Information Communication Research Articles

Digital platforms and SMEs’ performance: the moderating effect of intellectual capital and environmental dynamism

PurposeThis research aims to shed light on the linkage between digital platforms and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) performance and consider the moderating effect of intellectual capital and environmental dynamism.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies a quantitative approach using a sample of primary data from 508 managers and directors of Vietnamese SMEs, using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsThe utilization of digital platforms by managers and directors has a positive impact on enhancing intellectual capital. However, under the influence of external environment changes, this trend may shift towards a negative direction. The ability to utilize digital platforms, whether directly or through information communication, positively affects the performance of businesses. Research has shown that the positive promotion of digital platform capability for intellectual capital factors such as human capital, organizational capital, and relational capital decreases when the external environment changes in the context of uncertain globalization.Originality/valueThis research focuses on SMEs operating in the technology and e-commerce sectors and it evidences that digital platforms are an effective baseline driver for promoting high-performing SMEs. By examining the connection between digital platform’s capability and IC and the significance of intellectual capital for SMEs’ performance, this study adds to the body of literature already available on the destructive regulatory potential of environmental dynamism. This study broadens the dynamic capabilities theory’s outcome audience and adds a new dimension to the impact of the digital platform’s capability (resource utilization) on the performance of SMEs.

Remote operation of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility

Full remote scientific operation of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility is now possible through significant advances in the computer science hardware and software infrastructure made over the last decade. Capabilities around information visualization, data movement, and communication have all been enhanced. The level of capability deployed to remotely operate DIII-D required an infrastructure advancement over what had previously been achieved in the fusion community. The large quantity of real-time data that is automatically displayed on DIII-D’s control room screens can now be visualized by remote participants via web-based applications. New audio/video solutions using the VoIP and instant messaging application Discord have been implemented to mimic the dynamic and ad-hoc scientific conversations that are critical in successfully operating an experimental campaign. Discord’s ability for a user to rapidly move between audio channels, text with images, and share screens is a significant enhancement over traditional videoconferencing tools. In addition, multiple combinations of broadcast audio are made available via a web-based application to allow remote participants to simultaneously listen to general announcements/sounds while conducting their own specific conversations. Secure methodologies have been put into place to allow remote control of hardware including DIII-D’s plasma control system application. Secure methods also included the ability of the on-site team to closely coordinate their work with remote team members which has been enhanced through extensions to the wireless network and the use of tablet computers for audio/video/screen sharing. However, no amount of software can fully replace the need for ‘hands on hardware.’ This infrastructure was severely stress tested during the COVID-19 pandemic where occupancy of the DIII-D control room was restricted. Operational efficiency during the pandemic, measured in discharges per hour, remained high (3.8 ± 0.8) compared to values obtained pre-pandemic (3.7 ± 0.8).

Talking with clinicians about online cancer information: a survey of cancer patients and surrogate information seekers.

To describe patients' and surrogate information seekers' experiences talking to clinicians about online cancer information. To assess the impact of clinicians telling patients or surrogate seekers not to search for information online. Cross-sectional survey. A total of 282 participants, including 185 individuals with cancer and 97 surrogate seekers. Individuals were recruited through a broad consent registry and completed a 20-min survey. Cancer patients and surrogate seekers did not differ significantly in their experiences talking with clinicians about online cancer information. Nearly all patients and surrogate seekers who were told by a clinician not to go online for cancer information did so anyway. Interventions for improving cancer information seeking and communication with clinicians should target both patients and surrogate seekers. Clinicians should be educated about effective ways to communicate with patients and surrogate seekers about online cancer information.

