Information-sharing Practices Research Articles

A Verifiable Multi-Secret Sharing Scheme for Hierarchical Access Structure

Sharing confidential information is a critical concern in today’s world. Secret sharing schemes facilitate the sharing of secrets in a way that ensures only authorized participants (shareholders) can access the secret using their allocated shares. Hierarchical secret sharing schemes (HSSSs) build upon Shamir’s scheme by organizing participants into different levels based on priority. Within HSSS, participants at each level can reconstruct the secret if a specified number, denoted as the threshold value (t), or more of them are present. Each level has a predetermined threshold value. If the number of participants falls below the threshold at any level, higher-level participants must be involved in reconstructing the secret at lower levels. Our paper proposes schemes that implement hierarchical access structures and enable the sharing of multiple secrets. Additionally, our proposed scheme includes share verification. We have analyzed potential attacks and demonstrated the scheme’s resistance against them. Through security analysis and comparison with existing schemes, we highlight the novelty and superiority of our proposed approach, contributing to advancements in secure information-sharing practices.

Influence of ICT Resources Utilization on Social Information Sharing among Undergraduates in Federal University Oye Ekiti, Nigeria

The study examined the influence of ICT resource utilization on social information sharing among undergraduates at Federal University Oye Ekiti, Nigeria. It employed the descriptive survey design. The population comprises all undergraduates in the faculty of education at Federal University Oye Ekiti. A total of 200 students volunteered to participate in this study using a simple random sampling technique. The main instrument for data collection was a semi-structured question which was validated with a Cronbach’s alpha score of 0.7 and above. Data collected from respondents was analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequency, table, mean, and standard deviation. The formulated hypothesis was analyzed with Spearman rank regression analysis. Results indicated a generally high extent of social information-sharing practices among undergraduates in the selected university with an average mean score of 3.4 on a scale of 4 points. Findings further indicated that computers (mean=3.0, RII=0.9) and Google Meet (mean=3.0, RII=0.9) were the most commonly used among the ICT resources used by undergraduates. Others include smartphones (mean = 2.9, RII = 0.9), Google (mean = 2.6, RII = 0.8), software programs (mean = 2.6, RII= 0.8), emails (mean = 2.6, RII= 0.8), projectors (mean = 2.2, RII= 0.7), interactive online teaching platforms (mean = 2.2, RII= 0.7) and Slack (mean = 2.1, RII= 0.7). the study revealed a statistically significant influence of ICT resource utilization and social information-sharing practices among undergraduates in the selected university (F=48.817, p<0.05). The study concluded that the use of ICT resources should be encouraged by the university authority to move the institution to the next level through massive investment in digital educational transformation which has the potential to boost the ranking of the university among its contemporaries across the globe.

Understanding enterprise cybersecurity information sharing: a theoretical model and empirical analysis

ABSTRACT This research employs an analytical modelling approach, complemented by empirical analysis, to delve into enterprise cybersecurity information sharing strategies. Utilising a thorough cost-based analysis, we scrutinise the cybersecurity costs and security levels within enterprises, leading to the identification of three core cybersecurity strategies – risk acceptance, risk balance, and risk reduction. Additionally, we delineate four distinct information-sharing strategies: selective, balanced, extensive, and futile sharing. Supported by empirical evidence gathered from a cybersecurity forum, this investigation not only enriches scholarly discussions but also provides valuable insights. Its academic significance is accentuated by offering nuanced guidance for practitioners, facilitating the implementation of effective cybersecurity information-sharing practices.

Implementing Enhanced Recovery Pathways: A Qualitative Study of Factors That Distinguished Higher Performing Hospitals.

The aim of this study was to explore barriers and facilitators to implementing enhanced recovery pathways, with a focus on identifying factors that distinguished hospitals achieving greater levels of implementation success. Despite the clinical effectiveness of enhanced recovery pathways, the implementation of these complex interventions varies widely. While there is a growing list of contextual factors that may affect implementation, little is known about which factors distinguish between higher and lower levels of implementation success. We conducted in-depth interviews with 168 perioperative leaders, clinicians, and staff from 8 US hospitals participating in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Safety Program for Improving Surgical Care and Recovery. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we coded interview transcripts and conducted a thematic analysis of implementation barriers and facilitators. We also rated the perceived effect of factors on different levels of implementation success, as measured by hospitals' adherence with 9 process measures over time. Across all hospitals, factors with a consistently positive effect on implementation included information-sharing practices and the implementation processes of planning and engaging. Consistently negative factors included the complexity of the pathway itself, hospitals' infrastructure, and the implementation process of "executing" (particularly in altering electronic health record systems). Hospitals with the greatest improvement in process measure adherence were distinguished by clinicians' positive knowledge and beliefs about pathways and strong leadership support from both clinicians and executives. We draw upon diverse perspectives from across the perioperative continuum of care to qualitatively describe implementation factors most strongly associated with successful implementation of enhanced recovery pathways.

