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Along with the popularity of social network sites, social commerce such as Facebook has rapidly become a promising platform to conduct online advertisings and business activities. Drawing from Latent State-Trait theory (LST), we conducted an online experiment to empirically investigate the impact of information quality, picture of product presentation, the number of people's "Likes" and impulsiveness on female customer's urge to buy impulsively as well as the interaction effect of environmental cues and individual trait. The results showed that information quality, picture of product presentation, and impulsiveness positively affected the urge to buy impulsively. Contrary to our expectation, only information quality was found to interact with impulsiveness to jointly influence impulsive buying behavior, while the interaction of impulsiveness with product presentation and the number of likes was insignificant. The findings not only help to enrich our understanding of important factors influencing impulse buying within Facebook B2C social commerce but also offer social commerce practitioners a better strategy in selling their products and services, specifically for female customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of lighting effect into water purifying systems was studied to achieve the emotional interaction between users and products. This study involves two groups of experiments. First, the water quality scale corresponding to colours was scored by each subject, and then the colours were classified. Second, the impacts of lighting effect on heart rate, skin temperature, skin electrical signal, and other psychological indices in emotion experiments were studied, which validate that light effect plays a non-negligible role in the emotions of the subjects. By collecting System Usability Scale (SUS) scores, average heart rate, average skin temperature, and skin electrical signal, we compared the results before and after the addition of lighting effect, and validated the influences of lighting effect on human emotions. This study theoretically underlies the application of lighting effect into smart home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Using Activity Theory as an interpretive lens to examine the distribution of leadership, this paper shares a case study on how leadership for an ICT project was distributed in a Singapore school. Method: The case study involved observations of 49 meetings and 34 interviews of leaders and the teachers who were involved in the ICT project. Findings: Applying the lens of third-generation Activity Theory helped to reveal two main interrelated activity systems, and the leadership actions performed by senior and middle management. The two activity systems comprised the school and the ICT project. The focus in Activity Theory on the social–cultural perspective highlighted the role played by social norms in mediating the leadership activity. Implications for future research: The conclusion focuses on the understanding of distributed leadership as analysed through the lens of Activity Theory and suggests future research directions. Activity Theory enables research on distributed leadership to identify and examine interrelated activity systems that various leaders are involved in, and how these impact the leadership provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Aim of the study  mRNA expression of genes involved in the mechanism of action of pemetrexed was correlated with in vitro chemosensitivity of freshly explanted human tumor specimens. Experimental design  Chemosensitivity to pemetrexed was studied in soft-agar. Multiplex rtPCR experiments for reduced folate carrier (RFC), folate receptor-α (FR-α), folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS), thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), glycinamide ribonucleotide formyl transferase (GARFT), mrp4, and mrp5 were performed in parallel. Correlations, threshold optimization, sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency were analyzed using the appropriate statistical methodologies. Results  In 61 samples, low levels of TS, GARFT, DHFR, and mrp4 gene expression significantly correlated with chemosensitivity to pemetrexed. Optimization analyses demonstrated threshold values of 144 copies for TS and six copies for mrp4 relative to 104 copies of β-actin. Conclusions  These results form a rational basis for the design of clinical trials to evaluate the expression of these enzymes as predictors for treatment outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This paper seeks to investigate and provide empirical evidence of the interrelationships among network externalities, e-business adoption and information asymmetry. Design/methodology/approach — A conceptual model was proposed and tested using 307 completed interview cases selected from a database of 2,075 Chinese international trading companies published by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce for this study. Findings — The results indicated that network externalities significantly influenced e-business adoption and information asymmetry, and e-business adoption influenced information asymmetry through information sharing and collection. A split sample analysis showed that cultural contexts significantly moderated the interrelationships among network externalities, e-business adoption, and information asymmetry. Research limitations/implications — Data for this study were collected only from mainland China, therefore, non-Chinese companies (foreign-owned) operating in China may have been influenced by Chinese cultures and some of them have been localizing their operations in China. The influences of network externalities on business performance and decision making remain unclear. In addition, data were collected from self-reported questionnaires, and thus may be subject to self-reporting bias. Future studies should use more objective measurements to reduce the potential for self-reporting bias. Practical