Navigating the nexus: unraveling technological innovation, economic growth, trade openness, ICT, and CO2 emissions through symmetric and asymmetric analysis

In Malaysia’s rapid economic growth and industrialization, environmental degradation and carbon emissions pose significant challenges. As urbanization continues to rise, there is a growing recognition of the imperative to tackle CO2 emissions. Trade openness and globalization drive economic activity but also heighten environmental pressures, including CO2 emissions from transportation and industry. Information communication technology (ICT) usage, shaped by infrastructure and regulations, can either improve energy efficiency or increase energy consumption. The study examines the impacts of economic growth (EG), trade openness (TON), technological innovation (TIN), and ICT on CO2 emissions in Malaysia, using both symmetric and asymmetric methods from 1985 to 2021. While many studies have explored environmental degradation, focusing on CO2 emissions and ecological footprint indicators, only a limited number have delved into the combined impact of sustainable EG, TON, ICT, and TIN on Malaysia’s CO2 emissions. Notably, these studies have often neglected the utilization of both symmetric and asymmetric methodologies. Hence, this study employed auto-regressive distributed lag (ARDL) and non-linear ARDL approaches to investigate the dynamic effects of the studied variables. The key findings from the symmetric analysis demonstrate that EG, TON, and ICT together take part in the increase of CO2 emissions in both the short and long run. Particularly, technological innovation plays a significant role in reducing CO2 emissions in the short term through the adoption of cleaner technologies. However, the results of the NARDL bound test reveal asymmetric long-term consequences of technological innovation, economic growth, and ICT on CO2 emissions. The study underscores the need for CO2 reduction policies in Malaysia, advocating for measures, such as incentivizing cleaner technologies and upgrading energy infrastructure. It also recommends implementing carbon pricing mechanisms for production and trade, alongside awareness campaigns to foster behavioral changes aimed at reducing emissions.

Engineered 3D Vortex Array with Customized Energy and Topological Charges for Multi‐View Display

AbstractArrays of multiple vortex beams enhance parallel processing capabilities from particle manipulation to information communication. However, the spatial position, topological charge, and energy parameters of the vortex beams within the array have yet to be precisely controlled, posing significant challenges to the realization of multi‐view 3D Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) display using vortex arrays as information carriers. To address this issue, a method for generating vortex arrays based on a phase‐only hologram, customizing the array by using the energy and OAM spectrum of each vortex beam as the loss function is developed. Experimental results indicate that a 2D array generates 100 vortex beams in the spatial frequency domain, while a 3D array in the Fresnel zone produces 252 vortex beams across 7 planes, each with 36 unprecedentedly controllable energy and topological charge vortex beams. Subsequently, images of 4 views using the 3D vortex arrays and decoded through coordinate transformation to achieve a multi‐view 3D OAM display are encoded. The results demonstrate imaging quality with Mean Peak Signal‐to‐Noise Ratio (MPSNR) of 12.7, 13.0, 13.4, and 12.2 dB in 4 views, respectively, offering promising opportunities for applications in 3D optical manipulation, high‐capacity communication, and 3D OAM holography.

Examining Varying Effects of Companies’ Strategic CSR Communication on Employees’ CSR Participation

ABSTRACT This study examines the effects of strategic CSR communication on employees’ CSR participation. Drawing on the sensemaking and sensegiving theoretical frameworks, alongside informative, dialogic, and meaning-making strategies in CSR communication. A survey (N = 406) revealed that all three strategies were positively associated with employees’ CSR participation. Further SEM analysis with CSR awareness as a moderator showed that higher awareness of CSR strengthens the impact of informative communication, while lower awareness enhances the impact of meaning-making CSR communication. Dialogic CSR communication’s effect on employees’ CSR participation was not significantly influenced by varying CSR awareness. Theoretically, this study advances the internal CSR communication literature by contrasting different organizational CSR communication strategies. It also suggests that organizations should incorporate diverse CSR communication strategies in organizational training to enhance employees’ involvement in CSR activities.

