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The article reports on the validation of a computer-assisted language learning (CALL) attitude questionnaire and discusses differences between online and paper modes of administration, drawing on a sample of 1,769 Vietnamese undergraduates. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to explore and assess the factor structure of the CALL instrument and specify the equivalence between the two versions of the questionnaire. Rasch model analysis was used to evaluate the overall fit and construct uni-dimensionality of the instrument. The findings of the study suggested a six-factor structure for the adapted questionnaire as well as both reliability and validity in the Vietnamese context. No significant difference was found between the two modes of administration as regards the construct and item levels of the questionnaire, although the paper-version was superior to the online version according to results from the Rasch model analysis. Hence, the instrument can be used in online and paper modes to measure Vietnamese tertiary students’ attitudes to the integration of technology into language learning. The study finds that further research is called for if the two modes of administration of the questionnaire are used in other contexts for teaching English as a foreign language (EFL).

Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop the Inventory of Motive of Preference for Conventional Paper-And-Pencil Tests and to evaluate students' motives for preferring written tests, short-answer tests, true/false tests or multiple-choice tests. This will add a measurement tool to the literature with valid and reliable results to help determine why students prefer certain exam types and their level of preference. Research Methods: In this study, a screening research design was employed during the data collection and the analysis phases. Findings: Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated for reliability and it was concluded that the inventory was reliable. First, the exploratory factor analysis was conducted; this was followed by a second confirmatory factor analysis and finally a content validity study to determine the construct validity. A total of 14 items, including 11 items according to the results of the exploratory factor analysis, 1 item based on expert opinion and 2 items according to the results of the confirmatory factor analysis were removed from the survey form of the inventory, resulting in a final form containing 20 items. It was observed that the content validity values of each item in every subtest were sufficient. Implications for Research and Practice: The study results showed that this inventory was an appropriate instrument for evaluating high school students' preference for paper-and-pencil tests. An inventory developed under the scope of this study may be used to determine the factors predicting the examination type preference levels of students by using different samples. These results may be used when deciding the actions to be taken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a new spatial visualization test (SVT) for second grade primary school students. The study employed the survey design, and the test was developed in accordance with the test development steps. According to the findings obtained as a result of the pilot study, the items were generally high difficulty levels, and they were very good items. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis findings confirmed the three sub-dimensions (mental integration, mental rotation, and paper folding) measuring spatial visualization skills. SVT, which was reduced to 10 items, was administered to 396 students; the KR-20 internal consistency coefficient was 0.63, the average difficulty index was 0.35 and the average discrimination index was 0.48. As a result of the study, a valid and reliable test on spatial visualization for second grade primary school students was obtained and it was concluded that students' spatial visualization was at a low level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersexuality is a problematic behavior characterized by the combination of an excessive sexual desire and the pathological inability to control it. This study presents the psychometric properties of the Spanish paper-and-pencil and online versions of the Hypersexual Behavior Inventory (HBI), one of the most popular scales to assess this issue. A total of 2,250 participants (1,070 men) completed a translated version of the HBI (1,450 in paper-and-pencil; 800 online). The exploratory factor analysis yielded three factors that explained 67.53% of total variance for the HBI paper-and-pencil version. This factor structure was confirmed in the HBI online version through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Factorial, structural, scalar and error variance-invariance according to gender was also confirmed through multigroup CFA. Reliability of the total score and subscales ranged between .89 and .96. Likewise, correlations with other related scales were positive and significant (r between .511 and .743). Temporal stability one year after the first application was .77 (paper-and-pencil format) and .68 (online version). These results support the reliability and validity of the HBI and justify its use in the assessment of hypersexuality in Spanish-speaking countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present brief paper offers a multi-dimensional work readiness inventory for measuring future graduates' work readiness. It also highlights the importance of career success and employability by identifying the 21 dimensions of work readiness. This paper provides a summary of how the study developed and validated the work readiness assessment inventory (WRAI) using a total of 1,076 university students in Singapore. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to validate the WRAI. Using factorial analyses, this study examined the reliability and convergent validity of this inventory, suggesting that the WRAI could be used in universities and organisations to bridge the expectations of employees and employers. As there are limited numbers of studies which have developed and validated an inventory relating to work-ready attributes of graduates, the findings in this study can contribute significantly to research and practice areas regarding workforce development. Only by equipping our graduates with work-ready attributes, can they be competent and be confident in finding career success. This brief paper also contributes to labour policy by informing the key stakeholders that relevant work-ready attributes are important for career success and workplace transition which in turn relates to lifelong employability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the most significant organizational factors on primary school achievements, with a note that the achievement of the school is expressed through the quality of outcome knowledge. The research was conducted on a sample of 460 employees, from 21 primary schools, of which 439 are professionals and 21 are principals in the South Bačka County, Republic of Serbia. The collected data were processed using the Gretl software and AMOS for modelling structural equations. More precisely, the research is based on the application of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. A neural network based on a standard multilayer perceptron model was used in the paper to test the validity of the obtained results of the AMOS model. The results of the research show that school management is the most important factor in school achievement and that this influence is most pronounced through teaching staff and school infrastructure. The results, also show that teachers' competencies have the strongest direct influence on the quality of outcome knowledge. The results obtained indicate that decision-makers and creators of social policies must pay special attention to the selection of school principals as well as their professional education, while school principals to the selection of teachers. Future researchers are recommended to use the Sobel test to precisely determine the indirect influences of school management on school achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting Vietnamese consumers' intention and behavior towards "bringing your own shopping bags" (BYOB) instead of using plastic bags based on the theory of interpersonal behavior (TIB). Design/methodology/approach: We used a combination of in-depth interview and large-scale survey methods with the official research sample of 536 Vietnamese consumers to explore the relationship among factors in the research model including: attitude, affect, social factor, facilitating conditions, intention and behavior towards BYOB instead of using plastic bags. The collected data went through quantitative analysis steps including Cronbach's Alpha reliability test, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) for scales and hypotheses testing. Findings: The results show that intention towards BYOB has a positive effect on consumers' behavior towards BYOB. Facilitating conditions have a stronger and more positive influence than attitude and affect intention towards BYOB. Meanwhile, the hypothesis about the relationship between social factors and intention towards BYOB was rejected by this study. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this paper is that the findings of the present study are limited to elements of the TIB. Practical implications: Based on the results of the study, we made some suggestions for state management agencies and retailers to promote intention and behavior towards BYOB instead of using plastic bags. Originality/value: This study applies the TIB to understand the relationship between factors such as attitude, affect, social factors and facilitating conditions on intention and behavior towards BYOB instead of using plastic bags. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With changing employment conditions, technological advancement, frequent manpower reduction and global competition, the relevance of the protean and boundaryless career concepts is increasing. With this, the country's culture plays a pivotal role in career choice. The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate protean and boundaryless career scales for college passing out students and in the Indian context. The protean career scale was measured by self-directed and values-driven dimensions, while the boundaryless career scale was measured by boundaryless mindset and organizational mobility preference. Design/methodology/approach: The first step involved defining construct and determining face validity. The data collected via questionnaire from India's final year engineering students were subjected to exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis in the second and third steps, respectively. Finally, the nomological validity was tested by establishing the relationship between factors influencing career choice and newly developed protean and boundaryless career. Findings: The result suggested using a two-factor model with a protean career (combining self-directed and values-driven items) and a boundaryless career as a separate construct for college passing out students. Research limitations/implications: The developed scale has nine items that can be used to conduct surveys at the time of campus hiring by academic scholars, HR managers, and practitioners who are working on the identification, development and management of human talent as a part of any human resource management system. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first approach to developing the protean and boundaryless career scale for college passing out students and in the Indian context which can be replicable for South Asian countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A healthy diet is a critical factor in maintaining long-term health. In addition to a health-promoting food environment, the nutrition health literacy (NHL) and food literacy (FL) of the population are important in this context. This paper describes the development and validation of two short instruments to measure the nutrition literacy of the population, used in the Austrian Nutrition Literacy Survey 2021. Methods: An instrument to measure NHL (Nutrition Health Literacy Scale; NHLS) has been adapted and further developed. To measure FL, the Self-perceived Food Literacy Scale by Poelman et al. has been modified and shortened (SPFL-SF). Validation of the instruments was based on data from a web survey conducted in Austria in 2021 with almost 3,000 participants aged 18 years and older. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess the factorial validity/dimensionality of the instruments. Additionally, internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, ordinal alpha, and McDonald's omega. Results: Both instruments demonstrate excellent data-model fit. The NHLS also shows excellent internal consistency (α = 0.91), while the SPFL-SF displays a sufficient internal consistency for all (α between 0.70 and 0.89) but one sub-dimension (resisting temptation α = 0.61). Furthermore, the distribution of the items indicates that the measures are understandable and suitable, as evidenced by the absence of missing values in the sample. In addition, the items of both instruments differ in their level of difficulty or agreement. Conclusions: The NHLS and SPFL-SF are reliable and valid instruments for measuring NHL and FL in the general adult population. The brief instruments measuring the different aspects of nutrition literacy can be easily used in nutritional or evaluation studies. Further work is required to investigate other aspects of validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational podcasts have become an increasingly prevalent media used to disseminate profession‐specific information through easily accessible means. Despite the potential of educational podcasts as convenient and effective medium, there is a dearth of literature dedicated to the topic. Thus, using the Uses and Gratification framework, the psychometric properties of the Educational Podcasts Motivation Scale were examined, as well as the motivational factors that influence intention to listen to educational podcasts and recommend podcasts to others were explored. A sample of individuals in the field of education (n = 606), such as in‐service K‐12 teachers and higher education professors, were recruited for this study. This sample were randomly divided, and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with the first set (n = 312) to identify underlying constructs, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were employed with the second set (n = 294). The scale demonstrated strong psychometric properties and five distinct motivational factors were identified: Information Gathering, Flexibility in Use, Social Interaction, Entertainment, and Professional Encouragement. Several motivational factors had significant associations with the constructs of "intention" and "word‐of‐mouth". This paper demonstrates both the unique motivational factors related to listening to educational podcasts and the motivational factors that overlap with other forms of media. Further examination of the underlying motivations to listen to educational podcasts is warranted. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Educational podcasts have become an increasingly prevalent media used to disseminate information to specific professions and fields that provide current practices and research information through easily accessible means.Educational podcasts have been found to be an effective tool to improve self‐efficacy and knowledge around topics with educators and college students, as well as a means to develop communities of practice where educators share knowledge and experiences.Results of studies using the uses and gratifications framework to examine the gratifications for listening to podcasts have found an array of overlapping, and sometimes conflicting, gratifications from the use of podcasts. Those most often identified include entertainment, multitasking and convenience, social interaction, escapism and educational purposes.What this paper adds This paper outlined the development of the Educational Podcasts Motivation Scale and used an exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling to demonstrate its strong psychometric properties.Five distinct motivational factors for why educators engage with educational podcasts were identified: (a) Information Gathering, (b) Flexibility in Use, (c) Social Interaction, (d) Entertainment and (e) Professional Encouragement.This paper identifies that educators are often most motivated to listen to educational podcasts due to constructs such as social interaction, flexibility in use and information gathering.Implications for practice and/or policy The findings in this paper demonstrate the perceived benefits and uses of educational podcasts as a learning tool, further establishing educational podcasts as a useful tool that should be incorporated into learning environments.The findings in this paper indicate that those embedding educational podcasts within learning activities and professional development should consider how to emphasise the flexibility, social interactions and learning aspects of these tools to promote the attractive features of this tool.Although this study sheds light on the reasons those in the field of education use this medium, additional research is needed to explore how and why these individuals engage with educational podcasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Construction material management is an important process in supporting construction operations that affect project performance. Previous studies attempt to identify factors influencing material management in different stages such as procurement, transportation and utilization. However, they lack a model to explain the relationship between influential factors and the effectiveness of material management. Therefore, this study aims to validate the variables and key factors influencing the effectiveness of material management processes. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 42 variables were reviewed from literature in different stages of material management process. Survey questionnaires were used to collect data about participants' perceptions on these variables. The respondents were 200 project engineers and project managers from construction sites and offices in Vietnam. Then factor analysis techniques were undertaken to validate the structure of factor groups. Two methods of exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were, respectively, performed to evaluate and verify the model's fit. Findings: Factors influencing the effectiveness of material management were grouped into nine main factors, which are procurement issues, site conditions, planning and handling on site, industrial environments, contractual issues, quality control, suppliers and manufacturers' issues, transportation in and out site and security on site. Practical implications: The paper has several implications for theory and methodology related to material management. It features influential factors in association with the material management effectiveness. Therefore, senior managers can more fully understand the errors in their works and propose timely solutions to limit the unwanted risks. Originality/value: This research contributes on theoretical development on factors influencing effectiveness of material management processes. The key findings on influential factors can be applied to measure the effectiveness of material management processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to develop and validate a scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives at work. It is aimed to construct a scale which is explicitly different from knowledge-sharing behavior and to develop a