Luisa Varriale

ASSESSING INDIVIDUAL LEARNING AND GROUP KNOWLEDGE IN A WIKI ENVIRONMENT: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

The aim of this study was to investigate the collaborative learning in an online environment in order to assess the role of technology in determining individual learning of students. It describes the benefits of using a wiki in education and how it can allow students to work together to reach a common goal, giving them a sense of how writing can be effectively performed in collaboration. In collaborative learning with a wiki, students need to agree the structure, the contents, and the methods that are necessary to accomplish cooperative activities. The technology investigated is PBworks Education (PBwiki Edu), a collaborative tool that offers a variety of powerful information sharing and collaboration features in order to improve student’s learning activities. Respect than traditional in-class course, PBwiki Edu facilitates the communication and encourages collaborative finding, shaping and sharing of knowledge, all of which are essential properties for student’s learning process. A survey methodology was used in undergraduate students of “Management Information Systems” course who used PBwiki Edu for doing four reports concerning to case studies on specific lesson topics. With regard to these topics, we measured individual learning of students before (traditional learning) and after (online learning) any case study and compared these results through t-test method. Findings have shown significant differences between learning before and after case studies, pointing out the contribute of PBwiki Edu to student’s learning.

Organizational Conflict and Knowledge Creation: A Multiple Method Study in the Italian Health Care System

This study investigates the relationship between organizational conflict and knowledge creation in the Italian health care system in order to identify the main determinants and effects of this relationship. The paper defines this relationship and investigates the interaction between conflict levels, management conflict styles and their effects on knowledge. Considering the innovative characteristic of the subject, the authors propose a multiple method study. First, the authors conducted a qualitative study on the dynamics of conflict and knowledge creation using the focus group technique (38 nurses selected from the Italian health care system). Second, the authors conducted a field study (180 nurses from Italian hospitals). The results show that the participants consider conflict more as a beneficial instrument for the creation of organizational knowledge and, at the same time, there is not always a significant and linear relationship between conflict characteristics and knowledge creation dimensions. Recent theories on organizational conflict underline the strategic role of conflict, as neither positive or negative, but always necessary to preserve and further the survival of a firm. Therefore, the outcomes of the application could prove very important in improving the organizational effectiveness and day-to-day efficiency of hospitals.

AIS and MCS for Port Community Systems: An Empirical Analysis from Italy

This study investigates the role of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and Management Control Systems (MCS) in the information management within seaports when an information technology platform has been adopted, such as the Port Community Systems (PCSs). We conducted a literature review on PCSs and on how AIS and MCS could contribute to the platform in order to support the decision-making processes of port players, like forwarder and shipping agents. Starting from previous studies focused on Italian seaports, by using the case study methodology, we collected data through semi-structured interviews to managers of the selected seaport. Indeed, we have outlined the usefulness in adopting AIS and MCS for PCSs in the forwarder and shipping agents perspective.

The Role of Communication in Stereotypes, Prejudices and Professional Identity: The Case of Nurses

Nursing, conceived as a daily professional service aimed at “taking care of”, “satisfying the needs”, “the well-being of the assisted person”, has a very recent history compared to other disciplines in the field of medicine and further professional fields. Nurses have found their affirmation for a long time as well as an obvious prestige and social recognition. Over recent decades, despite the deep evolution of the nurses’ figure, the public opinion is still anchored to an image of them, heavily influenced by stereotypes and prejudices fuelled above all by mass media (and new media). Indeed, media contribute to provide a professional portrait that mostly corresponds to the old role, duties and composition of this professional category, with limited skills, working in the shadow of physicians to whom only clinical knowledge belongs. The aim of this paper is to define the portrait of this professional figure and how it is altered by means of communication and, thus, transmitted to public opinion. Adopting a qualitative methodology, using text analysis technique, we investigate and represent through images 50 articles published on web (blog, social media, specialized nursing websites) in the period 2008–2016, evidencing the main role and functions attributed to nurses still deeply affected by stereotypes and prejudices and the related professional identity.

