Large-Scale Analysis of New Employee Network Dynamics

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformations across industries, but also introduced new challenges into workplaces, including the difficulties of effectively socializing with colleagues when working remotely. This challenge is exacerbated for new employees who need to develop workplace networks from the outset. In this paper, by analyzing a large-scale telemetry dataset of more than 10,000 Microsoft employees who joined the company in the first three months of 2022, we describe how new employees interact and telecommute with their colleagues during their "onboarding"period. Our results reveal that although new hires are gradually expanding networks over time, there still exists significant gaps between their network statistics and those of tenured employees even after the six-month onboarding phase. We also observe that heterogeneity exists among new employees in how their networks change over time, where employees whose job tasks do not necessarily require extensive and diverse connections could be at a disadvantaged position in this onboarding process. By investigating how web-based people recommendations in organizational knowledge base facilitate new employees naturally expand their networks, we also demonstrate the potential of web-based applications for addressing the aforementioned socialization challenges. Altogether, our findings provide insights on new employee network dynamics in remote and hybrid work environments, which may help guide organizational leaders and web application developers on quantifying and improving the socialization experiences of new employees in digital workplaces. © 2023 ACM.

Introduction

This chapter is contextual in nature. It provides an overview of the impact of COVID-19, highlighting both the significant number of deaths caused by the pandemic as well as the economic disruption that occurred. Particular attention is paid to the role of digital technologies during the pandemic, which enabled a wide range of activities (e.g. work, education and shopping) to go online. The disruptive impact of COVID-19 is widespread and far-reaching, with the pandemic acting as a 'change agent' expanding and encouraging the greater use of digital technologies. The second half of the chapter presents summaries of the other chapters in the book. In doing so, it illustrates the scope and scale of the impact of COVID-19, the multitude of different challenges it has caused, and how these varied across different regions and contexts, as well as the diversity of reactions to the pandemic. Some of these reactions are technical in nature, while others are commercial and political. The summaries also draw attention to ongoing policy debates, the significance of which has been heightened by the pandemic. © 2023 the authors.

Smart Healthcare: Future Applications & Challenges

After the outbreak of corona virus, all counties are paying special attention to their healthcare infrastructure. During second phase of covid-19, entire world has seen health care crisis. Large number of people died globally. Entire world was affected mentally or physically. There is a great need to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure, to vaccinate the population against covid virus infection and to take proper precaution to avoid spread of the virus, so that the world will not see such deadly days again. This paper discusses how technologies like Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Drones etc can help in remote monitoring of patients, judicious hospital admission, conscious distribution of lifesaving drugs etc. Investment in technology with not only help in the reduction of spread of the virus but will also help in fighting with all other future pandemics. All the countries must have to invest more on latest technologies in their healthcare to make themselves ready for such future pandemics. When the things will improve, the new normal will be very much different from the life that was before pandemic. IoT, AI and other technologies will become the non-separatable part of our life. © 2023 Bharati Vidyapeeth, New Delhi.

Who Does Not Benefit from Fact-checking Websites?: A Psychological Characteristic Predicts the Selective Avoidance of Clicking Uncongenial Facts

Fact-checking messages are shared or ignored subjectively. Users tend to seek like-minded information and ignore information that conflicts with their preexisting beliefs, leaving like-minded misinformation uncontrolled on the Internet. To understand the factors that distract fact-checking engagement, we investigated the psychological characteristics associated with users' selective avoidance of clicking uncongenial facts. In a pre-registered experiment, we measured participants' (N = 506) preexisting beliefs about COVID-19-related news stimuli. We then examined whether they clicked on fact-checking links to false news that they believed to be accurate. We proposed an index that divided participants into fact-avoidance and fact-exposure groups using a mathematical baseline. The results indicated that 43% of participants selectively avoided clicking on uncongenial facts, keeping 93% of their false beliefs intact. Reflexiveness is the psychological characteristic that predicts selective avoidance. We discuss susceptibility to click bias that prevents users from utilizing fact-checking websites and the implications for future design. © 2023 Owner/Author.

