Information Sciences Institute Research Articles

IJIKM Volume 13, 2018 – Table of Contents

An international association advancing the multidisciplinary study of informing systems. Founded in 1998, the Informing Science Institute (ISI) is a global community of academics shaping the future of informing science.

Price Relations between Malaysia Rice Sector and Selected ASEAN Countries

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................. This research paper attempts to assess how the Malaysia rice industry will behave if and when certain changes occur, such as the removal of policies which affect its rice import price (namely the Vietnam rice floor export price and Thailand rice pledging scheme) and which result from the ongoing region economic integration embodied in ASEAN Vision 2020. Background................................................................................................................................................................................................... Malaysia rice farming sector compared to its ASEAN neighbors has a lower comparative advantage, this is transpiring in the lowering of the rice self-sufficiency targets and levels, moreover it is characterized as less efficiently managed compared to industrial farms. Therefore, Malaysia will continue to be a net importer of rice. It is against the background that this research was done, to anticipate how the Malaysia rice industry would behave if and when the existing trade barriers in the ASEAN rice market are removed and for the adjustment of Malaysia rice farming parameters to meet the desired state of rice self-sufficiency level. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................. A system dynamics model of Malaysia rice sector with consideration of its rice import prices from ASEAN trade partners was built and tested to check if it mimics real world behavior pattern. Nevertheless, the exercise in which the model built was purposed is to foresight, the ability to anticipate how the system will behave if and when certain changes occur and a tool for policy design, it is not forecasting and it does not depend on the ability to predict. Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................. This study is in the line with previous related studies with the concern of the impact of trade liberalization on the global as well as ASEAN rice market, but the beauty of the methodology applied is into taking account of nonlinear relationship among variables of the system, the feedback loop mechanism, time delays, and the incorporation of all variables that are relevant to the problem endogenously. Thus the model simulation results are driven not by external factors, but by the internal structure of the model. The internal structure made of the feedback loos formed by the interdependency between variables. Findings....................................................................................................................................................................................................... Simulation results obtained from different Malaysia rice import price scenarios indicate a downtrend of the Malaysia rice self-sufficiency level and of less importance; the change is less than one percentage point. Recommendations for Practitioners.......................................................................................................................................................... Given the long run trend relationship between the rice import prices and the self-sufficiency levels, it may be advisable to policy makers to let the economic arguments for open trade with the risk of an increasing trend of import prices. It also prevails over the food security arguments, which might be involved in unintended consequences resulting from different forms of government intervention in the market. Recommendation for Researchers............................................................................................................................................................ There is a need to continue to conduct test based on new scenarios and model assumptions. New research to assess the impact of selected ASEAN countries price policies on Malaysia rice industry may produce different results and recommendations. For example if we assume these selected ASEAN countries price policies are moving towards a free trade orientation, as well as the Malaysia rice industry. Impact on Society......................................................................................................................................................................................... Food security is essential to the survival of the society. Thus, the supply of a staple commodity such as rice in Malaysia is essential to the social, political and economic stability of the society. Understanding the supply and demand conditions affecting the distribution of this product in the Country is critical for public and private policy making about the development of the economy and society. Rice commodity was conceptualized as a normal good in this study and we gained an insight on the rice consumption per capita behavior through different Malaysia rice import prices. What if the rice commodity is conceptually modeled as an inferior good, definitely rice consumption per capita behavior will change, with its associated impact on the economy and society. This study enables us to investigate the possible outcomes for various scenarios. Future Research.............................................................................................................................................................................................. For further research, this system dynamics model of Malaysia rice industry can be improved by including some variables closely related to trade such as the exchange rate between the United States dollar and ASEAN countries currency and the oil price, some variables which can affect the rice production such as the climate change and some variables on the rice consumers side such as the changing consumer preferences (normal Vs inferior commodity), or on the rice/paddy farmers side such as poverty alleviation.

