Mixed Methods Paradigm Research Articles

Analysis of Current Challenges Affecting Business Operations of Two State Enterprises

study sought to establish challenges affecting the effective business operations of two Zimbabwe parastatals under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development namely, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA). The study was prompted by negative media reports and complaints from key stakeholders about the operations of these institutions. The main theory underpinning the study was the Resource-Based Entrepreneurship theory (RBET) by Hussain et al. (2019) complimented by the organisation theory (Oyibo and Gabriel, 2020). The pragmatism philosophy was applied to ensure that both quantitative and qualitative aspects of study were accommodated. The study used the mixed methods paradigm and the explanatory sequential design. The target population was made up of 97 managers from the GMB and the ZINWA, as well as government officials. A sample of 46 respondents was used to obtain quantitative data responses. Purposive sampling the online sample calculator were used to determine the two sample sizes made of those who provided qualitative data and those for quantitative data through use of a self -administered structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide. .The major findings were that the two parastatals did not have management succession plans and suffered from political interference, lacked financial resources to carry out their operations and deliver quality products and/ or services. The major recommendations were; the need to promote autonomy and reduce bureaucracy in their operations, mobilising more resources particularly finances to ensure that daily operational expenses are met, implementing sound corporate governance systems that address corruption and having a coherent and effective performance management system.

Analysis of Current Management Strategies on Business Operations of Two State Enterprises

The study sought to establish how effective were the business management strategies currently being used by two state enterprises in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development namely, the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA). The study was prompted by the negative media reports and the complaints from key stakeholders about the operations of these institutions. The main theory underpinning the study was the Resource-Based Entrepreneurship theory (RBET) by Hussain et al. (2019) complimented by the organisation theory (Oyibo and Gabriel, 2020). The pragmatism philosophy was applied to ensure that both quantitative and qualitative aspects of study were accommodated. The study used the mixed methods paradigm and the explanatory sequential design. The target population was made up of 97 managers from both the GMB and the ZINWA, as well as government officials from the parent ministry from which a sample of 46 respondents was used to obtain quantitative data responses. A self -administered structured questionnaire and semi-structured interview guide were used. The major findings were that the two parastatals had several strategies which if fully utilised could improve their operations such as outsourcing some non-key services, holding of regular meetings to get updates on the economic activities which might impact on the entities and working with reputable partners to build business growth. The major recommended strategies are that both parastatals should conduct research to facilitate innovation and development, creating and enforcing prudent and transparent financial management systems, adoption of sound corporate governance framework (practices), as well as carrying out organisational restructuring, nurturing appropriate organisational culture and having effective performance management systems.

Methodological Rigor in Laboratory Education Research

Despite the growing number of published studies on student learning in the laboratory, there is a critical need to improve methodological rigor. Resonating with discussions on research methods, this paper outlines the importance of theory-informed research questions, the minimization of researcher and participant biases, and the use of triangulation and iteration in data collection to establish rigor. An illustrative case is presented within the context of a large interdisciplinary research project aimed at improving laboratory learning at the university level. The project incorporates two research avenues: one focusing on student and faculty perspectives, and the other on a comprehensive assessment of multidimensional learning in the laboratory. The project employs a mixed methods paradigm and is grounded in a conceptual framework that conceptualizes laboratory work as epistemic practice, requiring a holistic analysis of student learning. The article concludes by discussing the results and implications of the project’s findings, which are synthesized to highlight aspects of establishing methodological rigor. The overarching goal is to develop a comprehensive assessment instrument that captures the complexity and richness of the laboratory learning environment. The findings from this research are expected to contribute to the advancement of laboratory education research by providing a model for methodological rigor that can be applied across various scientific and interdisciplinary contexts.

Building a Nexus between Feminist Perceptions and Gender-based Violence: The case of Harare Province

The study sought to interrogate men and women’s perceptions of feminism and build a nexus between those perceptions of Gender-Based Violence. Gender-based violence manifests as physical, social, emotional and psychological violence among people especially when interlinked with feminist discourse. The study was carried out utilizing the mixed methods paradigm. One hundred males and 100 females took part in the quantitative study while 4 focus group discussions were conducted with 40 persons and 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews. Findings from the study show that 76% of respondents from the study recognise the concept of feminism as the fight for equal rights, 12% as the empowerment of women, 6% acknowledged it as a move to take over the roles of men while the other 6% understand feminism as a move to ensure that women make decisions normally made by men. Forty percent of the respondents stated that the call for equality breaks families apart, 27% of the respondents indicated that feminism unites families while the other 20% indicated that feminism is a necessary evil. As such, this article recommends the alignment of feminist discourses to indigenous practices in a manner that does not seek to disrupt the social order of African society.

