Pilot Instrument Research Articles

Keys to Successful Survey Research in Health Professions Education.

Survey research is well suited to measuring the knowledge, behavior, and attitudes of study participants and has been widely used in medical education and pulmonary and critical care medicine research. Although the ease of survey administration via electronic platforms has led to an increased volume of survey publications, improving the quality of this work remains an important challenge. To provide an overview of key steps for rigorous survey design and conduct. Narrative review. Conducting survey research begins with a clearly defined research question pertaining to a specified population that is accessible for sampling. Survey investigators may choose to adapt relevant preexisting survey instruments, an approach with the potential for conducting more valid, generalizable, and comparable studies. If a new survey tool is used, more extensive piloting and psychometric analysis of the survey instruments may be needed to assess if they accurately measure the concepts of interest. When administering the survey, the use of appropriate methods for sample recruitment maximizes the chances of a high response rate in a generalizable study population. Finally, when writing up and disseminating survey research, careful attention to reporting guidelines can increase the clarity of survey reports and assist readers in interpreting the results and conclusions. With careful attention to study design and conduct, the quality of survey research can be improved and lead to higher impact and more generalizable studies in the fields of medical education and pulmonary and critical care medicine.

ARE YOU A REAL PARTICIPANT? EXPERIENCES WITH FRAUDULENT PARTICIPATION ACROSS TWO FUNDED STUDIES

Abstract While offering financial incentives for participation in research studies is common, less discussed is the potential impact of fraudulent participation for financial gain. Survey and data management software provide safeguards for fraud detection but enabling detection does not automatically weed out fraudulent responses. Few resources provide guidelines for identifying or managing fraudulent participation. Thoughtful processes are important, while also being mindful of normal research behaviors which might get flagged as suspicious, for example due to low literacy skills. This presentation discusses experiences across two studies with adults living with serious illness and/or their family members and two different types of fraudulent participation: online surveys and studies requiring personal interaction. Study one is a pilot instrument validation study collecting online survey data. Recruitment occurred locally through listservs and a research participation database from a large university hospital. Study two is a mixed-methods longitudinal design where survey and interview data are collected via phone or video calls. Participants for this study were recruited nationwide using multiple strategies, including social media. Both offer time-saving insights for dealing with fraudulent participation in research. For example, study one provides tips for planning how to manage spam/bots prior to data collection, including setting up filters to automatically weed out identified spam, creating automatic messaging included in the survey in the event it needs to be paused, and identifying potential problematic patterns in data that bypasses fraud detection. Study 2 emphasizes the importance of creating strong verification procedures for study eligibility when relying on participant reporting.

THE VALIDATION OF CONCERNS FOR INFORMATION PRIVACY (CFIP) SCALE FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

This study aims to evaluate and validate information privacy concerns scale for social networking sites. Current study identifies seven significant factors through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) which may work antecedents of information privacy concerns. Thus, in order to create a list of items for the measurement of instrument constructs, an extensive research of relevant literature was carried out. Later, the selected items were discussed with supervisors & sent to six information professionals for content validity. Pilot instrument based on literature was empirically validated by collecting the data from one hundred undergraduate students from selected universities. Exploratory factor analysis was used to confirm that the scale's construct validity. Furthermore, for internal reliability of the scale Cronbach's alpha coefficient was checked, the psychometric features of the 57-item measure were assessed with a group of 500 undergraduate students. Subsequently, valid & reliable 57-item Information Privacy Concerns Scale was validated, which could be tested and utilized to evaluate social networking users' information privacy concerns. This validated scale can be used in different contexts and among variant population groups to confirm its validity in the different settings.

