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The significance of review articles has been proved. This type of articles is especially necessary now, when immediate actions to save an important economic sector must be taken. The present research aims to determine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on one of the most important elements of tourism – the accommodation facilities, through bibliometric analysis. In order to achieve this goal, the VOSviewer software was used, and data from one of the world's largest databases of scientific production – the Web of Science, was collected. The bibliographic coupling approach was used in the bibliometric analysis. The bibliometric analysis was followed by content analysis of the most cited studies from each cluster. The effects of COVID-19 on the accommodation facilities are summarized and classified by groups. © M. Nekova.
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To regain overall well-being in the post-pandemic era, the priorities should not be only economic growth but also human physical and mental health. This study investigates how to incorporate the concept of well-being into the circular economy to facilitate the pursuit of individual/personal and social growth, and sustainable consumption. We begin with a systematic search of the literature on well-being and sustainable product–service systems, model the well-being components in peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing and reuse platforms, and propose design guidelines for platform development. According to our findings, (1) allocentric well-being components (such as gratitude, contribution, and altruism) serve as the antecedents of sharing behaviors, while egocentric components (such as pleasure and attachment) serve as the consequences, and (2) information sharing is crucial to initiating the flow of well-being perceptions and sustainable sharing and reuse behaviors. Based on the findings, we suggest a data-driven approach and active inference theory to facilitate related studies. This study sheds light on the potential to develop well-being within the circular economy and facilitate the sustainable working of the sharing and reuse ecosystem.
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PurposePrior to 2020, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Library's research services spanned multiple service points. Multiple locations were staffed by Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs) and each location was supervised independently. While efforts to increase collaboration had been underway, much of the work and services remained siloed and often duplicated training and service hours.Design/methodology/approachWith the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), UCLA Library rapidly transitioned from entirely in-person to entirely online services. With multiple service points pivoting, UCLA was redundant to have multiple online desks providing Zoom appointments and that quickly became apparent. Moreover, transitioning in-person student work to remote work was paramount to providing both normal services to users and allowing LSRAs to keep jobs during a time of uncertainty and insecurity.FindingsWhile the authors' original consolidation of services and implementation of shared supervision was a result of the pandemic and primarily involved online services, the authors have maintained this shared approach and collaborative vision in returning to in-person services. For the past year, the authors have offered shared in-person (at two library locations) and online services. As subject-specific library locations begin to reopen their desks, the authors continue to identify ways to leverage shared supervision and a robust referral model for those on-site services while negotiating student staffing and the need for both general and subject-specific services.Originality/valueThe authors present a novel approach to peer-to-peer teaching and learning and research services and shared student worker supervision with services coordinated across multiple locations and disciplines within a large academic library serving a large student population.
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Purpose: The authors seek to demonstrate, from a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) perspective, the importance of utilizing High Impact Practices (HIPs) for not only more meaningful student employment initiatives, but to benefit the campus community and prepare Hispanic students for success post-graduation. Design/methodology/approach: Evaluation of current practices in academic libraries aided the design of the new staffing model, location and name. A survey of research desk student assistants was designed and implemented approximately one academic year after changes were executed. Survey data combined with follow-up interviews summarized the qualitative-focused assessment of the research desk's evolution and verified the validity of maintaining HIPs in libraries for Hispanic student success. Findings: The transition of the reference desk to a student-staffed research desk was successful in that librarians were able to dedicate more time to other endeavors, such as campus outreach and collection development. The High Impact Practice (HIP)-focused desk model, along with new, customized onboarding and training materials, fulfilled their goals of giving student assistants meaningful employment on campus while also bridging the gap between the library and the mostly Hispanic, first-generation student population. An assessment from the student assistants' point of view helped them further analyze the new research desk model. They found that student assistants noticed the ease with which their peers approached the desk and how their skills learned on the research desk transferred to their classes and future careers. Research limitations/implications: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the restructuring of library personnel the authors were unable to implement library patron surveys to evaluate the new desk model. Originality/value: Many academic libraries and partners have made the transition to student-staffed help desks or offer peer-to-peer tutoring or mentoring services. HIPs positively impact marginalized student populations scholastically, but no current studies discuss the effect on the Hispanic student population from an HSI perspective. This study illuminates the wholistic influence HIPs have on Hispanic student assistants, not only their work and peers, but the affect on their academic and personal lives. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.
