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Effective teamwork is critical in today's workplace, and management education plays a vital role in preparing students to work in teams. As a result, student teams are increasingly used in management courses. Research indicates that most teams operate virtually (i.e., rely on technology-mediated communication) to some degree. However, the potential negative impact of virtuality in on-campus student teams is often overlooked, with a focus instead on studying entirely virtual teams with geographically dispersed members in online classes. We raise awareness in management education about the extent and impact of team virtuality in on-campus student teams, as well as strategies to mitigate its potentially harmful effects. Using a sample of on-campus student teams, we find substantial variation in team virtuality that negatively relates to team performance through team information sharing. We also find a positive relationship between team virtual communication behaviors and team information sharing, offsetting virtuality's negative effect. Our results have important theoretical implications for management education research involving student teams and virtual team research. We discuss practical guidance for management educators, instructional designers, and administrators to enhance on-campus student teams' performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapport and rapport-building are fundamental building blocks of the sales process. As part of the approach in personal selling, as well as a relationship-building mechanism, rapport allows salespeople to facilitate customer engagement. This paper reviews and synthesizes articles over four decades of research on rapport and rapport-building within buyer-seller relationships to provide insight into the gaps in the current literature and provide an overarching conceptual model of where rapport research stands. This analysis of the research from theoretical and methodological perspectives identifies three major themes in the existing literature and offers five gaps where the literature should grow going forward. Building on these gaps, we identify an agenda for future research that extends knowledge in this domain, particularly as salespeople grapple with changing digital communications and relationship-building in virtual spaces with customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Chinese data, we examine whether synchronous remote board meetings, which facilitate status equalization among directors and alleviate their pressure for conformity, affect board monitoring effectiveness. We find that compared to face-to-face meetings, synchronous remote meetings are associated with directors' better meeting attendance behavior, a higher likelihood of director dissent on monitoring-related proposals, higher forced CEO turnover-performance sensitivity, and more effective investments. These results hold when we use remote meetings that include both synchronous and asynchronous remote meetings. Proposal-director level analysis further shows that remote meetings reduce the pressure to conform faced by young first-term directors and socially connected directors. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix , which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThriving in competitive business environments requires innovation, especially within cultural and creative-based e-commerce platforms. This study examines the application of two prominent theories, ICDT theory and brand personality, in assessing new business models. Focusing on 479 respondents from Taiwan, this research explores how the implementation of ICDT and brand personality in cultural and creative e-commerce influences customer behavior. Statistical analyses and the Smart PLS method are adopted to identify the significance of and relationships between the variables in the structural equation model. The profound influence of the ICDT model is evident in the emergence of virtual information space, virtual communication space, and virtual transaction space. Brand personality traits underscore the significance of intellectual excellence, M-type traits, seeking innovation and change, and stable reliability in shaping customer values. This research enriches the literature by emphasizing the essential role of innovative technologies and brand issues integrated with core product attributes for successful consumer acceptance in the fiercely competitive landscape of e-commerce platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peer support programs demonstrate numerous benefits, including emotional, instrumental, informational, and affirmational social support. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many peer support stroke programs in Canada have been delivered virtually. Compassion must be consistently applied to build meaningful interactions, but the shift to virtual services may have changed the quality of interaction and compassion in virtual services. While compassion is recommended in health and social services to improve outcomes, satisfaction, and service quality, compassion in virtual peer support stroke programs remains understudied. We aimed to describe compassionate support in virtual peer support stroke programs from peer support providers' and recipients' perspectives. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study was guided by Sinclair & colleagues' model of compassion. Peer support recipients or peer support providers participated in interviews transcribed and analyzed using a hybrid thematic analysis. Results: Sixteen were peer support recipients, six were peer support providers, and two were both peer support providers and recipients. Participants agreed that compassion was essential in these programs. Participants perceived compassion to be a result of the virtues of compassionate facilitators (i.e., genuineness, passion, and empathy), relational space, and communication within the virtual peer support stroke program (e.g., sense of awareness or intuition of compassion, aspects of engaged peer support provision), virtuous response (e.g., knowing the person and actions that made the peer support recipient feel like a priority). Compassion was facilitated by listening and understanding peer support recipients' needs as they relate to stroke (i.e., seeking to understand peer support recipients and their needs), attending to peer support recipients' needs (e.g., timely actions to address their needs), and achieving compassion-related program outcomes (e.g., alleviating challenges and enhancing wellbeing). The absence of these components (e.g., lacking genuineness, passion and empathy) was a barrier to compassion in virtual peer support stroke programs. Conclusions: Study findings describe facilitators and barriers to perceived compassion in virtual peer support stroke programs and provide practical recommendations that can be adapted into programs to improve program quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The papers in this Special Issue show that virtual teamwork is a complex phenomenon that depends on a multiplicity of team, task, and environmental factors. In this editorial, we begin with a short review of the main perspectives through which virtual teams have been studied. From there, we move to an overview of the papers in this Special Issue. To conclude, we discuss potential avenues for future research based on the collection of papers in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of virtual museum tours on intentions to visit on-site museums. Furthermore, the role of an authentic virtual tour experience and its drivers is examined. Design/methodology/approach: The results of two studies, a field study in collaboration with one of the most renowned museums in Austria (n = 227) and an online survey (n = 153), were analyzed with a series of