“Bring-Your-Own-Device” (BYOD) and Productivity

Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) is a phenomenon whereby an employee brings their own computing devices to work with them and use them in addition to or instead of company-supplied devices. BYOD helps organization to cut cost and improve the utilization of organizational resources. However, the impacts and phenomenon of BYOD is still unknown and scarcely discuss within the body of knowledge; warrant for further exploration of the topic. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop and validate an instrument to measure BYOD and its productivity. The research went through various empirical stages. Based on other studies, a list of predictors and dependent variables was adopted. Based on the variables that have been identified, a pilot instrument was created in the second step. Third, an expert review process was used to validate the instrument. The face validity and reliability investigation of possible respondents was completed. As a result, a reliable instrument with six variables and thirty items was created to measures BYOD and productivity in the context of universities students in Malaysia.

The development and validation of a patient-reported outcome measure to assess financial hardship among older cancer survivors in China: hardship and recovery with distress survey.

Financial hardship has been described as a patient's economic experiencefollowing cancer-related treatment. Standardized patient-reported outcome measures(PROM) to assess this distress has not been well-studied, especially among older cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to develop and validate PROM for assessing the financial hardship of older cancer survivors in China. Items were generated using qualitative interviews and literature review. Items were screened based on Delphi expert consultation and patients' opinions. Item response theory (IRT) and classical test theory (CTT) were used to help reduce items. Retained items formed a pilot instrument that was subjected to psychometric testing. A cut-off score for the new instrument for predicting poor quality of life was identified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Qualitative interviews and literature review generated 135 items, which were reduced to 60 items because of redundancy. Following Delphi expert consultation and patients' evaluation, 24 items with high importance were extracted. Sixteen items were selected due to satisfactory statistical analysis based on CTT and IRT. Ten items were retained and comprised 2 domains after loadings in exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Internal consistency was satisfactory (α = 0.838). Test-retest reliability was good (intraclass correlation, 0.909). The ROC analysis suggested that the cut-off of 18.5 yielded an acceptable sensitivity and specificity. The PROM for Hardship and Recovery with Distress Survey (HARDS) consists of 10 items that specifically reflect the experiences of financial hardship among older Chinese cancer survivors, and it also showed good reliability and validity in clinical settings.

Cognitive accessibility in health care institutions. Pilot study and instrument proposal

Introduction: cognitive accessibility is part of the general accessibility framework. Cognitive accessibility means that services are simple, consistent, clear, multimodal, error tolerant, and focused, with all users in mind. Objectives: to validate a questionnaire on cognitive accessibility to be applied to health professionals. Methods: the study is of a quantitative approach, with a non-experimental and cross-sectional design, developed between March and June 2022. The sample consisted of 130 health professionals from Argentina, selected through purposive sampling. Results: the validation process was carried out in three stages. Internal consistency analysis (reliability) was performed using Cronbach's Alpha. The descriptive results with the 17 items showed a variance of 4,445 for each item, a total variance of 13,049, with a total Cronbach's Alpha of 0,701, indicating that the instrument presents internal consistency. Conclusions: it was possible to verify that the scores of both Cronbach's Alpha and the factorial analysis allow us to affirm that the instrument has the necessary metric aspects to be used in future research, considering that it had a prior assessment by expert criteria. It can be assumed that this article becomes the starting point for future studies, in which it is intended to continue the line of research, which allows the analysis of cognitive accessibility in the context of health professionals

Interdisciplinary feeding clinic during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Implementing telehealth and social determinants of health screening.

Interdisciplinary feeding clinic during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: Implementing telehealth and social determinants of health screening.

Knowledge Test Development for Use in Social Work Student Outcomes Assessment

Purpose: This article describes the process used to develop and pilot the Social Work Education Assessment Project (SWEAP) Curriculum instrument, a standardized multiple-choice test developed to assess student knowledge as it relates to each of the nine generalist practice competencies of the 2015 Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS). Method: An expert panel evaluated instrument construct, content, and face validity. Test–retest reliability analysis was conducted on nine pilot instruments. Further reliability analysis was conducted on 2382 instruments. Results: Analyses support the validity and reliability of the SWEAP Curriculum Instrument. Discussion: Knowledge is one of the four dimensions that relate to each of the nine generalist practice-level social work competencies identified in EPAS 2015. Therefore, the evaluation of student knowledge is a vital component of social work program assessment. The SWEAP Curriculum Instrument is just one possible method for measuring student competency related to the knowledge dimension.

