Electronic services in the public sector: A conceptual framework

Electronic services provided by governmental organizations, here referred to as public e-services, are frequently discussed in the e-government literature. There is, however, little consensus on the meaning of the concepts used to describe and discuss these e-services, and hence, the literature is full of synonymous terms and concepts. This paper is conceptual and presents efforts to understand e-services in the public sector domain by unpacking the public e-service concept into three dimensions; as being (1) a service, (2) electronic, and (3) public (as contrasted to being private). Based on a hermeneutic analysis, these dimensions are discussed in a number of combinations, illustrating that a multi-dimensional take on public e-services must be adopted in order to capture the complexity of governmentally supplied e-services and contribute to theory development, as well as practical utility.     

A conceptual framework for digital tax administration - A systematic review

Tax administrations worldwide have become highly digitised with a diverse and sophisticated array of e-services to enhance the taxpayer experience. Nevertheless, given the high rates of failure of e-government services, it is critical to understand the factors that are essential to the success of a digital tax system. Drawing on a systematic review of ninety-six publications across the digital taxation, taxation, and information systems (IS) literature, a comprehensive conceptual framework is developed to improve our success of digital services in tax administration.The conceptual framework identifies fifteen themes for consideration by policymakers when designing digital services in tax administrations clustered around four categories – Context, Stakeholders, Technology and Demonstrated Results. The framework should also serve as a reference point in successfully developing strategies and measures to embed digital services in tax administrations. Future research directions are also proposed based on the conceptual framework that will help advance our understanding of digital services in tax administration beyond technology acceptance models.     

Blockchain governance in the public sector: A conceptual framework for public management

A key challenge behind the adoption of blockchain in the public sector is understanding the dynamics of blockchain governance. Based on a systematic literature review, this article analyzes different approaches to blockchain governance across disciplines and develops a comprehensive conceptual framework for the study of blockchain governance decisions in the public sector. The framework clusters nine types of governance decisions (infrastructure architecture, application architecture, interoperability, decision-making mechanism, incentive mechanism, consensus mechanism, organization of governance, accountability of governance, and control of governance) into three levels of analysis (micro, meso, and macro-levels). Drawing on public management theories and concepts, the article elucidates the implications of various governance choices in each level of governance and provides a primer for researchers and policy practitioners on the design of blockchain-based systems in the public sector.     

Interpersonal problem solving: Problem conceptualization and communication use

To date, researchers have not studied the relationship between the mental representation of interpersonal problem situations and interpersonal communication used to manage problem situations. This report examined the relationship between four types of communication (i.e., integrative, distributive, indirect, and avoidance) and fourteen perceptions of problem situations (i.e., problem uniqueness and frequency; goal importance, complexity, and mutuality; uncertainty about the other, relationship, and goal‐path; causal attribution to the self, other, intent of the other, relationship, and environment; and feelings for the other). Two studies tested hypotheses. The first study used self‐reports based on personally experienced problem situations to examine the relationship between the perceptions and perceived use of the types of communication. The second study explored the relationship between communication stimuli likely to be used in problem situations and the likelihood of the conceptualization perceptions. Results generally confirmed the hypotheses in both studies and indicated that a relatively specific relationship exists between each type of communication and the set of perceptions for both personally experienced and undefined problem situations. Implications of these results for problem‐related knowledge structures, problem solving, conflict, relationship intervention, and interpersonal influence were discussed along with directions for future research.     

Interpersonal communication motives and nonverbal immediacy behaviors

The purpose of this investigation was to examine whether an individual's general use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors, as well as the use of specific nonverbal immediacy behaviors, would be correlated with interpersonal communication motives. Participants (N = 211) completed the Interpersonal Communication Motives scale (Rubin, Perse, & Barbato, 1988) and the Modified Nonverbal Immediacy Behaviors instrument (Myers & Avtgis, 1997). Results indicated that an individual's general use of nonverbal immediacy behaviors was positively correlated with the pleasure and affection motives and negatively correlated with the escape and control motives, but was not significantly correlated with either the inclusion or relaxation motives. Moreover, a series of significant correlations emerged between each of the 10 specific nonverbal immediacy behaviors and the six interpersonal communication motives.     