mediation models. Findings: Visual appeal and narrative quality were significant drivers of an authentic virtual tour experience. Curiosity mediated the positive effect of virtual tour usage intention on on-site museum visit intention. Originality/value: Although virtual reality has been considered a promising marketing tool in tourism, no research has explored the drivers of an authentic virtual tour experience. The findings of this study not only add new insights into the role of a virtual tour's visual appeal and narrative quality in generating authentic experience and thus prompting virtual tour usage intentions but also demonstrate that virtual tours positively impact on-site visit intentions driven by curiosity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Since the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a significant opportunity to leverage virtual platforms for communication and dissemination of knowledge. An online survey was conducted to examine the viewpoints of World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) leaders concerning the necessity, primary priority areas, and implementation strategies for a virtual global gastroenterology educational program. Methods: We conducted a survey of leaders of WGO member societies to assess their opinions on creating opportunities for global education using virtual platforms, identifying practical implementation steps and priority educational areas. Results: Responses were obtained from 57/117 (48.7%) contacted leaders with 56/57 (98.2%) identifying such a need. Five mutually exclusive priority educational topics were proposed in the survey: clinical gastroenterology, endoscopy, nutritional support, research methodology, and professional development. Overall, most participants prioritized clinical gastroenterology (45/57; 78.9%) and endoscopy/hand skills (27/57; 47.3%) as educational topics to be addressed by the virtual global gastroenterology educational program. A majority of WGO member society leaders surveyed favored monthly teaching activities (33/57; 57.8%), ideally carried out between 1500-2100 local time (31/57; 54.3%), ideally with no administrative fees (47/57; 82.4%). Conclusions: This truly global survey of WGO member societies achieved a good response rate and provides important insights into the need for and scope of future virtual education programs under the aegis of the WGO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article leverages existing literature around the use of telepresence robots to provide a conceptualisation of virtual inclusion. Telepresence involves the use of mediating technology to generate connection with others in a remote context. Recent developments have seen telepresence robots used to create a sense of 'being there' when the person's physical presence is not possible. Telepresence robots can provide children with the capability to maintain an embodied experience in schooling locations when they are absent due to chronic illness. Through building their knowledge of integrating this technology into their pedagogy, teachers can support students to engage in classroom activities through real-time virtual communication. The article extends what is known about how telepresence robots can be used for virtual inclusion and what the challenges and considerations are for the use of telepresence robots in schools. Technological, physical, social and pedagogical aspects of telepresence robots use for virtual inclusion are detailed with heuristic for introducing them into schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence on the impact of virtual care for patients with burn injuries is variable. This review aims to evaluate its use in remote assessment, rounding, and follow-up through outcomes of efficacy, usability, costs, satisfaction, clinical outcomes, impacts on triage and other benefits/drawbacks. A PRISMA-compliant qualitative systematic review (PROSPERO CRD42021267787) was conducted in four databases and the grey literature for primary research published between 01/01/2010 and 12/31/2020. Study quality was appraised using three established tools. Evidence was graded by the Oxford classification. The search provided 481 studies, of which 37 were included. Most studies (n = 30, 81%) were Oxford Level 4 (low-level descriptive/observational) designs and had low appraised risk-of-bias (n = 20, 54%). Most applications were for the acute phase (n = 26, 70%). High patient compliance, enhanced specialist access, and new educational/networking opportunities were beneficial. Concerns pertained to IT/connection, virtual communication barriers, privacy/data-security and logistical/language considerations. Low-to-moderate-level (Oxford Grade C) evidence supported virtual burn care's cost-effectiveness, ability to improve patient assessment and triage, and efficiency/effectiveness for remote routine follow-up. We find growing evidence that virtual burn care has a place in acute-phase specialist assistance and routine outpatient follow-up. Low-to-moderate-level evidence supports its effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, usability, satisfactoriness, and capacity to improve triage. • Virtual care may improve assessment and triage of patients with burn injuries. • Routine follow-up via virtual care may save cost/travel without hindering outcomes. • Comparative evidence lacking, unclear superiority among programs and vs. in-person. • Only 4 randomized controlled trials in 37 identified papers, study quality varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate how higher education instructors perceive remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and how prepared they were technologically to implement blended teaching in the wake of the epidemic. A quantitative approach was used, and information was gathered from 53 instructors at a Vietnam national university using questionnaires. The findings indicate that workload is the most difficult obstacle teachers face when teaching remotely, followed by issues on virtual communication with students, teachers' challenges in effectively employing technology in the classroom, and mental health issues due to social distancing. Despite encountering these challenges, most of the experiment's educators strongly endorse the adoption of blended teaching in response to the epidemic, expressing confidence in their technological readiness facilitated by institutional training. The results show that in order for higher education institutions to successfully adopt blended learning in the future, they need to be concerned with lowering the burden of their teachers, giving them training courses on technology pedagogy and providing stress management workshops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to efficiently find what you want from massive data has become a hot topic. It is precisely because network information is developing so fast that so many data-oriented software systems and pages are used to manage so much network information. Aiming at problems such as insufficient information mining of visual communication websites in ASPNET and poor visual communication effects, a design scheme for integrating high-dimensional data into visual communication websites is proposed. Its working architecture includes high-dimensional data integration, multi-type visual integration, and visual support services. The main functions of the website include comprehensive management, charts, data sources, projects, systems, etc. We have conducted specific design and Implementation of high-dimensional information integration on the website, completed the design and Implementation of integration of high-dimensional data, integration of multiple visualization types, and integrated access to visualization-supported functions. Use a deep web crawler to search the visual site. It uses a search-based approach to filter URLs