Information and Communication Technology in the Work of Catholic Priests

ABSTRACT

This article presents data gathered in a doctoral study, the aim of which was to identify information needs and behavior patterns of Croatian Catholic priests for pastoral work. Results of the research focus only on the role of information and communication technology and using electronic sources by the priests in the liturgy and caregiving role. The research was conducted using quantitative and qualitative methodology (print questionnaires and semi-structured interviews). A total of 327 respondents took part in the quantitative study and twenty respondents were interviewed. Although research results showed that many respondents are not very familiar with the information and communication technology, most of them still occasionally use computers for making documents and consult the Internet for finding religious information in pastoral work. Computers and the Internet to a larger degree are used by younger and well-educated priests who have the least experience regarding management of the parishes in major locations. Since the results indicated that parish priests mostly seek religious and secular information on the Internet, it is recommended that the Catholic Church in Croatia offer them increased electronic resources for pastoral work.     

Competitive factors of electronic dance music festivals with Social Networking Service (SNS) citizenship behaviour of international tourists

This study examined the comparative advantages of prestige service labelling (VIP), online marketing, and image differentiation when applied as marketing strategies to build tourist loyalty as a component of citizenship behaviour. The participants were 220 African tourists attending the World Club Dome Korea 2017 festival event. Following data collection, we conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to determine how VIP, online marketing, and image differentiation influenced tourist social networking service (SNS) citizenship behaviour. The results suggest that VIP and image differentiation to positively predict SNS citizenship behaviour, whereas this was not the case for online marketing. VIP had a higher influence on tourist SNS citizenship behaviour than image differentiation. In summary, strategies to attract tourists with high purchasing power should include prestige service branding with clear image differentiation. This exclusivity could be applied to online ticketing services for their added value to tourism promotion.     

短时接触双人电子游戏对幼儿同伴交往与亲社会行为的影响

电子游戏颇受儿童青睐,其用户日趋低龄化,它对幼儿的影响不容小觑。本实验以双人合作/竞技游戏为载体,考查了短时接触电子游戏对60名4~6岁幼儿的同伴交往与亲社会行为的影响,结果发现：1）幼儿与非好友玩伴共同接触双人电子游戏后会变得更喜欢自己的搭档,将其视为新好友并更希望未来与其交往;2）合作比竞技游戏更能促使幼儿喜爱玩伴,竞技游戏的获胜者比失败者更喜欢其搭档;3）年长比年少幼儿更喜欢与同伴交往;4）与其他非好友同伴相比,幼儿更愿意帮助自己的搭档。这表明短时接触内容适宜的双人电子游戏对幼儿的同伴交往和亲社会行为发展较为有益。     

5f-electron localization in the actinide metals: thorides,actinides and the Mott transition

For the light actinides Ac–Cm, the numbers of localized and itinerant 5f-electrons are determined by comparing various estimates of the f-electron counts. At least one itinerant f-electron is found for each element, Pa–Cm. These results resolve certain disagreements among electron counts determined by different methods and are consistent with the Mott transition model and with the picture of the 5f-electrons’ dual nature.     

Measuring Adherence to Medical Treatments in Childhood Chronic Illness: Considering Multiple Methods and Sources of Information

Adherence to medical treatment is a significant problem for children and adolescents with chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis. The consequences of nonadherence can be serious, contributing to increased symptoms, unnecessary hospitalizations, and declines in physical functioning. The quality of data obtained from clinical trials can also be affected by poor adherence, leading to erroneous conclusions concerning the efficacy of drug treatments and the dosages that are needed to achieve those effects. Adherence problems in both clinical research and practice also lead to substantially higher health care costs. In order to further our understanding of the barriers that lead to poor adherence and identify strategies that are effective in addressing them, we need to develop reliable and valid measures of adherence behaviors. Using cystic fibrosis as a model of a serious, chronic disease that requires a difficult and time-consuming medical regimen, three different types of adherence measures are considered: self-report questionnaires, daily diary reports, and electronic monitors. The specific advantages and disadvantages of each type of measurement are reviewed, and specific recommendations are made for future research.     