青年编辑在科技期刊编辑出版中的人际沟通

科技期刊青年编辑应提高人际沟通能力,在与作者、读者、审稿专家、编委及本部门同事之间人际互动中扮演重要角色。把与审稿专家和编委人际沟通中作为学习相关专业知识和掌握相关学科前沿信息的最好途径,在与作者和读者交流中做好服务工作,在团结本部门同事形成学习型和谐团队中发挥更大作用。     

Information literacy and flexible delivery: Creating a conceptual framework and model

Despite the growing recognition of the importance of information literacy education, there are few working models for curriculum integration within the Australian higher education sector. Librarians, in conjunction with faculty at Central Queensland University, developed a framework that assist in the planning and evaluation of information literacy programs.     

Interpersonal communication motives and perceptions of humor among elders

This study explored the relationship between interpersonal communication motives and perceptions of humor use among elders. Elders (N = 143) ranging in age from 50 to 94 completed questionnaires assessing their interpersonal communication motives (ICM), perceived uses of humor (UHI), and demographics. The hypotheses predicting differential relationships among uses of humor and motives for communicating were supported. Elder men and women differed in their ICM and UHI.     

Interpersonal cognitive differentiation measures as predictors of written communication ability

Numerous instruments have been proposed to measure interpersonal cognitive differentiation or complexity. Unfortunately, previous research has shown these measures to be only marginally related (O'Keefe & Sypher, 1981). This investigation sought to unravel this methodological tangle by providing further evidence bearing on the comparative validity of several measures of cognitive differentiation as predictors of two written persuasive tasks: a fund‐raising task and a job application letter task. Regression analyses indicated that the Ziller, Martell, and Morrison (1977) self differentiation measure and Crockett's (1965) Role Category Questionnaire were both significantly related and significant predictors of the criterion variables, while Bieri et al.'s (1966) measure was virtually unrelated to any of the study variables.     

A conceptual framework for understanding the content of advertising: Its application to the specific case of Chinese television commercials

The conceptual framework for explaining advertising content formulated in this paper begins with environmental factors such as culture and economic system, and ends with the ads themselves—with advertising industry factors, such as practices and views/values of its actors, and consumer factors, such as experience making up the middle two layers. An empirical application of this model, through variables derived from it, to Chinese television commercials suggests post‐hoc substantiation for the most part. Future studies could pose and test a priori hypotheses (for other countries, media, and variables) leading to the refinement, clarification, and elaboration of the model.     

Interpersonal communication motives and message design logic: exploring their interaction on perceptions of competence

Message design logic and interpersonal communication motives were conjointly studied to assess their interaction on receivers' perceptions of senders' competence. Two 8 (motive)×3 (message design logic) repeated measures ANOVAs indicated significant interaction effects for both effectiveness and appropriateness. Nevertheless, the effects of design logic and motive on perceptions of competence were not as expected for some situations. The results of the study fail to support past research suggesting that perceived effectiveness and appropriateness will be enhanced by using a more complex message design. In addition, no pattern emerged for the instrumental versus the ritualistic motivations in terms of the most competent message design.     

Performance of conceptual framework elements for the retrieval of qualitative health literature: a case study

Objective:A growing volume of studies address methods for performing systematic reviews of qualitative studies. One such methodological aspect is the conceptual framework used to structure the review question and plan the search strategy for locating relevant studies. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the retrieval potential of each element of conceptual frameworks in qualitative systematic reviews in the health sciences.Methods:The presence of elements from conceptual frameworks in publication titles, abstracts, and controlled vocabulary in CINAHL and PubMed was analyzed using a set of qualitative reviews and their included studies as a gold standard. Using a sample of 101 publications, we determined whether particular publications could be retrieved if a specific element from the conceptual framework was used in the search strategy.Results:We found that the relative recall of conceptual framework elements varied considerably, with higher recall for patient/population (99%) and research type (97%) and lower recall for intervention/phenomenon of interest (74%), outcome (79%), and context (61%).Conclusion:The use of patient/population and research type elements had high relative recall for qualitative studies. However, other elements should be used with great care due to lower relative recall.     