Communication of information in systems of heterogeneous agents and systems’ dynamics

Communication of information in systems of heterogeneous agents and systems’ dynamics

Lighthouse in the Mist

Previous research has explored the interactions between public leaders and citizens through social media channels. However, there is a gap in our understanding regarding the communication of limited information to the public during times of crisis. This study focuses on the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic as a crisis scenario and investigates how state governors utilized Twitter to communicate with the public, as well as the subsequent impact on citizens' responses. Employing computational social science techniques, this research analyzes a dataset comprising 47,831 tweets posted by U.S. state governors during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic, spanning from March to August 2020. The results affirm the crucial role of social media in crisis communication and offer insights into effective social media strategies for public communication.

Light Weight Concurrent Scheduling of Mobile Sink routing protocol towards Minimization of Propagation Delay against Spatial and Temporal Uncertainties of Cluster based Wireless Sensor Network

Wireless Sensor Network highly exposed to certain security attacks due to various uncertainties of the network which lead to node compromise. Hence considerable attention has been made by researcher during scheduling of the mobile sink to data collection of sensed information from the sensor nodes. Many secure data aggregation mechanism has been proposed to withstand the network against these kind of attack. Despite of many advantageous, those architectures will lead to several limitations such as large propagation delay and high energy consumption and spatial and temporal uncertainties. In order to mitigate those challenges, Light Weight Concurrent Scheduling of Mobile Sink routing protocol towards Minimization of Propagation Delay against Spatial and Temporal Uncertainties of Wireless Sensor Network is designed. It should be capable achieving energy efficiency and collision avoidance due to uncertainty in transmission and reception. Proposed model eliminates the packet collision and poor channel utilization challenges. Initially, node is partitioned and cluster head is selected based on the highest energy density of the node in the particular location. Employing Full duplex channel easily examines the spatial and temporal characteristic of the node through utilization cache information of routing table. It further helps to build the light weight scheme with behavioral strategies of the nodes for secure propagation of the sensed data to the mobile sink. Light weight scheme deployed in mobile sinks estimate the node trustworthiness and simultaneously collects the secure aggregated data packets of the sensor node through cluster head against dynamic time slots concurrently .Comparing with traditional secure routing architecture, simulation results demonstrates that proposed architecture can reduce the propagation delay against various uncertainties and maximizes the life time of the network on increasing the networking performances with respect to packet delivery ratio, throughput and propagation delay. Finally proposed model obtains the cooperative communication of sensor node information to the base station through mobile sink on heterogeneous wireless sensor network environment. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52783/pst.387

“I wish I knew more than my 15-year-old”: Mother and early adolescent reflections on information communication technologies

ABSTRACT This qualitative exploratory study used thematic and dyadic analyses to examine the perceptions of nine White mother-early adolescent dyads regarding information communication technology (ICT) use. Using a general thematic analysis, three major themes presented in the data. Mother and early adolescents focused on ideas for good use of ICT, suggestions for parent education, and ideas about safety including a request for trust from early adolescent participants. Data were also analyzed using a dyadic technique to examine overlaps and differences in mother-early adolescent perceptions. The discussion is presented using a symbolic interactionist lens to explore shared and differing meanings related to ICT use between mothers and early adolescents. Suggestions for community and family life educators are included.

The impact of credit accessibility and information communication technology on the income of small-scale sugarcane farmers in Ndwedwe Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa

IntroductionAccess to credit and information and communication technology (ICT) plays a pivotal role in enhancing the practices of small-scale sugarcane farmers, impacting their financial, social, and economic wellbeing. However, many small-scale farmers need help accessing these resources, thereby affecting their ability to generate sustainable income. This study aimed to assess the factors influencing the adoption of ICT and access to credit and their subsequent impact on small-scale farmers' income.MethodsEmploying a multistage sampling technique, 300 small-scale farmers were selected as participants in the study. The recursive bivariate probit regression model was used to assess the factors affecting adoption ICT and a selectivity-corrected ordinary least square regression model was utilized to estimate the synergistic effect of ICT adoption and access to credit on the income of small-scale sugarcane farmers.Results and discussionThe findings revealed that approximately 77% of small-scale farmers had access to credit, while more than 80% had adopted ICT. The results derived from the recursive bivariate probit (RBP) regression model indicated that access to credit, education, and extension support positively and significantly influenced the adoption of ICT. Conversely, marital status and non-farm income exhibited a negative and significant influence on the adoption of ICT. Gender and marital status were positively and significantly associated with access to credit, whereas age, education, and non-farm income showed a negative and significant relationship on access to credit. Subsequently, a selectivity-corrected ordinary least square regression model analysis revealed that factors such as gender, marital status, extension, government support, and transportation costs positively and significantly influenced farmer's income. In contrast, education, employment status, and non-farm income exhibited a negative and significant influence on income.Conclusion and recommendationsThe study concludes that socio-demographic factors, such as gender, marital status, extension support, government support, and transportation costs, positively contribute to farmers' income. Small-scale sugarcane farmer involvement in other non-farm activities is associated with reduced farm income. This implies that farmers' livelihoods options are reduced as they can only focus on sugarcane development as a source of income. There is a pressing need to educate small-scale farmers on ICT and provide them with access to agricultural credit. Additionally, extension workers should offer advisory support to small-scale farmers requiring assistance in accessing agricultural credit. There is a need to train sugarcane farmers on different agricultural income generating activities to reduce their over-reliance on sugarcane development. By addressing the identified socio-demographic factors and implementing targeted policy interventions, stakeholders can foster an enabling environment for small-scale farmers to thrive, ultimately contributing to the sustainable development of the sugarcane sector and the broader agricultural landscape in South Africa.

The Applied Research of E-commerce Technology from the Perspective of Communication Studies

With the rapid development of computer network technology and information technology, the e-commerce mode is constantly innovated and applied, which has injected new vitality into the commercial activities. In terms of technology, advanced technologies such as mobile payment, artificial intelligence, big data and AR technology have been widely used in the field of e-commerce, and the innovation of e-commerce technology has also promoted the enrichment of content and diversification of information dissemination. As a subject of information communication and communication, communication science provides important theoretical support and practical guidance for the development of e-commerce technology. From the perspective of communication science, this paper discusses in-depth the innovation and application of e-commerce technology, aiming to reveal the important role of the principle of communication science in the development of e-commerce technology, and discuss how to promote the sustainable development of e-commerce industry through technological innovation and application.

“Infographing” Dementia Prevention: A Co-Design Approach

ABSTRACT Designing effective public health messages is challenging, particularly when communicating complex and relatively new health messages such as dementia risk prevention which are still largely unfamiliar to the public. The accessibility of these messages, especially for individuals who speak English as an additional language, remains uncertain in large scale educational interventions. A key strategy to enhance the communication of evidence-based information is to co-design infographics that optimize the accessibility and impact of visual health messages. This paper reports on the co-design process of infographing dementia prevention messages. Qualitative data were analyzed using reflective thematic analysis to generate three themes reflecting the message design preferences of participants: “all hands on deck,” “charting the course,” and “get on board.” This work supports the crucial need to engage the target audience via co-design when creating visual messages as meaningful and accessible educational tools that will resonate with the intended audience. Doing so may help health communicators navigate the creation of visual messages across diverse health domains and populations.