Land tenure, information sources and climate variability adaptation strategies: evidence from southern Ghana

ABSTRACT This article makes two central arguments to advance inconclusive literature in relevant extant research related to agriculture adaptation and climate change in the global south. First, it argues a relationship exists between land tenure and climate variability adaptation strategies. Second, it argues climate information sources influence climate variability adaptation strategies. Drawing on 150 smallholder farmers in southern Ghana, using a mixed methods paradigm, we answer two research questions: What is the relationship between land ownership and climate variability adaptation strategies? What are the sources of climate variability information that inform adaptation strategies? The findings show that land ownership positively correlates with mixed cropping, use of organic manure, and irrigation. Radio, agricultural extension agents, peer farmers, and families constitute major sources of climate information that influence climate variability adaptation strategies. Governments in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can implement land administration initiatives that ensures secured land tenure and engender long-term capital-intensive agricultural investments.

Discipline Management Practices and Students’ Discipline: A Case of Private Secondary Schools in Kasangati Town Council, Wakiso District, Uganda

The centrality of student discipline and its management in the success of educational processes cannot be over emphasised. Although various student discipline managements practices have been employed world over, including Uganda, related studies have mostly overlooked student leaders’ perspectives in favour of those of administrators and teachers. This study, which involved student leaders in addition to teachers, examined the relationship between student discipline management practices and student discipline at private secondary schools in Kasangati Town Council, Wakiso District, Uganda. A focus group discussion guide and a closed-ended questionnaire, respectively, were utilised to gather data from a sample of 113 teachers and 46 student leaders, randomly chosen from 4 private secondary schools. Using census inquiry, discipline management teachers from the four schools were interviewed. A sequential explanatory study design using a mixed-methods paradigm was employed. Pearson's product-moment correlation analysis was performed to examine the hypotheses. Qualitative data were examined using content analysis. The findings revealed a statistically significant association between: guidance and counselling and student discipline (r = 0.539, p = 0.006), parental involvement and student discipline (r = 0.499, p = 0.009), and the administration of punishments and student discipline (r = 0.381, p = 0.003). Similar findings emerged from the qualitative findings. They demonstrated that in the schools under study, student discipline management practices support student discipline. The study offers managers of private secondary schools advice to: implement a systematic strategy to involve parents in the management of the critical transition of adolescents from childhood to adulthood; encourage deterrent punishments with a positive behavioural impact; and to set up regular refresher programmes to retool teachers in contemporary ways of guidance and counselling.

Achieving sustainability in South African commercial properties: the impact of innovative technologies on energy consumption

PurposeThis study aims to examine the concept of innovative technologies and identify their impacts on the environmental sustainability of commercial properties in South Africa. This slow adoption is attributed to South Africa’s energy building regulation, SANS 204, which does not promote energy-conscious commercial property development. Furthermore, it was observed that buildings waste significant amounts of energy as electrical appliances are left on when they are not in use, which can be prevented using innovative technologies.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers attempted to evaluate the impact of innovative technologies through an overarching constructivist mixed-method paradigm. The research was conducted using a multi-case study approach on green buildings which had innovative technologies installed. The data collection took the form of online, semi-structured interviews, where thematic analysis was used to identify emergent themes from the qualitative data, and descriptive statistics was used to evaluate the quantitative data.FindingsIt was found that implementing innovative technologies to reduce the energy consumption of commercial buildings could achieve energy savings of up to 23%. Moreover, a commercial building’s carbon footprint can be reduced to 152CO2/m2 and further decreased to 142CO2/m2 through the adoption of a Photovoltaics plant. The study further found that innovative technologies improved employee productivity and promoted green learning and practices.Originality/valueThis research demonstrated the positive impact innovative technologies have on energy reduction and the sustainability of commercial properties. Hence, facility managers should engage innovative technologies when planning a commercial development or refurbishment.

