Abstract: This study adopts a qualitative approach, which
engages in the dialectical discussion on two levels of dyad opposite
views. The first level of the dyad opposite views is the Western
strategic perspective and the Eastern Tai-Chi thinking. The second
level of the dyad opposite views is resource-based view and resource
dependence theory. This study concludes the resource-oriented actions
for competitive advantage as the metaphor of Tai-Chi consisted of yin
and yang. This study argues that the focal firm should adopt bridging
strategy during the core competence development period because its
core competence development is likely to meet its competitor’s needs
of exploring strategy during the competitor’s external resource
development stage. In addition, the focal firm should adopt buffering
strategy during the external resource development period to prevent its
competitor’s the exploiting strategy from attack during the
competitor’s core competence development stage. Consequently, this
study takes a significant first step toward a novel contextualize
understanding of resource development based on strategic perspective
and Tai-Chi thinking providing more fully sustainable strategy for
competitive advantage.
Abstract: The National Blood Center, Thai Red Cross Society is
responsible for providing blood to hospitals all over the country.
When any hospital needs blood, it will have to send the vehicle to
pick up at the NBC. There are a lot of vehicles to pick up blood at the
NBC every day. Each vehicle is usually empty for inbound trip and a
little loaded for outbound. The NBC realized such waste or loss and
there have been the third party offered to distribute blood and charge
for fee. This paper proposes to apply the vehicle routing problem
(VRP) for estimating the fair price. The idea is tested with the real
data during seven-day period of 6 – 12 July 2010 to estimate the fair
price for transporting blood in Bangkok Metropolitan Region.
Abstract: Outsourcing, a management practice strongly
consolidated within the area of Information Systems, is currently
going through a stage of unstoppable growth. This paper makes a
proposal about the main reasons which may lead firms to adopt
Information Systems Outsourcing. It will equally analyse the
potential risks that IS clients are likely to face. An additional
objective is to assess these reasons and risks in the case of large
Spanish firms, while simultaneously examining their evolution over
time.
Abstract: The research investigates the “impact of VLE on mathematical concepts acquisition of the special education needs (SENs) students at KS4 secondary education sector" in England. The overall aim of the study is to establish possible areas of difficulties to approach for above or below knowledge standard requirements for KS4 students in the acquisition and validation of basic mathematical concepts. A teaching period, in which virtual learning environment (Fronter) was used to emphasise different mathematical perception and symbolic representation was carried out and task based survey conducted to 20 special education needs students [14 actually took part]. The result shows that students were able to process information and consider images, objects and numbers within the VLE at early stages of acquisition process. They were also able to carry out perceptual tasks but with limiting process of different quotient, thus they need teacher-s guidance to connect them to symbolic representations and sometimes coach them through. The pilot study further indicates that VLE curriculum approaches for students were minutely aligned with mathematics teaching which does not emphasise the integration of VLE into the existing curriculum and current teaching practice. There was also poor alignment of vision regarding the use of VLE in realisation of the objectives of teaching mathematics by the management. On the part of teacher training, not much was done to develop teacher-s skills in the technical and pedagogical aspects of VLE that is in-use at the school. The classroom observation confirmed teaching practice will find a reliance on VLE as an enhancer of mathematical skills, providing interaction and personalisation of learning to SEN students.
Abstract: In this paper, an overview is made on the educational and research activities in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation in Libya, including development in rehabilitation science, research, training, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and physiatrist, which are mainly concerned with the patients in Libya[3] [13].
Abstract: Business and IT alignment has continued as a
top concern for business and IT executives for almost three
decades. Many researchers have conducted empirical studies on
the relationship between business-IT alignment and performance.
Yet, these approaches, lacking a social perspective, have had little
impact on sustaining performance and competitive advantage. In
addition to the limited alignment literature that explores
organisational learning that is represented in shared understanding,
communication, cognitive maps and experiences.
Hence, this paper proposes an integrated process that enables
social and intellectual dimensions through the concept of
organisational learning. In particular, the feedback and feedforward
process which provide a value creation across dynamic
multilevel of learning. This mechanism enables on-going
effectiveness through development of individuals, groups and
organisations, which improves the quality of business and IT
strategies and drives to performance.
Abstract: M. Kemal Ataturk was a great leader who was fond of art and he had displayed his being fond of art many times. In his speeches and writings you can see that he had showed his approval to art and the importance of artists and art for the society. During the foundation of republic, he also wanted renovation in art as in other fields and ordered many novelties both in art and society. One of the greatest steps in realizing this was to prepare a national Turkish opera. In this study, it was studied how a Turkish opera, Özsoy was prepared in the context of social and political conditions of that time and what kind of processes it passed. As a result, it is seen that there was two main aims for Ataturk with this opera. First, Ataturk wanted to abolish the sectarian conflict between Iran and Turkey going on for centuries. The second and maybe the most important is that he wanted to make a revolution in the field of art and aimed to reach the level of civilized countries.