Prospects and Challenges of the Machine Learning and Data-Driven Methods for the Predictive Analysis of Power Systems: A Review

The use of machine learning and data-driven methods for predictive analysis of power systems offers the potential to accurately predict and manage the behavior of these systems by utilizing large volumes of data generated from various sources. These methods have gained significant attention in recent years due to their ability to handle large amounts of data and to make accurate predictions. The importance of these methods gained particular momentum with the recent transformation that the traditional power system underwent as they are morphing into the smart power grids of the future. The transition towards the smart grids that embed the high-renewables electricity systems is challenging, as the generation of electricity from renewable sources is intermittent and fluctuates with weather conditions. This transition is facilitated by the Internet of Energy (IoE) that refers to the integration of advanced digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and artificial intelligence (AI) into the electricity systems. It has been further enhanced by the digitalization caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that also affected the energy and power sector. Our review paper explores the prospects and challenges of using machine learning and data-driven methods in power systems and provides an overview of the ways in which the predictive analysis for constructing these systems can be applied in order to make them more efficient. The paper begins with the description of the power system and the role of the predictive analysis in power system operations. Next, the paper discusses the use of machine learning and data-driven methods for predictive analysis in power systems, including their benefits and limitations. In addition, the paper reviews the existing literature on this topic and highlights the various methods that have been used for predictive analysis of power systems. Furthermore, it identifies the challenges and opportunities associated with using these methods in power systems. The challenges of using these methods, such as data quality and availability, are also discussed. Finally, the review concludes with a discussion of recommendations for further research on the application of machine learning and data-driven methods for the predictive analysis in the future smart grid-driven power systems powered by the IoE.

Future-Proofing Language Teaching : How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed Our Profession

This article explores the future of language teaching in the light of recent developments. It is set against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated technology-related changes within the field. The article outlines factors that have contributed to a shift in the role of language teachers, followed by a depiction of the transformation observed at three distinct points in time during the pandemic. Trends in the changes are drawn from the data with the help of direct quotes, categories of responses, and vignettes representing aggregated language teacher voices. Finally, based on the uncovered trends, we outline reasons for being optimistic about the future of our profession, and provide recommendations for language teachers and language educators to take charge of developments to co-create possible futures for our roles in the profession. © 2023, equinox publishing.

Optimizing Presence Sensing Lighting for Energy Efficiency and User Behavioral Needs in Small Swedish Homes

A hybrid workstyle is becoming more common post-COVID-19, and longer occupancy hours at home are increasing household electricity consumption. Small homes are regarded as a potential for improving energy efficiency in the residential sector, and a home consists of mixed-function spaces with dynamic occupancy behaviors. These underpin the opportunity to optimize presence sensing lighting in small homes for energy efficiency and user-behavioral needs. A comprehensive overview of presence sensing approaches, comparing four types of non-wearable sensors connected to home lighting is made. A bibliometric mapping of the reviewed literature visually reinforces a significant research gap that presence sensing studies were not connected to home lighting but inclined toward the commercial and institutional context. Next, a non-exhaustive example of commercially available presence sensing products applicable to residential lighting for small homes is analyzed, and their general characteristics and technologies are synthesized. The literature and product overview identified five significant product knowledge gaps. Incorporating the gathered information leads to the proposal of a conceptual flexible radar-based sensor (prototype design), addressing a wish list with three important criteria to optimize future presence sensing lighting in a mixed-function small home. Future radar sensing studies are expected to develop an anticipatory lighting system that processes real-time multi-user vital signals for smarter localized and personalized lighting options for (small) living environments.