Control and legacy as functions of perceived criticality in major incidents

This paper outlines a model that captures the experiences of 28 Senior Officers who have managed some of the most significant police incidents in the UK in the past 5 years. The process for capturing the model rests on ‘pragmatic psychology’ (Fishman, 1999; Alison, West & Goodwill, 2003), a paradigm that recognizes practitioners' experiences as a central component of research and policy development. We utilized a set of connected electronic notebooks to enable each critical incident manager to log their experiences and views of the case that they managed. As each individual logs this information, it is simultaneously distributed to all participants. Thus, information is rapidly shared, stimulating further thought and discussion. Following the initial knowledge‐sharing phase, participants reorder the material into themed categories that can then be scored against specific criteria (in this case ‘impact’ and ‘ease’). This session revealed that senior officers consider a combination of two co‐occurring issues as most significant in defining the ‘criticality’ of the incident: (i) how direct an impact the facet has on the enquiry at hand; and (ii) whether that issue will influence how the service will be judged (by the community, the victims and the media). These issues were perceived as the most complex and difficult to deal with. We argue that this perception is a joint function of perceived lack of control alongside the belief that judgment and blame regarding the incident will ultimately reside with them as managers. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adolescents React to the Events of September 11, 2001: Focused Versus Ambient Impact

This study examined the perceived impact of the events of September 11, 2001, on adolescents distant from the disaster sites and compared these perceptions with changes in everyday moods. A survey of reactions to September 11 was completed 2-5 months after the events by 171 adolescents participating in a longitudinal study of stress and health. Electronic diary ratings of contemporaneous moods before and after the attacks were also compared. Many adolescents distant from the disaster sites reported changes in everyday activities and signs of distress along with some positive outcomes. Elevated levels of negative affect emerged when adolescents were asked directly about the event (focused impact), but no changes were detected in their ongoing, momentary mood reports before and after September 11 (ambient impact). Trait and electronic diary measures of anxiety independently predicted posttraumatic distress. Refined assessments are needed to evaluate the degree to which self-reported traumatic symptoms reflect significant clinical distress versus an attentional focus generated by the question-asking process.     

领导非工作时间电子通信预期影响下属工作绩效的多路径模型

领导预期下属非工作时间随时保持联系、并且及时回复工作信息已成为当下数字经济时代中的职场新常态。文章基于资源保存理论, 构建领导非工作时间电子通信预期(After-hours electronic communication expectations, AECE)影响下属工作绩效的多路径模型。通过实验研究, 以及多时点、多来源的问卷调查研究, 结果发现：(1)在资源获益路径, 领导AECE会通过增强下属组织自尊, 提升工作绩效; (2)在资源损耗路径, 领导AECE会增加下属的压力感知; (3)在资源威胁路径, 领导AECE会引发下属的名声担忧, 进而降低工作绩效; (4)自我领导调节资源威胁路径, 即当下属自我领导水平较高时, 领导AECE通过名声担忧降低工作绩效的间接效应被削弱。整合的理论框架为解释领导AECE对下属工作绩效的复杂影响提供更全面的解释, 这不仅丰富了AECE相关文献, 拓展了资源保存理论在数字经济管理背景下的应用, 同时也为“随时待命”这一职场新常态提供管理实践启示。     

A meta-analysis of the effects of electronic performance monitoring on work outcomes

Electronic performance monitoring (EPM), or the use of technological means to observe, record, and analyze information that directly or indirectly relates to employee job performance, is a now-ubiquitous work practice. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of the effects of EPM on workers (K = 94 independent samples, N = 23,461). Results provide no evidence that EPM improves worker performance. Moreover, findings indicate that the presence of EPM is associated with increased worker stress, regardless of the characteristics of monitoring. Findings also demonstrate that organizations that monitor more transparently and less invasively can expect more positive attitudes from workers. Overall, results highlight that even as advances in technology make possible a variety of ways to monitor workers, organizations must continue to consider the psychological component of work.