Online Membership Research Articles

Members’ experiences and perceptions of participating in an Australian Regional One Health Network

BackgroundThe One Health framework is intended to optimise the interdependent health of humans, animals and ecosystems. It relies on effective collaborations across disciplines, sectors and communities. One Health networks have become increasingly important platforms for encouraging, creating and supporting collaborations. Their success is usually judged by evaluations of their outputs. However, there is also a need to understand member experiences and perceptions of the networks in which they participate. To that end, we undertook the first membership survey of a One Health network that was established in Australia in 2005.MethodsAn online membership survey was created, comprising closed and open-ended questions.ResultsAround one third of the Regional One Health Partnership (‘the Network’) participated in the study (33 members). Participants contributed a combined total of 170 years of experience in the Network and 414 years of combined experience working in/on One Health. The Network has provided excellent opportunities for cross sectoral collaboration that would otherwise not have been possible. Findings also highlighted the intangible benefits of membership such as the creation of a collaborative support group for emerging and established One Health practitioners.ConclusionsThe Network plays an important role in One Health collaborations in New South Wales and further afield. Commensurate with the literature on One Health collaborations globally, we identified a need for greater diversity amongst members, especially from First Nations people, local communities, non-government organisations and wildlife/environment experts, as well as concerted attempts to identify policy implications. Our membership survey tool could be adapted for future One Health Network membership surveys in Australia and internationally.

INSLISLITE EVALUATION IN THE PROCESSING OF LIBRARY MATERIALS TOWARD USABILITY MODEL

An information system can ease the user in receiving information. The library needs to use effective and efficient service by using the information system. Processing of library materials is important to do to facilitate the search for information and expedite service activities. This research has a case study at the Bandar Lampung City Library and Archives Service which has used the INLISLite system since 2014. But until now they are still using INLISLite version 3.1. This study uses a qualitative descriptive method by conducting field research on the problems that occur, as well as interacting directly with librarians. INLISLite version 3.1 which is used displays several menus such as Back Office, Read on Place, Guest Book, Online Membership, Digital Collection Services, OPAC, Articles, Member Registration, Statistics, Surveys, Self-Returns, and Self Borrowing. The results first result from the study, librarians can process library materials on the Back Office menu. The second is there are no problems in the learnability and efficiency aspects because in this aspect the INLISLite system makes it very easy for librarians, but there are problems in the Memorability, Error, and Satisfaction aspects.

Do New Luxury Hotel Promotions Harm Member Customers?

Will customers regret their loyalty to a hotel and look for alternatives if the hotel neglects to communicate with them? Empirical research on this question is limited in the hospitality literature. To accurately determine the direction of future customer behavior, we investigate the impact of sales promotions on customer regret and switching intention, demonstrating that sales promotions can dilute customer loyalty. Using an experimental design study (n = 227) in Korea, our findings indicate that sales promotions have no effect on customer regret and switching intention. In particular, we find that customers’ regret of paying for a hotel membership is more salient than their regret of obtaining a free membership in the new luxury hotel context, regardless of the absence or presence of sales promotions. Moreover, the findings show that VIP club members tend to experience more regret and have greater switching intentions than free online membership customers. The higher the degree of customer regret, the more sensitive the customers’ reactions are to mixed promotions, leading to a rapid increase in switching intentions among customers. This study expands sale promotion knowledge by offering ample evidence of customer behavior and provides sustainable insights for hospitality managers responding to member customers’ demands.