Factors Affecting Consumer Behaviour during COVID-19:A Case Study in Bangladesh

Customer shopping behaviour has changed and people are becoming used to accessing, using and adapting to online shopping rather than visiting stores physically due to COVID-19 restrictions. It is not known how long the trend will last but it can be observed that there will be changes in current and future models in almost every business around the world. According to the 'Motivation-need theory' (1943), every individual considers five (5) key elements to fulfil their needs. It includes physiological survival, safety, love, esteem, and self-actualization. The big question is why consumers act differently during the global pandemic, which does not support Maslow's 'Motivation-need theory'. It might be the panic situation all over the world, frustration of losing jobs, mental stress while isolated and many other factors that are making consumers act differently while shopping from e-commerce or different social media platform. This research study aims to examine the factors affecting consumer behaviour toward online purchasing during COVID-19 in Bangladesh. . © 2023 IEEE.

A Review on the analysis of Behavioral pattern of Students during pandemic COVID-19

The widespread of (covid-19) has become the major reason for many physical illnesses in addition to psychological encounters to the whole world. The psychological challenges brought in due to the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in decrease in the learning curve of students to a very large extent risking the academic ability of students due to psychological/mental health. Hence it is a challenge to identify valid cues for disorientation in the learning ability of the student at the right time and to suggest necessary support and guidance. This paper aims to describe about the work done so far and analyzes the future challenges to be addressed based on the learning curve of a student and gives an insight of how a student can be identified to be psychologically disturbed. © 2023 IEEE.

Where is science heading? The main challenges before today's scientists?

Anecdotal and historical accounts of science suggest that in earlier times, researchers pursued science more as a hobby at their own pace with support and encouragement from patrons and communities. This leads to inequality in scientific research, where some fields and researchers may have an easier time obtaining funding and resources, while other fields and researchers may lack this support, making it difficult to conduct meaningful research. Progress of science needs efforts from the researchers with a poly-disciplinary mindset as well as mono-disciplinary strengths.[[5]] The role of science is evident to everyone from the recent example, i.e., protecting eight billion people from the devastating effects of COVID-19 pandemic. Millions of researchers are now pursuing science as opposed to thousands and hundreds of researchers in the earlier periods of science. [Extracted from the article] Copyright of Drying Technology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Zukunftserwartungen der Österreicher*innen während der Coronakrise

ZusammenfassungWas kommt nach der Coronakrise? Die Forschungsnotiz befasst sich mit den Zukunftserwartungen der Österreicher*innen während der ersten Phase der Coronapandemie. Die Daten des Austrian Corona Panel Project zeigen, dass die Zukunftserwartung für Österreich und die Erwartungen an die eigene Zukunft stark divergieren. Während mehr als 60 % Prozent der Befragten glauben, dass sich die Situation in Österreich verschlechtern wird, gehen nur 26 % von einer Verschlechterung ihrer eigenen Lebensumstände in den nächsten Jahren aus.Anhand von Einschätzungen der Befragten zu den drei von Anhut und Heitmeyer postulierten Krisenzuständen – Struktur, Regulation, Kohäsion – lässt sich veranschaulichen, dass Vertrauen in die gesellschaftlichen Institutionen ein wesentlicher Indikator dafür ist, wie optimistisch oder pessimistisch die Menschen in Österreich ihre eigene und die gesellschaftliche Zukunft beurteilen. Darüber hinaus ist es die Wahrnehmung bestehender materieller Ungleichheiten, welche sowohl die Einschätzung der Entwicklung der persönlichen, aber auch der Lebensumstände in Österreich bestimmt. Zudem sind diejenigen, die der Politik und dem öffentlichen Leben Relevanz zusprechen, pessimistischer, wenn es um die Zukunft des Landes geht.Alternate :What will come after the Corona crisis? The research note discusses the Austrians' expectations for the future during the first phase of the Corona pandemic. Data from the Austrian Corona Panel Project illustrates that there is an inherent difference between the future expectations for Austria and the expectations for the individual future. While more than 60% believe that the situation in Austria will get worse within the next years, only 26% think so when it comes to their own future.