Effect of Ethical Leadership on Corporate Governance, Performance and Social Responsibility: A Study of Selected Deposit Money Banks in Benue State, Nigeria

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose............................................................................................................................................................................. This study seeks to examine the effect of ethical leadership on corporate governance, corporate performance and corporate social responsibility in selected Nigerian deposit money banks. Background............................................................................................................................................................................. Business ethics, corporate governance and corporate social responsibility developed as movements to check unethical and corrupt practices in organizations and by extension improve the performance of the organizations. However, the application of these measures has not yielded the desired results. This is evident in the number of top executives of corporate giants like Enron of the United States of America and Satyam of India that have been embroiled in unethical practices. In Nigeria, the corporate corruption and scandal involving top management of deposit money banks has given rise to mergers, acquisition and failure of some of the banks. Thus, this study argues that there is a missing link in the application of these measures. That missing link is ethical leadership. Methodology............................................................................................................................................................................. The study employed survey research design. Stratified sampling technique was employed to select the respondents that completed the questionnaire. The generated data were analyzed using linear regression. Contribution............................................................................................................................................................................... The study established that a robust organization can be developed by main-streaming corporate governance, corporate performance and corporate social responsibility using a nurtured ethical leader. Findings..................................................................................................................................................................................... The results reveal that ethical leadership has significant positive effects on corporate governance, corporate performance and corporate social responsibility. Recommendations for Practitioners......................................................................................................................................... Management should show more commitment in the selection and development of leaders and followers. All the stakeholders should be equally involved in the formulation of corporate governance principles. A nurtured ethical leader should be employed to mainstream corporate governance, corporate performance and corporate social responsibility through the organizational culture. Recommendation for Researchers............................................................................................................................................ The use of objective measures or better still subjective measures is suggested as a way of generalizing the present findings. Impact on Society...................................................................................................................................................................... The findings of this study will expose deposit money bank stakeholders to the consequences of ethical and unethical practices. It will create in bankers the need to abide by ethical leadership and to be whistle-blowers. The findings are expected to engender more stern monitoring measures by the banks’ regulatory agency. These measures are further expected to ensure the reinvention of the banks’ organizational culture so much so that they will contain the core values of code of ethics, corporate governance, performance and social responsibility. The outcome of the study is expected to make the regulatory agency more proactive rather than being reactive to deposit money bank matters. This will consequently put a stop to the fall in the taxes accruable to government in the event of bank failure. Future Research......................................................................................................................................................................... To generalize the findings for the whole of Nigeria, similar study should be conducted in other geopolitical zones of the country.

A Circular Business Model for Cloud Computing Services Providers

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................. The main objective of the current study is to develop a business model for service providers of cloud computing which is designed based on circular economy principles and can ensure the sustainable consumption. Background Even though the demand for cloud computing technology is increasing day by day in all over the world, the current the linear economy principles are incapable to ensure society development needs. To consider the benefit of the society and the vendors at the same time, the principles of circular economy can address this issue. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................. An extensive literature review on consumption, sustainable consumption, circular economic, business model, and cloud computing were conducted. the proposed model of Osterwalder, Pigneur and Tucci (2005) is admitted designing the circular business model. Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................. The proposed model of the study is the contribution of this study where provides the guidelines for the cloud computing service providers to achieve both their economic profits and the society’ needs. Findings Finding reveals that if the cloud computing service providers design their business model based on the “access” principle of circular economy, they can meet their economic profits and the society’ needs at a same time. Recommendations for Practitioners.............................................................................................................................................................. It is recommended to the startup and the existing businesses to utilize the proposed model of this study to reach a sustainable development. Recommendation for Researchers................................................................................................................................................................ It proposes a new circular business model and its linkages with community building. Impact on Society............................................................................................................................................................................................ The proposed model of the study provides guidelines to the cloud computing service providers to design a business model which is able not only to meet their economic profit, but also to meet the society’s and customers’ benefits. Future Research............................................................................................................................................................................................... Future researches can build on this research model which proposed in this study to examine the limitations of this model by using empirical researches.