Teachers’ Training in Special Needs Education and Implementation of Competency-Based Curriculum for Early Years Learners with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya

A competency-based curriculum has been adopted in the Kenyan education system. However, for learners with disabilities in regular schools, they would be learning using two separate programs, that is an inclusive education program and a competency-based curriculum program. Implementing the two programs simultaneously to this category of learners could be challenging. Therefore, this study focused on the teachers training in Special Needs Education influencing competency-based curriculum implementation for Early Years Learners with disabilities in primary schools. The study was premised on the theory of Complexity and Education by Davis and Sumara (2006), which holds that the fruitfulness and range of systems in which ambiguity and uncertainty occur, should be embraced, and accommodated during evaluation. The researcher employed concurrent embedded design based on the mixed-method approach in gathering data. The study’s location was Nairobi City County, Kenya. The target population was 368 participants and from this target, the study sampled 16 heads of schools, 48 teachers, and 2 Educational Officers who were the respondents. The instruments of data collection were semi-structured questionnaires, an observation checklist, and an interview schedule. The piloting of instruments took place in one school with a special unit. The instruments were only accepted as valid and reliable after the results of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of r=.75. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition, data were prepared and organized using Statistical Package for Social Sciences into percentages, mean, Skewness, standard deviations, graphs, and tables. The researcher tested the hypothesis by use of the chisquare test at a significant level of ? =<.05. Findings disclosed that teachers with either high or low levels of training in SNE had no significant association with the level of implementation of CBC for learners with disabilities in regular class. Most teachers were trained in primary teacher education and early childhood education and lacked expertise to work with learners with disabilities. Various categories of learners present in schools were: There were no (0%) learners with physical disabilities admitted to private schools. In regards to developmental disabilities, private schools had the least 2(5%) of the children with dyslexia. Learners with behavioral/emotional disabilities who were present in private schools included: ADHD 3(7.5%), CD 1(2.5%), as compared to public schools, which had ADHD 3(7.5%), ASD 2(5%), CD 2(5%). Regarding sensory impairments, the private schools had the least 1(2.5%), while public 5(12.5%). The Low vision in private was 2(5%), while in public they were 9(22.5%), albinism 2(5%) in private schools, and none (0%) in public schools. Over half (51.28%) of teachers reported that they have trained in Competency Based Curriculum implementation and could apply the skills in teaching learners with disabilities, while slightly lower than half (48.72%) had not received any training in CBC and were unable to apply the skills. However, the level of training as ether primary teacher, early childhood education teacher or special needs education was not a predictor of competency-based curriculum implementation in classes. The study recommended a mass training of teachers in special needs education in the area of early childhood education. The study also recommended a study of the similar nature in upper primary schools.

Influence of Child Screening on the Execution of Inclusive Education: A Case of Public Pre-Primary Schools in Belgut Sub-County, Kenya

This study sought to establish the influence of school factors influencing the execution of Inclusive education in public pre-primary schools in Belgut Sub-County, Kenya. The objective of the study was to examine the influence of child screening on the execution of Inclusive education in public pre-primary schools in Belgut Sub-County. The study was guided by the Social Model of Disability Theory. The study also utilised a descriptive survey research design. In addition, the study used stratified sampling and random sampling techniques to sample 113 out of 160 pre-primary school teachers and 56 out of 78 head teachers teaching in pre-primary and primary schools in Belgut Sub-County. The reliability of research instruments was achieved through the use of a half-split reliability test and piloting of the research instruments. Data for the study was collected using an observation checklist, pre-primary school teachers’ questionnaire and head teachers’ questionnaire. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and the findings were indicated in percentages and frequencies and displayed in distribution tables. The study found that a significant number of preschool teachers do not screen learners when joining preschool. In addition, the study found that pre-primary school teachers do not have children’s screening records. Hence, the study concluded that screening of pre-primary school children has a negative influence on the execution of Inclusive education in pre-primary schools in Belgut Sub-County