Management Control Systems in Inter-organizational Relationships for Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency: Evidence from the Cruise Port Destinations

This paper aims to analyse the role of Management Control Systems (MCS) for supporting the decision making process of Port Authorities (PAs), shipping agents and cruise companies, in preventing and reducing negative environmental effects from the seaports. The paper focuses on information management (data collecting, processing and reporting) in the relationships system established among the players involved in the arrival, mooring, and departure of ships in the port destinations. This work investigates the content of control function by PAs, in the landlord port model, evidencing if it pays attention only to verify the compliance of the declarations according to MARPOL convention and port regulations. Starting from a deep review of the literature on environmental issues in the seaports and MCS and information systems for environmental sustainability and energy efficiency applied in port sector, and specifically in the cruise industry, we conducted two semi-structured interviews to port users as shipping agents and service providers in one Italian seaport. The first results of the research outline the need to get more detailed information and reporting on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, above all when the ships are morning on the quays, and, also, it has been evidenced how MCS, supported by information system, could help to improve the information basis for PAs, shipping agents and cruise companies in the future developmental decisions of seaports. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Mega Sporting Events and Technology: The Role of Social Networks in Co-creating Value for the Olympic Games

This paper investigates the application of new technologies, specifically social networks, in the mega sporting events, adopting the value co-creation perspective. We aim to evidence how, by adopting the co-creation value concept, thanks to the new technologies, specifically the innovative communication channels, the Olympic Games assume a greater value and are more successful in terms of followers, as athletes, fans, participants, and so forth. Thanks to the spread of social networks in the Olympic Games, the general consumers, mainly the fans, are able to give feedbacks, opinions, suggestions, and evidence criticisms about the same mega sporting events, by interacting directly with athletes, organizers and all the actors involved in this very complex managerial and organizing process. This study, conducted through a review of the literature and a comparative analysis of Summer Olympic Games editions during the period 1992–2016, represents a research starting point that allows us to evidence the crucial role played by the social networks in the mega sporting events improving their social value in the co-creation value perspective. This paper may provide interesting theoretical and managerial implications.

AIS and Reporting in the Port Community Systems: An Italian Case Study in the Landlord Port Model

The aim of this chapter is to analyze the role of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) in the information management when in the relationships system, characterizing the port communities (PCs), an information technology platform has been adopted, such as the Port Community System (PCS). More specifically, drawing upon the existing literature on the architecture of PCS for the information flows management among the port users, this chapter aims to investigate the nature and role of reporting to support the decision-making of Port Authorities (PAs) in the landlord port model.

Monitoring and Measuring Event Decision-Making Process Using Key Performance Indicators: Evidence From Italian Cruise Terminals

This paper investigates the control systems and coordination mechanisms applied in the relationships between cruise line companies and terminal concessionaires in the cruise events management when the ships are stopping on the quay. Using a case study methodology and focusing on the Italian context, this exploratory study, through a qualitative approach, interviewed two main cruise terminal concessionaires and indirectly observed events planned by cruise companies in sea ports selected for outlining the role of control systems, coordination, and knowledge sharing between the players in cruise events decision-making processes. The first results show that the cruise event management processes on ship berthing and on terminal are separated. The cruise companies don’t involve terminal concessionaires in the event organization considering them only service suppliers. Also, the concessionaires conceive the events planned in the cruise infrastructures as a business unit to optimize the space use, without any forms of coordination or control with cruise companies. Knowledge sharing, coordination, and control among the two players could support the planning, and management of “new cruise events” in which the visitors may be led from the infrastructure to the ships stopped on the quay. This study offers a set of key performance indicators to support the management, control, and coordination of each inter-organizational relationship identified. Managerial implications and suggestions for improving cruise events management have been provided.

Technology for Soccer Sport: The Human Side in the Technical Part

This paper aims to analyze how new technologies are applied in the sport field with specific focus on soccer sport and the related training process. Recently, different areas in the sport sector have been deeply changed thanks to technology, mainly information technology (IT) and internet, with relevant social and economic effects. Starting from the different sub-organizational areas identified in the literature (sport management, sport medicine, athletes’ performance improvement, disability and social integration, sporting event management process), this paper focuses on the soccer sport, evidencing the main effects derived from the technology in terms of the cohabitation of human side and technical part in this specific team sport. This phenomenon is still under searched, so this theoretical study, conducted through a deep review of the literature, aims to propose a more clear picture of the social, economic and technical implications of technology in the soccer area, also identifying new research perspectives.

Work-Related Stress in Health Care Services: A Quantitative Study in Italy

The measurement of work-related stress (WRS) for health providers is a crucial but cumbersome task. In this study a “WRS identity card” (WRS-ID) is proposed to self-monitor WRS risk in one organization, with an emphasis on health professionals and administrative employees at hospital. The method is based on a standard questionnaire purposely designed and validated by INAIL, the National Authorities for Prevention and Protection of Health at Workplace, which provides input data for a statistical inference analysis. The procedure is illustrated on a representative dataset from medical organization to discriminate between WRS levels between different departments. More specifically, thanks to over 3000 questionnaires anonymously administered by authors in hospital departments in one of the most relevant health care organization in the Southern Italy, it has been outlined how innovative and effective tools to monitor WRS are crucial, especially due to the specific health care workers’ psycho-physical conditions. Theoretical and managerial implications have been provided.