Search results for: aligning IT with business strategies

Authors: R. Sanchez-Salcedo, N. H. Voelcker

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Currently, low breast milk production in women is one of the leading health complications in infants. Recently, It has been demonstrated that exclusive breastfeeding, especially up to a minimum of 6 months, significantly reduces respiratory and gastrointestinal infections, which are the main causes of death in infants. However, the current data shows that a high percentage of women stop breastfeeding their children because they perceive an inadequate supply of milk, and only 45% of children are breastfeeding under 6 months. It is, therefore, clear the necessity to design and develop a biosensor that is sensitive and selective enough to identify and validate a panel of milk biomarkers that allow the early diagnosis of this condition. In this context, electrochemical biosensors could be a powerful tool for assessing all the requirements in terms of reliability, selectivity, sensitivity, cost efficiency and potential for multiplex detection. Moreover, they are suitable for the development of POC devices and wearable sensors. In this work, we report the development of two types of sensing platforms towards several biomarkers, including miRNAs and hormones present in breast milk and dysregulated in this pathological condition. The first type of sensing platform consists of an enzymatic sensor for the detection of lactose, one of the main components in milk. In this design, we used gold surface as an electrochemical transducer due to the several advantages, such as the variety of strategies available for its rapid and efficient functionalization with bioreceptors or capture molecules. For the second type of sensing platform, nanoporous silicon film (pSi) was chosen as the electrode material for the design of DNA sensors and aptasensors targeting miRNAs and hormones, respectively. pSi matrix offers a large superficial area with an abundance of active sites for the immobilization of bioreceptors and tunable characteristics, which increase the selectivity and specificity, making it an ideal alternative material. The analytical performance of the designed biosensors was not only characterized in buffer but also validated in minimally treated breastmilk samples. We have demonstrated the potential of an electrochemical transducer on pSi and gold surface for monitoring clinically relevant biomarkers associated with the heightened risk of low milk production in women. This approach, in which the nanofabrication techniques and the functionalization methods were optimized to increase the efficacy of the biosensor highly provided a foundation for further research and development of targeted diagnosis strategies.

Keywords: biosensors, electrochemistry, early diagnosis, clinical markers, miRNAs

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Authors: Mai Ali

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The abstract underscores the critical importance of junior paediatricians acquiring expertise in handling paediatric emergencies, with a particular focus on Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). Existing literature reveals a wealth of research on healthcare professionals' knowledge regarding DKA, encompassing diverse cultural backgrounds and medical specialties. Consistently, challenges such as the absence of standardized protocols and inadequacies in training emerge as common issues across healthcare centres. This research proposal seeks to conduct a thematic analysis of the proficiency of paediatric trainees in the United Kingdom in managing DKA within various clinical contexts. The primary objective is to assess their level of competence and propose effective strategies to enhance DKA training comprehensively.

Keywords: DKA, knowledge, Junior paediatricians, local protocols

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Authors: Yuqing Zou, Chunrui Zou, Yichong Cao

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Previous research has revealed relationships between self-efficacy (SE), engagement, and academic achievement among students in Western countries, but these relationships remain unknown in college math courses among college students in China. In addition, previous research has shown that test anxiety has a direct effect on engagement and academic achievement. However, how test anxiety affects the relationships between SE, engagement, and academic achievement is still unknown. In this study, the authors aimed to explore the mediating roles of behavioral engagement (BE), emotional engagement (EE), and cognitive engagement (CE) in the association between SE and academic achievement and the moderating role of test anxiety in college math courses. Our hypotheses are that the association between SE and academic achievement was mediated by engagement and that test anxiety played a moderating role in the association. To explore the research questions, the authors collected data through self-reported surveys among 147 students at a northwestern university in China. Self-reported surveys were used to collect data. The motivated strategies for learning questionnaire (MSLQ) (Pintrich, 1991), the metacognitive strategies questionnaire (Wolters, 2004), and the engagement versus disaffection with learning scale (Skinner et al., 2008) were used to assess SE, CE, and BE and EE, respectively. R software was used to analyze the data. The main analyses used were reliability and validity analysis of scales, descriptive statistics analysis of measured variables, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis and moderated mediation analysis to look at the structural relationships between variables at the same time. The SEM analysis indicated that student SE was positively related to BE, EE, and CE and academic achievement. BE, EE, and CE were all positively associated with academic achievement. That is, as the authors expected, higher levels of SE led to higher levels of BE, EE, and CE, and greater academic achievement. Higher levels of BE, EE, and CE led to greater academic achievement. In addition, the moderated mediation analysis found that the path of SE to academic achievement in the model was as significant as expected, as was the moderating effect of test anxiety in the SE-Achievement association. Specifically, test anxiety was found to moderate the association between SE and BE, the association between SE and CE, and the association between EE and Achievement. The authors investigated possible mediating effects of BE, EE, and CE in the associations between SE and academic achievement, and all indirect effects were found to be significant. As for the magnitude of mediations, behavioral engagement was the most important mediator in the SE-Achievement association. This study has implications for college teachers, educators, and students in China regarding ways to promote academic achievement in college math courses, including increasing self-efficacy and engagement and lessening test anxiety toward math.