Open innovation starts from home: the potentials of enterprise social media (ESM) in nurturing employee innovation

PurposeEnterprise social media (ESM) applications offer new opportunities for organizations to mobilize employees for open innovation, by promoting innovation beyond traditional R&D functions. Despite the popularity and success of these applications, current research has yet to fully explore the potential of ESM applications as a driver of employee-driven innovation, specifically through advancements in innovation culture. To fill this gap, this study proposes a theoretical framework that explains the role of ESM applications in facilitating employee innovation.Design/methodology/approach The authors administered a cross-sectional survey to collect data from professionals who use ESM applications regularly at work. Following a pilot study and instrument refinement, the authors conducted a field study to test measurement and the structural model by using the partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method.FindingsThe findings of this study support the validity of the proposed theoretical model. First, the results confirmed the three antecedents of ESM use for innovation: perceived innovation possibilities enabled by ESM technology, the expected value of ESM use for innovation and organizational support for using ESM applications for innovation. Next, the results confirmed the importance of ESM use in encouraging individual innovation productivity in terms of product/service innovation, process innovation and social innovation. Finally, the results corroborated the mediating role of risk-taking and knowledge-sharing culture in the use of ESM to increase innovation productivity.Originality/valueThe findings presented here have implications for theory and practices that would concern fostering a supportive environment and building an organizational culture that promotes employees' innovation behavior (internal open innovation) by using social technologies.

Physician Flow at Work: Examining Work Absorption, Clinical Flow, Work Fulfillment, and Flow Thieves.

The experience of "flow" at work correlates with positive job outputs and work-related attitudes. Very little current literature describes flow at work in physicians, who experience significant barriers to optimal work outputs, also known as flow thieves (e.g., case interruptions, documenting care). This study aimed to develop a measurement for physician flow (P-Flow) at work and examine the association of P-Flow with physician burnout, job satisfaction, and well-being. A pilot instrument was tested with items measuring P-Flow at work. After the pilot administration, a 14-item physician flow (P-Flow-14) scale was administered to physicians. In addition to the P-Flow-14 scale, physician respondents completed items measuring burnout, job satisfaction, and well-being. This study specifies initial psychometric evidence of P-Flow-14 and 7-item P-Flow instruments for researchers interested in studying flow at work in physicians. For each P-Flow instrument, higher levels of the flow experience correlated with superior levels of well-being (p < .01) and job satisfaction (p < .01), and less burnout (p < .001). Results showed initial psychometric evidence of derived subscales (work absorption, clinical flow, flow thieves, work fulfillment) for application in future research. Results showed associations between flow experience by age group and physician specialty. To enhance well-being and job satisfaction, physicians should aim for concentration and immersion in clinical duties while reducing unnecessary distractions. These findings can be applied by employers and can guide further research on work interruptions and patient safety. Future research can validate the P-Flow scales and subscales to assess interventions aimed to improve the physician work environment.

Can interprofessional research enhance health care students' understanding and knowledge towards evidence based practice: A cross sectional study

AimTo explore how inter-professional collaboration in the teaching and learning of research skills prepares undergraduate students for their professional roles in healthcare via an evaluation of inter-professional research modules from the student perspective. Participants and settingsParticipants were selected from a university in the North of England where all undergraduate Healthcare students were taught Research and Evidence Based Practice (EBP) through interprofessional education (n = 400). MethodsQuantitative data was collected using an adapted Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education Scale and internally-designed pilot instruments. Qualitative data was also collected via open comment to evaluate the taught research module. Results50 students completed the survey pre-module and 49 students completed the survey post-module. The participants' views towards inter-professional education (IPE) are generally positive: the median responses of 4 single-item measures assessing inter-professional learning on 7-point Likert scales were 5 or above (where higher scores represented more positive perceptions). Scores on the Attitudes towards Interprofessional Education scale also generally represented positive opinions, with a mean post-test score of 58.8 on a scale from 5 to 75, with higher scores indicating greater levels of positivity. No evidence for a statistically significant improvement from the pre- to post- 3rd year experience of the IPE/research theme was revealed. Qualitative data identified six themes: promoting team working, developing awareness of other health care professional's roles, polarising research and practice, multidisciplinary team (MDT) working or not working, logistical issues and developing research skills. ConclusionsThis study raised questions about the appropriateness of “unnatural” pairings for undertaking research projects. Whilst the students valued working together in the research process, they do not appear to have perceived a universal benefit to their inter-professional clinical practice.

