1,720,995 research outputs found
Utilisation of Social Media tools to enhance knowledge sharing practices among knowledge workers at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology in Arusha, Tanzania
Full text linkMini Dissertation (MIT)--University of Pretoria, 2014.It is vital for knowledge workers to utilise social media tools to enhance knowledge sharing practices and the adoption of these collaborative tools in higher learning institutions. This study investigated the extent to which social media tools are utilised to enhance knowledge sharing practices among knowledge workers at Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania. The study conducted semi-structured interview with the NM-AIST library staff and Information and Communication Technology Resource Centre (ICT-RC) personnel in 2014. The study found that, the utilisation of social media tools to enhance knowledge sharing among knowledge workers is still in its early stages in higher learning institutions in Tanzania. However, there was much interest amongst respondents for integrating and utilising social media tools to support knowledge sharing in higher learning institutions. The findings indicated that: social media tools can be used to enhance knowledge sharing practices; however, face to face mechanism, Google Mail, and Google Drive were indicated as main mechanisms to enhance knowledge sharing practices in higher learning institutions. Knowledge workers at the NM-AIST shared knowledge to facilitate teaching and learning activities, research and innovation; however knowledge sharing practices occur when needs arise. The study revealed the lack of knowledge sharing culture documented at the NM-AIST. The study has recommended the following: proper training for knowledge workers, employment of skilled and experienced knowledge workers, provision of full support (motivation), provide support to individual users. Application of social media tools which are very familiar and simple to use, establishment of a good relationship between knowledge workers and the management, as well as with schools and departments in higher learning institutions. Additionally, the study recommends the provision of adequate social media tools to facilitate knowledge diffusion within institutions.Information ScienceMITUnrestricte
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Utilisation of social media tools to enhance knowledge sharing among knowledge workers at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)
Full text linkThis study investigated the utilisation of social media tools to enhance Knowledge Sharing (KS) practices among knowledge workers at The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) of Tanzania. A case study design was used in this study. Data was collected by adopting a combination of document content analysis and semi-structured interviews from library and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) staff. Data was analysed thematically. The study showed that social media tools can be implemented effectively according to institution goal, users’ need and capacity building among knowledge workers. The findings also reviewed the strong commitment of the institution to ensure knowledge dissemination and exchange among its employees through the establishment of an electronic library, reliable internet connection, and having an ICT centre. This is a comprehensive study focusing on knowledge workers’ ability and willingness in utilising social media tools for KS initiatives in Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs); and reveals findings that are useful for planning and implementing social media tools initiatives for KS in other HLIs in the country
Antecedents for the Utilisation of Web 2.0 Tools for Knowledge Management Practices in Academic Libraries of Tanzania
Full text linkThe purpose of this paper was to investigate the antecedents for the utilisation of Web 2.0 tools to enhance Knowledge Management (KM) practices in academic libraries of Tanzania. Eight out of the twelve academic libraries were selected. Data gathered through questionnaires distributed to library staff (n= 278), with a response rate of 91.36%. The study used the DeLone and McLean Information System (IS) Success Model to come up with KMS Success Model. Thus, the KMS Success Model was empirically via a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach to examine the antecedents for the utilisation of Web 2.0 tools for the KM practices in academic libraries. The findings reveal that service quality increases user satisfaction and intention to use Web 2.0 tools. Knowledge quality and system quality increase the intention to use and net benefits of using Web 2.0 tools.
Further, user satisfaction increases intention to use and net benefits, whereas intention to use increases the net benefits of using Web 2.0 tools to enhance KM practices in academic libraries. This study was conducted to introduce new direction of KM practices through the application of Web 2.0 tools. DeLone and McLean IS Model was used to develop KMS success model which was tested and proved positive significant in KM practices and in facilitating libraries services
Value of academic libraries in improving higher education institutions' knowledge management practices
Full text linkThis research article was published by Regional Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2024Rationale of Study – Academic libraries are widely recognised globally as necessary for improving knowledge management (KM) practices in higher learning institutions (HLIs). This study investigated the value of academic libraries in improving KM practices in HLIs.
