The Information and Communication Technology User Role: Implications for the Work Role and Inter-Role Spillover

Perceived Benefits and Disadvantages Associated with the Use of the Electronic Consultation Register by Health Providers in the Health District of Toma, Burkina Faso

Background and Objective

Most countries in sub-Saharan Africa need to catch up in integrating information and communication technologies (ICT) into their health systems. This is mainly because of the need for more infrastructure that allows for reasonable use of the technologies. To support the actions of the Ministry of Health of Burkina Faso, a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) has implemented the integrated electronic diagnostic approach (IeDA) Project. The project includes the deployment of an electronic consultation register (ECR). This article aims to explore the perceptions of healthcare providers on the benefits and disadvantages of using the ECR.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative, descriptive study through individual semi-structured interviews with healthcare providers. Data were collected in the Toma health district in December 2021. In addition, a thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software.

Results

Thirty-five healthcare workers were interviewed (19 nurses, 7 midwives, 6 mobile community health and hygiene workers, and 3 birth attendants). Two main themes emerged from our analyses, which are the advantages and disadvantages perceived by ECR users. Our data suggest that using the ECR had many benefits ranging from improving healthcare providers' knowledge and performance in terms of patients' care, assisting and helping in patient diagnosis and treatment and improving patient satisfaction. However, the participants also shared their negative perceptions about the ECR, mentioning that it increased their workload. They also reported lengthened consultation time and work duplication as the tool was still in its trial phase and was used along with the paper consultation register.

Conclusion and Global Health Implications

The ECR is an effective tool for diagnosis and management, which has several advantages and reasonably satisfies patients. However, disadvantages, including increased workload and lack of fluidity and stability of the system, must be considered to ensure better usability.

Online identity work dynamics of Instagram micro-influencers: an extreme case approach

Background

Advanced media technologies have become an integral part of people's daily lives, providing them with new tools and environments for the formation and enactment of their identities. To date, the literature acknowledges that media technologies, such as social networking sites, are used to form and enact online identities, and that these platforms can simultaneously pose challenges to individuals' identity work. However, we know little about the precise online identity work strategies that individuals employ in response to the challenges they face over time.

Objective

This paper examines the online identity work dynamics of Instagram micro-influencers, for whom social network sites enable and guide them in forming and enacting their online identities on a daily basis. The study was guided by the following research question: what are the challenges that Instagram micro-influencers perceive online and what are the online identity work strategies that they employ in response to these challenges over time?

Methods

This study employs an extreme case approach to rigorously explore the lives of seven micro-influencers on Instagram. We combine in-depth data from narrative interviews, longitudinal data from online autobiographical narratives revealed through the participants' Instagram timelines, and follow-up interviews.

Results

Our analysis revealed three main themes that highlight the challenges that Instagram micro-influencers face online: (1) amplified social expectations, (2) feelings of inauthenticity, and, as a result thereof, (3) psychological distress. We found that these challenges were viewed as catalysts for their online identity work processes. We identified three key online identity work strategies that the Instagram micro-influencers employed in response over time: (1) experimenting with their online identities, followed by either (2) segmenting between their online and offline identities, or (3) adding identities through online multiplicity.

Conclusion

Our research provides new insights into how individuals may respond to the challenge of managing their online identities over time by engaging in different online identity work strategies. This study highlights the importance of designing online media technologies that enable individuals to cope with online challenges. We emphasize the need to design online spaces for (1) the expression of authentic identities, (2) community building, and (3) online multiplicity.

The work identity of leaders in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic

The world of work is being changed at an unprecedented rate as a result of the rise of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This rate of change was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which left organizations and their leadership to deal with myriad of challenges. These changes also impacted leaders’ identities in their work and their roles in their organizations. We examine how leaders responded to the various workplace challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and what this meant for their work identities as leaders. To do this, we made use of role identity theory, social identity theory, and leader identity. A qualitative study was conducted with a group of eight senior leaders from various South African and global organizations who had between five and 10 years’ work experience, and some had even more. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, conducted virtually and in person. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. The main finding that emerged from the research was that leaders employed virtual leadership to ensure that customers’ expectations were met, and to manage team-and organizational performance. These leaders achieved this by fostering a digital culture and building effective teams. They achieved their leadership goals by ensuring social identity continuity amongst their teams. This required them taking on extra roles, such as strategist, technology expert, entrepreneur, coach, mentor, and member of the team. Their leader role identity, as part of their work identity, was amplified by the pandemic. The implication is that organizations should develop leadership development programs to increase and strengthen leader identities to capacitate them for times of crisis.

Perceções dos estudantes do ensino superior sobre o papel da responsabilidade social organizacional: Um estudo exploratório

Este estudo analisou junto de 70 estudantes de licenciatura as perceções sobre a responsabilidade social organizacional e o modo como as organizações podem atuar recorrendo às novas tecnologias de informação e comunicação. A análise correlacional permitiu identificar uma correlação positiva e significativa entre a responsabilidade social e sucesso e competitividade (obstáculo) e as expetativas de comunicação para além do horário de trabalho. Os resultados são discutidos no âmbito da formação académica promotora de reflexão e ação orientadas para a valorização da sustentabilidade organizacional e o bem-estar do colaborador.