Technology Companies Research Articles

(Micro)soft power in Dutch public education: making classrooms platform-ready through partner work

ABSTRACT This article explores how the global technology company Microsoft, supported by local partners, makes Dutch classrooms platform-ready by influencing how schools approach three key public governance responsibilities in their digital transformation: developing a vision for digital education, creating strategies for educational innovation and fostering digital literacy. Using the concept of soft power and extensive empirical research, the study shows how Microsoft aligns these responsibilities with its own corporate interests. As a result, the company gains control over schools’ digital infrastructure – not only in terms of hardware and software but also in terms of its pedagogical design. The conclusion emphasises the importance of collective and collaborative national efforts to resist the global influence of platforms like Microsoft on local digital education.

Impact of human resource practice on work engagement and turnover intention in information technology companies

Orientation: The information technology (IT) sector, a global economic driver, faces high employee turnover because of low work engagement. This study examines the relationship between human resource management (HRM) practices and their impact on work engagement and turnover intention (TI) in IT companies.Research purpose: The primary purpose of this research article is to investigate how HRM practices influence employee work engagement and TI in the IT sector.Motivation for the study: This study is motivated by the need to address this critical issue by exploring the role of HRM practices in shaping employee engagement and TI.Research approach/design and method: The research data came from 10 IT organisations in Pune IT parks. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to collect data. Data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and Moment Structure Analysis to evaluate the hypotheses.Main findings: The study found that HRM practices such as effective communication (EC), training satisfaction (TS), performance appraisal satisfaction (PAS), pay satisfaction (PS) and opportunities for development (OFD) positively influence work engagement among IT employees. Addressing these HRM practices can enhance employee retention and engagement in the IT sector.Practical/managerial implications: Implementing these strategies can lead to a more committed and productive workforce, improving overall organisational performance and retention.Contribution/value-add: This research offers actionable recommendations for IT companies to improve employee retention and engagement, filling a gap in existing literature by focussing exclusively on the unique challenges and dynamics of the IT industry.

“Through the looking glass: envisioning new library technologies” A glimpse into the future of augmented reality

Purpose By better understanding the trends around augmented reality (AR) information professionals will be better able to take an active role as it emerges. Design/methodology/approach This column will examine trends in AR through the lens of three products that have recently been presented to journalists by Snap, Meta and Apple. Findings This column highlights the technical hurdles to creating mainstream AR experiences, and underscores how large technology companies are invested in overcoming them due to larger strategic goals, such as escaping the closed ecosystem of app development and creating meaningful AI experiences on phones. Originality/value This column underscores the importance of AR, as a technology that is core to libraries mission. AR will enable digital information to be layered onto physical reality which can change human relationship to both abstract information as well as the physical objects such as books and libraries that are important to the profession.

Flipping Ship <i>FLIP </i>Freed from Fateful Trip

A beloved research vessel will have a second career after an underwater technology company saved it from the scrapyard.

ORGANIZATION OF METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STATE INNOVATION POLICY IN THE SPHERE OF INFORMATIZATION OF THE HEALTH PROTECTION SYSTEM OF UKRAINE

The article highlights the key issues related to the need to modernize the health care system, globalization and integration into international structures, health care reform. In Ukraine, the process of health care reform is underway, which involves increasing the efficiency of the medical services system, their availability and quality. Innovations can accelerate these processes, in particular through the introduction of digital technologies (e-health, telemedicine), automation of management of medical facilities, development of remote diagnosis and treatment. The state innovation policy will allow to more effectively prepare for similar challenges in the future through the development of new vaccines, diagnostic methods, monitoring systems and management of medical resources. Support from the state (for example, through preferential taxation) to the development of the private medical services sector will reduce the burden on the state budget. In addition, it contributes to the attraction of investments in this area. Therefore, the state innovation policy in the field of health care is a relevant tool for ensuring the sustainable development of the health care system of Ukraine, increasing its efficiency and competitiveness, which meets the modern challenges and needs of society. The authors analyze the key aspects of the state policy aimed at the informatization of medical institutions, in particular, the digitalization of medical services, the introduction of electronic medicine, the creation of unified information platforms and patient databases. The article examines the importance of developing a clear methodology for the implementation of innovative solutions, as well as the role of the state in creating favorable conditions for the informatization of the health care system. The authors also analyze the international experience and the possibilities of its adaptation for Ukrainian realities, emphasizing the need to establish effective cooperation between state bodies, medical institutions and technological companies. The article concludes about the importance of an integrated approach to the informatization of the health care sector in order to improve the quality of medical services and increase the efficiency of medical resource management.