Deviation: A communication perspective

This theoretical model presents a processual and analytic perspective from which to study the effects of perceived deviation upon rule governed conversational sequences. The model conjoins rules and systems perspectives in the postulate that the stability of each episode relies upon the coordinated maintenance of homeostasis by interactants whose rule structure repetoires may vary as a function of experience. Directions for future research are also proposed.     

Proactivity in digital public services: A conceptual analysis

Public organizations are looking for new ways to use digital technologies to increase the efficiency of their internal processes and improve their interactions with clients, whether citizens or businesses. In response, scholars suggest that public organizations be proactive in digital public services such that the organizations approach their clients, rather than the other way around. In the most extreme form of proactivity, clients do not have to do anything to receive a public service. Although various examples of proactive public services are in use, how proactivity changes the conceptual understanding of digital public services remains unclear. Therefore, we derive the changes that proactivity causes in a conceptualization of digital public service by means of a conceptual analysis through the lens of a seminal theoretical work on proactivity. The results indicate that proactivity can ensure equal accessibility to a subset of public services, rely on more comprehensive integration of IT systems on the back end, and change how value is co-created in the service process. We formulate the changes as propositions that future work can investigate empirically and discuss proactive digital public services as a way to reduce clients' administrative burden. We contribute to theory by clarifying the conceptual changes in digital public services that proactivity invokes and call for joint research by scholars of public administration, information systems, and service management to relate the research streams of administrative burden and proactive digital public service.     

Clarifying identity in information behavior research: A conceptual analysis

Using a conceptual analysis approach, how identity has been theorized in the information behavior literature was explored. Findings indicate that researchers have employed five approaches when conceptualizing identity: identity as personal project, identity and social groups, identity as self-presentation, fragmented discursive subjects, and intersectional, hybrid and global identities. Structure and clarity are brought to a complicated concept often used to understand people's information behaviors. The findings contribute to the identification of the key factors of information behavior and suggest areas for future research.     

Creating critical objectives and assessments using a critical communication pedagogical framework

ABSTRACT

Courses: Instructional Communication, Graduate Teaching Assistant Training Programs

Objectives: Students will (1) understand critical communication pedagogy (CCP); (2) evaluate traditional and critical objectives and assessment procedures; and (3) create critical objectives and assessment procedures.     

Emotions as motivators for information seeking: A conceptual analysis

This conceptual analysis of how emotions and feelings are characterized as motivators for information seeking draws on the appraisal theories suggesting that emotions motivate individuals by triggering action readiness to approach or avoid sources of information. The findings indicate that emotions and feelings motivate in five major ways: they start, expand, limit, or terminate the information-seeking process, or they lead to information avoidance. Information scientists have mainly characterized the motivational aspects of negatively colored emotions such as anxiety and fear while the role of positive emotions such as joy has remained secondary.     

The Interpersonal Development Project: Bridging Theory and Practice in Interpersonal Communication Courses

Courses: Interpersonal Communication, Communication and Conflict

Objectives: Students will develop theoretical knowledge of specific student-selected interpersonal communication theories and concepts. Students will apply theoretical knowledge to their own communication practices and track improvement over time.     

参与式影像与参与式传播——发展传播视野中的中国参与式影像研究

参与式影像的中国实践已有十多年历史,而相关的理论研究尚未起步。本文密切关注这一新的影像实践形态,从发展传播学的视角对参与式影像的概念、来源、操作程式进行了解答,并对参与式影像在中国乡村传播的特殊价值、发展态势及存在问题进行了探析。     

人际传播:学科与概念

人际传播在西方已经成为传播学的一个支柱分支学科,其在理论研究、学科建设以及所提供的就业机会方面都功勋卓著。而包括中国在内的亚洲,人际传播始终难以成为一门学科。本文从清理地基——理解人际传播的核心概念开始,探讨了我国在人际传播学科化方面的障碍以及学科化的必要性。