Assessing Foods and Nutrition Competencies in Youth

ObjectiveTo develop a comprehensive assessment of foods and nutrition competencies with robust psychometric properties for the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Project. DesignThe Assessment of Foods and Nutrition Competencies in Adolescents was developed through a systematic measurement development process by a group of researchers, practitioners, and program alumni familiar with the theory of change and implementation procedures of the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Project. SettingRecruitment was conducted through the 4-H Online membership management program for 4-H members throughout Texas to complete online survey questions. ParticipantsFour hundred twenty-four Texas 4-H members in grades 6–12. Variables MeasuredSurvey items addressing 6 specific foods and nutrition competencies dimensions. AnalysisA series of reliability and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assess the psychometric qualities of Assessment of Foods and Nutrition Competencies in Adolescents. ResultsAssessment of Foods and Nutrition Competencies in Adolescents was found to possess good factor structure, reliability, validity, and measurement invariance. Program participants showed an advantage over nonparticipants in most core foods and nutrition competencies concerning positive behavioral changes. Conclusions and ImplicationsAssessment of Foods and Nutrition Competencies in Adolescents comprehensively captures the core competencies promoted by the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Project and possesses the psychometric qualities critical for program evaluation. A more diversity-focused outreach effort is needed for inclusive youth programs like the 4-H Foods and Nutrition Project to benefit the general youth population.

Inovasi pelayanan era new normal di Dinas Perpustakaan dan Kearsipan Kota Cirebon

The presence of the New Normal era is not only a solution to reducing the tension of the Covid-19 pandemic and creating a new order of life but also a challenge for various sectors that must continue. The closure of the library building should not be a reason for libraries to stop providing information services to the public. The Cirebon City Library and Archive Service (Dispusip) continues to adapt to changes and strive to implement services to keep running. This study aimed to find out the form of Cirebon City Dispusip's innovation and obstacles during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study used a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection techniques were carried out through field observations, direct interviews, and literature studies. The informants selected in this study were two employees at the Cirebon City Dispusip. The study results indicated that in the implementation of library services during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Cirebon City Office of Education had made innovations in the form of online services. They included several types of services, namely offline visiting services with limited quotas, online circulation services, online membership services, digital library application services, as well as digital-based creative literacy programs. The obstacle faced by the Cirebon City Dispusip in implementing online service innovations was the problem of system/server errors. The existence of online service innovations that have been implemented has enabled services at the Cirebon City Dispusip to continue running even in a pandemic.

The Role of Perceived Injustice and Need for Esteem on Incel Membership Online

ABSTRACT Incels – a term that stands for “involuntary celibates”—is a subculture of men connected by their inability to obtain romantic and sexual relationships. As a group known for real-world violent attacks, understanding the drivers of online membership offers valuable insight into these vulnerable men. The current study used inductive qualitative analysis of over 8,000 posts made by 703 unique posters in two online incel communities to explore common themes within the process of incel membership online. Qualitative analyses uncovered two higher-order concepts: perceptions of injustice and searching for esteem. Within these concepts several underlying themes emerged: victimization, perceived barriers to manhood, psychological responses, and black pill as liberation. The results posit that one avenue to incel membership comes from heightened perceptions of injustice among these users. In addition, the incel forum offers a strategy to increase self-esteem through online membership, which may be a vital draw for disenfranchised young people. Unfortunately, it seems that online incel membership, while a source of self-esteem, shapes incel perceptions, leading members to re-interpret instances in their lives through the lens of extremist ideology.

Islamic college libraries facing the covid-19 pandemic

Background of the study: The library has been running normally. But it changed 360 degrees when the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak hit. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze how Islamic university libraries in Indonesia faced the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the IAIN Curup Library. Method: The design of this research is descriptive qualitative, the informants in this study are the head of the library and management staff / librarian, and the data collection technique uses surveys, interviews and documentation. While the data analysis using qualitative descriptive techniques. Findings: The results of the study show that there are several creativity and innovations that have been carried out by the IAIN Curup Library in dealing with the current epidemic of the Covid-19 pandemic, including 1) Making online membership cards; 2) SKBP services online; 3) Access books online; 4) Join to telegram; and 5) Auto WhatsApp as an alternative to library services. Then there are several things that the IAIN Curup library has done in the face of the covid 19 pandemic, namely 1) strengthening e-resources at IAIN Curup such as e-repository, IAIN Curup e-library, e-theses, and open educational resources, where all these resources will support lectures and other academic activities. 2) Implementation of health protocols when entering the library, for example wearing masks, maintaining distance, limiting the number of visitors, and providing good sanitation facilities. Conclusion: The Covid 19 pandemic that is currently engulfing the library has closed all doors for visitors so that the library has no visitors at all (in this case a physical visit) to the library, therefore facing this issue, the Islamic CollegeLibrary in this case must do the following: creativity and innovation.