Insights into Cybercrime Detection and Response: A Review of Time Factor

Amidst an unprecedented period of technological progress, incorporating digital platforms into diverse domains of existence has become indispensable, fundamentally altering the operational processes of governments, businesses, and individuals. Nevertheless, the swift process of digitization has concurrently led to the emergence of cybercrime, which takes advantage of weaknesses in interconnected systems. The growing dependence of society on digital communication, commerce, and information sharing has led to the exploitation of these platforms by malicious actors for hacking, identity theft, ransomware, and phishing attacks. With the growing dependence of organizations, businesses, and individuals on digital platforms for information exchange, commerce, and communication, malicious actors have identified the susceptibilities present in these systems and have begun to exploit them. This study examines 28 research papers focusing on intrusion detection systems (IDS), and phishing detection in particular, and how quickly responses and detections in cybersecurity may be made. We investigate various approaches and quantitative measurements to comprehend the link between reaction time and detection time and emphasize the necessity of minimizing both for improved cybersecurity. The research focuses on reducing detection and reaction times, especially for phishing attempts, to improve cybersecurity. In smart grids and automobile control networks, faster attack detection is important, and machine learning can help. It also stresses the necessity to improve protocols to address increasing cyber risks while maintaining scalability, interoperability, and resilience. Although machine-learning-based techniques have the potential for detection precision and reaction speed, obstacles still need to be addressed to attain real-time capabilities and adjust to constantly changing threats. To create effective defensive mechanisms against cyberattacks, future research topics include investigating innovative methodologies, integrating real-time threat intelligence, and encouraging collaboration.

Weekly information communication technology availability demand and family experiences in dual‐earner couples: A perspective from the spillover–crossover model

AbstractThe prevalence of information communication technology (ICT) enables employees to conveniently communicate with coworkers and clients regardless of time and place. However, recent studies have revealed a negative side of ICT use, especially its capacity to invade the family domain. This study was developed based on the spillover–crossover model (SCM) to test how ICT availability demand shapes employees' family experiences and how this demand crosses over to spouses. A total of 961 cases nested in 101 dual‐earner couples were collected using a 10‐week experience sampling method. Multilevel structural equation modelling revealed that (1) employees' work interference with family (WIF) mediated the indirect impact of employees' ICT availability demand on their family satisfaction and family undermining; (2) employees' WIF mediated the indirect impact of employees' ICT availability demand on their spouses' family satisfaction and family undermining; and (3) employees' ICT control buffered these two indirect relationships by which employees' ICT availability demand impacted their own and their spouses' family satisfaction and family undermining. This research elaborates on the spillover and crossover process through which ICT availability demand shapes family experience, thus contributing to the literature on ICT availability demand and the SCM.

The intentions of pregnant women to give birth at a health facility and associated factors in the Aleta-Wondo rural District, Ethiopia: A community based cross-sectional study.

Pregnancy and childbirth-related complications are the leading causes of death among women of the reproductive age group. Giving birth at a health facility is crucial to prevent these complications. Hence, this study aimed to assess the pregnant women's intentions to give birth at a health facility and associated factors in the Aleta-Wondo rural District, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 421 pregnant women. Data were collected by using an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. The collected data were entered into Epidata 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to assess the presence and strength of association. A p-value ≤0.05 was applied to declare statistical significance. Generally, 61.3% (95% CI: 57.0, 66.3) of the respondents intended to give birth in a health facility. Receiving information from health professionals (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI: 1.5, 4.4), perceived threats (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI: 2.6, 7.6), perceived benefits (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1, 4.9), perceived barriers (AOR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 0.7) were factors significantly associated with pregnant women's intention. Pregnant women's intention to give birth in a healthcare setting is low in the study area. Strengthening information communication with healthcare professionals and reducing threats and barriers that affect pregnant women's intentions is essential. Moreover, we recommend further research with mixed methods.

Agricultural Information Needs and Resources of Smallholder Sugarcane Farmers in Swaziland

Abstract The sugar industry is the dominant agricultural sector in Swaziland’s economy, contributing significantly to the gross domestic product. Provision of relevant and timely information to smallholder sugarcane farmers is crucial for them to have a competitive footing with large-scale counterparts and reduce poverty. However, there is limited literature on the information needs and the kind of information communication resources that could make the dissemination of information to farmers efficient and effective. This study thus aims to investigate the information needs and resources of smallholder sugarcane farmers in Swaziland to inform the provision of information services in the sugar industry. It was underpinned by a positivist paradigm and used the survey research method complemented by methodological triangulation to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Data was collected using survey questionnaires and face-to-face interviews, with 168 responses and six interviews conducted. The findings revealed that 71 % of information needs of farmers were primarily in legislative compliance, sugarcane crop husbandry, markets and transport, and financial advice information, however, there were no statistically significant differences between the three mill groups in information needs. The smallholder sugarcane farmers also mostly obtained agricultural information through extension officers, farmer groups, and mobile phones, indicating that required information was mainly accessed through face-to-face interactions. The empirical findings of the study have implications for practice, policy, and theory with respect to guiding the implementation of agricultural information services by information providers in the context of rural farmers in developing countries.