“Do I Have to Sign My Real Name?” Ethical and Methodological Challenges in Multilingual Research with Adult SLIFE Learning French as a Second Language

In 2017, Quebec’s Auditor General reported several major issues regarding government-funded French as a second language (FSL) courses, especially those intended for adult students with limited or interrupted formal education (SLIFE). To this day, no official framework or program exists for this specific population, a situation that the government of Quebec wishes to resolve. Our research team was thereby mandated by the Ministry of Immigration to conduct a large-scale multilingual study with the objective of gaining a better understanding of the realities and needs of the various stakeholders involved in low-literate FSL classes. We met 42 teachers, 24 French learning center directors, and 10 pedagogical advisors in individual interviews; we also led 107 group interviews with SLIFE in 26 languages, allowing us to meet 464 adult SLIFE enrolled in low-literate FSL classes from 11 regions of the province of Quebec, most of them being refugees. This article reports on the decision-making process in which we engaged to overcome the ethical and methodological challenges we faced at various stages of the data collection with SLIFE participants: recruitment, informed consent, confidentiality, interview protocol design, instrument piloting, data collection, and data translation and transcription. To make informed decisions, we had to turn to literature outside SLA (i.e., refugee research and translation/interpreting literature) for guidance. In this article we discuss the limitations and contributions of our research to guide researchers who will conduct studies with similar non-academic samples/populations.

Impact of Principals’ Leadership Styles on Truancy Among Students of Public Secondary Schools in Zamfara State Metropolis, Nigeria

This study aimed at investigating impact of principal’s leadership styles on truancy among students of public secondary schools in Zamfara etropolis. Two objectives guide the conduct of this study. Descriptive survey design was adopted. The target population of the study consists of all the teachers and students in public secondary schools in Zamfara metropolis. Stratified sampling technique was employed in selecting 30 schools from two strata (Public and Private) Likewise, 160 teachers out of 1874 teachers and 320 students out of 13,789 students across 30 public secondary schools were selected using Krejcie and Morgan, (1971) table of determining the sample size required for the study. The instrument used for the study was self-structure questionnaire which was entitle “Perception of Principals Leadership Styles on Students Truancy Questionnaire in Senior Secondary Schools” (PPLSSTQSSS). The instrument was validated by two experts from the Department of Educational Foundations, Faculty of Education, Federal University of Kashere. In testing the reliability of the instrument pilot study was conducted in none of the sample schools not covered by the study, Cronbach Alpha of reliability was employed and a reliability coefficient index of 0.75 was obtained. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings of the study showed that truancy was a problem experienced in all the schools under study. Democratic leadership styles were popularly used by the principals in Zamfara metropolis. The various leadership styles employed by various principals had a great impact on truancy. Autocratic leadership style was found out to be associated with harshness and leaders who practice this style of leadership are always distant from teachers and students. The study concluded that truancy was caused by factors such as inability to cope with academic pressure, dislike for the school environment caused administration techniques used by school leadership, lack of school fees, sickness, problems related to family background. The study recommended awareness campaign among school administrators to enhance their understanding on the circumstances in which each leadership style is appropriate. The study also recommended wide adoption of democratic and charismatic leadership styles in curbing the rising cases of truancy among learners.