The essential factors in higher education – Industry collaboration when developing video-supported collaborative learning

The collaboration between higher education (HE) and education technology (EdTech) companies plays a vital role in developing digitallyembedded learning in the contemporary digital era. The partnership between HE and industry is widely recognized as a means to promote innovation. Moreover, it provides advantages to companies striving to fulfill client requirements. The HE-industry collaboration has garnered increasing attention in academic research. However, there is a lack of studies on the actors’ perspectives and on the required processes and other elements for conducting effective HE-EdTech collaboration in developing learning and teaching in HE. This study addresses this research gap by examining the interprofessional collaborative development process involved in the creation of video-supported collaborative learning. The qualitative research examines the factors of successful collaboration between HE and EdTech companies within the knowledge-building ecosystem framework, using ethnographic data. The findings indicate that the establishment of a knowledge-building ecosystem for the development of digitally-embedded learning in based on collaboration between key actors: teachers, teacher educators, EdTech companies, HE institutions, and students, the end-users and ultimate beneficiaries. The collaboration is manifested in open innovation, practice-based research, and research-based service development processes, and relies on goal setting, continuous dialogue, reflective assessment, commitment, and trust as key elements.

Mediation of brand reputation and image in the relationship between perceived corporate social responsibility and brand equity and loyalty of technology companies among Generation Z: the moderating role of gender

Mediation of brand reputation and image in the relationship between perceived corporate social responsibility and brand equity and loyalty of technology companies among Generation Z: the moderating role of gender

RAI Guidelines: Method for Generating Responsible AI Guidelines Grounded in Regulations and Usable by (Non-)Technical Roles

Many guidelines for responsible AI have been suggested to help AI practitioners in the development of ethical and responsible AI systems. However, these guidelines are often neither grounded in regulation nor usable by different roles, from developers to decision makers. To bridge this gap, we developed a four-step method to generate a list of responsible AI guidelines; these steps are: (1) manual coding of 17 papers on responsible AI; (2) compiling an initial catalog of responsible AI guidelines; (3) refining the catalog through interviews and expert panels; and (4) finalizing the catalog. To evaluate the resulting 22 guidelines, we incorporated them into an interactive tool and assessed them in a user study with 14 AI researchers, engineers, designers, and managers from a large technology company. Through interviews with these practitioners, we found that the guidelines were grounded in current regulations and usable across roles, encouraging self-reflection on ethical considerations at early stages of development. This significantly contributes to the concept of 'Responsible AI by Design'- a design-first approach that embeds responsible AI values throughout the development lifecycle and across various business roles.

Stuck in Isabel's Garden: Anthropomorphic Metaphors and the Oversimplification of Digital Privacy

Digital privacy is confusing. As such, technology companies deploy anthropomorphic metaphors to simplify what digital privacy means. By leveraging the familiarity of the body, such metaphors ostensibly make the intangible complexity of digital privacy graspable. Yet by anthropomorphizing technologies involved in the transformation of the discourse of privacy into a discourse of digital privacy, such metaphors confound the promise of ''more-than-human'' ontology. Through constant comparative analysis of the role that human embodiment plays in historical and contemporary discourses of privacy, this paper weighs the philosophical costs of using anthropomorphic metaphors to simplify the discourse of digital privacy. I argue that anthropomorphic metaphors problematically align contemporary technologies with an anachronistic discourse of the human, rather than productively surfacing more-than-human possibilities for understanding entangled modes of being. I provide theoretical implications for research in computing that hopes to harness the non-anthropocentric sensitivity of the ''more-than-human'' to effect responsible change in the world.