and crawl valuable web pages. Practice has proved that the intelligent distribution network management page implemented by the solution proposed in this article has good performance. The system shows good performance in visualization implementation and the ability to discover information. The system achieved sound and visual communication effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The effects of many treatments in healthcare are determined by factors other than the treatment itself. Patients' expectations and the relationship with their healthcare provider can significantly affect treatment outcomes and thereby play a major role in eliciting placebo and nocebo effects. We aim to develop and evaluate an innovative communication training, consisting of an e-learning and virtual reality (VR) training, for healthcare providers across all disciplines, to optimize placebo and minimize nocebo effects through healthcare provider-patient communication. The current paper describes the development, mid-term evaluation, optimization, and final evaluation of the communication training, conducted in The Netherlands. Methods: The development of both the e-learning and the VR training consisted of four phases: 1) content and technical development, 2) mid-term evaluation by healthcare providers and placebo/communication researchers, 3) optimization of the training, and 4) final evaluation by healthcare providers. To ensure the success, applicability, authenticity, and user-friendliness of the communication training, there was ongoing structural collaboration with healthcare providers as future end users, experts in the field of placebo/communication research, and educational experts in all phases. Results: Placebo/communication researchers and healthcare providers evaluated the e-learning positively (overall 7.9 on 0–10 scale) and the content was perceived as useful, accessible, and interesting. The VR training was assessed with an overall 6.9 (0–10 scale) and was evaluated as user-friendly and a safe method for practicing communication skills. Although there were some concerns regarding the authenticity of the VR training (i.e. to what extent the virtual patient reacts like a real patient), placebo and communication researchers, as well as healthcare providers, recognized the significant potential of the VR training for the future. Conclusions: We have developed an innovative and user-friendly communication training, consisting of an e-learning and VR training (2D and 3D), that can be used to teach healthcare providers how to optimize placebo effects and minimize nocebo effects through healthcare provider-patient communication. Future studies can work on improved authenticity, translate the training into other languages and cultures, expand with additional VR cases, and measure the expected effects on providers communication skills and subsequently patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the role of the service provider in determining customer satisfaction in sharing economy services. The authors sought to examine how the intrinsic and extrinsic cues along with their interactions influence customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a mixed-methods design to test the hypotheses. Study 1 uses secondary data from Inside Airbnb. Study 2 uses a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subject experimental design. Findings: Both studies support the confirmation bias perspective over the expectancy-confirmation perspective in explaining the interplay among different cues in determining customer satisfaction. In the context of Airbnb, in the absence of a Superhost badge, if hosts adopt a reactive communication style, physical presence has a greater impact on customer satisfaction compared to virtual presence. Originality/value: This study extends the services marketing literature and cue utilization theory by investigating the dynamic interactions among multiple intrinsic and extrinsic service cues. It shed new light on how a combination of these cues may become additive or redundant in determining customer satisfaction. This study contributes to the services marketing literature by addressing the interactive nature of sharing economy services and the neglected role of service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents a dataset consisting of electroencephalogram and eye tracking recordings obtained from six patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in a locked-in state and one hundred seventy healthy individuals. The ALS patients exhibited varying degrees of disease progression, ranging from partial mobility and weakened speech to complete paralysis and loss of speech. Despite these physical impairments, the ALS patients retained good eye function, which allowed them to use a virtual keyboard for communication. Data from ALS patients was recorded multiple times at their homes, while data from healthy individuals was recorded once in a laboratory setting. For each data recording, the experimental design involved nine recording sessions per participant, each corresponding to a common human action or demand. This dataset can serve as a valuable benchmark for several applications, such as improving spelling systems with brain-computer interfaces, investigating motor imagination, exploring motor cortex function, monitoring motor impairment progress in patients undergoing rehabilitation, and studying the effects of ALS on cognitive and motor processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

YouTube has become a platform that makes it easy for its users to exchange messages. On this platform, a new phenomenon has emerged regarding virtual streamers who use avatars to interact with viewers on their YouTube channels. This study uses a qualitative method with a netnographic approach that emphasizes direct observation with visual materials in collecting data and indepth interviews with 2 informants. The researcher aims to formulate an interaction process that is woven from existing communication patterns, which will produce certain outcomes. The researcher made the virtual idol PLAVE the subject of the study and found that the interactions carried out by the virtual idol with his fans formed a communication pattern that encouraged the formation of a virtual community. In this community, there was finally an exchange of messages that influenced each other. Therefore, a strong sense of loyalty and emotional synchronization was formed between the virtual idol and his fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to examine the role of virtual social networks in the tendency to participate in modern social movements in Yasuj. This cross-sectional study was conducted with survey method in Yasuj. The population of this study was 15 years and older citizens in Yasuj, which according to the subject of the research, the electronic sampling method was probabilistic. The results showed that there is a direct and significant relationship between the two components of trust in virtual social networks and the tendency to participate in modern social movements, there is a direct and significant relationship between the two components, informative and easy communication of virtual social networks and the tendency to participate in modern social movements. There was also a significant difference between the tendency to participate in modern social movements in terms of age, socioeconomic class and the level of activity in virtual social networks, but there was no significant difference between the components of gender, education of individuals and the type (subject) of using virtual social networks and the tendency to participate in modern social movements. The results showed that a total of four variables within the equation (trust in social networks, informative and easy communication of social networks, age and level of activity in