factors and motivations on the quality of supportive messages people produce.

Social Media: A Catalyst for Business Growth

Social media platforms, as potent communication channels, are witnessing a surge in user adoption. Their interconnected nature facilitates the sharing of links, ideas, videos, and content, while also enabling user interaction through comments and compliments. Recognizing the strategic value of social media, businesses are increasingly integrating it into their marketing strategies. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn play a pivotal role in attracting target audiences by fostering direct connections. Empirical evidence suggests a correlation between increased social media engagement and enhanced sales figures. This research paper seeks to investigate the factors driving social media usage and its subsequent impact on business growth. By analyzing secondary data, the study aims to uncover the positive influence of social media on sales and business performance.

Factors affecting the liquidation of allocated funds in public elementary schools

This study aimed to discover the factors affecting the liquidation report that leads to delayed or non-submission of the public elementary schools of the Department of Education – Division of Aklan. Using descriptive research method, the 46 public elementary school heads, teacher-in-charge, and head teacher from the District of Banga, Lezo, Makato, Libacao and Malay were surveyed using researcher-made questionnaire. Findings revealed that that demographic profile, timely submission of requirements, leveraging appropriate technologies, and addressing external factors are key determinants in facilitating the liquidation process. Findings underscore the factors influencing the utilization and liquidation of allocated funds in terms of provision and procurement within the public elementary education sector. Addressing these factors requires a comprehensive approach that involves improving budget allocation mechanisms, enhancing administrative capacity through training and support, promoting efficient resource management practices, and fostering transparency and accountability in financial transactions. There is a positive relationship between the factors affecting the liquidation of allocated funds and extent of the factors affecting the utilization and liquidation of allocated funds. This study recommends providing training sessions and capacity-building programs for school administrators and personnel involved in financial management, investing in modern accounting and reporting technologies and enhancing communication channels between the Department of Education Division of Aklan and public elementary schools.

Analisis Produktivitas Pegawai terhadap Pelayanan Permasalahan Kinerja Aparatur Sipil Negara di Direktorat Status Kedudukan Kepegawaian Kantor Pusat Badan Kepegawaian Negara (BKN) Jakarta

This study aims to analyze the performance of human resources in the Directorate of Civil Service Status at the State Civil Service Agency in handling service problems or ASN status cases. Labor productivity is influenced by various factors related to the workforce itself as well as those related to the company environment and government policies as a whole, such as education, skills, discipline, attitude and work ethics. Research methods are classified based on the objectives and level of natural setting of the object, research methods can be classified into basic research objectives, applied research methods and research and development. In this study, the researcher chose the type of Qualitative research to present and describe in detail and in detail the analysis of employee productivity in serving ASN performance problems at the Directorate of Civil Service Status of the BKN. Research Results Overall, the quality of service at the Directorate of Civil Service Status of the State Civil Service Agency (BKN) can be categorized as very good, supported by clarity of information, ease of access through various communication channels, and employee responsiveness in handling complaints. The completeness of the files submitted by the proposing agency greatly affects the speed of the service process. When the files are complete, the process can run quickly and efficiently. However, incomplete files are often the cause of delays in service. and the use of technology, such as the ASN SI application, is very helpful in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of services. Technology allows ASN to access information and services more quickly and easily.

Distributed-observer-based adaptive fault tolerant formation maneuver for autonomous surface vehicles under stochastic cyber-attack

This paper investigates the distributed adaptive fault-tolerant formation maneuver control strategy for multiple autonomous surface vehicles (ASVs) systems subject to stochastic cyber-attack and actuator failures. Existing works have provided solutions against continuous attacks on communication channels while ignoring the increasingly prevalent intermittent attacks. Compared to the former, the latter are more challenging to detect, having been insufficiently described and addressed. Motivated by this observation, this article is concerned with the stochastic intermittent injection attacks, which are modeled as stochastic impulsive sequences, characterized by stochastic injection instant and intensity, leading to unpredictable changes in the state information transmitted by the neighbors. Taking this dilemma into consideration, a novel distributed observer is proposed, capable of effectively observing the target formation even in the presence of stochastic intermittent injection attacks. Meanwhile, a large feedback gain is incorporated into the observer to reduce the impact of attacks on system stability. A linear sliding manifold, together with the adaptive algorithm, is utilized to construct a fault tolerant control architecture for each follower ASV without employing model parameters which can confront the embarrassing scenario of actuator failures. Eventually, theoretical deduction and numerical simulations are conducted to confirm the feasibility of the proposed collaborative control scheme.