Dittos: Personalized, Embodied Agents That Participate in Meetings When You Are Unavailable

Imagine being able to send a personalized embodied agent to meetings you are unable to attend. This paper explores the idea of a Ditto an agent that visually resembles a person, sounds like them, possesses knowledge about them, and can represent them in meetings. This paper reports on results from two empirical investigations: 1) focus group sessions with six groups (n=24) and 2) a Wizard of Oz (WOz) study with 10 groups (n=39) recruited from within a large technology company. Results from the focus group sessions provide insights on what contexts are appropriate for Dittos, and issues around social acceptability and representation risk. The focus group results also provide feedback on visual design characteristics for Dittos. In the WOz study, teams participated in meetings with two different embodied agents: a Ditto and a Delegate (an agent which did not resemble the absent person). Insights from this research demonstrate the impact these embodied agents can have in meetings and highlight that Dittos in particular show promise in evoking feelings of presence and trust, as well as informing decision making. These results also highlight issues related to relationship dynamics such as maintaining social etiquette, managing one's professional reputation, and upholding accountability. Overall, our investigation provides early evidence that Dittos could be beneficial to represent users when they are unable to be present but also outlines many factors that need to be carefully considered to successfully realize this vision.

Development Digital Maturity Attributes Based on Higher Education Business Processes

Transformation in the digital aspect is a crucial part of the higher education development in digital age transformation. The oject of this study is to identify the transformation of digital maturity requirements in universities as higher education institutions from Indonesia, which will later be used as criteria for forming a digital maturity model. The research method is mixed, involving both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The type of research applied is the Exploratory Sequential Design, where the data is collected and analyzed with the qualitative method, then follows up the results with a quantitative one to explore a phenomenon. The content validity index applied in this study is used to validate digital maturity requirements. It has been applied to various digital technology companies, government policies in higher education systems, and management applied to multiple universities. The results can guide universities in navigating digital transformation in their institutions. This study highlights that previously proposed digital maturity models need to sufficiently consider the business processes of higher education and the need for security and privacy dimensions, which have not been extensively discussed in the literature.

Digital recognition: cybersecurity and internet infrastructure in UAE–Israel diplomacy

Abstract The 2020 Israel–UAE Abraham Accords normalized these states' relations, with heavy emphasis on digital technologies. International Relations theories of recognition, however, hardly consider the role digital technologies play in establishing recognition between states. What role, then, did digital technologies play in this landmark shift in UAE–Israel recognition? This article uses three aspects of digital technologies in the UAE–Israel case—cybersecurity cooperation, cloud computing, and subsea cables—to inductively develop three propositions regarding the role of digital technologies in state recognition. First, states use digital technologies—and private sector companies that own and operate them—as diplomatic lubrication: a means to navigate around and overcome difficult diplomatic relationships, building momentum towards recognition. Second, digital competition between states leads them to conform their national economic structures towards global technology companies in similar ways, thereby recognizing each other as equal participants in a global market—which we term market-oriented homogenization. Third, states involved in transnational internet infrastructure projects together develop technical working practices, interests, and dependencies that facilitate diplomatic recognition—which we term infrastructural integration. Building on these three propositions, we put forward an overall concept of ‘digital recognition’ to capture their common theme: the influence of digital technologies, their owners or their operators on state recognition.

Walking and talking for well‐being: Exploring the effectiveness of walk and talk therapy

AbstractDespite the rising trend of integrating nature and movement into talking therapy, the extent of empirical support remains limited. This study explored the effects of a walk and talk intervention on adult mood and well‐being using a multiple baseline design with pre, post and follow‐up assessments. Five adults (3 males and 2 females) from a technology company took part in a walk and talk intervention lasting approximately 6–8 sessions. They completed self‐report measures at baseline, post‐intervention and follow‐up, with semi‐structured interviews conducted at follow‐up. Results showed a reduction in psychological distress and an increase in well‐being for all participants from baseline to follow‐up. Qualitative data from a thematic analysis supported these findings: participants found the natural, calming effect of the outdoors, combined with the movement of walking, facilitated a sense of freedom to express themselves and, in doing so, maximise the benefits of the therapeutic space. These included gaining a broader perspective, heightened self‐awareness and greater acceptance of oneself, others and life's challenges. This study offers real‐world evidence supporting walk and talk therapy as an effective intervention for adult well‐being and mood.