An Exploration of Students’ Willingness to Communicate in Thai EFL Online Classroom

This study aims at exploring the level of Thai EFL undergraduate students’ willingness to communicate in English language online classrooms. The crucial evidence from students’ voices was investigated through the mixed-methods paradigm, called exploratory sequential research design which employed a qualitative, followed by a quantitative approach to answer the main research question that investigated the levels of Thai EFL undergraduate students’ willingness to communicate in English language online classrooms. In the first phase, qualitative data was collected and analyzed from focus group interviews to elicit the rich data in deep detail and explain some outstanding points of view from the participants at the university level. Then, the results from the qualitative phase were used as a guideline to develop the questionnaires which were relevant to the willingness to communicate in online classrooms. One thousand one hundred and nineteen participants (N=1,119) responded to the questionnaires. Results showed that the salient factors that influenced the level of students’ willingness to communicate in online classrooms were communication channels, students’ beliefs, peer influence, teachers’ characteristics, teaching methods, and online classroom atmosphere. The findings of this study can create teachers’ awareness when teaching online and can be used to seek out how to improve themselves and adjust their own teaching approach to enhance their students’ online language learning outcomes in the future. Recommendations for further research are addressed in the end. Keywords: English as a Foreign Language, online classes, Thai EFL undergraduate students, Thai EFL online classroom, willingness to communicate

Intra- and Intersexual Mate Competition in Two Cultures : A Comparison of Women's Response to Mate Competition with Women and Gender-Nonbinary Males in Samoa and among the Istmo Zapotec.

The present study examined women's mate competition tactics in response to female and feminine-male rivals in two cultures in which competition against both occurs. In Samoa and the Istmo Zapotec (Southern Mexico), women not only compete with other women (intrasexually) but also compete with rival feminine males (intersexually) in order to access/retain the same masculine men as sexual/romantic partners. Using a mixed-method paradigm, women were asked about their experiences of intra- and intersexual mate competition, and these narratives were recorded. The tactics reportedly employed by participants, and those attributed to mate competitors, were categorized according to established taxonomies of mate competition tactics, and their frequencies compared. Within-culture, the likelihood that participant women had ever experienced intra- and intersexual mate competition did not differ. Furthermore, participants reported a similar pattern of behavioral tactics whether their rival was another woman or a feminine male. These included benefit provisioning tactics during mate acquisition and cost-inflicting tactics during mate retention. Similarly, the mate competition tactics attributed to rival women and rival feminine males bore a striking resemblance, focused on enticing target men. Results highlight the mate competition tactics employed by women outside of a Euro-American context, and the way cultural factors impact mating landscapes presumed to be exclusively heterosexual. The presence of feminine males, alongside masculine men's willingness to engage in sexual activity with them, induces women in such cultures to compete intersexually in comparable ways to intrasexual competition with rival women.

Event Planning and Management Practices of Funeral Rites among Asantes in Ghana

The success of organizing funeral celebrations depends largely on how events are managed. Funeral celebration has been one of the major cherished tradition in Ghana. The study sought to examine event management practices on funeral rites among Asante people using Kumasi metropolis as a case study. The study employed the mixed method paradigm with exploratory and descriptive design. Convenience sampling technique was adopted in selecting sample size with eighty (80) event planners as the targeted population. Questionnaire and observation guide served as the main data collection tools for the survey. The results were analysed using descriptive statistics. It was established that most event managers get connected to their clients largely through referrals and advertisement on various radio stations. The financial position of clients influences the products and services rendered to them. The study concludes that challenges to event management on funeral rites include delay in releasing funds and lack of effective communication between event managers and clients. Event management practices as an essential tool to minimize cost and increase satisfaction is yet to defeat the large expenditure incurred by most Asantes in organizing funeral rites in Kumasi. The study recommends that event planning and management firms should create awareness and educate the public on the significance of adopting effective event management practice in funeral celebrations.