comprehensive and domain-specific scale for this special kind of work motivation. Design/methodology/approach: The constructed scale was tested in two studies. Survey data (n = 355) were used to perform an exploratory factor analysis. Results were further tested on survey data from the core public sector (n = 314) and the health sector (n = 315). A confirmatory factor analysis confirms the results in both samples. The developed scale was further validated internally and externally. Findings: The analysis underlines that knowledge-sharing motivation and knowledge-sharing behavior are different constructs. The data suggest three dimensions of knowledge-sharing motives: appreciation, growth and altruism and tangible rewards. While it is suggested that the developed scale works in the public as well as the private sector context, it is found that knowledge sharing of public employees is merely driven by "growth and altruism" and "appreciation of coworkers." Originality/value: No comprehensive and reproducible scale to measure knowledge-sharing motives, which is different from behavior and domain-specific as well, was available in the literature. Therefore, such a scale has been constructed in this study. Furthermore, this study uses samples from different organizational sectors to deepen the understanding of knowledge sharing in context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The road passenger transportation enterprise is a complex system, requiring a clear understanding of their active safety situation (ASS), trends, and influencing factors. This facilitates transportation authorities to promptly receive signals and take effective measures. Through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, we delved into potential factors for evaluating ASS and extracted an ASS index. To predict obtaining a higher ASS information rate, we compared multiple time series models, including GRU (gated recurrent unit), LSTM (long short-term memory), ARIMA, Prophet, Conv_LSTM, and TCN (temporal convolutional network). This paper proposed the WDA-DBN (water drop algorithm-Deep Belief Network) model and employed DEEPSHAP to identify factors with higher ASS information content. TCN and GRU performed well in the prediction. Compared to the other models, WDA-DBN exhibited the best performance in terms of MSE and MAE. Overall, deep learning models outperform econometric models in terms of information processing. The total time spent processing alarms positively influences ASS, while variables such as fatigue driving occurrences, abnormal driving occurrences, and nighttime driving alarm occurrences have a negative impact on ASS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to understand the determinants of Vietnamese shoppers' perceived value and their shopping intention towards omnichannel. First, this paper examines factors affecting customers' perceived value of omnichannel and identifies predictors of these factors. Second, it examines the association between customers' perceived value and their shopping intention towards omnichannel retailing. In doing so, this study utilizes quantitative research by means of a survey of 225 omnichannel shoppers in the electronics retail industry in Ho Chi Minh City. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation models are employed to analyze the data. The findings show that compatibility and perceived risk have a significant association with perceived value; that the predictors of perceived risk are consistency, flexibility, and personalization; and that the predictor of compatibility is consistency. In addition, perceived value has a positive association with shopping intention. This paper supports the current knowledge of omnichannel retailing and extends the research framework by providing contextual determinants from Vietnam. Practical implications are provided to practitioners for implementing and maintaining successful omnichannel adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With growing competition in the tourism industry and changing tourists' expectations, motives and behavior, marketers are at the outset to promote, position and brand their tourism destinations lucratively. Though there are many allied themes on destination branding and marketing arena, tourists' motives have been widely looked up as research emphasis the dynamic revamps being seen with the intervention of digital sources of information. However, research at this aspect is at gradual phase. This paper focuses on such a theme and tries to understand the significant impact of tourists' behavior towards esources of information on their motives. Literary sources have been analyzed and hypothesis has been formulated. To test the assumption, the research location has been chosen - a district in Tamil Nadu state which serves wide range of tourists' motives and bestowed with distinct tourism attractions. A Structured questionnaire containing the necessary items measuring the study factors has been floated to 422 tourists through convenient sampling technique. However, 327 have been rounded as the final sample after excluding the illegible responses. Three Stage Analysis has been performed where Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) has been sued for data reduction and exploring the new factors, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) has been used for identifying and confirming the individual models and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) has been used for understanding the structural relationship between the factors. Model fit has been found for CFA and SEM. Significant impact has been found by tourists' behavior towards the esources of information on tourists' motives. Simple Percentage Analysis (SPA) has been used to analyze the distribution of respondents based on their personal factors. Suggestions to the marketers and policy makers have been provided through managerial implications. Theoretical recommendations have also been narrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: Despite a dynamically growing exploration of broadly understood employee participation, there is still space left for more in-depth or new analyses in this area, and occupational health and safety (OHS) serves as a good example in this respect. In empirical studies, employee participation in the field of occupational health and safety is not treated as a separate element of ensuring safety in the organisation, but only as a minor element of occupational health and safety management, or as just one of the elements building a safety culture. Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to propose a synthetic measure of active employee participation in OHS taking into account the depth and scope of this participation. A comparative analysis of the level of active participation of OHS at medical facilities and in other sectors of the economy was also performed. Methods: The theoretical model for active employee participation in OHS was tested by means of a survey using the PAPI (Paper & Pen Personal Interview) method. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used. The developed construct (characterised by an adequately high level of validity and reliability) was used in a comparative analysis of medical institutions with other sectors of the economy with the use of the Mann-Whitney U test. Findings & value added: This research fills the theoretical gap in the model approach to participation in OHS. It has been found (EFA and CFA analyses) that active employee participation in OHS consists of one dimension (15 items). The model for active employee participation in OHS and the universal measurement scale developed and validated in this study represent a step forward towards the effective and reliable measurement of employee participation. In addition, the research has shown that the level of active employee participation in OHS at medical facilities is lower than in other sectors of the economy. The added value of this paper results from the approach to measuring employee participation in OHS which takes into account the depth and scope of this participation. The tool is consistent with international regulations and standards in the field of OHS, and thus can be used in other countries to assess active employee participation in OHS, regardless of the size and profile of the company or the sector of the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain viability (SCV) is an emerging concept of growing importance in operations management. This paper aims to conceptualize, develop, and validate a measurement scale for SCV. SCV is first defined and operationalized as a construct, followed by content validation and item measure development. Data have been collected through three independent samplings comprising a total of 558 respondents. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses are used in a step-wise manner for scale development. Reliability and validity are evaluated. A nomological model is theorized and tested to evaluate nomological validity. For the first time, our study frames SCV as a novel and distinct construct. The findings show that SCV is a hierarchical and multidimensional construct, reflected in organizational structures, organizational resources, dynamic design capabilities, and operational aspects. The findings reveal that a central characteristic of SCV is the dynamic reconfiguration of SC structures in an adaptive manner to ensure survival in the long-term perspective. This research conceptualizes and provides specific, validated dimensions and item measures for SCV. Practitioner directed guidance and suggestions are offered for improving SCV during the COVID-19 pandemic and future severe disruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative learning (CL) is widely used in higher education around the world because it is associated with increases in students' knowledge and social skills. Low student engagement in CL activities has been identified as a common issue, while there is no CL-specific engagement scale to measure and understand engagement in such settings. Additionally, although western countries have been investigating student engagement since the 1950s, there have been comparatively few studies of this important construct in China. To address these imbalances, the present paper adopted a mixed methods approach to developing and validating a Chinese CL engagement scale. In the quantitative study, Chinese university students (N = 405) completed an anonymous online survey to assess their engagement in CL activities. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a hierarchical (second-order) three-factor model of student engagement (behavioural, cognitive and emotional engagement), consistent with the tripartite conception of student engagement in Western countries. Participants were further divided into three unique groups based on engagement scores, and in the qualitative study, 12 participants from three groups were interviewed about CL experiences. Interviews served to further validate the quantitative results. The significance, limitations, and implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Smallholder farmers in Tanzania were investigated in this paper to determine the dimensions and influence of psychological contracts on smallholder farmers' decisions to participate in the market. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through structured questionnaires, of which a cross-sectional design was conducted in central Tanzania, the Dodoma region in which 467 smallholder farmers were surveyed. First, a preliminary Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted by involving psychological contracts and market participation items derived from previous studies. This was followed by the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to verify the items obtained in the EFA. The regression analysis was then performed to test the causal effects of psychological contracts on market participation among smallholder farmers. Findings: The path analysis revealed that transactional, relational, and ideological contracts have a positive and statistically significant impact on the participation of smallholder farmers in the market. Therefore, smallholder farmers have own set of expectations for participating in the marketplace. As a result, smallholder farmers' relationships with market participation decisions can be strengthened. Research limitations/implications: This study covered only smallholder farmers. However, future studies can include large-scale farmers, because psychological contracts and market participation difficulties also apply to them. This may increase the generalizability of the findings. Originality/value: Past studies have not extensively covered the psychological contracts in smallholder farming, especially in market participation. Based on prior empirical and theoretical research from other disciplines, the findings of this study contribute to a better understanding of the psychological contract framework and the significance of multiple psychological obligations between smallholder farmers and market management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety voice helps organizations to identify safety issues timely and is critical to the long-term growth of the organization. Safety voice has become a hot research topic