Close Relations, Practitioners or Social Networks: What Affects the Selection of Infant Formula Products?

This study examines which factors influence the preferences of mothers seeking advice on the use of infant formula in feeding practices. The effects of their close social circle, medical professionals and social network forums on feeding choices were evaluated. Data were collected from 638 questionnaires from mothers and were statistically analyzed. Our findings suggest that age may influence the preference to seek advice from a close social circle over consulting with medical professionals (p-value = 0.019 < 0.05). The educational level and the number of children impact the preferences of using infant formula over combining it with breastfeeding (p-value = 0.000 < 0.05 and p-value = 0.004 < 0.05, respectively). The research contributes to the understanding of the complex interplay between various demographic and socioeconomic factors and the decision-making process of mothers based on multiple social and digital sources of influence. The research presents valuable insights for healthcare policymakers and professionals in supporting mothers and providing them with up-to-date information. Feeding information can be distributed through all the communication channels that were examined in this study to benefit different socio-economic groups and to contribute to the well-being of infants in the long-run.

Discovering the Power of External Human-Machine Interface: An EEG Study on the Driving Anger Regulation

Driving with anger can result in hazardous driving behaviors, often arising from inadequate communication among Traffic Participants (TPs). Currently, external Human-Machine Interface (eHMI) technology provides a novel channel for enhancing communication among TPs, yet its role in regulating driving emotions remains uncertain. This study investigates the impact of eHMI technology on the regulation of driving anger. We simulated a driving scenario in which the preceding vehicle abruptly applied brakes to elicit anger from the following driver. Three eHMI formats (Symbol, Text, and Symbol + Text) positioned at the rear of the preceding vehicle were implemented to explain the sudden braking event and regulate drivers’ emotions. Objective electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and subjective assessment data were analyzed to assess the effects of eHMIs on driving anger regulation. The results indicate that driving with eHMIs exhibited significant regulatory quality of drivers’ anger. Among the three formats, Symbol + Text eHMI exerted a notable regulatory impact, while both Symbol and Text eHMI contributed to emotional regulation. This study illustrates the positive impact of eHMI on emotion regulation in traffic environments, providing valuable backing for traffic management authorities in developing guidelines and policies, and contributing to the standardization of future eHMI technologies.

Vaccine for digital images against steganography

Digital image steganography serves as a technology facilitating covert communication through digital images by subtly incorporating secret data into a cover image. This practice poses a potential threat, as criminals exploit steganography to transmit illicit content, thereby jeopardizing information security. Consequently, it becomes imperative to implement defensive strategies against steganographic techniques. This paper proposes a novel defense mechanism termed “image vaccine” to safeguard digital images from steganography. The process of “vaccinating” an image renders it immune to steganographic manipulation. Notably, when criminals attempt to embed secret data into vaccinated images, the presence of such hidden information can be detected with a 100% probability, ensuring the consistent identification of stego images. This proactive approach enables the interception of stego image transmission, thereby neutralizing covert communication channels.

Evading Cyber-Attacks on Hadoop Ecosystem: A Novel Machine Learning-Based Security-Centric Approach towards Big Data Cloud

The growing industry and its complex and large information sets require Big Data (BD) technology and its open-source frameworks (Apache Hadoop) to (1) collect, (2) analyze, and (3) process the information. This information usually ranges in size from gigabytes to petabytes of data. However, processing this data involves web consoles and communication channels which are prone to intrusion from hackers. To resolve this issue, a novel machine learning (ML)-based security-centric approach has been proposed to evade cyber-attacks on the Hadoop ecosystem while considering the complexity of Big Data in Cloud (BDC). An Apache Hadoop-based management interface “Ambari” was implemented to address the variation and distinguish between attacks and activities. The analyzed experimental results show that the proposed scheme effectively (1) blocked the interface communication and retrieved the performance measured data from (2) the Ambari-based virtual machine (VM) and (3) BDC hypervisor. Moreover, the proposed architecture was able to provide a reduction in false alarms as well as cyber-attack detection.