Abstract: This research aims at development of the Multiple
Intelligences Measurement of Elementary Students. The structural
accuracy test and normality establishment are based on the Multiple
Intelligences Theory of Gardner. This theory consists of eight aspects
namely linguistics, logic and mathematics, visual-spatial relations,
body and movement, music, human relations, self-realization/selfunderstanding
and nature. The sample used in this research consists
of elementary school students (aged between 5-11 years). The size of
the sample group was determined by Yamane Table. The group has
2,504 students. Multistage Sampling was used. Basic statistical
analysis and construct validity testing were done using confirmatory
factor analysis. The research can be summarized as follows; 1.
Multiple Intelligences Measurement consisting of 120 items is
content-accurate. Internal consistent reliability according to the
method of Kuder-Richardson of the whole Multiple Intelligences
Measurement equals .91. The difficulty of the measurement test is
between .39-.83. Discrimination is between .21-.85. 2). The Multiple
Intelligences Measurement has construct validity in a good range,
that is 8 components and all 120 test items have statistical
significance level at .01. Chi-square value equals 4357.7; p=.00 at the
degree of freedom of 244 and Goodness of Fit Index equals 1.00.
Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index equals .92. Comparative Fit Index
(CFI) equals .68. Root Mean Squared Residual (RMR) equals 0.064
and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation equals 0.82. 3). The
normality of the Multiple Intelligences Measurement is categorized
into 3 levels. Those with high intelligence are those with percentiles
of more than 78. Those with moderate/medium intelligence are those
with percentiles between 24 and 77.9. Those with low intelligence
are those with percentiles from 23.9 downwards.
Abstract: This paper describes the architecture for a collaborative Car Pooling System based on a credits mechanism to motivate the cooperation among users. Users can spend the accumulated credits on parking facilities. For this, we propose a business model to support the collaboration between a car pooling system and parking facilities. The Portuguese Lisbon-s Metropolitan area is used as application scenario.
Abstract: The development of One Tambon One Product
(OTOP) became the policy of the government in 1997 after the
former Prime Minister had been in power. The strategy of sections is
currently set for the policy. OTOP has become the part of the way of
community lives around the country. OTOP may be developed under
changing into ASEAN economic community in 2015 because of the
flow of capitals, productions, and many workers in the region. All
sectors are improved for the change. The purposes of study were to
study the strength and weakness of the OTOP-creating process via its
policy and to lead to the strategy to be able to apply before changing.
The methodology is qualitative to study its policy including
document and to interview experienced persons. The findings showed
that the effort of improvement of all sectors obviously involves with
OTOP development. Particularly, the strategic administration of
OTOP is in every level of the state, central sector, region, and
community.
Abstract: Some of the students' problems in writing skill stem
from inadequate preparation for the writing assignment. Students
should be taught how to write well when they arrive in language
classes. Having selected a topic, the students examine and explore the
theme from as large a variety of viewpoints as their background and
imagination make possible. Another strategy is that the students
prepare an Outline before writing the paper. The comparison between
the two mentioned thought provoking techniques was carried out
between the two class groups –students of Islamic Azad University of
Dezful who were studying “Writing 2" as their main course. Each
class group was assigned to write five compositions separately in
different periods of time. Then a t-test for each pair of exams between
the two class groups showed that the t-observed in each pair was
more than the t-critical. Consequently, the first hypothesis which
states those who utilize Brainstorming as a thought provoking
technique in prewriting phase are more successful than those who
outline the papers before writing was verified.
Abstract: Bythe development of the Internet, e-commerce has
got very popular between organizations. E-commerce means buying
and selling products and services over the Internet. One of the
challenging issues in e-commerce is how to attract the customers and
how to satisfy them. Therefore, it is important to keep good
relationship with the customers. This paper proposes a new model to
increase the customer satisfaction by introducing live-operator.
Live-operator is a system which is involved both with the customers
and the organization.In this system the customers feelthatthey receive
the service directly from the organization. This model decreases the
response time and the customer loss. Moreover, it increases customer
trust and the ability of organizations.
Abstract: The Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs), and the Wide World Web (WWW) have fundamentally
altered the practice of teaching and learning world wide. Many
universities, organizations, colleges and schools are trying to apply
the benefits of the emerging ICT. In the early nineties the term
learning object was introduced into the instructional technology
vernacular; the idea being that educational resources could be broken
into modular components for later combination by instructors,
learners, and eventually computes into larger structures that would
support learning [1]. However in many developing countries, the use
of ICT is still in its infancy stage and the concept of learning object
is quite new. This paper outlines the learning object design
considerations for developing countries depending on learning
environment.