A programme written by citizens? Agenda-setters and veto players in drafting the 2018 election manifesto of the Five-star Movement

ABSTRACT Bottom-up policy development is integral to the concept of direct democracy and has been advertised by parties advocating this ideal as a ‘revolution’. However, as election manifestos are complex documents that embrace a wide range of policy areas, such processes typically involve external advisors or party politicians specialized in a narrow policy field. Thus, the task of writing the programme is shared among several stakeholders. This raises the question of the extent to which ‘citizens’, i.e. party activists, can serve as agenda-setters in this process, and whether they can exclude proposals they oppose from the manifesto. The article contributes to the agenda-setting literature by exploring this puzzle through analysing the case of the 2018 election manifesto of the Five-star Movement which was ‘written by citizens’ and ratified in several membership ballots. A detailed analysis of the policy development process determines the distribution of agenda-setting capacities and veto powers in the construction of the M5s’ election manifesto, which is contrasted with elite narratives gained from qualitative interviews with party representatives, and the findings of an online membership survey (n = 187). The findings suggest that although party members’ contribution to the agenda is negligible, some of the membership ballots granted them a substantial share of veto power. At the same time, the data indicates that few of them used this opportunity, which relegated membership ballots to a mere approval of top-down proposals. The findings challenge formalistic interpretations of direct democracy and highlight the importance of focusing on actual party practices instead.

Discursive Change in Second Language Teachers’ Online Interactions: A Microgenetic Analysis

Although studying teachers’ online interactions has gained momentum in recent years, little is known about interactional development in online communities. The present study addressed this gap by exploring discursive change in second language teachers’ interactions in an online professional development (PD) course structured around mobile phone usage. To this aim, the microgenetic analysis approach of sociocultural theory was adopted to track developments in teachers’ interactions based on Goodall’s (2000) skilled conversation threads. Data analysis revealed 152 skilled conversation exchanges in the online PD. Three themes were dominant among these exchanges and constituted most of the interactions: (1) Direct and indirect uses of mobile phones, (2) challenges and benefits of using mobile phones, and (3) teaching different language skills using mobile phones. Detailed analysis of the exchanges revealed that the teachers gradually changed in their perceptions about using mobile phones as well as the discourse they employed to represent their understandings. The findings are discussed in relation to teacher educators’ role in facilitating online PD and the importance of developing a knowledge base that accounts for teachers’ online membership.

LIBRARY ONLINE SERVICES DURING COVID-19: THE EXPERIENCE OF LIBRARIES IN CROATIA AND UKRAINE

The purpose of the article is to identify activities in providing online services during forced quarantine on the example of public libraries’ activities in Croatia and university libraries in Ukraine. The study aimed to identify, analyse, and characterise online services offered by libraries to establish remote customer service during the forced quarantine. The results of the study are presented in three sections. The first analyses the work of Croatian public libraries; the second, presents the experience of Ukrainian libraries; in the third, there is the case of the Scientific Library of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts is displayed. The scientific novelty of the article is to identify practices for providing online services by libraries in Croatia and Ukraine during the COVID‑19 pandemic. The study shows that Croatian public librarians, as well as Ukrainian librarians, have demonstrated they can quickly adapt and use digital technologies on behalf of their supporters. Libraries went from developing imaginative practices to create online spaces in a matter of weeks. The result was a massive amount of produced content like workshops for children and adults; streamings of online events, organisation of virtual exhibitions, and collecting verified reference sources for research and learning. Another one of the impacts of this crisis was the accelerated development of digital library services, including online membership registration and the acquisition of e-books by public libraries. Public response was more significant than ever, including following, commenting, and sharing digital content created or shared by public libraries. The study found that the challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic have intensified the digitisation of Ukrainian libraries and led to changes in activities. University libraries quickly adapted to remote work, offering their users a variety of remote services. The authors hope that the considered practices will contribute to disseminating better experience of libraries during quarantine in general and online services in remote maintenance in particular.