virtual social networks) can predict 26% of the variance of the dependent variable of the tendency to participate in modern social movements for the study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term metaverse characterizes computer-supported media in which primarily image-based forms of virtual realities, augmented realities, and mixed realities can be communicated. Considering these three media forms, two peculiarities stand out. First, pictorial signs create an immersive experience that makes images largely obsolete as a classic form of visual communication. And second, the three media forms cause social constructions of pictorial realities to become increasingly elastic. The following considerations will show how communicated realities in images become more elastic in varying between fact, fake, and fiction, or between sign and matter. Societies construct their image-based knowledge, but this remains purposeful only when consensual corridors orient what is to be considered real, virtual, actual, and moral. Further, the often-misunderstood oppositions between real and virtual are taken up to argue that the virtual is real but not actual. The social construction of image-based knowledge creates a virtual reality in the metaverse. This virtual reality is collectively experienced as real, but in its materiality it is often said to lack actuality. In the last century, the screen still protected the viewer from contact with the physical world. In the twenty-first century, the viewer is supposed to feel immersively involved in order to intensify real contact with virtual matter and virtual energy. The paper explores the question: How elastic can imagebased knowledge be to be action-oriented when the actuality of virtual realities is collectively determined? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Transference-based trust (TBT) via referral sources is a cognitive process where trust in third-party information about an individual transfers to trust in the individual. TBT via referral sources can have significant effects on early trust development in a virtual team (VT). This study aims to examine the potential influence of Hofstede's (1980) cultural variables and two proposed combinations of these cultural variables on early trust development in VT, including the effects of referral source. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted multigroup analysis partial least squares structural modeling to examine potential cultural differences in the responses of 357 university students from 51 different countries to understand early trust development in VT. Findings: TBT via referral sources as in interpersonal construct has a positive, direct impact on early trust development. TBT mediated the individual and organizational model constructs. There were significant differences in the high/low values of 3 of the 56 tested cultural dimensions. Research limitations/implications: Reaffirmed the validity of cognitive-based trust models in understanding early trust development in VTs TBT as an interpersonal construct and has a significant influence on early trust development in VTs. TBT via referral sources mediated the individual and organizational constructs of the model. There were significant differences in the high/low measures of three cultural dimensions (i.e. IV, M and the combination of IV-M-LT) in the relationship of early trusting beliefs to early trusting intensions. Practical implications: To positively influence interpersonal and organizational aspects of trust development, managers should ensure that the early phases of VTs, before actual implementation begins, are well organized. Managers could make VT members fully aware of how referral sources can influence early trust development. Managers could encourage individuals to have open access to relevant social media accounts for other VT members and encourage individuals to research referral sources on other VTs members. The implication for managers of culturally diverse VT is that the development of early trust is largely by individual choice, rather than differences in national culture. Social implications: People need to maintain and actively manage their online presence, ensuring that online information about them is accurate and updated. Referral sources could help VT members learn about one another, which might in turn help foster early trust in their online teams. Originality/value: Although some studies have found significant cultural differences in early trust development, other studies, including a meta-analysis of 43 studies, found no significant cultural differences in early trust development. This study confirmed the results of the meta-analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper proposes an innovative Energy-Efficient Cooperative Virtual Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Communication Protocol to address the growing demand for energy-efficient communication in wireless networks. The protocol combines the OLEACH (Optimized Energy-Efficient Cluster Head) Protocol and a Greedy Approach to enhance energy efficiency, data rates, and interference mitigation in cooperative communication. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis, including equations and models, to demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed protocol compared to existing schemes. By integrating the OLEACH protocol with the Greedy Approach, the proposed protocol achieves optimal communication and minimizes energy consumption in wireless sensor networks. Simulation results show that the proposed protocol, called greedy-OLEACH, exhibits a high Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR) in low signal-to-noise ratio scenarios, indicating its effectiveness. Furthermore, comparisons with other clustering protocols such as LEACH, greedy-LEACH, and OLEACH reveal that greedy-OLEACH outperforms in terms of data delivery performance and remaining energy levels. This indicates efficient energy management and increased network longevity. The proposed protocol is scalable, robust, and secure, making it a promising choice for future wireless sensor network deployments. Overall, the Energy-Efficient Cooperative Virtual MIMO Communication Protocol presented in this research paper addresses the need for sustainable and green communication solutions in wireless networks, providing enhanced energy efficiency, throughput, and network performance compared to existing protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphones and personal sensing technologies have made collecting data continuously and in real time feasible. The promise of pervasive sensing technologies in the realm of mental health has recently garnered increased attention. Using Artificial Intelligence methods, it is possible to forecast a person's emotional state based on contextual information such as their current location, movement patterns, and so on. As a result, conditions like anxiety, stress, depression, and others might be tracked automatically and in real‐time. The objective of this research was to survey the state‐of‐the‐art autonomous psychological health monitoring (APHM) approaches, including those that make use of sensor data, virtual chatbot communication, and artificial intelligence methods like Machine learning and deep learning algorithms. We discussed the main processing phases of APHM from the sensing layer to the application layer and an observation taxonomy deals with various observation devices, observation duration, and phenomena related to APHM. Our goal in this study includes research works pertaining to working of APHM to predict the various mental disorders and difficulties encountered by researchers working in this sector and potential application for future clinical use highlighted. This article is categorized under:Technologies > Machine LearningTechnologies > PredictionApplication Areas > Health Care [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adoption of telemedicine by healthcare facilities has dramatically increased since the start of coronavirus pandemic; yet, major differences exist in universal acceptance of telemedicine across different population groups. The goal of this study was to examine population-based factors associated with current and/or future use of telemedicine in Alabama. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 532 participants online or by phone, in four urban and eight rural counties in Alabama. Data were collected on: demographics, health insurance coverage, medical history, access to technology, and its use in accessing healthcare services. Generalized logit regression models were used to estimate the odds of choosing "virtual visit" and "phone communication" compared to "in-person visit" for the preferred choice of visit with the healthcare provider; as well as odds for willingness to participate in "virtual visit" in the future. Results: Our study sample had a mean age of 43 (±15) years, 72.9% women, 45.9% Black or African American; 59.4% population living in an urban county. The odds of "phone communication" were higher compared to the odds of "in-person visit", with a unit increase in age (odds ratio: 1.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.00–1.03), after adjusting for other covariates. Among participants with past experience of virtual communications, the odds for choosing "virtual visit" were significantly higher compared to choice of in-person visit (odds ratio for virtual visit: 3.23, 95% confidence interval: 2.01–5.18), adjusted for other covariates. Further, people with college or more education were 71% less likely to choose "No" compared to those with high school or lower general education development education for future virtual visit [odds ratio for college or more: 0.29, 95% confodence interval: 0.10–0.87). Likewise, participants residing in rural counties were 57% less likely to choose "No" compared to urban counties for future virtual visit (odds ratio for rural participants: 0.43, 95% confidence interval:0.19–0.97) Discussion: Our study found notable differences in age, education, and rurality for use and/or preference for telemedicine. Medical institutions and healthcare providers will need to account for these differences to ensure that the implementation of telemedicine does not exacerbate existing health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic-related visitation restrictions started in March 2020 in Alberta, Canada. In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we implemented a Virtual Communications initiative to allow parents to continue to be present with their infants, attend daily rounds, and communicate with the medical team. The purpose of this survey study was to describe our approach and evaluate the experience for families and staff. Methods: The study surveys consisted of 13–18 questions directed toward understanding staff and family experience with the process and emotional impact using Likert scale and open-ended questions. The study team reviewed results and implemented changes in real time. Analysis was mixed quantitative and qualitative design, with descriptive data organized into themes. Results: Twenty-six surveys were completed by 16 staff (62%) and 10 parents (38%). About 50% to 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with statements addressing the quality and value of the virtual sessions. Staff identified challenges with slow devices and need for awareness and education. Both staff and parents expressed gratitude for the initiative and an overall positive experience. Discussion: Offering Virtual Rounds and Bedside Presence in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a well-received and feasible alternative to in-person presence that allows parents to stay involved and connected to their infants. Families have a better understanding of their babies' clinical status and plans with an overall positive experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID 19 has brought unprecedented changes in the way we communicate. There is a greater accent on Virtual communication. This paper aims to establish a relationship between Emotional intelligence and the effectiveness of Virtual communication on Decision making. This empirical study is based on a sample drawn from 296 working professionals at five different levels of organizational hierarchy. A standardized questionnaire (ɑ = 0.824) was used to collect the responses of Emotional intelligence, Virtual communication, and Decision-making effectiveness. Hierarchical regression using PROCESS Macro model 1 was used to identify the moderating effect of Emotional intelligence on Virtual communication and Decision making effectiveness. Since the p-value (p ≤.007) is found significant, Emotional intelligence acts as a moderator that affects the strength of the relationship between Virtual communication effectiveness and Decision making. Validation of Task Technology fit theory is the theoretical implication of the study. Manipulation of individual dimensions in the model can reduce the dependence on technology for task completion with enhanced performance effectiveness. The findings are relevant to educators, consultants, and any professional who need to adapt Virtual communication platforms on an ongoing basis. Since work-life balance is projected as a constraint in this study, policymakers can consider policy amendments to reduce the stress caused due to Virtual communication which intrudes into their personal space. This empirical study is the first of its kind to benchmark the organizational practice of Emotional intelligence training to enhance Virtual communication and Decision making effectiveness during unprecedented times of pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of some forms of non-verbal communication in virtual reality (VR) can make VR-based group discussions difficult even when a leader is assigned to each group to facilitate discussions. In this paper, we discuss if the sensor data from off-the-shelf VR devices can be used to detect opportunities for facilitating engaging discussions and support leaders in VR-based group discussions. To this end, we focus on the detection of suppressed speaking intention in VR-based group discussions by using personalized and general models. Our extensive analysis of experimental data reveals some factors that should be considered to enable effective feedback to leaders. In particular, our results show the benefits of combining the sensor data from leaders and low-engagement participants, and the usefulness of specific HMD sensor features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disasters have affected the physical and mental health of people around the world. Since nurses are frontlines in disasters, it seems necessary to prepare for this responsibility. This study investigates the effect of psychological first-aid virtual education on the communication skills of nurses in disasters such as COVID pandemic. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 55 nurses were selected by purposive sampling method from two hospitals in Isfahan and Tehran, Iran in December—November 2022 and randomly replaced in the intervention group who participated in psychological first aid virtual training and control group. The data were collected through the personal information form and Communication Skills –Test-Revised (CSTR). Results: Two groups were homogeneous in terms of communication skills (p = 0.177), the total score of communication skills was significant between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.0001). Regarding communication skills, in the pre-intervention phase, the subscale of "the ability to receive and send messages" and "insight into the communication process" the difference before the intervention was not significant between the two groups (p > 0.05). However, it was significant between the two groups after the intervention (p < 0.05), and regarding "emotional control", "listening skills", and "communication along with assertiveness" the difference before and after the intervention was not significant between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Pre-disaster training and virtual education can increase nurses' communication skills in their ability to handle a disaster such as COVID pandemic. Virtual education of post-disaster psychological interventions is suggested. Trial registration: IRCT20220923056023N1; date: 2023–01-31. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to conduct cultural research of the specifics of the processes of virtual communication and commemoration that arise from the interaction between individual and artificial intelligence in the digital space of culture in the XXI century. The research methodology is based on the principles of interdisciplinarity, combining cultural, historical, and psychological methods of analysis, which allows to deeply understand the various aspects of influence of artificial intelligence on the transformation of communicative models of culture in era of Internet technologies. The scientific novelty. Taking into consideration the emergence of numerous cultural, creative, and leisure practices related to the use of digital tools of artificial intelligence, in the article, the article analyses for the first time the ways and specifics of commemoration using the creation of digital copies of deceased persons based on the tools of artificial intelligence, which are considered in the context of the new communicative paradigm of the digital culture of the XXI century. Conclusions state that from a cultural point of view, the circulation of digital copies of deceased persons in the digital space of culture, which have emerged on the basis of technological progress, aesthetic and socio-cultural demands of society, refers to the category of simulacra and forms precedents of socio-cultural impact on the environment and the person themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of the Internet and the development of digital technology have enabled people to communicate with each other easily and instantly. Yet the physical distance in virtual communication may inhibit intimacy and the expression of empathy towards each other. This paper has carried out a review study on the experiments of empathy training for college students, aimed at finding out the effective strategies for intervention activities. The review shows that educators incorporated various digital means into the curriculum design so that students may interact with each other online or with computer programs. In addition, self-reflection through writing and digital stories plays an essential role in the cultivation of empathy. Finally, the paper points out that further research should raise more concerns about the full-view assessment of empathy training results and the sustained development of empathic ability. The paper argues for the inclusion of more diversified subjects in the experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from an experimental evaluation of an intervention designed to enhance virtual student support. During the 2019–2020 school year, randomly selected mentors in a school-based mentoring program received monthly reminders with tips for communicating with youth via text, email, and phone. Unexpectedly, the results showed that although the nudges did not impact the frequency of mentor outreach (student-reported), they reduced the rate at which students reached out (mentor-reported) and saw themselves as responsive to their mentors. Moreover, and possibly as a consequence, mentors who received the intervention felt less connected to students and less satisfied with their mentoring relationships, and treated students gained less than comparison students from the mentoring program as a whole in terms of their personal and attitudinal growth. The findings add important nuance to the evidence on how behavioral interventions in educational contexts operate. Although past studies find that nudges can support engagement in discrete tasks, these findings suggest that prescribing relational practices may be less effective. Thus, mentor supports must be carefully designed in order to yield the intended benefits for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws from feedback intervention theory and professional communications theory to present a versatile, experiential class project to develop and improve students' virtual communications and presentation skills by combining hard and soft‐skill development, multisource feedback, and self‐reflection. After successfully using this class project for four semesters, data were collected from six graduate classes (N = 145) to assess the project's effectiveness and students' perceptions. Positive student feedback, control group–trained group comparisons, and the trained group's Time 1–Time 2 performance comparisons provide supportive evidence for the effectiveness of the project as a valuable learning tool in helping students develop virtual communication and presentation skills. As companies and institutions across industries continue to utilize virtual work arrangements, this project will be a useful tool for preparing students for the postpandemic digital business world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Germanistische Linguistik is the property of De Gruyter 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de la Educación is the property of Instituto Corporativo Edwards Deming 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: We conceptualized the novel phenomenon of COVID-induced virtual teams and its implications and provided researchers with the required information on how to conduct a phenomenon-based study for conceptualizing novel phenomena in relevant ways. Design/methodology/approach: This article stems from phenomenon-based and, thus, theory-building and grounded qualitative research in the German industrial sector. We conducted 47 problem-centered interviews in two phases (February–July 2021 and February–July 2022) to understand how team members and team leaders experienced COVID-induced virtual teamwork and its subsequent developments. Findings: Empirically, we found COVID-induced virtual teams to be characterized by a high relevance of shaping positive team dynamics via steering internal moderators; crisis is a novel external moderator and transformation becomes the key output factor to be leveraged. Work-from-home leads to specific configuration needs and interrelations between work-from-home and on-site introduce additional dynamics. Methodologically, the phenomenon-based approach is found to be highly suitable for studying the effects of such novel phenomena. Research limitations/implications: This article is explorative. Thus, we advocate further research on related novel phenomena, such as post-COVID-hybrid and work-from-home teams. A model of how to encourage positive dynamics in post-COVID-hybrid teams is developed and lays the groundwork for further studies on post-COVID teamwork. Concerning methodology, researchers are provided with information on how to conduct phenomenon-based research on novel phenomena, such as the COVID-induced virtual teams that we studied. Practical implications: Companies receive advice on how to encourage positive dynamics in post-COVID teamwork, e.g. on identifying best practices and resilient individuals. Social implications: In a country such as Germany that faces labor shortages, our insights might facilitate better labor-market integration for those with care-work obligations and international workers. Originality/value: We offer a first conceptualization of a relevant novel