Between Realities: Information Sharing Practices of Deepfake Creators

ABSTRACTDeepfakes are AI‐generated multimedia that convincingly graft or replace one person's likeness onto another, resulting in remarkably realistic yet fabricated content. These sophisticated manipulations challenge users' ability to discern factual visual information as they portray individuals engaging in actions and uttering words that never occurred. This research takes a unique approach by delving into the perspective of deepfake creators through the analysis of 15 tutorial videos on YouTube. By examining creators' information‐sharing practices, this study aims to identify creators' motivations for disseminating knowledge on deepfake creation and their understanding or lack of understanding of the ethical implications of sharing such information. Achieving such an understanding can play a vital role in informing the development of regulatory measures. By examining creators' intentions and comprehending their societal impact, patterns, and characteristics, this research can contribute to the creation of effective detection technologies and strengthen content platform guidelines. Analyzing deepfake creation tutorials can facilitate the implementation of targeted and comprehensive regulatory measures, enhancing protection against potential risks and misuse.

Proximity and information sharing in hospitals and nursing homes: Development of an instrument assessing health personnel’s perceptions of proximity and information sharing with kitchen personnel

ABSTRACT Healthcare services are becoming increasingly specialized, potentially hampering interprofessional care. To provide holistic treatment and care, different professions and departments need to share information. Healthcare services also include support services, such as institutional food services, and health personnel and kitchen personnel need to share information about food and patients to serve food adapted to the patients’ nutritional needs. Healthcare institutions mainly use formal information-sharing systems, but informal communication is considered more suitable for exchanging complex information. Physical and social proximity may facilitate informal information sharing across different professions and units. We aimed to develop and test an instrument for assessing health personnel’s perceptions of physical and social proximity to, and information-sharing practices with, kitchen personnel and to describe associations between physical and social proximity and information-sharing practices. A survey questionnaire measuring proximity and information-sharing practices was developed and distributed to 368 health personnel. Scale analyses were performed to test the psychometric properties of the measures included in the questionnaire. MANOVA and regression analyses were run to assess associations between proximity and information-sharing practices. The results indicated reasonable validity of the measures, and both physical and social proximity were associated with increased informal information sharing.

The Impact of Information Sharing and Inventory Management Practices on Firms’ Performance in Supply Chain Practices

This study’s aim is to conduct an empirical investigation of the impact of supply chain practices on firm performance. The prime objective of the paper is to study the impact of information-sharing practices and inventory management on firm performance. To realize the specified objective of the study, data were gathered from 170 individuals who are familiar with the supply chain practices of the companies and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The result shows a significant direct and indirect effect of information sharing and inventory management practices on firm performance. Generally, the results show that higher information-sharing practices and better inventory management practices lead to greater firm performance; and higher information-sharing leads to improved inventory management, which in turn leads to greater firm performance. Theoretically, the result provides evidence of the effects of information sharing and inventory management on the supply chain practices’ performance in a firm. The managerial implications of the results are enhancing information sharing and inventory management practices by adopting, internalizing, and building information technology into all the business operations to enhance information sharing and inventory management practices to enhance firm performance.

A Comparative Model Analysis of Predictors of Community Pharmacists’ Collaborative Practices in Two Southwestern States in Nigeria

Background: In community pharmacy practice, pharmacists are expected to engage in collaborative activities to deliver quality service to clients. However, due to the hybrid nature (social and commercial dimensions) of the practice, certain subjective behavioral norms-competitive and information-sharing behavior may have potential influence on the collaborative behaviors of community pharmacists
 Objectives: Based on the theory of planned behavior framework, the study tests the influence of subjective norms-competitive behavior and information-sharing practices on the collaborative behavior of community pharmacists; and, investigated possible differences in the perception of respondents in two southwestern states in Nigeria
 Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study with randomly administered questionnaires to 421 community pharmacists from two purposively selected states- Lagos (230) and Ogun (191) in southwest Nigeria. A structural equation model was developed using Analysis of Moment Structures software (AMOS). Group differences were evaluated using the chi-square difference test.
 Results: Competitive behavior and information-sharing behavior are substantial predictors of collaborative behaviors among community pharmacists (R2=0.97, p<0.001). Multigroup analysis revealed differences in perception between respondents in the densely populated and less densely populated settings. Model comparisons revealed insignificant group differences.
 Conclusion: The study confirmed that information-sharing and competitive behavior have a positive and significant influence on collaborative behavior. The findings of the study imply that no link exists between the geographical placement of community pharmacists and differences in their practice behavior. Professional associations and regulatory bodies should provide training and engage in participatory workshops to strengthen the right collaborative attitudes among community pharmacists. The study provides a theoretical framework for further studies in inter- and intra-professional relations among healthcare professionals.