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Blockchain has been recently proposed to securely record vaccinations against COVID-19 and manage their verification. However, existing solutions may not fully meet the requirements of a global vaccination management system. These requirements include the scalability required to support a global vaccination campaign, like one against COVID-19, and the capability to facilitate the interoperation between the independent health administrations of different countries. Moreover, access to global statistics can help to control securing community health and provide continuity of care for individuals during a pandemic. In this paper, we propose GEOS, a blockchain-based vaccination management system designed to address the challenges faced by the global vaccination campaign against COVID-19. GEOS offers interoperability between vaccination information systems at both domestic and international levels, supporting high vaccination rates and extensive coverage for the global population. To provide those features, GEOS uses a two-layer blockchain architecture, a simplified byzantine-tolerant consensus algorithm, and the Boneh-Lynn-Shacham signature scheme. We analyze the scalability of GEOS by examining transaction rate and confirmation times, considering factors such as the number of validators, communication overhead, and block size within the blockchain network. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of GEOS in managing COVID-19 vaccination records and statistical data for 236 countries, encompassing crucial information such as daily vaccination rates for highly populous nations and the global vaccination demand, as identified by the World Health Organization.
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Video conferencing has become an essential tool for communication and collaboration in today's world, especially after the recent COVID-19 pandemic. One of the most popular technologies for video conferencing is WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication), which allows for real-time, peer-to-peer communication directly through web browsers. This study reviews the current state of video conferencing software using WebRTC. In particular, the research study will survey the features and capabilities of popular software solutions and explore the architecture of WebRTC and the protocols used for data transmission in video conferencing software. Additionally, the challenges and limitations of video conferencing for group discussion practice, including technical difficulties, connectivity issues, and privacy concerns are examined. Finally, this study provides recommendations for future research in this field, with the goal of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of video conferencing using WebRTC technology. © 2023 IEEE.
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Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a very serious health concern to the human life throughout the world. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) allows us to deploy several wearable Internet of Things-enabled smart devices in a patient's body. The deployed smart devices should then securely communicate to nearby mobile devices installed in a smart home, which then securely communicate with the associated fog server for information processing. The processed information in terms of transactions are formed as blocks and put into a private blockchain consisting of cloud servers. Since the patient's vital signs are very confidential and private, we apply the private blockchain. This article makes utilization of fog computing and blockchain technology simultaneously to come up with more secure system in an IoMT-enabled COVID-19 situation for patients' home monitoring purpose. We first discuss various phases related to development of a new fog-based private blockchain-enabled home monitoring framework. Next, we discuss how artificial intelligence-enabled big data analytics helps in analyzing and tracking the patients' information related to COVID-19 cases. Finally, a blockchain implementation has been performed to exhibit practical demonstration of the proposed blockchain system.
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Due to the financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs and small businesses have had multiple difficulties accessing conventional types of financing. Crowdfunding platforms have gained popularity as an alternative means of online financing. The main objective of this research is to analyze the most important articles that may influence future studies on crowdfunding platforms in Latin America. This article analyzes the Scopus and Web of Science databases considering three of the four categories of crowdfunding based on capital flows: Reward, Equity, and Lending, using a systematic review of the literature and bibliometric analysis. This research resulted in a total of 1032 articles which, after applying the appropriate criteria, resulted in 55 selected articles. The results show that the number of studies conducted in the field of crowdfunding platforms is increasing. Crowdfunding platforms provide a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to obtain alternative financing and a new way for investors to invest their capital. Future lines of research include conducting studies that involve a stronger focus on the technology used in crowdfunding platforms. With systematized access to information, the different actors can understand how the dynamics of crowdfunding platforms can stimulate the development of business projects, as well as the decision-making factor when investing. This document is of great interest to researchers and professionals who wish to increase their knowledge of crowdfunding platforms, especially those of Reward, Equity, and Lending, in addition to gaining knowledge on relevant conclusions and suggestions for future research. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
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BACKGROUND: In recent years, higher education institutions have been moving teaching online, accelerated by the pandemic. The Remote Learning Project (RLP), based at the Norwich Medical School (NMS) in the United Kingdom (U.K.), was a peer-to-peer teaching program developed to supplement medical school teaching during the pandemic. The teaching was delivered through Facebook using peer-to-peer teaching. Tutors were final year medical students, teaching medical student learners in lower years. Tutors and learners perception of peer-to-peer online learning delivered through the Facebook Social Media (SoMe) platform was investigated. METHODS: This qualitative study recruited tutor and learner participants from NMS by email, participation in the study was voluntary. Online semi-structured interviews of both tutors and learners in the remote learning project were conducted. The data was analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Seven participants were interviewed. Five themes were identified; education (learning/teaching), productivity, data security, professionalism, and usability of the platform. Learners enjoyed the asynchronous nature of the platform and both learners and tutors enjoyed the peer-to-peer nature of the RLP, including the ability to immediately and easily answer on Facebook comments. Some learners felt distracted on Facebook, whilst others enjoyed the reminders. The mix of social and professional on the platform was met with caution from tutors. Both learners and tutors enjoyed the familiarity of the platform. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that SoMe may be a credible platform to deliver online peer-to-peer teaching. Educators should consider the ergonomics of SoMe platforms when designing online curriculums. Guidelines for educators should be developed to better guide educators on the effective and safe use of SoMe as a learning tool.