An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in Curbing Teenage Pregnancies among Secondary School Girls: a Case of Five Selected Secondary Schools in Samfya District of Luapula Province

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) is a rights-based approach to comprehensive sexuality education which seeks to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which they need to determine and enjoy their sexuality physically and emotionally while the primary goal of the school-based sexuality education programme is to build on knowledge, skills and behaviours thus enabling young people to make responsible and safe choices as well as prepare them for sexually healthy adulthood. Learners need to be aware of the different kinds of development and the impact they have on their lives such as globalization, arrival of new population groups with different cultural and religious backgrounds, the rapid spread of new media, particularly the internet, internet pornography and mobile phone technology, the emergence of HIV and AIDS and increasing concerns about STIs. Thus, the purpose of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of comprehensive sexuality education on curbing teenage pregnancies among secondary school girls in Samfya district of Luapula Province. The study employed a mixed method paradigm of an embedded method and descriptive survey design that used purposive and simple random sampling to select 5 Head teachers, 5 Guidance and counselling teachers, 20 teachers, 10 parents and 60 learners. Data was obtained from respondents by means of interviews, questionnaires and classroom observation schedules. Frequency, percentages, tables, graphs and pie-charts were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data obtained. Data was then analyzed by use of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer package. The findings revealed poor implementation and teaching of comprehensive sexuality education and lack of qualified guidance and counselling teachers in schools.

Students’ Perception on KSU Translation Online Learning Amidst the COVID-19 Global Pandemic

The 2020 CoVid-19 pandemic has changed the pattern of the educational sector as it continues to struggle operating amidst a global health emergency. With the transition from the conventional face-to-face to the current online classes, multiple challenges and opportunities sought to be identified and resolved, especially with some language courses like translation, which struggle with the additional contextual teaching and learning difficulties. Given the need, this study focused on the student perceptions of KSU Translation online learning. Data was collected from eighty (80) KSU Translation students using a mixed-method paradigm utilizing a questionnaire-checklist to determine students’ perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of KSU Translation classes’ online delivery. Multiple factors like student participation and focus, KSU faculty ICT teaching competence, and preventive measures on screen time effects were primarily identified. Overall, the students have perceived the KSU translation online learning as highly effective, with some improvement points on instruction methodology. The conduct of faculty webinars, workshops, and online learning training is highly recommended and is perceived as a potential guide on faculty development efforts, projects, and possible future research.

INFLUENCE OF THE PERFORMANCE OF NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE IN PREVENTION OF ORGANIZED CRIMES IN MOMBASA COUNTY, KENYA

This paper uses data collected for an MA Thesis on influence of the Performance of National Police Service in Prevention of organized Crimes in Mombasa County, Kenya. The study was necessitated by continued rise of criminal gangs despite police service efforts to contain the problem. The study was guided by three specific objectives, but for this paper first and second objectives will be discussed. First, the examined the influence of resource capacity on the performance of national police service in prevention of organized crimes in Mombasa County. Secondly, the study examined the influence of motivation on the performance of national police service in prevention of organized crimes. Thirdly, the last objective assessed the influence of external environment on the performance of National Police Service in prevention of organized crimes in Mombasa County, Kenya. The survey utilized Expectancy theory and Crime Pattern Theory and adopted a descriptive research design employing a mixed method paradigm.
 The study sample size comprised 306 National Police Service officers (NPS); Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) officers, Kenya Police service (KP), and Administration Police (AP) officers both senior and junior. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis derived from the study objectives. On the other hand, quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics. According to the findings, 17% of the police officers still undertake operations without intelligence briefing, and that despite the availability of criminal intelligence. Besides, access to criminal intelligence was still a major challenge to 45% of the officers while inter-agency coordination was a rare part of the fight against organized crime to 56% of the officers who were not involved. The findings also revealed that despite the importance of training towards the prevention of organized crime, 33% of police officers did not have access to these trainings. Furthermore, 53% of the officers, cited lack of recognition and motivation that could go a long way in raising performance of the police officers. The study makes two major recommendations; special attention to training and curriculum review that addresses the demands of emerging global security challenges. Secondly, officer’s welfare remains a thorny issue which can potentially stifle any crime prevention initiative. Welfare issues of concern such as merit and fairness in promotions, rewards and other incentives, and better compensation were said to be an integral part of any serious police reform agenda.