A Quest for BGSS Pervasive Phenomenon Model

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................. The objective of this research is to analyze the literature to-date thoroughly and conceptualize a born-global speculative start-up (BGSS) pervasive phenomenon model. Background................................................................................................................................................................................. The concept of ‘Born-Global’ or International New Venture (INV) firm was introduced into business theory in 1988. Over the last decades BGSSs such as Apple, IBM, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and many others have emerged effecting everyday life incomparably by contributing millions of people employment and making significant difference through corporate social responsibility (CSR) for the global community at large. Pervasive technologies and pervasive advertising has played a pivotal role informing the BGSS stakeholders, especially consumers, influencing pervasiveness in the contemporary society. Even though researchers have made invaluable contributions in the field of born – global and entrepreneurship, strikingly to date, the literature is void of a holistic model for BGSS pervasive phenomenon. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................. A thorough literature is provided and a holistic model is conceptualized. Contribution.................................................................................................................................................................................. This research makes several contributions to born-global and entrepreneurship literature. It identifies mantras to build and sustain ventures from scratch to global giants. BGSS pervasive phenomenon is a brand-new perspective in the academic research. This research contributes worthwhile insight on how the BGSS pervasive phenomenon is created by the application of pervasive technologies and pervasive advertising for various industries. Venture consonance comprising five essential elements and its interaction is presented to demonstrate the pervasive phenomenon process. The relevant insights described in this paper are useful lessons to entrepreneurs regarding BGSS creation and success. This field of research and researchers interested in the phenomenon would benefit from having access to BGSS, as a common terminology. Findings....................................................................................................................................................................................... This study is the first to validate that BGSSs are successful in creating the pervasive phenomenon through pervasive technologies applications and pervasive advertising. The findings of this research provide information and engagement with the stakeholders of various industries providing advantage to global community. Research shows special traits such as acumen, tenacity, passion, persistence and commitment with deeper conviction of the founder (s) is required to build and sustain BGSS. The research findings also indicate that the investors provide significant value-added attributes and engage with various stakeholders, particularly top leadership team (TLT), in addition to adequate funding for the success of BGSS. The key word is pervasive indicates that a phenomenon is experienced because of technologies permeates all aspects of human lives. Recommendations for Practitioners......................................................................................................................................... TThe process of pervasive technologies and pervasive advertising in practice need to be applied for the good of the society at large. The role of entrepreneurial incubators could be helpful to understand why they are significant to pursue BGSSs pervasive phenomenon. Entrepreneurs need to interact proactively with relevant geo-graphical government agencies to obtain access to logistics and resources in a seamless manner, particularly for the internationalization process, for BGSSs to provide value to various countries. Recommendation for Researchers............................................................................................................................................. Research on BGSSs for other industries that affects daily lives of the global community should be carried out to enrich the findings of the stakeholder engagement for the creation of pervasive phenomenon. Based on the above recommendation, a question is worthwhile to investigate: How are stakeholders in various industries engage in the creation of BGSS pervasive phenomenon. Impact on Society........................................................................................................................................................................ BGSSs are of great significance for the contemporary society from economic point of view making intrinsic difference in the lives of people. Sustainable BGSS is paramount because it can lead to a socially, environmentally sustainable society, and would increase awareness among various cultural communities globally. Future Research...................................................................................................................................................................................... Scholars should embark upon creating a pervasive phenomenon theory and social critique on conspicuous consumption. Further research could be done on how BGSSs are engaging stakeholders to achieve sustainable competitive advantage through the stakeholder engagement for various industries.

Evaluation Moderating Role of Organizational Trust on Relationship Between Leadership Styles with Employee Performance

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................. The main objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between leadership style, performance, and organizational trust. In addition, it will look into the relationship between four leadership styles and employee performance moderating by organizational trust in the case of Shahid Hashemi Nejad Gas Refinery. Background................................................................................................................................................................................. The leadership is one of the key important functions in the organization. The leader is the one who can control factors and practices in the organization such as: individual rights, working conditions, and policies of the organization, assess progress and assign responsibility. In fact, how the leaders controls these factors and motivate the staff is and index of the extent to which the leader has been effective. For this reason, it is expected that the person who is the leader of an organization does necessarily have an understanding of how to perform all the duties of a manager. However, there has not been a complete research on the effectiveness of organizational trust in the relationship between leadership style (based on Likert’s theory) and the performance of employees in government agencies. Therefore, the main research question is; whether organizational trust has a moderating role in the relationship between leadership style and employee performance. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................. The present study is applied research.The measurement instruments used in this research is a survey questionnaire. The Validity and reliability of the questionnaires are based on expert opinions. The statistical population of this research is all employees of Shahid Hashemi Nejad Gas Refinery using stratified random sampling. A total of 196 employees were selected as the sample of this study. The structural equation modeling (SEM) was perfumed in order to answer the research questions. Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................. This paper aims to focus on the sanctions, limitations and seriousness of the situation and prioritize steps to use the right leadership style in organizations. Findings...................................................................................................................................................................................... In general, the findings of the research indicate the absence of evidence of a moderating role played by organizational trust (horizontal, vertical, institutional) in the relationship between leadership style and employee performance. Recommendations for Practitioners.......................................................................................................................................... This paper subtly suggests a certain course of action and serious recognition of flaws and deficiencies in the system that are obvious and emerges and which are critical and must be addressed. Recommendation for Researchers............................................................................................................................................. It is suggested that this type of research needs to be conducted in private-ownership organizations; that one measures and analyzes the impact of leadership styles on employee commitment and the effectiveness of management participation. Considering the level of performance of staff in relation to leadership styles, it is suggested that other factors that affect or interact with employee performance in the organization are investigated. For example, investigate factors affecting the establishment of authoritarian rule. Impact on Society.................................................................................................................................................................... All public and private companies can increase their employees’ performance by using and improving their leadership style. Future Research....................................................................................................................................................................... More research needs to be done in private organizations with respect to the impact of leadership styles on employee commitment; and with respect to the effectiveness of management participation versus authoritarian rule. There are other factors affecting or interacting with the performance of employees in the organization that should be investigated. For Example, to investigate the factors affecting the establishment of institutional trust in an organization.