Ground-breaking Theory of Knowledge Representation Practices for Information Sharing in IT Organization

Sharing information has become very important in the proper use of information assets, and the reason for this is that sharing information can be considered the most important part of an organization because information from organizations must be transferred and participated in order to be known and understood, wherein a clear and unambiguous information is considered a key criterion. To stimulate creativity, information sharing or integration is used to bring disparate pieces of knowledge together. Many current information sharing practices, such as training and development programs, IT systems, reports, official documents, and hard-working groups, are examples of integrating information. By integrating information everywhere to improve the quality of products and services, increases responsiveness to customer needs, develop new capabilities, and improve every aspect of the environment. This study reviews the ground-breaking theory behind information sharing in an organization. From the author’s perspective, this is the first study which gives a complete overview about knowledge representation.

"My People Already Know That": The Imagined Audience and COVID-19 Health Information Sharing Practices on Social Media.

This article examines how imagined audiences and impression management strategies shape COVID-19 health information sharing practices on social media and considers the implications of this for combatting the spread of misinformation online. In an interview study with 27 Canadian adults, participants were shown two infographics about masks and vaccines produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) and asked whether or not they would share these on social media. We find that interviewees’ willingness to share the WHO infographics is negotiated against their mental perception of the online audience, which is conceptualized in three distinct ways. First, interviewees who would not share the infographics frequently describe a self-similar audience of peers that are “in the know” about COVID-19; second, those who might share the infographics conjure a specific and contextual audience who “needs” the information; and finally, those who said they would share the infographics most frequently conjure an abstract audience of “the public” or “my community” to explain that decision. Implications of these sharing behaviors for combatting the spread of misinformation are discussed.

Relationship between school mindfulness and collaborative school climate

School mindfulness is the maintenance of individual and collective attention to organizational operations in a school. Mindful teachers and school principals develop appropriate organizational behaviors by examining all details of all practices in the school in terms of their originality with different expert opinions. In this research, the organizational mechanisms that can contribute to the development of organizational mindfulness have been investigated. For this purpose, the effects on school mindfulness of information-sharing practices at administrative and peer levels, which are organizational subprocesses of the collaborative organizational climate, were investigated. This research was designed according to the quantitative research approach and relational design. A collaborative school climate includes important organizational mechanisms that have the potential to improve school mindfulness, especially through organizational practices that encourage the sharing of knowledge. The findings of this study, which was designed according to the quantitative research approach and relational design, contain important implications for collaborative organizational processes that have the potential to improve mindfulness among school principals and faculty members.

Mental Health and PCOS Information-Sharing: Interviews with Health Care Providers in a Low-Income Urban Community.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a female metabolic-endocrine disorder typically characterized by menstrual dysfunction, hyperandrogenism, and/or polycystic ovaries. While comorbidity with poor mental health is often observed, it is less understood if women of color are given information on PCOS, mental health, or both by healthcare providers. This paper examines the information-sharing practices of healthcare providers serving a low-income, predominantly Latino/Hispanic municipality in Southeast Los Angeles, CA. Of 65 providers identified across 27 clinics in the service area, four participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Four themes relating to PCOS and mental health information were identified using content analysis. Results suggest that information-sharing on PCOS is limited to symptomatic patients and varies by provider specialization. Poor mental health as a side effect of PCOS is not elaborated on during patient-provider interactions within the explored service area. Implications and directions for further research are discussed, including mixed methods approaches for contextual information on PCOS among women of color and recommendations for improving communication among healthcare providers.

Privacy Concern Behaviour on Social Media Sites: A Comparative Analysis of Urban and Rural Users

Numerous researchers have examined various aspects of privacy concern and information-sharing behaviour for online social networking sites; few past researches stated that social media users' privacy concern behavior influenced by their demographic profile. This article attempts to analyse social networking users’ privacy concerns and information-sharing behaviours for urban and rural areas of India. It additionally investigates privacy concerns among users with distinctive levels of Internet addiction. It has been observed that are most of the respondents are susceptible to privacy infringement because of their online social media awareness. The examination finds that urban and rural users vary in their information-sharing practices and privacy adaption. Urbanites might be at more serious risk to privacy infringement and information sharing on account of their valuable data and their social media practices. Furthermore, social media users are dependent on the privacy alerts and settings available to them while sharing information on the various social media sites. Users with low social media awareness might be powerless against privacy infringement in the absence of such alerts from the site administrators. Potential implications of discoveries are given and advice for future research had been also discussed.