phenomenon, namely COVID-induced virtual teams. We exemplify the phenomenon-based approach as a suitable methodology that serves to build relevant theory using active categorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study investigates the effectiveness of a virtual format of an advanced communication skills observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) for senior medical students in comparison to an in-person format. The study also examines the emotional support students experience in the virtual setting. Our analysis was based on quantitative data collected through objective checklists and post-OSCE survey results. Methods: The virtual OSCE was a revision of an earlier in-person formative advanced communication skills OSCE for fourth-year medical students. Student performances were assessed by self and peers using objective checklists—the modified Master Interview Rating Scale (mMIRS) and Communication Behavior Checklist (CBC). The mMIRS measured interview process such as avoiding jargon and demonstrating empathy. The CBC examined interview content which included tasks specific to the content of the case. The OSCE was followed by a faculty-led debrief and quantitative survey. The virtual OSCE was conducted in 2021, and the results of the checklists and survey were compared with those collected from two earlier in-person OSCEs. Results: Eighty-three students participated in the virtual OSCE. There was no difference in mMIRS scores between the virtual and in-person OSCE. Overall CBC scores were lower in the virtual OSCE compared to in-person (p < 0.05). Sixty-seven out of 83 (80.7%) students completed the post-OSCE survey. There were no differences between the virtual and in-person OSCE in terms of educational value, whether the OSCE would change the way participants talk to patients, and preparedness to have serious conversations with patients. All respondents somewhat or strongly agreed with feeling emotionally supported during the virtual OSCE. Conclusion: The virtual format was a suitable alternative to an in-person, formative, advanced communication skills OSCE for medical students. The virtual OSCE was educationally effective and was met with student satisfaction and a sense of emotional support. Future virtual iterations must ensure adequate instruction on interview content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of novel AI technologies and increasingly portable wearable devices have introduced a wider range of more liberated avenues for communication and interaction between human and virtual environments. In this context, the expression of distinct emotions and movements by users may convey a variety of meanings. Consequently, an emerging challenge is how to automatically enhance the visual representation of such interactions. Here, a novel Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) based model, AACOGAN, is introduced to tackle this challenge effectively. AACOGAN model establishes a relationship between player interactions, object locations, and camera movements, subsequently generating camera shots that augment player immersion. Experimental results demonstrate that AACOGAN enhances the correlation between player interactions and camera trajectories by an average of 73%, and improves multi‐focus scene quality up to 32.9%. Consequently, AACOGAN is established as an efficient and economical solution for generating camera shots appropriate for a wide range of interactive motions. Exemplary video footage can be found at https://youtu.be/Syrwbnpzgx8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been a lot of interest in industry and academia in virtual influencers (VIs). This study aimed to augment the understanding of VI marketing by exploring the relationship between VI's characteristics (i.e., their humanlikeness level and operator type), their social media post characteristics (i.e., emotional expression, use of pronouns, use of punctuation marks), and consumer engagement. The analysis of three popular VIs' Instagram profiles and posts revealed that VIs with less humanlike appearances tend to exhibit stronger positive emotional expressions. Interestingly, the level of humanlikeness in appearance was not associated with VI's other post characteristics, suggesting other intrinsic factors (e.g., the VI's character and virtual universe) may play a pivotal role. Whether a brand operates the VI or not made a statistically significant difference in the VI's post characteristics. Assessment of user engagement metrics (i.e., number of likes and comments) showed that users prefer hyper-realistic VIs and VIs operated by non-brand agencies, underscoring the importance of perceived authenticity in the digital realm. The emotions expressed by VIs, along with their use of punctuation, were positively related to user engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, all one had to do was walk down an office hallway and listen to the buzz and laughter emanating from meetings where people were fully engaged. Today we have virtual meetings that come one right after the other, leaving everyone feeling exhausted and bored rather than energized! For the last year, both authors informally observed virtual meetings and realized that leaders and participants were missing elements of in-person meetings in the virtual world. To solve the problem, everyone, including leaders and virtual participants, need to remember to think more about their Use of Self (UoS). Our UoS is a constant companion whenever we attend an event. Although we bring ourselves with us, we seem to use it less effectively than we did in person. Maybe this new media for meeting needs new techniques or maybe in some ways does not encourage the skills we used in the past. Over the past year, we have discovered that much of this element is missing in the larger meetings that we attended. This article reviews the elements important to in-person experiences and relates this learning to UoS virtually. For each important idea, we add additional ideas that will help bring life into UoS in the virtual world. The article discusses the major elements of engagement and presence that are woefully lacking in virtual settings. In conclusion, the article ends with a process model for UoS within virtual meetings. Although untested, this model makes logical sense. The authors call for more research, modifications of in-person techniques, and the development of new interventions to enhance UoS within virtual interactions. Though more and more meetings are returning to face-to-face meetings, the virtual ones are not leaving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has prompted diverse responses from governments and created an extreme context for organizations to operate. In this context, company leaders face fluctuated macrolevel policies, endure physical separation from their members, and must rely on virtual communication to conduct teamwork. Yet little is known about what and how leader communication can be effective in inducing team creativity to survive the extreme context. Building on the affective events theory and the literature on media richness, we develop a theoretical model explicating how leaders' rich (as opposed to lean) virtual communication can mitigate the negative impact of stringent government responses to COVID-19 on work team creativity via a sequential mediation process: first by inhibiting team anxiety and then by facilitating team information elaboration. Data from a three-stage eight-day longitudinal field experiment, in combination with an experience sampling method with 251 employees, on a chain preschool in eight Chinese cities, provide strong support for the hypothesized model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article clarifies the main characteristics of the culture of professional communication of future specialists and verifies the