Understanding Customer Intention to Use Mobile Payment Services in Nanjing, China

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose.............................................................................................................................................................................. This study examines the factors that influence customer intention to use mo-bile payment service in Nanjing, China. It also gains a deeper understanding and better insight of Chinese consumer behavior. Background.............................................................................................................................................................................. Mobile payments services represent a tremendously interesting paradox in the world of telecommunications. Although, they are convenient, quick and easy but there is not still enough evidence on how successful this practice is. In Nanjing, China, consumer intention to use mobile payment is still questionable and remains as a skeptical consideration. Methodology.............................................................................................................................................................................. A survey was conducted in Nanjing, China where 612 respondents were interviewed by self-administrated survey. The modified Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) were applied in this study. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis and multiple regressions were used to accomplish the objective. Contribution.............................................................................................................................................................................. This research provides an insight to the mobile telecommunication industry, marketers, decision makers and academics on the factors that encourage consumers to use mobile payment. Findings.................................................................................................................................................................................... Four factors that influence the consumer behavioral intention were deter-mined in this study (perceived risk, perceived usefulness, subjective norm and attitude). The results of multiple regression indicate that all four variables significantly influence consumer intention to use mobile payment in Nanjing, China, however subjective norm has relatively high impact as compared to others. Recommendations for Practitioners........................................................................................................................................ In order to build a positive expression of the brand, mobile service providers are suggested to enhance the persuasion of the application. As customers provide their privacy information to register for the mobile payment services, providers should strengthen their security system. This not only shapes consumer trust but also prevent privacy leakage. Secondly, mobile payment application providers can imply policies for protecting customer rights from potential risk to increase their agreement of the application. These will lead to unexpected losses financially. Recommendation for Researchers............................................................................................................................................ It is recommended to make a comparison study between two Mobile payment platforms by examining constructs such as usefulness, ease of use, perceived risk as well as security risk, financial risk, social risk and time risk between Alipay and Wechat payment system in China. Impact on Society........................................................................................................................................................................ Various forms of mobile payment have been adopted by Chinese consumers due to convenience, speed and ease of use. Even though mobile payment does not replace physical payment cards but it has been acting as a substitute for paper-based payment method and it is driving demand and consumer usage. However, there the potential for data to leak creates some level of insecurity and skepticism for Chinese costumers. Future Research............................................................................................................................................................................ To have an in depth understanding about the consumer intention to use mobile payment, it is recommended to determine the current customers’ satisfaction level by adopting the SERQUAL model. Qualitative and quantitative research with focus group will be a good approach to get a deeper understanding on the factors that influence consumer to use mobile payment services rather than others payment methods. It is also important to get more information regarding customer satisfaction towards the mobile payment platform.

The Use of Complex Adaptive Theory and Information Technologies to Inform Development Strategies in English Speaking Black Community, Montreal

The Use of Complex Adaptive Theory and Information Technologies to Inform Development Strategies in English Speaking Black Community, Montreal

Informing Science Institute: A Case Study

It was late on a Friday evening and the “big” question had raised its ugly head again. Husband and wife, Eli Cohen and Betty Boyd, were slowly sipping their second glass of their favorite merlot and debating how to make Informing Science Institute (ISI) into a sustainable organization. They had founded ISI, an academic association, in 1998 to foster the development of a scientific discipline called Informing Science.