Development of a Nutrition Environment Assessment Tool for Latino Ethnic Stores

The objectives were to: (1) adapt the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey for Stores (NEMS-S) to better culturally fit small Latino grocery stores (tiendas) in Iowa; (2) assess the newly adapted Latino NEMS-S for inter-rater and test-retest reliability; and (3) compare Latino and original NEMS-S summary scores. This pilot instrument, containing culturally appropriate foods from the original NEMS-S and 2015 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans, underwent two rounds of formative evaluation. The new instrument and scoring protocol were applied to a random sample of 42 of 81 possible tiendas in Iowa. Cohen’s kappa was used to assess inter-rater and test-retest reliability for availability and quality of indicator food items (total scores and food category sub scores). There were no differences in summary scores for inter-rater or test-retest reliability using paired t-tests. Inter-rater agreement was high (range 0.82–1.00; p < 0.001). Tiendas averaged 42.0 ± 7.5 of 57 possible points on the Latino NEMS-S, but only 12.0 ± 4.6 of 54 points on the original NEMS-S (p < 0.001). The Latino NEMS-S is a reliable tool for assessing the food environment within Iowa tiendas. Culturally specific instruments can describe diverse food environments more accurately and guide public health nutrition interventions within communities.

Material Resources Adaptation and Implementation of Cbc for Early Years Learners with Disabilities in Primary Schools in Nairobi City County, Kenya

A competency-based curriculum has been adopted in the Kenyan education system. However, learners with disabilities in regular schools would be learning using two separate programs, that is an inclusive education program and a competency-based curriculum program. Implementing the two programs simultaneously to this category of learners could be challenging. Therefore, this study focused on the material resources adaptation influencing competency-based curriculum implementation for Early Years Learners with disabilities in primary schools. The study was premised on the theory of Complexity and Education by Davis and Sumara (2006), which holds that the fruitfulness and range of systems in which ambiguity and uncertainty occur, should be embraced, and accommodated during evaluation. The researcher employed a concurrent embedded design based on the mixed-method approach in data gathering. The study’s location was Nairobi City County, Kenya. The target population was 368 participants and from this target, the study sampled 16 heads of schools, 48 teachers, and 2 Educational Officers who were the respondents. The instruments of data collection were semi-structured questionnaires, an observation checklist, and an interview schedule. The piloting of instruments took place in one school with a special unit. The instruments were only accepted as valid and reliable after the results of Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of r=.75. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics. In addition, data were prepared and organized using Statistical Package for Social Sciences into percentages, mean, Skewness, standard deviations, graphs, and tables. The researcher tested the hypothesis by use of the chi-square test at a significant level of α =&lt;.05. Findings revealed that teachers with a high mean score on instructional methods adaptation for learners with disabilities also had high mean scores on implementation of CBC in a regular class. Only about 13(29.5%) of teachers occasionally adapted teaching materials to learners with disabilities. Most of the materials mentioned were missing in the class for the implementation of CBC TO learners with disabilities. Similarly, most of the materials such as tables, charts, graphics, and computers were those used in a standard classroom and therefore lacked adaptation for use by learners with disabilities in a CBC class. most schools had inadequate knowledge of material resources for learning by learners with disabilities. Most school officials failed to understand the difference between the materials used in the standard classroom and the adapted materials for special instruction for learners with disabilities which hampered the proper implementation of CBC. Only about 2(5%) of the teachers from public schools had attended seminars and workshops on special needs education, while about 14(35%) belonged to private schools. Consequently, teachers who had attended the seminars and workshops in special needs education revealed that the knowledge gained during the training improved their skills in material resource adaptation for learners with disabilities. The study recommended the need for mass training of teachers in the use of adapted material resources and adaptation of material resources for the accommodation of learners with disabilities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Development and validation of an instrument for measuring parkinsonian motor impairment: TRAPS-D.