AN EVALUATION OF READING KNOWLEDGE AND LINGUISTIC READING SKILLS ACHIEVEMENT OF GRADE1 LEARNERS IN SIX SCHOOLS OF MILENGE DISTRICT OF LUAPULA PROVINCE ZAMBIA

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the Reading knowledge and linguistic Reading skills achievement of Grade 1 learners in three schools that are close to the District Administrative centre and three schools that are far from the District Administrative centre. The study employed a mixed method paradigm of an embedded method and descriptive survey design that used purposive and simple random sampling to select 6 Head teachers, 6 teachers, 6 SICs, 2 Education standards officers and 80 learners. Data was obtained from respondents by means of interviews, questionnaires and classroom observation schedules. Frequency, percentages, tables, graphs and pie-charts were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data obtained. Data was then analyzed by use of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer package. The findings revealed significant differences in that learners achievement of Reading knowledge and linguistic Reading skills between the two sets of schools. Findings showed differences in learners attendance of lessons and teachers absence in classrooms, poor state of infrastructure, multiple sessions, poor pedagogical practices, absence of adequate and appropriate teaching and learning materials in reading, limited number of textbooks, lack of improvisation, inadequate internal and external monitoring, irregular CPD meetings, poor teaching methods and techniques, inadequate assessment and poor record keeping.

Teachers’ practices of proactive and reactive classroom management strategies and the relationship to their self-efficacy

Teachers’ proactive and reactive classroom management strategies are a significant component of teaching effectiveness. Teachers need to develop such strategies to structure a positive classroom environment. In addition, teachers’ self-efficacy beliefs concerning their classroom management strategies are equally significant. This research aimed to identify the teachers’ effective proactive and reactive classroom management strategies. It also sought to investigate the obstacles that inhibit proactive classroom management use and identify the association between teachers’ self-efficacy and classroom management practices. The research adopted a mixed-methods paradigm, consisting of two tools: a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The sampling included 80 Saudi teachers of English as a foreign language (EFL) participated in the survey and eight teachers participated in the interviews. The results showed that EFL teachers find proactive classroom management strategies more effective than reactive strategies. In addition, there was a difference between novice and experienced teachers’ effective classroom management strategies, in which experienced teachers found proactive strategies more effective. The findings also indicated that there are four types of obstacles that hinder proactive classroom management strategies. System-related obstacles (subject-centered curriculum and institutional rules), system/teacher related obstacles (institutional rules and teachers’ predispositions concerning e-tools), teacher-related obstacles (lack of understanding of the discipline plan), and student-related obstacles (unmotivated students). The final finding cited the positive association between teachers’ high self-efficacy and proactive classroom management application.

Educators’ Perceptions and Curriculum History in Somalia

This study analysed the connection between educators’ perceptions and curriculum history of secondary schools in Somalia. With the utilisation of descriptive research design, a self administered questionnaire and an interview guide were employed to collect information which was used to achieve the specific objective of assessing the effect of educators’ perceptions on curriculum history of secondary schools in Somalia . The study adopted a mixed methods paradigm with descriptive research design , quantitative and qualitative approaches. A sample of 300 participants were chosen using Slovene’s formula. Data was collected using survey questionnaire and interview schedule and analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test for quantitative data and thematic sythesis was used for analyzing qualitative data .The study findings established a significant relationship between educators’ perceptions and curriculum history of secondary schools in Somalia . The study concluded by proposing a model that can assist policy-makers in Somalia to change current history curricula to construct one that supports a Somalia national identity . From the study findings, the researcher recommended that using a humanistic approach to curriculum evaluation in post-conflict contexts may help teachers to explore people’s perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs.

A systematic review of Asian community participation in biosphere reserves

Purpose Managing biosphere reserves (BR) have become more challenging regarding the socio-cultural conflict between communities and BR administrators. For the past two decades, community participation (CP) has become the central narrative for BR management practices in Asia. This paper aims to set out to analyse the current literature because of the paucity of systematic reviews on CP in Asian BR. Also, it proffers possible solutions to enhance biosphere performance. Design/methodology/approach In total, 31 related studies were identified from the Scopus, Web of Science databases and materials from organisations in the field of practice of territorial conservation. Three themes emerged from the review – willingness to participate, encumbrances and possible solutions. Findings Factors that influence community willingness to participate in a BR, encumbrances facing the community and possible policy solutions to enhance CP in a BR in Asia were the three themes that emerged from the review. The factors that influence community willingness were categorised into the level of participants in education, perceived waste of time, no confidence of the outcome, okay with current management, land owned, household size and gender factors. Research limitations/implications This paper’s recommendations were based on empirical literature reviewed systematically but do not compromise the robustness concerning BR management practices in Asia. It was established that to enrich the findings of this research, regional studies of CP in BR should be conducted, including primary source data using the mixed methods paradigm. Practical implications As part of the practical implications, recommendations were highlighted to enhance CP in BR. Also, the paper suggested that BR administrators should have two-way communication mechanisms, cross-sectoral participation and collaboration, implement locally-based solutions through full engagement of community members in decision-making. Originality/value This is probably the first systematic review paper on BR management practices in Asia. Filling the theoretical gap via systematic review was part of the significant contribution to CP in Asian BR.