Keywords: academic engagement, self-efficacy, test anxiety, academic achievement, college math courses, behavioral engagement, cognitive engagement, emotional engagement

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Authors: Nadia Sghaier

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In this paper, we examine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of the Tunisian stock market and 12 sectors over a recent period from 23 March 2020 to 18 August 2021, including several waves and the introduction of vaccination. The empirical study is conducted using cointegration techniques which allows for long and short-run relationships. The obtained results indicate that both daily growth in confirmed cases and deaths have a negative and significant effect on the stock market returns. In particular, this effect differs across sectors. It seems more pronounced in financial, consumer goods and industrials sectors. These findings have important implications for investors to predict the behavior of the stock market or sectors returns and to implement hedging strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Tunisian stock market, sectors, COVID-19 pandemic, cointegration techniques

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Authors: Florence Ibeh, David Oyewmi Oyekunle, David Boohene

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The continuous advancement of information technology has completely transformed how businesses and organizations operate on a global scale. The widespread availability of virtual communication tools enables individuals to opt for remote work. While remote employment offers various benefits, such as facilitating corporate growth and enhancing customer support, it also presents distinct challenges. Therefore, investigating the intricacies of virtual team morale is crucial for ensuring the achievement of project objectives. For this study, content analysis of pre-existing secondary data was employed to examine the phenomenon. Essential elements vital for improving the success of projects within virtual teams were identified. These factors include technology adoption, creating a distraction-free work environment, effective leadership, trust-building, clear communication channels, well-defined task allocation, active team participation, and motivation. Furthermore, the study established a substantial correlation between morale levels and the participation and productivity of virtual team members. Higher levels of morale were associated with optimal performance among virtual teams. The study determined that the key factors for enhancing project performance in virtual teams are the adoption of technology, a focused environment, effective leadership, trust, communication, well-defined tasks, collaborative teamwork, and motivation. Additionally, the study discovered that modifying the optimal strategies employed by in-office teams can enhance the diminished morale prevalent in remote teams to sustain a high level of team morale for virtual teams. The findings of this study are highly significant in the dynamic field of project management. Currently, there is limited information regarding strategies that address challenges arising from external factors in virtual teams, such as ambient noise and disruptions caused by family members. The findings underscore the significance of selecting appropriate communication technologies, delineating distinct roles and responsibilities for virtual team members, and nurturing a culture of accountability and trust. Promoting seamless collaboration and instilling motivation among virtual team members are deemed highly effective in augmenting employee engagement and performance within virtual team setting.

Keywords: virtual teams, morale, project performance, distract-free environment, technology adaptation

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Authors: Ercan Yilmaz, Ali Murat Sünbül

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The aim of the study is to investigate teachers’ self-efficacy with regards to their emotional intelligence. The relational model was used in the study. The participant of the study included 194 teachers from secondary schools in Konya, Turkey. In order to assess teachers’ emotional intelligence, “Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-short Form was implemented. For teachers’ self-efficacy, “Teachers’ Sense of Self-Efficacy Scale” was used. As a result of the study, a significant relationship is available between teachers’ sense of self-efficacy and their emotional intelligence. Teachers’ emotional intelligence enucleates approximate eighteen percent of the variable in dimension named teachers’ self-efficacy for the students’ involvement. About nineteen percent of the variable in dimension “self-efficacy for teaching strategies is represented through emotional intelligence. Teachers’ emotional intelligence demonstrates about seventeen percent of variable aimed at classroom management.