Blending the Concrete and the Creative: Keeping up with the Bekeys [Pipelining: Attractive Programs for Women

It's becoming more common, though still far from standard, to see women following their fathers' paths in the corporate world. Think of Abigail Johnson, now chief executive of vast Fidelity Investments, which her father founded, or film director Sophia Coppola, who followed her father Francis Ford Coppola to Hollywood. That path may be even more narrow in technology research but not in the case of renowned roboticist George Bekey and his daughter Michelle. The pair authored an engaging history-of-engineering book together, and Michelle-a communications consultant specializing in technology-worked for a decade with the University of Southern California's (USC's) Information Sciences Institute to boost

Can high-flow nasal cannula reduce the rate of reintubation in adult patients after extubation? A meta-analysis

BackgroundThe effects of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) on adult patients after extubation remain controversial. We aimed to further determine the effectiveness of HFNC in comparison to noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and conventional oxygen therapy (COT).MethodsThe Pubmed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trails (CENTRAL) as well as the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) Web of Science were searched for all the controlled study comparing HFNC with NIPPV and COT in adult patients after extubation. The primary outcome was rate of reintubation and the secondary outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and length of ICU stay (ICU LOS).ResultsEight trials with a total of 2936 patients were pooled in our final studies. No significant heterogeneity was found in outcome measures. Compared with COT, HFNC was associated with lower rate of reintubation (Z = 2.97, P = 0.003), and the same result was found in the comparison between HFNC and NIPPV (Z = 0.87, P = 0.38). As for the ICU mortality and ICU LOS, we did not find any advantage of HFNC over COT or NIPPV.ConclusionsIn patients after extubation, HFNC is a reliable alternative of NIPPV to reduce rate of reintubation compared with COT.

The effect of high-flow nasal cannula in reducing the mortality and the rate of endotracheal intubation when used before mechanical ventilation compared with conventional oxygen therapy and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. A systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe effects of high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) on adult patients when used before mechanical ventilation (MV) are unclear. We aimed to determine the effectiveness of HFNC when used before MV by comparison to conventional oxygen therapy (COT) and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). MethodsThe Pubmed, Embase, Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) as well as the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) Web of Science were searched for all the controlled studies that compared HFNC with NIPPV and COT when used before MV in adult patients. The primary outcome was the rate of endotracheal intubation and the secondary outcomes were intensive care unit (ICU) mortality and length of ICU stay (ICU LOS). ResultsEight trials with a total of 1084 patients were pooled in our final studies. No significant heterogeneity was found in outcome measures. Compared both with COT and NIPPV, HFNC could reduce both of the rate of endotracheal intubation (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.38–0.99, P=0.05; OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.31–0.73, P=0.0006) and ICU mortality (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.24–0.93, P=0.03; OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.20–0.63, P=0.0004). As for the ICU LOS, we did not find any advantage of HFNC over COT or NIPPV. ConclusionsWhen used before MV, HFNC can improve the prognosis of patients compared both with the COT and NIPPV.

Pioneering Cybersecurity Research: Benzel battling malware [Women to Watch

Terry Benzel is deputy director of the Computer Networks Division at the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) of the University of Southern California (USC). She also leads the Cyber Defense Technology Experimental Research (DETER) project and DETERLab test bed projects funded by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the National Science Foundation, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The projects are developing an experimental infrastructure network and scientifically rigorous testing frameworks and methodologies to support the development and demonstration of next-generation information security technologies for cyberdefense.

Phytotherapy and phytopharmacology for reduction of cyclophosphamide-induced toxicity in the male urinary system

This systematic review was conducted to evaluate the protective effects and the role of medicinal plants and their derivatives in reducing the cyclophosphamide-induced side effects in the male urinary system. For this systematic review, the search terms cyclophosphamide, urinary system, male reproductive system, toxicity, cancer, chemotherapy, and side effects in combination with the terms medicinal plants, herbal medicines, and natural compounds were used to search for the relevant publications indexed in Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Scopus, and PubMed. Fifteen plant extracts, two essential oils, three plant active components, and two herbal medicines were introduced. According to the results, plants with antioxidant compounds, such as flavonoids, are able to reduce cyclophosphamide-induced testicular toxicity. It is therefore recommended that the plants with significant antioxidant effects be prescribed alongside cyclophosphamide and their effects be compared with other plants plants and their derivatives.

Can High-flow Nasal Cannula Reduce the Rate of Endotracheal Intubation in Adult Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure Compared With Conventional Oxygen Therapy and Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation?: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The effects of high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) on adult patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) are controversial. We aimed to further determine the effectiveness of HFNC in reducing the rate of endotracheal intubation in adult patients with ARF by comparison to noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and conventional oxygen therapy (COT). The PubMed, Embase, Medline, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, as well as the Information Sciences Institute Web of Science, were searched for all controlled studies that compared HFNC with NIPPV and COT in adult patients with ARF. The primary outcome was the rate of endotracheal intubation; the secondary outcomes were ICU mortality and length of ICU stay. Eighteen trials with a total of 3,881 patients were pooled in our final studies. Except for ICU mortality (I2= 67%, χ2= 12.21, P= .02) and rate of endotracheal intubation (I2=63%, χ2= 13.51, P= .02) between HFNC and NIPPV, no significant heterogeneity was found in outcome measures. Compared with COT, HFNC was associated with a lower rate of endotracheal intubation (z= 2.55, P= .01) while no significant difference was found in the comparison with NIPPV (z= 1.40, P= .16). As for ICU mortality and length of ICU stay, HFNC did not exhibit any advantage over either COT or NIPPV. In patients with ARF, HFNC is a more reliable alternative than NIPPV to reduce the rate of endotracheal intubation than COT.