Capacity analysis over fractional order Rayleigh fading channel under additive white generalized Gaussian noise

AbstractThis study presents an innovative fractional order Rayleigh fading model that can be used for channel capacity estimation in the presence of additive white generalized Gaussian noise. The proposed model assumes that the real and imaginary parts of channel gains are generalized Gaussian random variables, which makes it possible to consider the traditional Rayleigh fading model as a special case of fractional order Rayleigh fading. Compared to the Rayleigh model, the fractional order Rayleigh fading model offers a more precise representation of new real‐world communication, such as integrating terrestrial and underwater networks in sixth‐generation communications channels. The probability density function of the channel gain with additive white generalized Gaussian noise is analyzed here. Furthermore, the ergodic and outage capacities of the channel are determined, taking into account the assumption that the channel state information is only available at the receiver. The ergodic capacity is calculated using Meijer's G‐functions, resulting in a closed‐form expression. Numerical simulations demonstrate the superiority of the fractional order Rayleigh fading model over the Rayleigh channel. Moreover, the impact of ergodic and outage capacities under diverse channel characteristics is assessed.

Computation of tight bounds for the worst-case end-to-end delay on Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet

Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet (AFDX) is a fault-tolerant real-time communication bus for safety–critical applications in aircraft. AFDX configures communication channels, denoted as virtual links (VLs), ensuring bounded message delays through traffic shaping at both end-systems and switches. Effective AFDX network design necessitates computing the worst-case end-to-end delay of time-critical VLs to meet specified message deadlines. This paper presents a new method for calculating tight bounds on the worst-case end-to-end delay for each VL in an AFDX network. We introduce the new notion of an extended uninterrupted transmission interval, which is the prerequisite for computing the worst-case queuing delay at switches. Adding up these queuing delays along the path of each VL between end-systems yields a tight upper bound on the worst-case end-to-end delay. The correctness of our results is formally proved, and comprehensive simulation experiments on different example networks confirm the tightness of our bound. These simulations also demonstrate the superior performance of our method compared to existing approaches that offer more pessimistic as well as optimistic results.

Biofilm mediated integrin activation and directing acceleration of colorectal cancer.

Bacterial biofilm plays a vital role in influencing several diseases, infections, metabolic pathways and communication channels. Biofilm influence over colorectal cancer (CRC) has been a booming area of research interest. The virulence factors of bacterial pathogen have a high tendency to induce metabolic pathway to accelerate CRC. The bacterial species biofilm may induce cancer through regulating the major signalling pathways responsible for cell proliferation, differentiation, survival and growth. Activation of cancer signals may get initiated from the chronic infections through bacterial biofilm species. Integrin mediates in the activation of major pathway promoting cancer. Integrin-mediated signals are expected to be greatly influenced by biofilm. Integrins are identified as an important dimer, whose dysfunction may alter the signalling cascade specially focusing on TGF-β, PI3K/Akt/mToR, MAPK and Wnt pathway. Along with biofilm shield, the tumour gains greater resistance from radiation, chemotherapy and also from other antibiotics. The biofilm barrier is known to cause challenges for CRC patients undergoing treatment.

Optimizing Retail Pharmacy Success: The Role of Multichannel Marketing Strategies

This study focuses on the effect of multichannel marketing communication in retail pharmacies to establish customer satisfaction in a world experiencing the digitalization of health sectors. The objective of the study is to understand customer acquisition and retention practices, the role of online and offline integrated communication, and the extent of customer preference for various marketing communication channels. As part of the study, the quantitative analysis of the publications included in the review was made using articles and reports published from 2014 to 2024. The review was conducted on the aspects of marketing using multiple channels in retail pharmacy and the healthcare-associated fields. The studies identified that comprehensive communication channel enhancement policies positively affect the generation of revenues, reduction in costs, and information delivery schedules in pharmaceuticals. Depending on the channel, consumers’ needs and wants differ, and there is success in personalizing and presenting reasonably logical thoughts to people. Synchronicity of online and offline communication effectively increases the customers’ power, trust, and satisfaction. E-marketing has always been significant in enhancing customers’ touch points, which is why digital transformation is vital. This study further supports the fact that multichannel marketing is mandatory for the success of a retail pharmacy in the prevalent, highly competitive environment. The implementation also presupposes knowledge of consumer differences, the synergy of online and offline contacts, the emphasis on personalization, and fast adaptation to the changing technological environment, but often within the framework of severe legislation.