Keywords: teachers, self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, education

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Authors: Henok Mezemr Besfat, Haftom Gebreslassie Gebregwergs

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wireless network is one of the most important mediums of transmission of information from one device to another devices. Wireless communication has a broad range of applications, including mobile communications through cell phones and satellites, Internet of Things (IoT) connecting several devices, wireless sensor networks for traffic management and environmental monitoring, satellite communication for weather forecasting and TV without requiring any cable or wire or other electronic conductors, by using electromagnetic waves like IR, RF, satellite, etc. This paper summarizes different wireless network technologies, applications of different wireless technologies and different types of wireless networks. Generally, wireless technology will further enhance operations and experiences across sectors with continued innovation. This paper suggests different strategies that can improve wireless networks and technologies.

Keywords: wireless senser, wireless technology, wireless network, internet of things

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Authors: Mozhdeh Khalili Kordabadi

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Textiles play a vital role in human life, particularly in the form of clothing. However, the alarming rate at which textiles end up in landfills presents a significant environmental risk. With approximately one garbage truck per second being filled with discarded textiles, urgent measures are required to mitigate this trend. Governments and responsible organizations are calling upon various stakeholders to shift from a linear economy to a circular economy model in the textile industry. This article highlights several key approaches that can be undertaken to address this pressing issue. These approaches include the creation of renewable raw material sources, rethinking production processes, maximizing the use and reuse of textile products, implementing reproduction and recycling strategies, exploring redistribution to new markets, and finding innovative means to extend the lifespan of textiles. By adopting these strategies, the textile industry can contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future. Introduction: Textiles, particularly clothing, are essential to human existence. However, the rapid accumulation of textiles in landfills poses a significant threat to the environment. This article explores the urgent need for the textile industry to transition from a linear economy model to a circular economy model. The linear model, characterized by the creation, use, and disposal of textiles, is unsustainable in the long term. By adopting a circular economy approach, the industry can minimize waste, reduce environmental impact, and promote sustainable practices. This article outlines key approaches that can be undertaken to drive this transition. Approaches to Address Environmental Challenges: Creation of Renewable Raw Materials Sources: Exploring and promoting the use of renewable and sustainable raw materials, such as organic cotton, hemp, and recycled fibers, can significantly reduce the environmental footprint of textile production. Rethinking Production Processes: Implementing cleaner production techniques, optimizing resource utilization, and minimizing waste generation are crucial steps in reducing the environmental impact of textile manufacturing. Maximizing Use and Reuse of Textile Products: Encouraging consumers to prolong the lifespan of textile products through proper care, maintenance, and repair services can reduce the frequency of disposal and promote a culture of sustainability. Reproduction and Recycling Strategies: Investing in innovative technologies and infrastructure to enable efficient reproduction and recycling of textiles can close the loop and minimize waste generation. Redistribution of Textiles to New Markets: Exploring opportunities to redistribute textiles to new and parallel markets, such as resale platforms, can extend their lifecycle and prevent premature disposal. Improvising Means to Extend Textile Lifespan: Encouraging design practices that prioritize durability, versatility, and timeless aesthetics can contribute to prolonging the lifespan of textiles. Conclusion: The textile industry must urgently transition from a linear economy to a circular economy model to mitigate the adverse environmental impact caused by textile waste. By implementing the outlined approaches, such as sourcing renewable raw materials, rethinking production processes, promoting reuse and recycling, exploring new markets, and extending the lifespan of textiles, stakeholders can work together to create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly textile industry. These measures require collective action and collaboration between governments, organizations, manufacturers, and consumers to drive positive change and safeguard the planet for future generations.

Keywords: textiles, circular economy, environmental challenges, renewable raw materials, production processes, reuse, recycling, redistribution, textile lifespan extension.