Medicinal Plants Effective on Serotonin Level: A Systematic Review

In recent years, the prevalence of depression and mood disorders has been on the rise. With regards to increased popularity of traditional medicine and medicinal plants, we conducted this review to identify and study the action mechanisms of the medicinal plants that are effective on serotonin, as one of the neurotransmitters of happiness and mood, and depression symptoms. To conduct this systematic review, the key words of interest were used to retrieve articles from the Information Sciences Institute (ISI) and the PubMed. The articles, published between 2010 and 2017, about the medicinal plants’ and their products’ potential effects on serotonin and brain serotonergic system were analyzed. Plants and their derivatives may not only exert therapeutic effects on mild depression but also exhibit suitable therapeutic response in treating severe disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD) to improve mood conditions and eliminate depressed mood through affecting the serotonergic system. Plants and their compounds affect serotonergic system function through anti-inflammatory mechanisms, inhibiting noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake, inhibiting monoamine oxidase (MAO), and increasing expression of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) and hepatic tryptophan 2, 3-dioxygenase. They can therefore be used as options for discovering new drugs effective on happiness and depression.

Public Perception of the Role of Facebook Usage in Political Campaign in Nigeria

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................ This study investigates the public perception towards Facebook usage in the 2015 political campaigns in Nigeria. Background................................................................................................................................................................................................ The utilization of online networking in political issues has kept on developing in late time, even though it was not at first recognized as a political apparatus, political aspirants and politicians at large have now understood its capability. Hence, it has turned into one of the fundamental platforms for political aspirants to propagate diverse campaign messages to their constituents who have an interest in their political career and aspirations. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................ The study made use of descriptive survey design with a questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. Data were analyzed using the 2016 Microsoft Excel statistical package with frequency counts and simple percentages presented in tables and graphs. The hypotheses generated in this study were tested via inferential statistical chi-square analysis at 0.05 level of significant. Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................ Studies that investigate the public perception of the usage of Facebook in electioneering campaign in Northern Nigeria, notably Taraba State is in its embryonic stage. Therefore, this paper is an extension to such body of knowledge. Findings...................................................................................................................................................................................................... The study demonstrated that Facebook was used in the 2015 senatorial electioneering campaigns in southern Taraba, and this influenced electorate to vote a particular candidate. However, it is the perception of the respondents that there were dysfunctions such as deliberate distortions in the information about opponents, abusive speech, distortion of the facts about personal performance, and misinformation as a strategy for influencing on the Facebook pages of the electorates and candidates. Recommendations for Practitioners........................................................................................................................................................... Reliability (e.g. message must be clear, focused, well conveyed, believable, credible, free from abusive speech and attacking of opponents) should be an essential concept in the posted political messages or promises of politicians so as to draw more fans to themselves. Recommendation for Researchers.............................................................................................................................................................. It should be noted that this study centers on southern Taraba alone, therefore, in order to get a more generalized results, it is pertinent for further research to include other parts of Nigeria. Additionally, a combination of content analysis and interview will be helpful in examining the nature of the abusive words/speeches used on Facebook in the 2015 southern Taraba senatorial electioneering campaign. Impact on Society.......................................................................................................................................................................................... Some of the limitations have to do with the nature of the questionnaires them-selves and the kind of variables and measurement models required. The measurements are perceptions rather than quantitative interval or ratio scale measures taken on the variable. Therefore, future research should adopt quantitative interval or ratio scale measures on the variable in order to obtain scientific results. Future Research............................................................................................................................................................................................. It should be noted that this study centres on southern Taraba alone, therefore, in order to get a more generalizable results, it is pertinent for further research to include other parts of Nigeria.