Reinforcement Learning for Jointly Optimal Coding and Control Policies for a Markovian System Controlled over a Communication Channel

This paper develops approximation and optimality results for the optimal control of a networked system. In this system, a Markovian process is managed over a finite-rate, noiseless communication channel. Solving this problem involves determining joint optimal coding and control policies that minimize cost over time. While theoretical results on optimal coding and control structures exist, practical implementation has remained largely infeasible for non-linear systems due to the computational complexities and uncountable state spaces. This research introduces an approach that combines structural results with reinforcement learning (RL) techniques. The method uses regularity properties of the system to approximate the uncountable state space with a countable one, which allows reinforcement learning algorithms to achieve near-optimal solutions. Specifically, we establish that finite model approximations (where infinite state spaces are quantized to finite ones) and sliding finite window approximations (where a finite memory "window" of past control actions is maintained at each time step) can be employed to develop near-optimality. These approximations allow the system to be reformulated as a Markov Decision Problem (MDP) with a finite state space, making RL algorithms implementable. The convergence of the reinforcement learning algorithm to a near-optimal policy (under both the previous approximations) is supported by theoretical analysis and performance simulations. We ensure that the solutions obtained are not only computationally feasible but also nearly optimal with respect to the original problem. The applications of this work extend to many networked control systems, especially those with zero-delay coding and partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs). By integrating structural results with learning algorithms, this paper provides a practical framework for implementing optimal control in finite-rate environments.

(How) do universities listen? Evidence from institutional websites of the world's top universities

Introduction: this study investigates the implementation of organizational listening methods in Higher Education through a comparative analysis of institutional websites from top global universities and leading Lithuanian institutions. Emphasizing the role of these websites as pivotal digital platforms, the research aims to discern the extent to which universities facilitate two-way communication with stakeholders through digital platforms. Methodology: Websites were selected based on world university rankings, encompassing institutions from each continent. Websites were selected based on global university rankings, spanning institutions across continents. Qualitative content analysis employed predefined and emergent categories to evaluate interactivity and organizational listening features on these platforms. Findings reveal consistent stakeholder mapping but significant disparities in communication tools and channels, which impacts real-time, asynchronous, and symmetric engagement effectiveness. Communication structures range from integrated governance roles to fragmented responsibilities, influencing stakeholder accessibility and institutional transparency. Discussion: implications for organizational communication practices are discussed, highlighting strategies to enhance stakeholder engagement via institutional websites. The study underscores the pivotal role of communication management teams in fostering transparency and responsiveness. Conclusions: advocating for leveraging technological advancements, conclusions propose transforming websites into proactive platforms for organizational listening. Recommendations emphasize developing tailored communication strategies to optimize engagement and effectiveness in Higher Education contexts.

Enhancing Transmission Efficiency in Non-IID Federated Learning by Integrating Quantization into an Existing Trustworthiness Model

Federated Learning (FL) is a distributed machine learning paradigm that enables multiple clients to collaboratively train a model without sharing their data, thus preserving privacy. In this approach, data is not transmitted between the client and the base station. Instead, a model is sent to each device, where it is trained locally, and then retransmitted back to the base station. Each iteration of this process is known as a communication round. However, FL faces challenges, especially when data is not independently and identically distributed (Non-IID). Non-IID data means that the data across clients can vary significantly in distribution, leading to situations where certain classes or features are overrepresented in some clients and underrepresented in others. This lack of uniformity quickly leads to biased model updates and reduced performance. To address this, previous studies have introduced trustworthiness metrics to ensure more reliable model aggregation, minimizing accuracy losses associated with Non-IID data. Another significant challenge is the high transmission load, as model updates between clients and the base station are resource-intensive. Model parameters are transmitted between clients and base stations, which can strain communication channels and slow down the entire process, especially when dealing with larger models and datasets. This communication overhead is a bottleneck that limits the scalability of FL, particularly in resource-constrained environments. Our research addresses these challenges by integrating quantization into the trustworthiness model specifically in a Non-IID scenario. Quantization reduces the precision of model parameters to minimize data transmission, resulting in more efficient communication. We applied different levels of quantization intensity to a model trained on the CIFAR-10 dataset and found that certain methods can significantly reduce transmission overhead without substantial accuracy loss. Our findings suggest that combining quantization with trustworthiness metrics can significantly enhance the efficiency and potentially improve the adoption of Federated Learning in resource-constrained environments.