Parkinson's disease is incurable, idiopathic, degenerative, and progressive, and affects about 1% of the elderly population. Multidisciplinary clinical treatment is the best and most adopted therapeutic option, while surgical treatment is used in less than 15% of those affected. In practice, there is a lack of reliable and validated scales for measuring motor impairment, and monitoring and screening for surgical indications. To develop and validate an instrument for measuring parkinsonian motor impairment in candidates for neurosurgical treatment. The development and validation methods followed published guidelines. The first part was the choice of domains that would make up the construct: cardinal signs of disease (tremor, rigidity (stiffness), posture/balance/gait, hypokinesia/akinesia, and speech), along with pain and dyskinesia. A multi-professional working group prepared an initial pilot instrument. Ten renowned specialists evaluated, judged, and suggested modifications to the instrument. The second phase was the evaluation of the content of each domain and the respective ability to classify commitment intensity. The third phase was the correction of the main flaws detected and new submission to the board. The instrument was applied to 41 candidates for neurosurgical treatment in two situations: with and without medication RESULTS: The final form received 100% agreement from the judges. Its average time for application was 8min. It was very responsive (p = 0.001, Wilcoxon) in different situations (On-Off). TRASP-D is a valid instrument for measuring motor impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease who are candidates for neurosurgical treatment. It allows measurement in multiple domains with reliability and sensitivity.

The Field Experience as a Potential Barrier to Underrepresented Minority Student Participation in Ecological Sciences

The Field Experience as a Potential Barrier to Underrepresented Minority Student Participation in Ecological Sciences

Importance-performance map analysis to enhance the performance of attitude towards mobile wallet adoption among Indian consumer segments

PurposeIndia has the second highest percentage of mobile wallet adoption driven by availability of affordable smartphones and Internet. Despite a general interest, studies on its adoption have been scarce. This research assumes that user segments exist, each with their own level of maturity, and addresses the question “Are there segments which can be profiled?” Thus, the objectives of the study are to propose a model that explains the attitude of user segments towards its adoption; identify probable user segments and profile them; examine the importance and performance of constructs which influence attitude within each cluster and recommend ways to improve performance.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs the constructs from two popular theories on technology adoption, i.e. technology acceptance model (TAM) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A synthesis of review of literature on these models, besides two focus group discussions (FGDs), was used to design a pilot instrument. A nationwide survey was conducted, and 744 responses were obtained. Convenience sampling was used to select the respondents. The average scores of various constructs were computed and subjected to hierarchical clustering. Further, k-means clustering was carried out. The demographic profiling of each cluster was done through cross-tabulation and differences related to attitude and intention between clusters were tracked by one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). To determine the relative importance and performance of constructs within each cluster, Importance-Performance Map Analysis (IPMA) using Smart Partial Least Squares (PLS) was carried out.FindingsThe hierarchical clustering resulted in three clusters. The result of k-means clustering was used to label the clusters as Technology Enthusiasts (TE), Technology Sceptics (TS) and Technology Pragmatists (TP). The obtained clusters were found to differ in terms of perception, attitude, intention, behavior, marital status, education, occupation and income levels. With respect to each cluster, it was seen that the top three important constructs are Perceived Usefulness (PU), Security (SEC) and Lifestyle Compatibility (LC) as indicated by the IPMA. The findings indicate that mobile wallet providers should focus on all six constructs, with special focus on PU, SEC and LC. The findings of this study will help mobile wallet providers in customizing their offerings to enhance adoption attitude in all three clusters.Research limitations/implicationsThis study examines the perception of students and working professional towards mobile wallet adoption and uses this data for segmentation. However, there could be underlying differences between these two groups, as the motive behind adopting a technology may be different. Thus, treating them as homogenous user segments could be a limitation. Therefore, exploring segments and profiles for each type of user may be an area for future research. Mobile wallet providers should also give utmost importance to perceived usefulness, security and lifestyle compatibility while designing their services. This will not only enhance user trust and compatibility with mobile wallet but also improve the outcomes associated with its usage.Practical implicationsThis study will help mobile wallet providers understand the user segments and customize their service offerings.Originality/valueThis study provides a comparison of the respondent profiles of three obtained segments of mobile wallet users. While prior studies have identified segments associated with adoption of technologies like ATM banking, SMS banking, online banking, Internet banking, mobile banking etc., not much has been reported on mobile wallet adoption. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is a novel study in India, aimed at identifying user clusters among adopters of mobile wallets and developing cluster profiles based on demographic, attitude and intention.