Fooled in the relationship: How Amazon Prime members' sense of self‐control counter‐intuitively reinforces impulsive buying behavior

AbstractAmazon, the leader in the e‐retailing sector, has revolutionized online shopping through its vast areas of customer solutions, particularly with its Amazon Prime membership. Nonetheless, shoppers' behavior and attitudes in similar programs are yet to be researched. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the effect of self‐control on trust, affective attachment and impulse buying in online membership programs. Herein, researchers integrate retailers‐consumers' relational variables alongside shoppers' behavioral dimensions, to understand the long‐term relationship members have with Amazon Prime. A quantitative approach was adopted for this purpose, based on data collected over a period of 2 months from 630 respondents surveyed across the United States of America. Findings show that while self‐control first delimits impulsive shopping, it also reinforces shoppers' cognitive and affective ties with Amazon Prime, counterintuitively increasing their impulsive buys. This study is thus the first to demonstrate that retailers' membership programs such as Amazon Prime may come at the expense of consumers. This is due to the fact that such programs appear to reinforce impulsive behavior, while giving a false sense of self‐control to the shopper.

Implementation Improvement Analysis of M-Library Application and Related Business Processes at XYZ University

XYZ University library provides offline and online book loan services. The library's online service uses the m-library application. This study aims to see the implementation of the m-library application and see the extent of the evaluation of the application. The m-library application is used for the process of borrowing books, viewing catalogs, and reading book online. The method used in this research is qualitative descriptive through interviewing interviewees and observing applications. The results of this study are that there are several benefits and weaknesses to the m-library application. From these shortcomings, it can be recommended to increase the implementation of the m-library application, namely the need for application development towards menu flexibility and application services, ease of online membership registration process, compatibility of online and offline book catalogs and more effective use of application features according to the University library business process. This application also requires broader socialization to the university academic community so that its use is more optimum.

Use of Twitter among cancer clinicians and researchers and the associations with scientific impact of its users and followers.

e14101 Background: Social media channels, such as Twitter, represent relatively new technology platforms for scientific users to disseminate research findings and communicate their views and interpretations to colleagues and followers. To date, the associations between the use of Twitter and the scientific impact of its users and followers are unclear. Methods: All Canadian oncologists who are full members of the American Society of Clinical Oncology were identified from the online membership directory. Users of Twitter were defined as those with an active Twitter account, as of June 2019, and posted at least one tweet within the past 12 months. Data regarding the number of tweets, likes, and followers were collected by an online search of Twitter. Scientific impact of each individual was assessed based on a user’s h-index and number of citations from Google Scholar as well as score from Research Gate. Associations were examined with summary statistics and correlation coefficients. Results: We identified 676 eligible oncologists of whom 80 (12%) and 596 (88%) currently use and do not use Twitter. Among the users, the median number (IQR) of tweets, likes, and followers were 196 (45-865), 325 (86-1,246), and 198 (89-449), respectively. The scientific impact of Twitter users versus non-users was statistically similar (see Table). Likewise, within the group of users, there were no correlations between the number of tweets, likes, and followers and the scientific impact of individuals (correlation coefficients 0.38, 0.34, and 0.41, respectively, all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Only 1 in 10 oncologists use Twitter, but those who use Twitter leveraged this technology platform frequently. There were no associations between the use of Twitter and the scientific impact of its users. Views from a minority of oncologists are represented on Twitter. Such potential bias may underscore the potential need to exercise caution when using social media for scientific knowledge exchange. Regular evaluations of new technologies are warranted to ensure the quality and rigor of their scientific content in order to reduce misrepresentation. [Table: see text]

Empirical Study of Omnichannel Purchasing Pattern with Real Customer Data from Health and Lifestyle Company