Pendapatan dalam Hubungannya dengan Perencanaan Ekonomi Kabupaten Muaro Jambi dilihat dari Sisi Perkembangan Indeks Gini Kabupaten Muaro Jambi

Analysis of the Gini index based on education level shows significant inequality in the distribution of education in society. Higher levels of education tend to be accessed by groups with higher incomes, while groups with lower incomes often face barriers to obtaining quality education. This is reflected in the Gini index, which shows that the gap between groups with good and limited access to education is widening. This inequality has an impact on economic opportunities and social mobility, suggesting that improvements in a more inclusive education system and equal access to education across all levels of society are essential to reducing inequality and achieving greater social justice. The secondary sector in Muaro Jambi also shows significant levels of inequality. In the manufacturing and processing industries, large companies that produce goods on a large scale often make substantial profits, while small and medium enterprises struggle to compete. Inequality is also reflected in the construction sector, where the income gap between skilled and unskilled construction workers, and between large and small contractors, is quite striking. This contributes to the high Gini index in this sector, reflecting income inequality among workers and employers. In the tertiary sector, which includes services, retail, finance, and insurance, income inequality tends to be higher. In the service sector, the difference in income between workers in customer service and managers or professionals is very large. In the finance and insurance sector, income inequality is also significant because wages in this sector are often very high compared to other sectors, creating a large gap between workers in these fields and those in lower-wage sectors. This unequal distribution of income leads to a high Gini index in the tertiary sector. The quaternary sector in Muaro Jambi, which includes technology, information, and research and development, shows high levels of inequality. This inequality is caused by the large differences in wages between technology professionals and workers in non-technology sectors, as well as between workers in large technology companies and small businesses. Specialized skills and high levels of education in this sector are often directly related to high incomes, while those in less skilled or educated positions earn much lower wages. This creates a clear inequality in the distribution of income in this sector.

Boosting Competitiveness Through the Alignment of Corporate Social Responsibility, Strategic Management and Compensation Systems in Technology Companies: A Case Study

Boosting Competitiveness Through the Alignment of Corporate Social Responsibility, Strategic Management and Compensation Systems in Technology Companies: A Case Study

A leadership and policy development model for driving operational success in tech companies

In the fast-evolving landscape of technology companies, leadership plays a critical role in shaping operational policies that align with long-term business goals. This review introduces a leadership and policy development model designed to drive operational success in technology-driven organizations. The model emphasizes the importance of visionary, collaborative, and data-driven leadership in developing and implementing operational policies that not only enhance day-to-day efficiency but also support sustainable growth and innovation. The framework is built around key leadership pillars, including visionary leadership that sets a clear operational direction, collaborative leadership that fosters cross-functional engagement, and data-driven leadership that leverages analytics to inform policy decisions. It highlights the process of policy creation and implementation, beginning with an assessment of existing operational challenges, followed by the development of scalable policies that align with business strategies. The model also incorporates agile leadership, which promotes adaptability in response to rapid technological advancements and market shifts, ensuring that policies remain relevant and effective. Moreover, the model focuses on promoting operational innovation by embedding policies that encourage research and development, cross-department collaboration, and continuous improvement. Leaders are encouraged to integrate Lean and Agile methodologies within policies to streamline processes, reduce inefficiencies, and improve overall operational performance. Through real-world case studies and applications, this review demonstrates how technology companies can benefit from leadership that actively shapes policies to foster operational excellence. The proposed model serves as a strategic tool for tech leaders, helping them align operational policies with long-term objectives, drive innovation, and maintain competitive advantage in the global market. By adopting this leadership-driven policy approach, tech companies can enhance their ability to scale effectively and sustain operational success in an ever-changing environment.