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COVID-19 , Education, Distance , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Education, Medical , Social Media , Students, Medical , Humans , Pandemics , Peer Group , TeachingABSTRACT
This open access book considers the development of the sharing and collaborative economy with a European focus, mapping across economic sectors, and country-specific case studies. It looks at the roles the sharing economy plays in sharing and redistribution of goods and services across the population in order to maximise their functionality, monetary exchange, and other aspects important to societies. It also looks at the place of the sharing economy among various policies and how the contexts of public policies, legislation, digital platforms, and other infrastructure interrelate with the development and function of the sharing economy. The book will help in understanding the future (sharing) economy models as well as to contribute in solving questions of better access to resources and sustainable innovation in the context of degrowth and growing inequalities within and between societies. It will also provide a useful source for solutions to the big challenges of our times such as climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and recently the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19). This book will be of interest to academics and students in economics and business, organisational studies, sociology, media and communication and computer science. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2022.
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PurposeBased on text content analysis using big data, this study aims to explore differences in guest perceptions of peer-to-peer accommodations before and after COVID-19 to provide suggestions for the development of these properties in China postpandemic.Design/methodology/approachA guest perception dictionary was established by collecting Ctrip customer reviews of peer-to-peer accommodations. After data cleaning, thematic word analysis and semantic association network analysis were used to explore perceptions and thematic differences before and after COVID-19.FindingsThis research constructed a multidimensional framework of guest-perceived values for peer-to-peer accommodation in the context of COVID-19. The findings showed that the emphasis on functionality in peer-to-peer accommodation changed;perceived emotional values associated with peer-to-peer stays were more complex;perceived social values decreased, host–guest interactions were reduced and online communication became a stronger trend;tourist preferences for types of experiences changed, and people changed their destination selections;perceived conditional value was reflected in perceived risks, and the perceptions of environmental health, service and physical risks increased.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has constructed a multidimensional framework of tourist perceived value on the basis of peer-to-peer accommodation context and epidemic background and has thus shown the changes in tourist perceived value of peer-to-peer accommodation before and after COVID-19.Originality/valueTo the best of authors' knowledge, this research constitutes the first attempt to explore the perceptual differences for peer-to-peer accommodations before and after COVID-19 based on an extensive data set of online reviews from multiple provinces of China.
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PurposeDrawing on the Push-Pull-Mooring model, this study sheds light on the factors that drive tourists to switch from traditional hotels to peer-to-peer accommodation (P2PA) in light of the global spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachData have been collected from 380 participants through an online pan India survey. The data were mainly analyzed by adopting structural equation modeling.FindingsAll the three categories of push, pull and mooring factors are crucial in explaining tourists' switching intentions from hotels to P2PA. Out of all the factors, subjective norm came out to be the most significant factor while satiation (push factor) and authentic experiences (pull factor) also came out to be important indicators.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study carry implications for hoteliers as well as P2PA platform hosts. Hotels need to re-conceptualize their standard services, décor and amenities while P2PA hosts need to continue providing authentic experiences and also comply with all the Covid-19 norms.Originality/valueThe study offers a comprehensive PPM model to determine tourists' intentions to switch from hotels to P2PA. Moreover, this paper is one of the early studies to provide insights into tourists' switching intentions amidst Covid-19.