Investigation of block interleavers in OFDM radio communication systems with convolutional encoding in multipath channels with fast fading

Noise immunity codecs are good at correcting single errors. Group errors often occur in multipath radio channels with fading. Interleaving is used to convert group errors into single errors. Matching the interleaver structure with the signal and code parameters allows the interleaver to work efficiently. Optimization of the interleaver parameters depending on the characteristics of the communication channel increases the efficiency of the interleaver. The purpose of the work is to determine the parameters of block interleavers for an OFDM radio communication system with convolutional coding in conditions of signal scattering in time and frequency. A model of a channel with two beams and Rayleigh fades is considered. The influence of interleaver parameters on the noise immunity of the OFDM radio communication system depending on the channel parameters (fading rate, multipath interval) has been analyzed. Block deterministic and pseudorandom interleavers are considered. With magnification lengths the interleaver increases noise immunity of the communication system. But at the same time, the delay in transmitting the message increases. The optimal length has been determined, providing a compromise between delay and noise immunity. This length is determined depending on the coherence time of the channel. The number of rows of the matrix interleaver is depending on the decoding depth. This is the number of rows provides better noise immunity at optimal length. But sometimes the optimal length is too long. Therefore a function has been introduced that characterizes the minimum distance between bits in the “time-frequency-code” space at the input of the interleaver. The distance between the bits in the time domain is normalized for the coherence time of the channel. The distance between the bits in the frequency domain is calculated as a normalized deviation from the oscillation period in the signal power spectrum at the output of a channel with two beams. The distance between the bits in the “code space” is calculated as the distance normalized the effective decoding depth of the code used. Given the function describes optimal and critical values well parameters of deterministic interleavers of any length. Deterministic interleavers have a higher probability of error per bit than random interleavers. The definition of parameters using the proposed function allows the deterministic interleaver to work with the same low the probability of error per bit as well as random interleavers.

Community Development Programs on Palm Oil Plantation Industry in Aceh Tamiang - Indonesia: the Participation of Opinion Leaders in Information Governance

Understanding the different disputes that have occurred in the Aceh Tamiang oil palm plantation sector requires a communication strategy focused on teaching ideals that are in harmony with community social life. The study of plantation disputes in Aceh Tamiang demonstrates how the function of opinion leaders from formal actors as corporate spokespersons opens up communication channels that have previously been blocked. The community can express its desired ambitions to the firm through opinion leaders that the company has deployed. The business also takes formal village actors into account as opinion leaders in order to comprehend the needs and circumstances of its citizens. “Datok Penghulu”, the local chief, was officially selected by the corporation to serve as its public relations representative. This opinion leader's function as a company spokesperson at least includes creating community development (CD) initiatives, coordinating CD initiatives with the company, and promoting programs to the community.

To scope or not to scope? The benefits and challenges of integrating scoping studies in rapid qualitative research and evaluation

Creating sustainable change and fostering collaborative relationships between researchers and stakeholders is a recognized challenge in the field of evaluation. Identifying programme purpose, cultural context, potential challenges, and engaging stakeholders before an evaluation can produce responsive and impactful evaluations. This paper discusses implementing a targeted scoping study within the framework of rapid qualitative research and evaluation. A scoping study enables collaborative decision-making on evaluation priorities, and functions as an evaluability assessment in time-sensitive contexts. In our experience, a scoping study can be carried out in as little as five days or as long as six weeks. It is timely to revisit the question of what factors influence evaluation outcomes, a scoping study can be used to support an evaluation, address access to data and research, and strengthen communication channels. The methodological approach was used to co-produce an evaluation with an NGO that accurately reflected their needs, recognizing possible challenges and solutions.