implications — This study contributes significantly to the literature by providing empirical evidence on interrelationships among network externalities, e-business adoption, and information asymmetry. The findings in this study also provide valuable insights for managers to better understand the influence of network externalities on e-business adoption. Originality/value — This study contributes significantly to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the interrelationships among network externalities, e-business adoption, and information asymmetry. The findings also provide managers with valuable insight into better understanding of the nature of these interrelationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper posits that authenticity is an aspect of both the context and the process of learning. These two aspects cannot be seen in isolation and must be analyzed as one unity. We refer to this coupling relationship as the context–process authenticity. Existing learning and instructional approaches associated with authenticity, such as simulations, participation, and co-evolution privilege the authenticity of professional practices and do not adequately tackle the issue of the transitions across contexts. To avoid demeaning the authenticity of schools, we recommend other approaches, which emphasize the identity enculturation aspect in diverse communities. Furthermore, we argue for a context–process authenticity continuum. This continuum encompasses both school and professional communities and the context–process authenticity coupling. Implications are discussed with respect to the proposed context–process authenticity continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we suggest a facilitating process for nurturing a community of practice (CoP). This process can be seen as a reverse LPP (legitimate peripheral participation) process where a community starts with a group of core members and gradually grows to encourage new members into a CoP. In the heart of the reverse LPP process is the identity formation and enculturation of practice. A case study in the Singapore context is introduced. The discussion focuses on how leadership in a community of practice differs from leadership in an organization and how the two roles may complement each other. Some key issues are identified such as the intrinsic motivational dimensions of CoPs and these should be well understood by potential facilitators and designers of CoPs.Inverser le processus LPP (participation périphérique authentique) pour faire naître une communauté de pratique (CoP)Dans cet article, on suggère un processus pour faciliter le développement d’une communauté de pratique (CoP). On peut considérer ce processus comme l’inverse d’un processus LPP (participation périphérique authentique) dans lequel une communauté commence avec un noyau dur de quelques membres fondateurs, se développe progressivement et encourage d’autres membres à entrer dans la CoP. Au cœur du processus LPP inversé, on trouve la formation de l’identité et l’inculturation de la pratique. On présente une étude de cas dans le contexte singapourien. La discussion porte sur la façon dont le leadership dans une communauté de pratique diffère du leadership dans une organisation et comment les deux rôles peuvent se compléter. On identifie plusieurs problèmes‐clefs tels que les dimensions motivationnelles intrinsèques des CoP (communautés de pratique) ce qui devrait être bien compris des facilitateurs potentiels et des concepteurs de CoP.Der umgekehrte LPP Prozess zur Hege einer ÜbungsgemeinschaftIn diesem Papier schlagen wir einen Prozess zur Hege einer Übungsgemeinschaft vor. Dieser Prozess kann als ein umgekehrter LPP‐Prozess (Legitimate Peripheral Participation) betrachtet werden, wo eine Gemeinschaft mit einer Gruppe von Innenmitgliedern beginnt und allmählich wächst, um neue Mitglieder zum Eintritt zu ermutigen. Herzstück dieses Prozesses ist die Identitätsformung und das Entkultivieren der Praxis. Eine Fallstudie im Singapurer Kontext wird vorgestellt. Die Diskussion zielt darauf, wie sich Führung in einer Übungsgemeinschaft von Führung in einer Organistion unterscheidet und wie die zwei Rollen einander ergänzen können. Einige Hauptthemen werden identifiziert, wie die instrinsichen Motivationsdimensionen von CoPs. Diese sollten gut von potentiellen Moderatoren und von Designern von Übungsgemeinschaften verstanden werden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many usability evaluation methods have been developed and used for the improvement of instructional multimedia products. This review proposes an analytical framework to classify these methods so as to facilitate the choice of method according to the needs and circumstances of an evaluation project. The framework is based on the roles of the three main parties in an evaluation. The three parties are: (a) the system under evaluation which could be in the form of a released product, or a prototype, or even just a mere design document, (b) the user for whom the product is intended, and (c) the evaluator who is conducting the evaluation. The framework covers four types of evaluation method: (a) Usability Test, (b) Usability Inspection, (c) User Retrospection, and (d) Evaluator Retrospection. A summary of the various usability evaluation methods and a general guideline on when to use which method are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we focus on learning to be or forming an identity within communities of practices. Using a reconceived activity theory framework, we attempt to distil out the kinds of tools (including technologies), rules, and roles that support the different processes within activity structures. Through enculturation (participants performing their specific roles through the assistance of tools and according to the rules of the community), participants learn to be, forming an identity particular to that community. We illustrate these concepts through community-based examples such as universities and schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]