Imagining Life Beyond a Crisis: A Four Quadrant Model to Conceptualize Possible Futures

In this article we report evidence from a series of semi-structured interviews with a broad sample of people living in Denmark (n = 21), about their perspectives on the future during the first months of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The thematic and discursive analyses, based on an abductive ontology, illustrate imaginings of the future along two vectors: individual to collective and descriptive to moral. On a descriptive and individual level, people imagined getting through the pandemic on a myopic day-by-day basis;on a descriptive and collective level, people imagined changes to work and socializing. Their future was bound and curtailed by their immediate present. On a moral and individual level, respondents were less detailed in their reports, but some vowed to change their behaviors. On a moral and collective level, respondents reported what the world should be like and discussed changes to environmental behaviors such as traveling, commuting, and work. The model suggests the domain of individual moral imaginings is the most difficult domain for people to imagine beyond the practicalities of their everyday lives. The implications of this model for comprehending imaginations of the future are discussed. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Culture & Psychology is the property of Sage Publications, Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

Towards a Metaverse Workspace: Opportunities, Challenges, and Design Implications

Both enterprises and their employees have globally experienced remote work at an unprecedented scale since the outbreak of COVID-19. As the pandemic becomes less of a threat, some companies have called their employees back to a physical office, citing issues related to working remotely, but many employees have refused to return. Thus, working in the metaverse has gained much attention as an alternative that could complement the weaknesses of completely remote work or even offline work. However, we do not know yet what benefits and drawbacks the metaverse has as a legitimate workspace, because there are few real cases of 1) working in the metaverse and 2) working remotely at such an unprecedented scale. Thus, this paper aims to identify real challenges and opportunities the metaverse workspace presents when compared to remote work by conducting semi-structured interviews and participatory workshops with various employees and company stakeholders (e.g., HR managers and CEOs) who have experienced at least two of three work types: working in a physical office, remotely, or in the metaverse. Consequently, we identified 1) advantages and disadvantages of remote work and 2) opportunities and challenges of the metaverse. We further discuss design implications that may overcome the identified challenges of working in the metaverse. © 2023 Owner/Author.

Perceptions of Academic Resilience by Senior Phase Learners and Teachers from Low Socioeconomic Schools

This article reports on the perceptions of academic resilience of Grade 8 and Grade 9 learners and their teachers in low socioeconomic township schools. Learners from township schools experience many risk factors that can impede their academic success and careers. A lack of resources is one of the risk factors experienced by the learners. During COVID-19, where an online or hybrid learning model was relied on for teaching and learning, most township schools relied on the rotational learning model instead. The study's main aim is to evaluate and understand the learners' perceptions of their academic strengths, future aspirations and motivation, and to compare their perceptions with those that emerged from their teachers' blind evaluations. The participants were teachers (n = 8) and learners (n = 12) from two purposively sampled township secondary schools. Data-generation instruments included semi-structured interviews for learners and a self-constructed Likert-type-scale questionnaire for teachers. Content analysis was used to analyse the data. The findings suggest that risk factors to academic resilience exist within the family and the school environment. Lack of parental support and school security, poor teacher-learner relationship and unemployment were frequently mentioned. However, factors that can enhance academic resilience were also identified within the family, school and community. Risks and protective factors affecting learners' immediate threats and needs were identified. Access to technology and the need for technological advances were not identified as resources or risks. Future research should examine the relationship between resilience, academic resilience, career aspirations and the role of technology in education. © 2023, OpenED Network. All rights reserved.

Future preferred mode of learning of business undergraduates and its implications

e-Learning was abruptly adopted in many countries to mitigate the adverse consequences of the sudden closure of institutions of higher learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Against this background, this study investigated how business undergraduates want to learn in the future and predictors of their future preferred mode of learning. 251 business undergraduates from a private university in Malaysia participated in an online survey conducted in July 2020, during the sudden closure of institutions of higher learning. Data collected were analysed using the multiple discriminant analysis to develop a characteristics profile of the three groups of business undergraduates (i.e., preferred fully conventional classroom learning, blended learning and fully e-learning) in terms of important predictors. Results revealed that the significant predictors of future preferred mode of learning of business undergraduates, in descending order, were disadvantages of e-learning, advantages of e-learning, self-regulated learning, learning outcomes, information and communications technology infrastructure and training, support and resources. This study concludes with some reflective thoughts about important lessons learned from this unprecedented pandemic pertaining to e-learning readiness to deal with future unexpected crises.