Methodology – A quantitative cross-sectional research design was conducted across academic libraries in selected HLIs in Tanzania. A systematic sampling technique was used to recruit librarians from academic libraries as study participants. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics® 29.0.2 statistical software.
Findings – Findings revealed a low level of KM practices and a lack of KM training among respondents. Knowledge retrieval and access, along with knowledge capture and creation, were mentioned among the critical KM practices performed in academic libraries to enhance KM practices within HLIs. Furthermore, enhancing teaching, learning, research, and innovation were identified as notable benefits resulting from improved KM practices in HLIs. Respondents highlighted a scarcity of KM skills and competencies as the main challenge that limits academic libraries to improve KM practices in HLIs.
Implications – The study will lead to a deeper understanding of the value of academic libraries in supporting KM practices in higher education. Policies will be formulated to implement the identified need. For instance, various policies need to be developed regarding the types of knowledge to be captured and preserved, the duration of preservation, and the methods of processing it.
Originality – This study's uniqueness lies in the fact that limited research has been conducted by academic libraries in the country, and the findings indicate minimal efforts to embrace KM practices in HLIs
The utilisation of open research data repositories for storing and sharing research data in higher learning institutions in Tanzania
Full text linkThis research article was published in the Journals of Library Management Vol. 44 No. 8/9, 2023Purpose – The study aims to investigate the utilisation of open research data repositories (RDRs) for storing
and sharing research data in higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Tanzania.
Design/methodology/approach – A survey research design was employed to collect data from
postgraduate students at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in
Arusha, Tanzania. The data were collected and analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. A census sampling
technique was employed to select the sample size for this study. The quantitative data were analysed using the
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), whilst the qualitative data were analysed thematically.
Findings – Less than half of the respondents were aware of and were using open RDRs, including Zenodo,
DataVerse, Dryad, OMERO, GitHub and Mendeley data repositories. More than half of the respondents were
not willing to share research data and cited a lack of ownership after storing their research data in most of the
open RDRs and data security. HILs need to conduct training on using trusted repositories and motivate
postgraduate students to utilise open repositories (ORs). The challenges for underutilisation of open RDRs were
a lack of policies governing the storage and sharing of research data and grant constraints.
Originality/value – Research data storage and sharing are of great interest to researchers in HILs to inform
them to implement open RDRs to support these researchers. Open RDRs increase visibility within HILs and
reduce research data loss, and research works will be cited and used publicly. This paper identifies the potential
for additional studies focussed on this area
129 Transparency in the Application of Theoretical Frameworks to the Advancement of Knowledge in Selected Library and Information Science Journals: A Systematic Review1
Full text linkThis research article was published by African Journal of Library, Archival & Information ScienceThe purpose of this systematic review was to determine the extent of theoretical transparency in library
and information science (LIS) scholarship. Many studies have looked at theorising and the use of theory
in LIS. Unlike previous studies this research provides insights into transparency in the use of theoretical
frameworks in the LIS field. Transparency is essential because different researchers employ the terms
theory, theoretical framework, and conceptual framework in various ways.The transparent use of theory
and the resultant theoretical framework enables other researchers to assess whether the theory is
appropriate, consistent, and coherent with the empirical evidence. This systematic search followed
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for
reporting on systematic reviews supported by ADIMA®. A total number of 138 out of 2029 articles
from 12 LIS-focused journals were analysed in March 2023. Most of the articles (88.6%) specified the
framework they used. There was a high level of transparency in relation to the suitability of the theory
to address the research problem. The degree of openness about the aim to utilise a theoretical or
conceptual framework was moderate to high. The articles had a low or minimal level of transparency
when it came to justifying why a certain theory was chosen for the study. Theory dropping was not
apparent in the articles. The results from the articles demonstrate that LIS scholars appreciate that a
theoretical framework or conceptual framework must be used in research. To ensure that readers
understand the rationale behind the theories chosen for a study, it is necessary to be open about the
reasons behind the selection of a particular theory. The explanation of how the theory contributed to
explaining the phenomenon of interest is also essential. This article might help scholars get beyond
theoretical obstacles related to the transparent use of a theoretical framework and produce theoretically
sound research. It also opens discourse on “best practice” in the use of analytical tools forresearchin the
advancement of knowledg
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