Technology Empowers Finance: Boundaries and Risks

BigTech credit has enhanced financial inclusion, but it also poses concerns with its boundaries. This article uses theoretical frameworks and numerical simulations to examine the risks and inclusiveness of technology-empowered credit services for “long-tail” clients. This research discovered that the discrepancy between the commercial boundaries of BigTech credit and the technical limitations of risk management poses a risk in BigTech credit. The expanding boundaries of BigTech’s credit business may mitigate the representativeness of the data, resulting in a systematic deviation of unclear characteristics from the training sample data, which reduces the risk-control model’s ability to identify long-tail customers and raises the risk of credit defaults. Further computer simulations validate these results and demonstrate that competition among various companies would expedite the market’s transition over the boundary in case of a capital shortage. Finally, this article proposes setting up a joint-stock social unified credit technology company with data assets as an investment to facilitate the healthy and orderly development of financial technology institutions.

THE EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION

This paper aims to describe, based on an analysis of what is contained in the literature, the introduction and evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education, thus constructing a historical record of these technologies. The project is justified by the relevance of the topic and the importance that ICT represented during the pandemic period, practically saving education from two years of social isolation, leaving millions of students out of school, enabling, even with some difficulties encountered by teachers and students, the continuity of pedagogical activities, minimizing the educational losses of a period never seen before in the history of education. It is clear that these ICT should be incorporated into the pedagogical projects of the courses, since Ifes has an academic environment Moodle (Modular Dynamic Object-Oriented Learning Environment) available that enables pedagogical activities for teachers and students. Given the many new digital technologies that have emerged in recent times, it is possible to see that digital communication and information technologies have become a fertile field for technology companies, developers, and researchers in the area of ​​technology and education, since they have seen technologies as a tool capable of providing a transformation of teaching-learning methods and practices that are important for achieving pedagogical objectives, thus not diminishing the role of educators, nor even replacing them, but allowing some tasks and functions to be expanded and diversified. It is also worth noting that TDCI encompasses other sectors, becoming multidimensional with roots spread throughout society. The legislation that governs the introduction and use of technological equipment in the classroom has advanced and encouraged its use in everyday school activities.

Present and Future Actions of CETYS University to Mitigate Climate Action

The strategic location of CETYS University, in Baja California state in the northwest of Mexico, gives it exceptional conditions for the use of renewable energies. With an installed photovoltaic solar energy capacity of 1.37 MW, it is the academic institution with the greatest generation potential in Latin America. The importance that CETYS University gives to the subject has stimulated the institution since 2015 to offer a degree and master's degree in renewable energy to have greater and better collaboration with solar and wind energy technology companies located in the state. With a vision of the future, in 2023 the CETYS Institute for Sustainability Studies (ISS) was created to promote and coordinate, among other actions, those related to energy and climate change. With a planning horizon until 2036, the ISS, looking forward, has proposed the following actions: a) an internal audit to increase the energy efficiency of their buildings and classrooms; b) support for research projects to build on-campus operational small-scale wind energy systems; c) the deployment of the 300 x 500 program, which seeks to plant at least 300 native trees in the region with low water consumption each year, to offset the atmospheric emissions of 500 vehicles; d) a policy to achieve 80% carbon neutrality, and e) the incorporation of CETYS to the network of Mexican universities for climate action. Among many others, these actions position CETYS as a leading institution in sustainable development at the regional level.

The Relationship Between EBIT/Total Revenue and Annual Returns: A Study of Leading Technology Companies

This study examines the relationship between Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT)/Total Revenue and annual returns for four leading technology companies: Amazon (AMZN), Alibaba (BABA), Google (GOOG), and Baidu (BIDU). Using data from Yahoo Finance from 2018 to 2022 and applying regression analysis, the study finds a significant positive relationship between EBIT/Total Revenue ratios and annual returns. This suggests that higher EBIT/Total Revenue ratios may be associated with better annual returns. However, limitations include a narrow sample size and time frame, which may affect the generalizability of the results. Future research should consider a broader sample and longer time periods.