A study of internet-facilitated violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Sub-Saharan Africa

Before the influx of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Africa was seen as a dark continent (Agwe-Mbarika et al., 2011). In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution declaring Internet access a human right and the intentional Internet disruption a human rights violation. This is contained in resolution A/HRC/32/L.20 of 2016. Recent reports also declare that Internet access falls under the freedom of expression (La Rue, 2011). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Developing the concept of leaveism: From presenteeism/absence to an emergent and expanding domain of employment?

The changing nature of employment has led to increased awareness of leaveism, a practice involving employees using allocated time off when unwell, taking work home, and picking up work when on annual leave. However, there are theoretical, methodological, and policy/practice‐related weaknesses, apparent in current understandings. The main article aim is to develop, theoretically, the emergent notion of leaveism, drawing on concepts related to work intensification (WI) and ideal worker norms (IWNs), concepts underpinned by reference to information communication technologies (ICTs), then exploring such ideas via an electronic questionnaire (n = 959), aimed at UK‐based employees performing leaveism. The main argument is leaveism is more than a lacuna between presenteeism and sickness absence;it is an unsustainable employer‐driven social phenomenon sitting at the intersection of WI, IWNs and ICTs. The findings have policy/practice implications for human resource management (HRM) professionals, trade unions and governments. Recommendations for future research including exploring leaveism in an international context, and in a Covid‐19 pandemic‐defined era.

The information communication technologies in medicine.

The article discusses some aspects of information and communication technologies in medicine. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention is paid to development of telemedicine. The informational computer technologies are especially relevant where there is shortage of medical personnel. Taking into account that by the year 2035 there will be shortage of 12.9 million medical workers worldwide due to aging of population, increase in prevalence of non-communicable diseases, migration and turnover of medical personnel, remote consultations of patients are becoming increasingly relevant. The examples of information and communication technologies in health care that proved their effectiveness are given.

Adoption of ICTs as an emergent business strategy during and following COVID-19 crisis: evidence from Indian MSMEs

Purpose: This study aims to identify how ICT appeared as an emergent business strategy and to investigate the impact of ICT adoption factors on the perceived benefits of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Design/methodology/approach: A total of 393 responses from Indian small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) were collected for the final analysis. The study presents the partial least-squares structural equation modeling with the Chi-square test and descriptive analysis as a methodology based on numerous independent variables and one dependent variable. Findings: The findings indicate that ICT adoption during and following the COVID-19 pandemic is constant in nature of the enterprise. Moreover, the results indicate that different adoption of ICT factors influence on perceived benefits of organizational performance of Indian MSMEs that lent good support except for the regulatory framework. Research limitations/implications: The implications of the current research help Indian MSMEs to take investment decisions in various technologies that help the organization. Furthermore, managers and practitioners help the organization in deciding which technology adoption factors are more critical to the betterment of the organization. Originality/value: The study found certain ICT adoption factors that have a significant role in organizational performance in Indian MSMEs. Moreover, during COVID-19, investigate ICTs' role as a business strategy. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Developing the concept of leaveism: From presenteeism/absence to an emergent and expanding domain of employment?

The changing nature of employment has led to increased awareness of leaveism, a practice involving employees using allocated time off when unwell, taking work home, and picking up work when on annual leave. However, there are theoretical, methodological, and policy/practice-related weaknesses, apparent in current understandings. The main article aim is to develop, theoretically, the emergent notion of leaveism, drawing on concepts related to work intensification (WI) and ideal worker norms (IWNs), concepts underpinned by reference to information communication technologies (ICTs), then exploring such ideas via an electronic questionnaire (n = 959), aimed at UK-based employees performing leaveism. The main argument is leaveism is more than a lacuna between presenteeism and sickness absence;it is an unsustainable employer-driven social phenomenon sitting at the intersection of WI, IWNs and ICTs. The findings have policy/practice implications for human resource management (HRM) professionals, trade unions and governments. Recommendations for future research including exploring leaveism in an international context, and in a Covid-19 pandemic-defined era.