Information Communication and Technology Resource Availability and Integration in Instruction among Secondary Schools in Habaswein Sub-county

Incorporation of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) in learning has been established as crucial for enabling teachers to replace traditional methods of teaching with technology-enabled education facilities. In Kenya, under vision 2030, ICT is deemed to be among the key elements essential for transforming the nation’s development. The Ministry of Education, through the Education Blue print dated 2013-2025, highlights the essence of technology-aided teaching and learning in the school’s national curriculum. This study aims to examine the availability of instructional ICT resources in government secondary schools in Habaswein sub-county Descriptive survey design was employed in this study. The study targeted nine secondary schools in the region. Piloting of study was carried out in Sarif Mixed Day Secondary School within Habaswein Sub-County. Data was gathered using semi-structured interviews and questionnaire to allow the respondents present their unbound views about the issue being explored. The qualitative data collected was analyzed using thematic data analysis method while quantitative data obtained was analyzed using SPSS. The study concludes that information communication and technology resource availability has a significant association (r = 0.644, p<.001) with ICT integration in instructions. The study recommends for provision of adequate ICT resources for effective ICT integration in in instructions in public secondary schools in Habaswein Sub- County.

Transboundary COVID-19 response on health communication in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe

A global COVID-19 pandemic caused untold community disruptions, a huge toll on lives and placed major burdens on the economies of developing countries. It spread worldwide within a short period of time before nations could mobilise evidence for the best responses. Communities in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe were heavily disrupted. This article focuses on exploring the transboundary differences in COVID-19 responses, plus the implications for improving the health communication strategies in a pandemic age. Health practitioners and governments were ill-prepared to inform the general public about the pandemic and enforced complete shutdowns of economic and social activities. With the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging communities, there was a dearth of focused health communication on COVID-19’s end. New tools of communication and dissemination of information were embraced in the southern Africa country-specific cases. For example, content on precautionary lifestyles, individual or personal responsibility and utilisation of community health workers in the pandemic era was prioritised to prevent or minimise infections and avoid recurrence of the disease. New communication methods were important for addressing uncertainty and can be applied for any future pandemic. This health communication topic addresses the neglected, but important gap on the efficacy of processes towards better health communication strategies. The transdisciplinary methods include improved health communication strategies informed by the experiences of three Southern African Development Community countries. While such measures to arrest COVID-19 proved plausible, these countries’ projections for the future are a concern, suggesting an urgent need to enhance and strengthen health communication in southern Africa.Transdisciplinary contribution: This is a transdisciplinary exploration of health communication and its implications for COVID-19 and future pandemic responses in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The development and evaluation of an online journal club: perspectives from student participants and practitioners

ABSTRACT The coronavirus pandemic which began during the 2019/2020 academic calendar has had a significant impact on many educational providers. The Open University, UK, the largest distance tertiary provider in Europe, is ideally placed to share its experience in online and distance education. This paper outlines the use of the Online Journal Club (OJC) as a mechanism for increasing student ownership of learning within the context of an online academic community. OJCs provide an informal, low-risk environment for students to share topics of interest with fellow students, whilst practitioners step back from their traditional roles. Our findings indicate that OJCs provide an enriching and authentic experience for distance learning students, developing academic and employability skills, including digital and information literacy and communication skills. Furthermore, OJCs can act as a potentially transformative experience for practitioners.