Social Services Impact on Community Development in the Philippines: Case of Kapit-Bisig Sa Kahirapan Project in Camarines Sur

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose................................................................................................................................................................................................ The general purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the KALAHI-CIDSS project on community development in the East Coastal Area of Lagonoy, Camarines Sur, Philippines after its implementation. Background................................................................................................................................................................................................ Examining the impact of the KALAHI-CIDSS project on community development helps to determine the program’s priority issues that the government should be able to address. Methodology................................................................................................................................................................................................ This study used a purely qualitative method in gathering data following the case study design, and employed three different data gathering techniques. This method was used to develop in-depth analysis and provide appropriate baseline information on the impact of the KALAHI-CIDSS project on community development. Contribution................................................................................................................................................................................................ The results of this endeavor will generate useful information for concerned Philippine government agencies to improve their programs or projects to-ward societal development. The formulation of possible relevant policies or additional activities under this project will deliver essential development to the lives of beneficiaries in terms of combating poverty and ensuring safety and protection during the onslaught of natural catastrophes. Findings...................................................................................................................................................................................................... The KALAHI-CIDSS project, while not free from flaws, has gained a lot of recognition as an effective poverty reduction program because of the job opportunities it generated in the poor communities, particularly in the East Coastal Area of Lagonoy. Significantly, it helped the community stakeholders to establish shared trust, mutual understanding, and cooperation among them. Its implementation promotes gender equality and stake-holder empowerment, upholding accountability and transparency in the community. Recommendations for Practitioners.......................................................................................................................................................... The construction of infrastructures (e.g. seawalls) kept residents safe and protected from natural hazards. However, since poverty is a multi-dimensional issue, the government should not concentrate predominantly on the economic aspect of the lives of the Filipinos. Instead, they need to establish collaborative efforts with various government agencies to combat the prevalent problems in the country. Recommendation for Researchers............................................................................................................................................................ There is still room to examine different aspects of this program such as different measurement and analysis to figure out how influential this program is. Impact on Society........................................................................................................................................................................................ The significant positive feedback from the stakeholders may be used as baseline data to continually implement the project to those communities that need to be safe, protected and developed, as well as to reduce the poverty incidence. However, the implementing agency must consider the weaknesses found in this study as a guide for improved project implementation. Future Research.............................................................................................................................................................................................. The information generated in this study has the potential to be helpful to the scientific community focusing on the impact of KALAHI-CIDSS on community development. However, this does not provide enough concrete and empirical measurements that could actually provide scientific information regarding the impact of the project. Thus, conducting further investigation about the impact of KALAHI-CIDSS on community development by employing quantitative methods will be the future focus of the author. Utilizing a quantitative approach will provide the comprehensive and objective type of processes, tests, and results needed in order to be able to generalize the project’s impact on KALAHI-CIDSS beneficiaries all over the Philippines.

Emergent Global Marketing Challenges for Kerala Cardamom Producers Vis-A-Vis Role of the Spice Board