The impact of internal factors on the use of technology in higher education in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: Technology has recently become a major component of the educational field and learning process for it provides students with opportunities to learn more effectively and to operate efficiently in this age of technological advances. As academics, the use of technology in universities is transforming our work, and more specifically the way we support students in the classroom. As higher education institutions bring more technology into their classrooms, academics will in turn strive to put more technology in their students' hands. That is, if they are prepared to do so. More importantly, ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic becomes a central and integral focus globally regardless one is associated with college or university. OBJECTIVE: This paper therefore attempts to examine the internal factors that should be taken into consideration when using technology for teaching and learning purposes in higher education in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The study develops a number of hypotheses and a theoretical framework based on a questionnaire conducted among the faculty staff in Hail university to test the study hypotheses. RESULTS: All the study six hypotheses have been supported. The relationship among these hypotheses are clear and significant. Data analysis of this study have shown that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, computer self-efficacy, attitudes and computer anxiety have direct and substantial effect on the university teaching staff's intention to use technology. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study will for sure assist in overcoming the problems and difficulties facing the use of ICT in higher education in Saudi Arabia, particularly those challenges which have arisen amid the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A quantitative study examining Florida's working-from-home parent's involvement in their (k-12) student's transition to the distance learning platform and its relationship with their overall technostress and individual work performance

The main objective of this quantitative study is to investigate if any significant relationship exists between Florida's working-from-home (WFH) parent's involvement in their (K-12) student's transition to the distance learning platform, during the timeframe of Mid-March to June 3rd, 2020, on their overall technostress and Individual Work Performance (IWP). Also, to see if technostress inhibitors will moderate this relationship. Technostress, for this study, is defined as, stress experienced by end-users from the usage of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). IWP, for this study, is defined as, employee behaviors or actions that are relevant to the goals of the organization. This study filled a gap in the existing knowledge in the Information System (IS) field of research pertaining to Florida parent's technostress. The data, for this study, was gathered by using a 5-point Likert scale survey via SurveyMonkey's Audience Program, in which 212 usable samples were obtained and used for data analysis. The primary theoretical framework this study utilized was the Transaction-Based Model (TBM) of stress. The latest version of SmartPLS (v.3.3.3) was used to empirically test its five hypotheses, which resulted in only two of its five hypotheses as testing to be significant. Multi-Group Analysis (MGA) was conducted on the Florida parent's control items/demographics. Two open-ended questions were asked in which to gather the Florida parent's general opinions on the most challenging aspects of having to transition to WFH, by utilizing their organization's teleworking technology and on their (K-12) student's transition to the distance learning platform. Results of this study showed that Florida parent's involvement in their (K-12) transition to the distance learning platform had a significant relationship (P-Value < .05) on their overall technostress and IWP. These results contribute to and add to the IS technostress literature. Implications for theory, methodology, and practice is discussed, as well as future research suggestions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Associations of COVID-19 online information sources and information overload with psychological distress symptoms: a population-based study.

Using information communication technologies as information sources of COVID-19 was associated with psychological problems, but mechanisms remain uncertain. We examined associations of COVID-19 information sources and information overload with psychological distress symptoms and explored the mediating effect of information overload in Hong Kong. A random sample of Chinese adults (N = 1501; 52.6% females; 55.0% aged 30-59) from dual landline and online surveys in April 2020 reported frequency of using traditional media, internet websites, social networking sites, instant messaging, and online discussion forums as COVID-19 information sources. Psychological distress symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire 4-item ([PHQ-4]; 0-12). Information overload defined as a perception of being overwhelmed was measured (1-6). Linear regressions were performed to analyze the associations, and the mediating effect of information overload was examined. Greater PHQ-4 score was observed for frequent use of internet websites (adjusted b = 0.58, 95% CI 0.29, 0.87, adjusted ß = 0.12) and online discussion forums (adjusted b = 0.39, 95% CI 0.08, 0.70, adjusted ß = 0.08) and information overload (adjusted b = 0.54, 95% CI 0.44, 0.63, adjusted ß = 0.28). Information overload mediated 44.9% and 36.9% of associations of frequent use of internet websites and online discussion forums with PHQ-4 score, respectively. Frequent use of social networking sites was associated with lower PHQ-4 score (adjusted b = -0.37, 95% CI -0.69, -0.04, adjusted ß = -0.07) partially through lower information overload (37.5%). Psychological distress symptoms were associated with frequent use of internet websites and online discussion forums as COVID-19 information sources, which were mediated through information overload.