in organizational safety, and different scales have been developed. However, the unique cultural context in China has led to the need to redevelop safety voice measurement tools. In this paper, we developed an initial scale of safety voice for employees in Chinese organizational contexts fusing in-depth interviews and mature scales. The initial scale based on two samples (n 1 = 205, n 2 = 420) was revised and validated using item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis to finalize the final scale. We finally found that the safety voice scale in Chinese organizational contexts contains two dimensions: promotive safety voice and prohibitive safety voice. The scale developed in this paper is a reliable tool to measure safety voice behavior of Chinese employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs a quantitative approach, in which a structured questionnaire containing 90 indicator variables identified from literature was administered to a total of 266 households in South Africa. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were utilised in analysing the collected data, with goodness-of-fit based on a two-index strategy used in determining model acceptability. The SEM results showed that all eight identified exogenous (independent) factors (demographic characteristics, dwelling unit features, neighbourhood features, services provided by the government, household self-congruity, functional congruity, green building features and stakeholders' relations) had a direct positive and significant influence RLC in South Africa. The general hypothesis that the choices of households in choosing where to reside or stay are a product of the direct influence of the exogenous variables in influencing RLC in South Africa is proven. This suggested that all eight (8) variables included in the model are the most significant determinants of the RLC in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding lay theories on the causes of economic inequality is the first step to comprehending why people tolerate, justify, or react against it. Accordingly, this paper aims to develop and validate with two cross-sectional studies the Attributions for Cross-Country Inequality Scale (ACIS), which assesses how people explain cross-country economic inequality–namely, the uneven distribution of income and wealth between poor and rich countries. After selecting and adapting items from existing scales of attributions for poverty and wealth, in Study 1, we tested the factorial structure of this initial pool of items in three countries with different levels of economic development and inequality, namely, Italy (n = 246), the UK (n = 248), and South Africa (n = 228). Three causal dimensions emerged from the Exploratory Factor Analysis: "rich countries" (blaming the systematic advantage of and exploitation by rich countries), "poor countries" (blaming the dispositional inadequacy and faults of poor countries), and "fate" (blaming destiny and luck). The retained items were administered in Study 2 to three new samples from Italy (n = 239), the UK (n = 249), and South Africa (n = 248). Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) corroborated the factorial structure of the ACIS, and Multi-Group CFA supported configural and metric invariances of the scale across countries. In addition, we show internal consistency and construct validity of the scale: the scale correlates with relevant constructs (e.g., beliefs about cross-country inequality and ideological orientation) and attitudes toward relevant policies related to international redistribution and migration. Overall, the scale is a valid instrument to assess causal attribution for cross-national inequality and is reliable across countries. By focusing on resource distribution from an international perspective, this scale will allow researchers to broaden the discussion on economic inequality to a global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to show the necessary competence sets for Higher Education (HE) lecturers in the framework of the COVID and post-COVID. A COVID-situated competence survey was carried out among university lecturers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA, CFA) were applied to show the significant digital education competence factors. The representative online survey of 322 respondents shows that three big competence sets can be identified: Awareness, Professional, and Digital. Those having higher scores in Professional competencies foresee more digital programs and communications in the future, and not only the digital competencies but also the professional ones should be developed to meet the requirements of the digital education transformation process. The findings emphasize that the forced and drastic changes in the application of digital education to the intensification of COVID-19 should become sustainable and find its proper place and role in the future HE. The structured and closely managed use of the results was followed by a set of digital and professional competence development initiatives carried out within the framework of the Digital Education and Learning Support Centre, founded in 2020 at the University of Pécs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper contributes to the long-standing interest in studying the relationship of social capital and trust. It examines the relationship between social capital and trust in a producer company and the role of perceived benefits as a mediating variable. Design/methodology/approach: A multistage sampling was done to collect data from 395 farmer members from five producer companies spread over three states of India. Through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) latent constructs were mapped, and composite reliability and construct validity were established. PROCESS macro of Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) was used to probe relationship between social capital and member's trust and mediation effect of perceived benefit. Findings: The authors' research findings establish that the social capital has a positive and significant relationship with members' trust in a producer company and perceived benefit mediates this relationship. Research limitations/implications: The paper contributes to reduce complexity of social capital theory by differentiating sources and benefits of social capital. It opens up the avenues of testing theoretically valid mediation effects of many other constructs. Originality/value: The role of member's perceived benefits as a mediator between social capital and members' trust is a new knowledge to the literature of social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]