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose.................................................................................................................................................................................................. This research paper attempts to deeply and rationally probe into the present situation, discussing the expected role of the Spices Board of India, which in 1987 started to function replacing the erstwhile Cardamom Board, where the focus was only on the Cardamom plantation sector and export development. Background.................................................................................................................................................................................................. Cardamom, the “Queen of Spices” is the third most expensive of the spices, next only to saffron and vanilla. The Cardamom Plantation and export development sector is now just one of the many focal points of expected action of promotional endeavors of the Spices Board of India. The cardinal problem is the 1990's market threat from Guatemala, which floods the market with Cardamom with cheaper prices, though it is qualitatively inferior to Indian green Cardamom. The second problem for Indian exports is that the higher cost of production coupled with increasing domestic market demand causes lower quantities for exports. Apart from the functional insufficiency of the Spices Board of India, in the view of the Cardamom farmers and secondary and tertiary market intermediaries, the present auction system, the scattered unorganized farming community at large, and other governmental promotional deficiencies together make the complexity of the present situation confounded. Methodology.................................................................................................................................................................................................. It was decided that conventional research methods, using structured survey methods and questionnaire, were not feasible or realistic as collecting data from a wide range of personnel vary from cardamom farmers to wholesalers to market intermediaries including exporters, extractors of oleo resin from cardamom proved arduous. For this study the methodology used to gather information was a mixture of ethnographic and classical statistical sampling methods. The data was mainly collected by interviews as this will help to get an in depth feel of the pulse of all the involved participants. Thus it was felt that a more first-hand personal interactions was really necessary, not to just garner information from quantitative data but also to gauge through the in-person mood and tenor the grievances of all concerned with cardamom industry and to know the expectations of the related parties, especially from the Spices Board of India. Contribution.................................................................................................................................................................................................. This paper attempts to bring into focus the provocations, limitations, and seriousness of the situation of the sector, and to prioritize the steps to be taken to regain the lost glory of the Indian Cardamom. Findings........................................................................................................................................................................................................ The findings and analysis show that the Indian Cardamom Plantation Sector should be aware of the significance and market relevance of the “Organic” method of cultivation of Cardamom. Also there is a need for quality control practices in the sector that enable strict attention to meeting MRL (Maximum Residue Level) as demanded by the importing nations, and attention to the “functional refining factors” and expectations set out by the spices Board of India. All of these are based on the findings which are analyzed, without preconceived notions and authors’ subjective remarks. Recommendations for Practitioners............................................................................................................................................................. This paper reveals the view and understandings of the practitioners in the Indian Cardamom sector. It subtly suggests a certain course of action and serous recognition of flaws and deficiencies in the system that are obvious and emerges and which are critical and must be addressed. It underlines needs to be addressed; flaws in performance, and articulates the grievances. Recommendation for Researchers................................................................................................................................................................. More work needs to be done to have a clear analysis of the market demand of the cardamom products in order to project periods when demands of cardamom fluctuate the market, both domestically and internationally. In addition, it is important to study the various organic methods, which can be adopted by the farmers to produce high quality cardamom, which can meet the demand of the consumer as well as the standard required by various governments around the globe. Impact on Society........................................................................................................................................................................................... It reflects clearly, the general and prevalent concern of the Indian farming community and market intermediaries’ vis-à-vis the promotional role they expect the Spices Board of India to play in order to ameliorate the gravity of the bottlenecks being faced by the Indian Cardamom sector. Future Research................................................................................................................................................................................................ There are many areas to be studied in the Indian Cardamom Industry. This research paper attempts to highlight the unmitigated problems faced by the various strata of farmers, the indispensability of going “Organic”, and the need for the intervention of the Spices Board of India, and other relevant State Agri-Horticultural agencies, marketing Co-operative societies; subsidies and grants to be given by the government to encourage both organic cultivation and value addition using Carbon dioxide extraction of Oleoresins, packing, export market research, etc.

Preference of Food Sellers Towards Halal Labeled Fish Ball in Kelantan

NOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED WITH THE INFORMING SCIENCE INSTITUTE. Aim/Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................................... The objective of this study is to determine the preferences of food sellers in Kelantan towards the halal-labeled fish ball. Background............................................................................................................................................................................................. Fish balls are the popular value-added products in Malaysia. Fish ball production is in second place after fish cracker production for processed fish-based production in Malaysia. Thus, this study tries to expose the preferences of the food sellers toward halal-labeled fish ball based on KAP model. Methodology........................................................................................................................................................................................... A convenience sample technique is employed in selecting 58 food sellers in Kelantan. The food sellers were interviewed face-to-face by using a structured questionnaire. Contribution............................................................................................................................................................................................ This study is about the perception of the food sellers towards the halal labeled fish ball in Kelantan. Consumers, researchers, society, manufacturers, and government can use the results that had been revealed and the conclusions that had been reached. Findings.................................................................................................................................................................................................... The result indicates that knowledge, attitude, and practice of food sellers have an impact toward the halal labeled fish ball. This showed that food sellers know the ingredient used in the halal labeled fish ball. The result of factor analysis indicates that knowledge is the major factors that influence the decision of food sellers in selling halal labeled fish ball products. Recommendations for Practitioners.......................................................................................................................................................... Food sellers also should be exposed more about the official halal logo by JAKIM and another country halal logo that is certified by Malaysia government as this can increase their confidence level toward the halal labeled fish ball. The manufacturers should include a halal logo on their fish ball packaging to influence food sellers in purchasing the fish ball. The manufacturers Food sellers also should be exposed more about the official halal logo by JAKIM and another country halal logo that is certified by Malaysia government as this can increase their confidence level toward the halal labeled fish ball. The manufacturers should include a halal logo on their fish ball packaging to influence food sellers in purchasing the fish ball. Recommendation for Researchers........................................................................................................................................................... Another study can be done regarding the consumers’ behavior toward fish ball based on the halal label in Kelantan or Terengganu or Pahang or other states in Malaysia. Impact on Society........................................................................................................................................................................................ The results of the study can help manufacturers to understand the needs and wants of customers. Government and local producers need to fulfill the needs of society by producing a fish ball, which has the halal label on the packaging. Future Research........................................................................................................................................................................................... This study just focuses on Kelantan, and it does not represent other states. Fur-ther study should be done at other state to obtain the nation preference of halal-labeled fish ball.