1,720,956 research outputs found
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
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
Examining Malfeasances Behind the Underperformance of State Entity Boards in Zimbabwe
Full text linkPublic entities in Zimbabwe have been experiencing frequent corporate failures that are attributed to endless scandals that include embezzlement of funds, unscrupulous rewarding of tenders and nepotism. The primary objective of the study was, therefore, to examine the malfeasances that contribute to poor corporate performance among state entity boards in Zimbabwe. The Agency Theory and Political Theory informed the study. The pragmatism research philosophy, mixed research approach and cross-sectional survey research design were adopted. The study population comprised permanent secretaries, CEOs, executive and non-executive directors from all public entities across Zimbabwe. A sample of 261 participants was used for collecting quantitative data and 25 participants for collecting qualitative data. The stratified sampling and purposive sampling techniques were applied to sample quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth personal interviews were applied to collect and generate data from participants. The study established that poor recruitment procedures and board inefficiencies were behind the underperformance of public entities. The results indicated that government policy on how public entities are governed indeed moderates the relationship between board malfeasances and corporate performance. The respondents urged the government to transform the public entities by applying stern measures to curb corruption and employing the right people to boards.
Board Appointment Processes and their Impact on Corporate Performance of Public Entities in Zimbabwe
Full text linkThe purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of appointment systems for public entity boards in Zimbabwe in enhancing meritocracy, given the contribution of the parastatals to the national economy. Most public entities in Zimbabwe have been drowned in scandals, which have left them underperforming and recording losses over the years. The Agency Theory, Upper Echelon Theory and Political Theory informed the study. The study adopted a pragmatist research philosophy, a mixed research paradigm and a cross-sectional survey research design. The target population of the study comprised permanent secretaries and board members from the 107 public entities in Zimbabwe. A sample size of 261 participants was used for collecting quantitative data, and 25 participants were used for collecting qualitative data. Stratified sampling and purposive sampling techniques were employed to sample participants for quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth personal interview guides were used to collect and generate data from participants. Cronbach’s alpha (α) was used to determine the reliability of the questionnaire. The data was analysed using SPSS Version 25 and AMOS Version 21. The study concluded that the Corporate Governance Unit was the most appropriate institution to be designated as the appointing authority for state entity boards. The appointing authority needs to be granted the full mandate of establishing nomination committees that conduct board selection processes for all public entities. The study also concluded that government policies moderated the relationship between meritocracy in the appointment of public entity boards and organisational performance. The study recommended that the government should avoid the frequent state interference and violations of statutory provisions in the board appointment process. Further studies could focus on the effectiveness of a boards appointment system in the private sector in Zimbabwe.
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
Evaluating the Impact of Board Members' Attributes on Corporate Governance
No full textThis study evaluated the impact of public entity board attributes on organisational performance of state entities in Zimbabwe, guided by the Upper Echelon Theory. Boards have been criticised for scandals that contributed to persistent losses. A pragmatist philosophy, mixed methods approach, and cross-sectional survey design were adopted. The study targeted permanent secretaries, executive and non-executive board members, using a sample of 261 participants for quantitative data and 25 for qualitative data. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews, with reliability tested using Cronbach’s alpha (α). Analysis was conducted in SPSS Version 25 and AMOS Version 21. Findings showed that age, gender balance, limits on membership and tenure, strong leadership, and sound ethics significantly influence performance. Visionary leadership and ethical standards emerged as critical for public entity success. Gender diversity was linked to improved profitability, innovation, decision-making, and risk awareness, while age diversity brought innovation, risk-taking, and leadership continuity. The study recommends introducing an age diversity policy for boards to enhance energy and innovation. Future research could explore the effectiveness of board appointment systems in Zimbabwe’s private secto
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