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PurposeThis study aims to explore the influence of different types of cleanliness information provided on the Airbnb platform (hosts' sanitation labels, Airbnb cleaning protocol and previous guests' reviews) on guests' trust and behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses an online scenario-based experimental design. A two-step approach was applied to discover the proposed relationships by assessing the measurement model fit and validity of the constructs with confirmatory factor analysis and testing study hypotheses with structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results demonstrate that three types of cleanliness information (i.e. provided by Airbnb's hosts, platform and customer reviews) had statistically significant effects on customers' trust and behavioral intentions.Practical implicationsThe research results provide practical recommendations for Airbnb hosts and peer-to-peer accommodation platforms on using several types of textual and visual cleanliness information to influence guests' attitudes and behavioral intentions.Originality/valueThis study advances knowledge by introducing new factors affecting guests' trust and behavioral intentions in peer-to-peer accommodation settings and differentiating the effects of different sources of cleanliness information and different types of guests' trust.
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Incorporating writing into an economics course is a beneficial goal of economic educators. The potential benefits of using writing to enhance learning among economics students have been emphasized in the literature. Writing to Learn (WTL) is an act of using writing activities to help students think through key concepts presented in a course. The authors' objective in this article is to describe WTL activities that promote engagement, peer-to-peer learning, and active listening. This WTL strategy was born out of a desire to help students focus and learn in an online format during a particularly stressful time of the COVID-19 global pandemic. However, this strategy can be applied in all teaching formats: face-to-face, online or hybrid, and to both graduate and undergraduate students.
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In developing countries, funding is a significant obstacle to receiving higher education. Brilliant but needy students cannot complete their studies since their parents are unemployed and their countries' economies are poor. As a result, the students' talents are not harnessed to their full potential. In order to help students obtain higher education and harness their full potential, governments provide student loans to students in higher education. The government provides loans to students through the ministry of education. The students pay back the loan with interest when they start working. Governments have been the sole funders of student loans. The emergence of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war have resulted in a global economic crisis. Because of the global economic crisis, the government's spending has increased. In order to help reduce the burden of government and thereby reduce spending, we intend to revolutionize the student loan program through blockchain and crowdsourcing. This work presents a blockchain-based crowdsourcing decentralized loan platform where investors will be brought on board to provide funds for students in higher education. The platform will allow students to apply for loans from investors through registered financial institutions. The students will pay back the loans with interest when they enter the workforce. The proposed platform will allow students to fund their education, investors will get interest on the money they invest, and governments can channel the money they put into student loan programs into other avenues. We perform a thorough security analysis and back the efficiency of our work with numerical results. © 2013 IEEE.
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PurposeWith the rapid development of sharing economy, travelers are facing choices between conventional hotels and the peer-to-peer sharing accommodation in urban tourism. The purpose of this study is to examine how travelers form their preferences in such choice situations and whether/how their preference formation mode would change with the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachA relative preference model was constructed and estimated for both domestic and outbound tourists, based on two waves of survey data collected before and after the COVID-19. The results of this study were compared to derive the evolution of preference formation patterns.FindingsA set of 15 key value attributes and personal traits was identified, together with their differential effects with the pandemic. Their divergent effects between domestic and outbound trips were also delineated. Based on these findings, the competitive edges and advantageous market profiles were depicted for both hotel and sharing accommodation sectors.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the knowledge of tourists' preference between accommodation types and adds empirical evidences to the impact of the pandemic on tourist behavior patterns. Both hotel and sharing accommodation practitioners can benefit from the findings to enhance their competitiveness.