Bringing juvenile justice and public health systems together to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of justice-involved youth.

Constitutional mandates require access to medical testing and treatment in correctional settings, including sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care services. These same mandates do not apply to youth supervised in the community, who represent the majority of justice-involved youth. Waiting until youth are in detention settings to provide access to SRH services misses an opportunity to improve health outcomes for youth who have earlier points of contact with the system. This mixed-methods study explored structural intervention development and policy geared toward increasing access to and uptake of SRH prevention, treatment, care, and support services for court-involved, nonincarcerated (CINI) youth. Data were collected from a nationwide survey (N = 226) and qualitative interviews (N = 18) with juvenile justice (JJ) and public health (PH) system stakeholders between December 2015 and January 2017. Results suggest both PH and JJ stakeholders perceive CINI youth as having substantial, largely unmet SRH care needs due to a lack of services, policies, or procedures to address these needs. Barriers to implementing programs and policies to improve SRH services for this population include limited resources (e.g., staffing, time); perceived irrelevance for juvenile court, probation, or other community supervision settings; and concerns about confidentiality, privacy, and information sharing. Recommendations for effective intervention included colocating services, justice-to-community referrals, and service linkages (e.g., through a community health navigator), and staff education around youth SRH confidentiality and information-sharing practices. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Bodies and Documents: The Material Impact of Collaborative Information- Sharing Within the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program

This study examines information-sharing practices within the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), focusing on the program as it is administered within Ontario. I analyze 61 documents for their content, codification of stakeholder relationships, and discourse regarding the program. Documents were selected based on their creation, use, or circulation within Ontario, and based on the likelihood that at least one stakeholder group would look to the document for (what they perceive to be) reliable information. Documents include, for example, SAWP contracts, webpages describing program requirements, and e-pamphlets on workplace safety and accessing services. Document analysis was supplemented by interviews with industry and service provider experts, which guided interpretation of documents’ significance. I argue that documents function as material actors, alongside (and sometimes beyond) human actors, and make physical impact on SAWP bodies and realities. Documents construct and uphold neoliberal structures surrounding the program by contributing to the creation and sustaining of incomplete, labour-centric individuals. Through consistent sharing of narrow, “work” information, and the rare inclusion of more well-rounded, “non-work” knowledge, documents subtly discipline the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable communication. In doing so, material actors (alongside other SAWP actors) perpetuate a foreign worker program which does not consider the varied, complex needs of whole persons but, instead, treats them as disposable labouring bodies.

P–505 The right age to tell? The insufficiency of the age criteria for characterizing the experience of French donor conceived families in disclosing to their offspring

Abstract Study question Is age a key criteria for characterizing the experience of families in telling donor offspring about the facts of their conception? Summary answer The study shows that, although donor offspring’s age at the time of disclosure has an impact, it is insufficient to describe these families’ experiences What is known already Secrecy was the norm for decades in donor conception, but “openness” has now become the new core value for institutions, professionals and interest groups. Accordingly, in recent years information-sharing practices have shifted in donor conceived families, but a proportion of parents, especially heterosexual couples, still appear to not inform their children about their being donor conceived. Disclosure recommendations seem difficult to apply in practice. A recurring question is: when should children be told? Age is presented as a key criteria: the younger the children are when their conception story is shared, the less of a problem it would create. Study design, size, duration The qualitative social science study includes two sets of semi-directive interviews conducted with 20 French sperm donor conceived adults (April-Dec. 2019) and 22 French parents by sperm, egg or double donation (Feb.-Oct. 2020). Calls for interviews aimed at donor conceived adults and parents by donation were shared on the Internet, in the media (press, radio, television) and through interest groups (PMAnonyme, BAMP!, MAIA) in France. The contact initiative was left to potential participants. Participants/materials, setting, methods Donor conceived participants include 17 women and 3 men conceived 1960–2000 through anonymous sperm donation in heteroparental families. The parent participants include 20 families (20 mothers, 2 fathers) who used donor conception—mainly anonymous (19)—in France, Spain and the Czech Republic starting in the 1980s. 17 conceived as heteroparental couples, 2 as solo-mothers-by-choice and 1 as a same-sex couple. 17 have already informed their offspring of the facts of their conception. Main results and the role of chance The participants’ experiences of disclosure appear to be bound to their historical and social context, especially regarding the prevailing norms on secrecy. Older parents mention having been advised by clinic professionals to keep the facts of their conception from their child(ren). Some also feared the stigma related to infertility. In contrast, some younger donor conceived participants recall the use of a children’s book while being told of their conception as toddlers. Beyond age, the larger context thus affects information-sharing practices. Furthermore, experiences of disclosure are impacted by the family context and history. Some are embedded within larger events such as divorces or the death of a family member. The story of the donation may be linked to narratives of diseases (such as cancer) or traumatic events (such as the loss of a fetus in utero) that may prevail over donor conception or make it untellable. Age proves to be an insufficient criteria to qualify these experiences, all the more so since “disclosure” sometimes unfolds in several steps. Some parents have first talked about their fertility issues without mentioning the use of a donor. Behind the prevailing norm of “openness”, difficulties in actually disclosing are confirmed. Limitations, reasons for caution Being qualitative, the study only includes a small number of participants without claiming exhaustivity nor representativity. It imperfectly reports on the view of those who do not disclose, as all participants question the principle of secrecy, many being members of interest groups defending openness. Wider implications of the findings: Our results complement existing studies that emphasize the weight of age in donor conceived families’ experience regarding disclosure. Age alone cannot describe information-sharing practices that are embedded within their historical and social context as well as the family context and history. Results thus inform familial difficulties related to disclosure. Trial registration number Not applicable