Abstract: Using activity theory, organisational theory and
didactics as theoretical foundations, a comprehensive model of the
organisational dimensions relevant for learning and knowledge
transfer will be developed. In a second step, a Learning Assessment
Guideline will be elaborated. This guideline will be designed to
permit a targeted analysis of organisations to identify the status quo
in those areas crucial to the implementation of learning and
knowledge transfer. In addition, this self-analysis tool will enable
learning managers to select adequate didactic models for e- and
blended learning. As part of the European Integrated Project
"Process-oriented Learning and Information Exchange" (PROLIX),
this model of organisational prerequisites for learning and knowledge
transfer will be empirically tested in four profit and non-profit
organisations in Great Britain, Germany and France (to be finalized
in autumn 2006). The findings concern not only the capability of the
model of organisational dimensions, but also the predominant
perceptions of and obstacles to learning in organisations.
Abstract: This paper provides a key driver-based conceptual framework that can be used to improve a firm-s success in commercializing technology and in new product innovation resulting from collaboration with other organizations through strategic alliances. Based on a qualitative study using an interview approach, strategic alliances of entrepreneurs in the food processing industry in Thailand are explored. This paper describes factors affecting decisions to collaborate through alliances. It identifies four issues: maintaining the efficiency of the value chain for production capability, adapting to present and future competition, careful assessment of value of outcomes, and management of innovation. We consider five driving factors: resource orientation, assessment of risk, business opportunity, sharing of benefits and confidence in alliance partners. These factors will be of interest to entrepreneurs and policy makers with regard to further understanding of the direction of business strategies.
Abstract: 53 college students answered questions regarding the circumstances in which they first heard about the news of Wenchuan earthquake or the news of their acceptance to college which took place approximately one year ago, and answered again two years later. The number of details recalled about their circumstances for both events was high and didn-t decline two years later. However, consistency in reported details over two years was low. Participants were more likely to construct central (e.g., Where were you?) than peripheral information (What were you wearing?), and the confidence of the central information was higher than peripheral information, which indicated that they constructed more when they were more confident.
Abstract: The objectives of this research paper were to study the
influencing factors that contributed to the success of electronic
commerce (e-commerce) and to study the approach to enhance the
standard of e-commerce for small and medium enterprises (SME).
The research paper focused the study on only sole proprietorship
SMEs in Bangkok, Thailand. The factors contributed to the success
of SME included business management, learning in the organization,
business collaboration, and the quality of website. A quantitative and
qualitative mixed research methodology was used. In terms of
quantitative method, a questionnaire was used to collect data from
251 sole proprietorships. The System Equation Model (SEM) was
utilized as the tool for data analysis. In terms of qualitative method,
an in-depth interview, a dialogue with experts in the field of ecommerce
for SMEs, and content analysis were used.
By using the adjusted causal relationship structure model, it was
revealed that the factors affecting the success of e-commerce for
SMEs were found to be congruent with the empirical data. The
hypothesis testing indicated that business management influenced the
learning in the organization, the learning in the organization
influenced business collaboration and the quality of the website, and
these factors, in turn, influenced the success of SMEs. Moreover, the
approach to enhance the standard of SMEs revealed that the majority
of respondents wanted to enhance the standard of SMEs to a high
level in the category of safety of e-commerce system, basic structure
of e-commerce, development of staff potentials, assistance of budget
and tax reduction, and law improvement regarding the e-commerce
respectively.
Abstract: The aim of this study is to show innovative techniques that describe the effectiveness of individuals diagnosed with antisocial personality disorders (ASPD). The author presents information about hate schemas regarding persons with ASPD and their understanding of the role of hate. The data of 60 prisoners with ASPD, 40 prisoners without ASPD, and 60 men without antisocial tendencies, has been analyzed. The participants were asked to describe their hate inspired by a photograph. The narrative discourse was analyzed, the three groups were compared. The results show the differences between the inmates with ASPD, those without ASPD, and the controls. The antisocial individuals describe hate as an ambivalent feeling with low emotional intensity, i.e., actors (in stories) are presented more as positives than as partners. They use different mechanisms to keep them from understanding the meaning of the emotional situation. The schema's characteristics were expressed in narratives attributed to high Psychopathy.
Abstract: Self-efficacy, self-reliance, and motivation were
examined in a quasi-experimental study with 178 sophomore
university students. Participants used an interactive cardiovascular
anatomy and physiology CD-ROM, and completed a 15-item
questionnaire. Reliability of the questionnaire was established using
Cronbach-s alpha. Post-tests and course grades were examined using
a t-test, demonstrating no significance. Results of an item-to-item
analysis of the questionnaire showed overall satisfaction with the
teaching methodology and varied results for self-efficacy, selfreliance,
and motivation. Kendall-s Tau was calculated for all items
in the questionnaire.
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to briefly review the opportunities that social media present to counselors and psychologists. Particular attention was given to understanding some of the more important common risks inherent in social media and the potential ethical dilemmas which may arise for counselors and psychologists who embrace them in their practice. Key considerations of issues pertinent to an online presence such as multiple relationships, visibility and privacy, maintaining ethical principles and professional boundaries are being discussed.