This study examines the effect of omnichannel usage pattern on customers’ purchasing amount by determining statistical significance of different purchasing amount occurred for online and offline channel usage pattern with empirical analysis. The data is collected from a health and lifestyle company operated by Major Pharmaceutical company in Korea, which sells health supplement and skincare products through their owned online and offline channels. The channel usage pattern of customers is categorized into four groups: Customer using online channel only, customer using offline channel only, customer first joined membership through online and use both on/offline channels and customers joined membership through offline channel and use both on/offline. Then, the trading period, total number of purchasing, average purchasing amount per transaction and total purchasing amount during trading period among the above four groups were analyzed. The result demonstrated the number of purchasing, average purchasing amount and total purchasing amount for the omnichannel customer groups who cross used on and offline showed statistical significance. However, the difference in purchasing amount between the group of customers who joined online membership and use offline channel and another customer group that joined offline membership and use online channel was not statistically significant. This study overcame the limitation of conventional studies used survey based data, by the application of empirical data from the real customers in on/offline channels, and provides meaningful insights based on empirical real data that group of customers with higher purchasing experience in both on/offline channels shows high performance.

The Development of an Online Gym Booking System (OGBS) using Online Membership Business Model

The Development of an Online Gym Booking System (OGBS) using Online Membership Business Model

Associations between the use of Twitter as a technology platform in oncology and the scientific impact of its users.

16 Background: Social media channels, such as Twitter, represent relatively new technology platforms for scientific users to disseminate research findings and communicate their views and interpretations to colleagues and followers. To date, the associations between the use of Twitter and the scientific impact of its users are unclear. Methods: All Canadian oncologists who are full members of the American Society of Clinical Oncology were identified from the online membership directory. Users of Twitter were defined as those with an active Twitter account, as of June 2019, and posted at least one tweet within the past year. Data regarding the number of tweets, likes, and followers were collected by an online search of Twitter. Scientific impact of each individual was assessed based on a user’s h-index and number of citations from Google Scholar as well as score from Research Gate. Associations were examined with summary statistics and correlation coefficients. Results: We identified 676 eligible oncologists of whom 80 (12%) and 596 (88%) currently use and do not use Twitter. Among the users, the median number (IQR) of tweets, likes, and followers were 196 (45-865), 325 (86-1,246), and 198 (89-449), respectively. The scientific impact of Twitter users versus non-users was statistically similar (see Table). Likewise, within the group of users, there was no correlation between the number of tweets, likes, and followers and the scientific impact of individuals (correlation coefficients 0.38, 0.34, and 0.41, respectively, all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Only 1 in 10 oncologists use Twitter, but those who use Twitter leveraged this technology platform frequently. There was no association between the use of Twitter and the scientific impact of its users. Views from a minority of oncologists are represented on Twitter. Such bias underscores the need to exercise caution when using social media for scientific knowledge exchange. Regular evaluations of new technologies are warranted to ensure the quality and rigor of their scientific content. [Table: see text]

Disparities in hospital Capacities and Efficiency of Computer-based health insurance Claims Processing

Background. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has adopted several computer-based systems to enhance claims processing for hospitals.
 Objectives. This study sought to determine the efficiency gains in the processing of PhilHealth claims following the introduction of computer-based processing systems, taking into account differences in hospital characteristics.
 Methods. Data were obtained from a survey conducted among 200 hospitals, and their corresponding 2014 claims figures as provided by PhilHealth. Summary descriptive statistics of hospital capacities (ownership, service level, and utilization of PhilHealth computer systems) and claims outcomes (claims rejection rates, as well as length of claims processing times for hospitals and with PhilHealth) were generated. Multivariate regression analysis was done using claims outcomes as dependent variables, and hospital capacities as independent variables.
 Results. Nearly a quarter of the surveyed hospitals did not utilize any of PhilHealth’s computer-based claims systems. Utilization was lowest for primary as well as public facilities. Among those that used the systems, most employed the on-line membership verification program. The mean claims rejection rate was 3.81%. Claims processing by hospitals took an average of 35 days, while PhilHealth required 40 days from receipt of claims to release of reimbursement. Regression analysis indicated that facilities which utilized computers as well as private hospitals had significantly lower claims rejection rates (p<0.05). The claims processing duration was significantly shorter among private facilities.
 Conclusions. Private hospitals are able to process claims and obtain reimbursements faster than public facilities, regardless of the use of PhilHeath’s computer-based systems. PhilHealth and public hospitals need to optimize claims processing arrangements.

How academically productive are endocrine surgeons in the United States?