The search for understanding of mixed method research among graduate students: a case of learners in the school of continuing and distance education, university of Nairobi, Kenya

The desire by students and researchers to engage in interdisciplinary research has forced many of them to adopt mixed method research. A combination of both quantitative and qualitative approaches/paradigms enables the researcher to tap into the strengths of each as well as minimizing the weaknesses of both in a single study. A paradigm dictates the opinions, assumptions and beliefs a researcher holds about the world around them and their view of what constitutes knowledge and truth. Opposing views about the nature of knowledge (epistemology), the role of values (axiology) and the nature of reality (ontology) caused emergence of the paradigms. The types of assumptions and practices held by individual researchers often leads a researcher taking on a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach in their research study. The School of Continuing and Distance Education formerly School of Open and Distance Learning offers a Masters Degree and PhD in Project Planning and Management. Due to the multi-faceted issues investigated by the graduate students, majority of them opt to adopt mixed method approaches in their research work. However, a review of some of the graduate proposals has shown a lack of understanding among the students on the coherence between mixed method paradigm and the designs emanating from this paradigm. The purpose of this paper is to review mixed method research and mixed method approaches in a simple and systematic manner. The paper will identify different types of mixed method designs based on weighting and timing. Finally, the paper will end by recommending pertinent questions that a researcher needs to ask themselves before embarking on a mixed method study.

The role of the public sector in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis: The case of Portuguese events’ industry

The unprecedented public health crisis experienced during the recent global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has originated a catastrophic economic crisis for the entire globe. This crisis has been particularly harmful to the tourism industry and, more specifically, to the events’ subsector. This study aims to understand the main measures that have been implemented by the Portuguese public sector to assist companies which specialize in the organization of events. In addition, the study seeks to empirically understand the strategies and solutions that, according to the industry’s players, should be implemented in future crisis scenarios. The sample consisted of representatives of 165 companies belonging to the subsector of cultural and sports events, corporate events, and tourist animation. The data was collected during the month of April 2020 by means of a questionnaire prepared by the Portuguese Association of Congress Organizers, Tourism Animation and Events (APECATE). The adopted methodology was anchored in the mixed methods paradigm. Through a quantitative approach, the frequencies of the variables under study – sector of activity, support measures by the public sector, suggestions of additional measures – were analyzed. Afterwards, the suggestions referred by the participants were codified and analyzed qualitatively. The results of this research reveal that 72.1% of surveyed companies have used some kind public sector assistance mechanisms, with layoff being the most widely selected initiative by respondents. As actions to be implemented in a future crisis scenario, surveyed companies highlight, for instance, support to the managers of companies specialized in organizing events, as well as financial support to these companies by means of non-repayable loans.

Identifying the key success factors for the adoption of mobile learning

There is evidence that sustainability and efficiency are challenges for mobile learning adoption methods. The objective of this study is to identify, categorize and evaluate the critical factors that shape the adoption and sustainable use of mobile learning.. The study will investigate the factors that affect mobile learning adoption, how they can be categorized and what is the prioritization of these categories in the context of Catalonia. The research in this study was designed according to a mixed methods paradigm applying a mixed research approach weighted toward quantitative data, including a literature review, a systematic review, and an expert judgement. A total of 361 factors were identified by reviewing 74 studies; twenty-six studies were included in the systematic review; and seven Catalan experts participated in the expert trial, including three school leaders, two university experts and two education inspectors. This study provides a taxonomy to categorize and orchestrate the factors affecting the adoption of mobile learning providing a holistic and coherent vision.. This categorization contributes to improving sustainability in the adoption of mobile learning. Overall, participants prioritize the five categories from the most challenging to the lowest impact as follows: leadership; personal character, attitudes, and ethics; digital literacy; pedagogical; and technological resources. The major limitation of this study is the lack of contextualization of the proposed categorization. Future research should offer different perspectives in order to generalize the results. Findings may vary with technological advances. The findings are expected to be useful both in academia and for school stakeholders as insights for further research and efficient and sustainable mobile learning adoptions.