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With COVID-19 compelling some countries to close their schools, e-learning has now become the primary mode of learning. Researchers have renewed their interest in users' acceptance of e-learning via different platforms, given the possibility of different results relative to what was known pre-pandemic. However, e-learning still poses issues such as isolation, demotivation and learning attrition, which may be counterbalanced by peer-to-peer (P2P) learning. On this basis, this study surveyed 417 Indian students on their acceptance of P2P e-learning with the extended Technology Acceptance Model. The data analysis confirmed that perceived ease of use was positively associated with the perceived usefulness of and students' attitude towards P2P e-learning. Credibility was also found to be positively associated with perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude towards P2P e-learning. However, the study could not confirm the association between perceived usefulness and attitude towards P2P e-learning. Additionally, self-efficacy displayed a weak, but significant association with perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of P2P e-learning. Internet self-efficacy was found to have a positive association on the intention to use P2P e-learning, but not its perceived ease of use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
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Beyond the archetypical Airbnb and Uber brands, thousands of sharing economy platforms now operate globally. In these two-sided markets, governing algorithms bring together participants as consumers and as service providers across many business sectors. These platform's success relies on attracting a critical mass of participants on both sides of the market. Hence, alongside the emergence of the sharing economy is a growing body of research investigating the predictors of participation in the sharing economy. This study investigates whether an individual's disposition toward others and toward technology affect participation in these markets. Sharing economy markets exhibit a high level of consociality, defined as human interaction that is either physical or virtual or both (Perren & Kozinets, 2018), so we assess the role that an individual's natural propensity to engage with others—their degree of extraversion—plays on participation in the sharing economy. Sharing economy platforms leverage technological intermediation, so we examine the role that an individual's technology proclivity plays in participation in the sharing economy. We define technology proclivity as an individual's level of optimism about technology and the perceived proficiency with technology (Parasuraman, 2000;Ratchford & Barnhart, 2012). Further, we examine the relationship between extraversion and technology proclivity. Extraverts are generally described as more optimistic (Marshall et al., 1992;Williams, 1992), and optimists are more generally confident in their coping ability in novel and challenging settings (Scholz et al., 2002), including those that involve technology use. We augment Davis's (1989) technology acceptance model (TAM) to test whether and how extraversion and technology proclivity affect the likelihood of participating as a consumer or as a service provider in two sharing economy applications: ride sharing and in-home gig services. A structural equation model was tested using data from an online survey of 292 individuals. The findings reveal that extraverts have higher technology proclivity and that extraversion is directly related to the intention to use sharing economy applications. Additionally, extraversion is related indirectly to likelihood to use these technologies and to engage as a provider of such services, through technology proclivity and through the technology's perceived usefulness. Extraversion thus emerges as an important personality antecedent of participation in the sharing economy. As the world returns to normalcy, following the unprecedented global crisis and social isolation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, continued expansion of the sharing economy offers the potential to foster a more collaborative society. A novel finding in our study is the role of extraversion as an antecedent of technology proclivity. Extraverts appear to hold more optimistic beliefs about technology and greater desire to engage with technology. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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Last decade had been worst for humanity as it faced Covid-19. The pandemic invited many things unknown to humans such as lockdown, compulsory mask and no contact with other people or things. The 'No Contact' initiated much awaited progress in payment from being entity exchange to being digital. The digitization of payment became biggest transformation;every common citizen realized the use of digital payment. The evolution of cash payment to internet banking and internet banking to e-wallet has made transaction easier for all the services without exhibiting physical form. Payment Gateways, Digital Wallet, Internet Banking use has risen as being fast and instant. Though the recent payments are secure on theft front with the use of digital money by many users at many times online payment system might face problem on digital money transfer with issues such as wrong payment, link failure or single point failure. There might be more problems such as insider problem and transaction being transparent. For such situations more secure and private path towards security is needed as insufficiency will give rise to risk mitigation. The paper recommends a payment system which will be based on privacy and permission laid by blocks to blocks for use in financial sector. The architecture proposed integrates the digital wallet with different banks to give foundation of Blockchain for secure transactions. The peer to peer network will share transactions as well share load to minimize load on central banking system keep the load distributed and secure overall data centres. © 2022 IEEE.
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Even though scientific communication and collaboration play critical roles in academic success, they often come in second to teaching laboratory fundamentals. COVID-19 associated capacity constraints forced our program to reexamine the traditional laboratory instruction paradigm by limiting physical attendance, as well as laboratory duration. Instead, we opted to turn these restrictions into opportunities to study peer-to-peer communication as a means to enhance in-person experimentation. Here, a two-week high performance liquid and gas chromatography (HPLC and GC) module uses centralized student communication between peer groups to not only maintain but increase quality laboratory experiences. Students rotate between two chromatography experiments to ensure each person gains exposure to foundational separations techniques. The module's first week focuses on method development, while the second week highlights method validation. Since HPLC and GC can accommodate similar experimental objectives, students receive comparable method development and validation experiences no matter which specific instrument they are assigned to that week. By integrating communication into the experimental process and adding peer accountability to the laboratory's design, the authors observed an increase in laboratory report words and figures when compared to the prior years' reports. Student questionnaires also indicated structured rotation and group communication increased student interest and investment in obtaining and reporting quality data. © 2023 Authors. All rights reserved.