BackgroundMany surgical departments in the United States lack endocrine surgery faculty. Although endocrine surgeons can provide worthwhile clinical services, it is unclear how they contribute to the overall academic mission of the department. The present study aims to evaluate the academic productivity of endocrine surgeons, as defined by the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons (AAES) membership, when compared with other academic surgical faculty. Materials and methodsAn established database of 4081 surgical department faculty was used for this study. This database includes surgical faculty of the top 50 National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded universities and faculty from five outstanding hospital-based surgical departments. Academic metrics including publication, citations, H-index, and NIH funding were obtained using publically available data from websites. The AAES membership status was gathered from the online membership registry. ResultsA total of 110 AAES members were identified in this database, accounting for 2.7% of this population. Overall, the AAES members outperformed other academic surgical faculty with respect to publications (66 ± 94 versus 28 ± 91, P < 0.001), publication citations (1430 ± 3432 versus 495 ± 2955, P < 0.001), and H-index (19 ± 18 versus 10 ± 13, P < 0.001). In addition, the AAES members were more likely to have former/current NIH funding and hold divisional or departmental leadership positions than their non-AAES member colleagues. ConclusionsBased on these data, the AAES members excelled with respect to publications, citations, and research funding compared with nonendocrine surgical faculty. These results demonstrate that endocrine surgeons can contribute enormously to the overall academic mission. Therefore, more surgical departments in the United States should consider establishing an endocrine surgery program.

The Indian retinopathy of prematurity society: a baby step towards tackling the retinopathy of prematurity epidemic in India

Background: India leads all nations in the number of preterms born annually. With over 3.5 million infants, a reducing infant mortality rate and an expanding base of rural neonatal intensive care units, the number of infants requiring retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening has dramatically increased. The number of ROP specialists in the country is currently inadequate. Leading ROP specialists of the country initiated the Indian ROP (IROP) society to address these challenges. Methods: In 2016, the IROP society was conceived and registered as a professional body with a mission to prevent needless blindness from ROP by promoting standards of excellence. A national online membership drive was carried out. The data collected in this survey was analyzed to collate information on past training, practice patterns, ease of screening and treatment, use of wide-field imaging and willingness to be certified. Results: Of the 113 members at the time of submission, 67.3% were male. 88.5% were formally trained for ROP and 85.8% were vitreo-retinal specialists. Of the practicing members, 96% were “comfortable” with screening and 86% with ROP treatment and this correlated with training (P=0.001 and P=0.002 respectively). Only 25.7% performed vitreous surgery for ROP. Wide field imaging was used by 33% of members in their practice and 52% of those who did not, wanted to use it in the future. Members who used imaging performed more number of laser treatments than those who did not (P=0.008). Laser was the preferred modality of treatment for 98% of members. A majority of the members (92.5%) were willing to be audited. Conclusions: The IROP society is a novel platform for ROP specialists to collaborate. The society has setup short, mid and long-term goals to make ROP care more accessible and affordable with appropriate use of technology.

When Bloom Filters Are No Longer Compact: Multi-Set Membership Lookup for Network Applications

Many important network functions require online membership lookup against a large set of addresses, flow labels, signatures, and so on. This paper studies a more difficult, yet less investigated problem, called multi-set membership lookup, which involves multiple (sometimes in hundreds or even thousands) sets. The lookup determines not only whether an element is a member of the sets but also which set it belongs to. To facilitate the implementation of multi-set membership lookup in on-die memory of a network processor for line-speed packet inspection, the existing work uses the variants of Bloom filters to encode set IDs. However, through a thorough analysis of the mechanism and the performance of the prior art, much to our surprise, we find that Bloom filters—which were originally designed for encoding binary membership information—are actually not efficient for encoding set IDs. This paper takes a different solution path by separating membership encoding and set ID storage in two data structures, called index filter and set-id table, respectively. With a new ID placement strategy called uneven candidate-entry distribution and a two-level design of an index filter, we demonstrate through analysis and simulation that when compared with the best existing work, our new approach is able to achieve significant memory saving under the same lookup accuracy requirement, or achieve significantly better lookup accuracy under the same memory constraint.