Legal Education and Legal Profession During and After COVID-19

This edited volume records the amazing transformations brought about by leaders in legal education and legal profession. It captures experiences and experiments in the governance of law schools and legal profession during the COVID-19 pandemic as case studies;ideas which helped in resilience and which could show the way forward;the psychological, philosophical, and sociological aspects of the transformation;and the spiritual and material sources of motivation of the leadership. The contributions are along the following themes --- The shifting idea of law school: systems and processes;The "new normal” in legal profession;Psychological, philosophical, and sociological aspects of transformation;Experiences from global regions and countries;Legal education and legal profession in a post-COVID world. Through these five themes, and the eighteen contributions, the volume seeks to answer questions like --- how the educational and professional leaders adapted to the circumstances by building a "new normal”? How and to what extent their own legal education and professional experiences informed their actions during the Pandemic? How they re-imagined ambitions and reordered systems and processes? What type of guidance and support they received from the state and regulatory bodies? How they guaranteed the well-being of students, faculty, and staff during the Pandemic and the transition? How they upheld professional values and ethics when contexts of their application collapsed. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

A bibliometric analysis of the trends, topics, and findings of research publications on asynchronous and synchronous online language learning over three decades

Since the first study on computer-mediated communication tools in support of language learning was published in 1992, asynchronous and synchronous tools have been widely adopted;however, few reviews have been conducted to explore the research status in this field. As COVID-19 has increased the use of online tools in education, the need to understand how asynchronous and synchronous tools are being used in language education has grown. In this bibliometric analysis, we reviewed asynchronous and synchronous online language learning (ASOLL) by analyzing the trends, topics, and findings of 319 articles on ASOLL. The results indicate that interest in ASOLL has increased over the past three decades with ASOLL for oral proficiency development and collaborative ASOLL being the two main research issues. Interest in three topics collaborative ASOLL, emotions, and corrective feedback - was especially apparent. The review contributes to the understanding of ASOLL while providing practical implications for using information communication technologies to enhance language learning.

Applied Education Futures and the Shape of Things to Come

Skills development across industry and professional sectors is identified as one of the essential drivers of recovery and growth to address the fragility and volatility of post-COVID economies. The window of opportunity for the applied degree sector, to rethink, reset, and ride the skilling and reform agenda to help accelerate economic recovery, business transformation, enhance digital skilling and competences to enable sustainable transformation is in play. This chapter highlights the emergent smart education approaches, intelligent technologies, and opportunities that may be considered critical and transformational in future-shaping a more sustainable, value-added, applied degree sector. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Legitimacy versus efficiency: implementation of in-person work in Japanese companies during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study aims to examine how companies persuaded their employees to be present at offices during the COVID-19 pandemic and how remote and non-remote work practices affected employee performance. Design/methodology/approachFirm strategies are assumed to follow the principles of legitimacy and efficiency. However, these principles are often contradictory and incompatible. This study explored how companies legitimized non-remote work during the pandemic in Japan, and how in-person work practices affected individual employee productivity. The authors conducted a survey in the country, and the collected data was quantitatively analyzed. FindingsOn the basis of our empirical study on institutional work providing rationales for maintaining existing business practices, the authors found that Japanese companies often used institutional logics that included the inevitability of employees' obedience to company policy, the lack of employees' digital resources at home and the necessity of face-to-face customer dealing to legitimize their non-adoption of telework, even amid the emergency. The findings also indicate that the adoption of in-person work was negatively related to individual employee performance. Originality/valueThe current study aims to make a theoretical contribution to the literature on institutional maintenance and institutional work, which, till now, has only focused on institutional change rather than institutional maintenance. Second, few studies have empirically investigated the contradiction between legitimacy and efficiency, although the literature on organizational legitimacy assumes that individuals and organizations are not always rational.