The role of social capital in the institutionalization of regional place marketing activity

This paper aims to study the outcomes of the regional level place marketing projects, which contribute towards the fruition of long-term place marketing or branding goals. It applies a theoretical framework based on institutional and social capital theories. Hence, it highlights the role of networks, norms of behavior and values, and trust regarding the institutionalization of regional place marketing activity. Two ERDF (European Structural Development Funding)-funded regional place marketing projects carried out in eastern Finland are explored. The empirical material consists of 23 semi-structured interviews of steering group members of the projects and documentary data on the later developments of the place marketing activity in the regions. The findings show that social capital generated during the projects contributed to the institutionalization of place marketing activity by reinforcing the will to do place marketing together, forming information-sharing practices, and expanding and strengthening stakeholder networks. Results indicate that social relations and structures that are formed during the place marketing collaborations can extend the lifespan of regional place marketing activity beyond short-lived projects, while there remains a need to develop this perspective into a measurable variable.

Gender Differences in Awareness and Participation: Case of Information Sharing Practices in Maasai Community in Kenya

Gender Differences in Awareness and Participation: Case of Information Sharing Practices in Maasai Community in Kenya

Refugee healthcare perceptions in regional northern Australia: transition through engagement, access, trust, privacy, the old, and the new.

Current Australian Government policy aims to resettle refugees in regional Australia, but little is known about their primary and hospital healthcare experiences in these settings. By taking an interpretive approach to a narrative inquiry methodology, a qualitative study was performed to examine refugee perceptions of health care in a regional centre of northern Queensland, Australia. Purposive sampling and an interview guide were developed in partnership with the local refugee resettlement agency. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 14 refugees and involved interpreters. Transcripts were thematically organised into a story, validated by participants. Using QSR NVivo 12, all researchers analysed the transcripts. Themes were validated at a community event. Six themes were described: service issues, self-advocacy, knowledge and understanding that changes with time, interpreter issues, regional-metropolitan differentials, and the influence of the past on present behaviour. A conceptual framework involving engagement, access, trust and privacy, and the old versus the new, can be used to describe refugees' experiences. Discrimination, transport, and reliance on family and peers may be experiences that are more prominent in regional Australia. Refugees require high-quality information-sharing practices, formal support systems, and better models of service delivery for interpreting support. Clinicians need to be culturally respectful with their interactions.

Information-sharing practices on Facebook during the 2017 French presidential campaign: An “unreliable information bubble” within the extreme right

AbstractThis research explores the spread of unreliable information on Facebook during the 2017 French presidential campaign. By analyzing information-sharing behavior on 252 Facebook pages, our study highlights the wide variety of information sources shared by several political communities, notably news published by partisan websites or activist blogs. Our results demonstrate that political parties – particularly, those on the extreme ends of the political spectrum – tend to re-share a large amount of information reflecting the same ideological positions as their own. This trend is amplified by a phenomenon of endo-citation, that is, a “circular circulation” of information between Facebook pages within the same political community. Our results focus on the information practices of the far-right, tracing a clear over-representation of sources that are unreliable or likely to relay disinformation. We argue that this circular transmission of information creates an “unreliable information bubble” that characterizes far-right information-sharing behavior.