Content exploration for e-learning using XML Web services

Obtaining high quality content in an e-learning portal is critical to maximise the learning experience. For e-learning portals the content specialists are the publishers. Typically, publishers are nominated by portal administrators to make their content available to instructors. Instructors subsequently customise the portal by selecting content according to their requirements. The choice of content is limited to that provided by the publishers. This is a rigid system owing to the fact that instructors do not have access to an exhaustive range of content. We propose a system based on XML Web services which can be adopted by publishers in adherence with a number of emerging Web standards including SOAP and UDDI to disseminate their content. This system can be leveraged by portals to preview and subsequently acquire content which best suits the requirements as determined by instructors.

Environmentally sustainable food production and marketing : opportunity or hype?

Purpose: Identify and analyse the beliefs of value-chain intermediaries regarding the production and marketing of food products conforming to environmentally sustainable standards.

Methodology: In-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with senior managers of food companies across the value chain.

Findings: In Australia, the demand for foods that are produced under environmentally sustainable standards has been slow to take-off because (a) customers do not perceive these products as offering any special benefits (b) customers distrust the claims made by organisations (c) these products are much more expensive than traditional products, and (d) the implementation of environmental standards is expensive. Customers claim that the use of different terminologies such as organic, green and environmentally friendly in promoting
food products is confusing.

Research Limitations: Findings are not generalisable because the study is based on a small sample.

Practical Implications: Value-chain intermediaries are unlikely to voluntarily adopt environmental standards because of low demand for such foods and the high costs of adopting and monitoring environmentally sustainable production and marketing regimes.

Consumer dissatisfaction with self-service technologies : an empirical exploration of its antecedents

Self-service technologies (SSTs) are commonplace for consumers' use, which is reflected in the growing body of literature that pertains to SSTs. The bulk of this literature has focussed on the adoption of SSTs, while relatively little attention has been given to consumers' consumption and evaluation of SSTs. Arguably, this is an area worthy of exploration in the light of frequent reports of consumers' dissatisfaction with SSTs. Therefore, this paper examines the antecedents of consumers' overall dissatisfaction with an SST encounter, and finds that consumers' dissatisfaction with the attributes of the SST and consumers' perceptions of causal controllability explain 50 per cent of the variance in consumers' overall dissatisfaction with the SST Insights into removing the causes of SST dissatisfaction are offered to managers, which are, arguably, important for consumer retention.

Authenticity in a modern music industry : a qualitative exploration into 'selling out'

This paper looks at the impact of authenticity in the modern music industry. With a focus on the influence of an artist’s life cycle and the evolution of the music industry, this paper explores the relationship between authenticity, the concept of selling out and social perception. A conceptual model is presented depicting the above relationships derived from the relevant literature. The paper concludes with a discussion of the method that will be used to undertake this research.

Having a baby in the new land : a qualitative exploration of the experiences of Asian migrants in rural Tasmania, Australia

Introduction: Australia is a land of cultural diversity. Cultural differences in maternity care may result in conflict between migrants and healthcare providers, especially when migrants have minimal English language knowledge. The aim of the study was to investigate Asian migrant women’s child-birth experiences in a rural Australian context.

Method: The study consisted of semi-structured interviews conducted with 10 Asian migrant women living in rural Tasmania to explore their childbirth experiences and the barriers they faced in accessing maternal care in the new land. The data were analysed using grounded theory and three main categories were identified: ‘migrants with traditional practices in the new land’, ‘support and postnatal experiences’ and ‘barriers to accessing maternal care’.

Results: The findings revealed that Asian migrants in Tasmania faced language and cultural barriers when dealing with the new healthcare system. Because some Asian migrants retain traditional views and practices for maternity care, confusion and conflicting expectations may occur. Family and community play an important role in supporting migrant women through their maternity care.

Conclusions: Providing interpreting services, social support for migrant women and improving the cross-cultural training for healthcare providers were recommended to improve available maternal care services.