effectiveness of the implementation of the author's system of forming the culture of rhetorical and virtual communication of future specialists to enrich the professional experience of future specialists for professional activities. The content of research concepts is disclosed and the main aspects of the manifestation of the culture of professional communication of future specialists are highlighted, its main qualitative communicative characteristics, the most effective factors of professional communication of future specialists, and criteria of productivity of the style of professional communication of future specialists are proposed. The main aspects of the rhetoric of professional communication are emphasized. The importance of virtual professional communication of future female and male specialists with the active introduction of remote technologies into the system of modern education is shown. Exercises for the development of professional communication culture skills of future specialists are offered. The study confirmed the practicality of introducing the developed author's system of formation of the culture of rhetorical and virtual communication of future specialists into professional training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aimed at explaining virtual communication and interactive experiences through closed Facebook groups and what they might reflect about deepening the concept of community in a digital environment that is not open to the public. This study aims to examine usage practices and patterns, usage motives, and styles of selfpresentation in closed groups by using qualitative research as its approach and applying one-on-one interviews that involved 30 respondents. The most prominent results of the research showed that the importance of these groups is shaped by their topics, the value of their content, and the amount of privacy they provide to the user. It also constitutes a specialized alternative news platform that helps users to follow and understand developments. Our results show that some of these groups provide on opportunity to encourage information sharing and discussion, even if the collective rationale behind these practices is different. The uses of closed groups cannot be restricted to the behavior of the individual user, as it is a social practice that derives its importance from the group, where common interest is a strong motive for the user to participate and interact, which deepens the concept of group and tribalism in the virtual environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Serbian Journal of Management is the property of Serbian Journal of Management 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Organizations are increasingly introducing new work arrangements triggered by fast-paced knowledge acquisition, exponential technological growth, and demographic changes. Even though many studies have provided an in-depth understanding of how technology changed individual forms of modern work (e.g. virtual teams, shared leadership, remote work), the field needs a broader view of what constitutes technology-driven work arrangements and why they are implemented in organizations. The purpose of our paper is to systematically review, structure, and integrate the empirical evidence on current research on technology-driven work arrangements and to identify blind spots, which will serve as a springboard for the further development of the field. Based on our understanding of technology-driven work arrangements as flexible approaches to work within and beyond organizational boundaries that result from technology-driven transformation processes characterized by intensified spread, speed, and depth, we identify 191 studies that meet our inclusion criteria and organize them into six thematic clusters. We integrate our findings into an overarching framework based on complexity theory. We argue that three thematic clusters identified in our systematic literature review (organizational architectures across boundaries, knowledge integration processes across boundaries, and flexible employment relations across organizational boundaries) address an organization's need for external flexibility. In contrast, three other clusters (virtual teams within organizations, virtual communication processes within organizations, and enhancement of self-responsibility of organizational actors) address internal flexibility needs, reflecting the overall goal of technology-driven work arrangements to achieve internal and external flexibility via coordinated and consistent patterns of action across all clusters. We additionally highlight underexplored research opportunities and provide promising avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses effective strategies for boosting the morale of virtual workers to improve project performance. It emphasizes the importance of technology adoption, a distraction-free environment, effective leadership, trust, communication, well-defined tasks, team collaboration, and motivation in enhancing virtual team morale. The study suggests that selecting suitable technology, assigning clear roles and responsibilities, fostering a culture of accountability and trust, promoting efficient collaboration, and motivating team members are impactful tactics for improving employee engagement and performance in virtual teams. The article also highlights the correlation between project operations and human resource management, as well as the consequences of low team morale, such as increased turnover and decreased performance. It provides best practices for enhancing virtual team morale and suggests that implementing these strategies can improve the productivity of virtual teams. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to identify the use of virtual influencers (VIs) generated using artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of influencer marketing. Design/methodology/approach: A narrative and critical literature review was conducted for this purpose. To identify the activity of virtual influencers, the author conducted an observational study to collect and compare the activity data of virtual influencers who had a minimum of 1,000 followers in 2022 with their current popularity and activity (November 2023). It also conducted an analysis of the advertising activity of selected influencers and an analysis of reach and engagement in 2022-2023. Findings: Analysis of the literature confirms the growing interest in the use of virtual influencers in marketing activities, which is also evident in marketers' current and planned spending on this price. Virtual influencers generate positive results in the level of audience engagement, which makes it possible to consider this means of communication as an attractive alternative. However, significant changes were observed in the number of observers over the year. Of the 54 virtual influencers analyzed, 44% reported a decrease in the number of observers. Research limitations/implications: The area of using computer-generated influencers and using artificial intelligence requires further intensive research. The spread of generative artificial intelligence will certainly affect the pace of change in this area. The observation made only presents data on changes in the popularity and publishing and advertising activity of virtual influencers. In this context, research dedicated to the semiotics of virtual influencers as well as the nature of parasocial interactions would be advisable. Practical implications: The article identifies areas of potential for virtual influencers in influencer marketing. Originality/value: The article adds to the sparse literature to date on virtual influencers, their potential and how they can be used in practice. It will be useful for managers and decisionmakers involved in digital marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]