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Authors: Nuno Biga

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform management into several impactful ways. It allows machines to interpret information to find patterns in big data and learn from context analysis, optimize operations, make predictions sensitive to each specific situation and support data-driven decision making. The introduction of an 'artificial brain' in organization also enables learning through complex information and data provided by those who train it, namely its users. The "Assisted-BIGAMES" version of the Accident & Emergency (A&E) simulator introduces the concept of a "Virtual Assistant" (VA) sensitive to context, that provides users useful suggestions to pursue the following operations such as: a) to relocate workstations in order to shorten travelled distances and minimize the stress of those involved; b) to identify in real time existing bottleneck(s) in the operations system so that it is possible to quickly act upon them; c) to identify resources that should be polyvalent so that the system can be more efficient; d) to identify in which specific processes it may be advantageous to establish partnership with other teams; and e) to assess possible solutions based on the suggested KPIs allowing action monitoring to guide the (re)definition of future strategies. This paper is built on the BIGAMES© simulator and presents the conceptual AI model developed and demonstrated through a pilot project (BIG-AI). Each Virtual Assisted BIGAME is a management simulator developed by the author that guides operational and strategic decision making, providing users with useful information in the form of management recommendations that make it possible to predict the actual outcome of different alternative management strategic actions. The pilot project developed incorporates results from 12 editions of the BIGAME A&E that took place between 2017 and 2022 at AESE Business School, based on the compilation of data that allows establishing causal relationships between decisions taken and results obtained. The systemic analysis and interpretation of data is powered in the Assisted-BIGAMES through a computer application called "BIGAMES Virtual Assistant" (VA) that players can use during the Game. Each participant in the VA permanently asks himself about the decisions he should make during the game to win the competition. To this end, the role of the VA of each team consists in guiding the players to be more effective in their decision making, through presenting recommendations based on AI methods. It is important to note that the VA's suggestions for action can be accepted or rejected by the managers of each team, as they gain a better understanding of the issues along time, reflect on good practice and rely on their own experience, capability and knowledge to support their own decisions. Preliminary results show that the introduction of the VA provides a faster learning of the decision-making process. The facilitator designated as “Serious Game Controller” (SGC) is responsible for supporting the players with further analysis. The recommended actions by the SGC may differ or be similar to the ones previously provided by the VA, ensuring a higher degree of robustness in decision-making. Additionally, all the information should be jointly analyzed and assessed by each player, who are expected to add “Emotional Intelligence”, an essential component absent from the machine learning process.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, gamification, key performance indicators, machine learning, management simulators, serious games, virtual assistant

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Authors: Teresa Wanjiru Mbatia

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On 7th June 2011, the government Minister of Roads in Kenya announced the proposed construction of a major highway known as a southern bypass to run on the northern border of the Nairobi National Park. The following day on 8th June 2011, the chairperson of the Friends of Nairobi National Park (FONNAP) posted a protest statement on their website, with the heading, ‘Nairobi Park is Not a cake’ alerting its members and conservation groups, with the aim of getting support to the campaign against the government’s intention to hive off a section of the park for road construction. This was the first and earliest statement that led to a series of other events that culminated in conservationists and some other members of the public campaign against the government’s plan to hive off sections of the park to build road and railway infrastructure in or around the park. Together with other non-state actors, mostly non-governmental organisations in conservation/environment and tourism businesses, FoNNAP issued a series of other statements on social, print and electronic media to battle against road and railway construction. This paper examined the strategies, outcomes and interests of actors involved in opposing/proposing the development of transport infrastructure in and around the Nairobi National Park. Specifically, the objectives were to analyse the: (1) Arguments put forward by the eco-warriors to protest infrastructure development; (2) Background and interests of the eco-warriors; (3) Needs/interests and opinions of ordinary common citizens on transport infrastructural development, particularly in and around the urban nature reserve and (4) Final outcomes of the eco-politics surrounding infrastructure development in and around Nairobi National Park. The methodological approach used was environmental history and the social construction of nature. The study collected combined qualitative data using four main approaches, the grounded theory approach, narratives, case studies and a phenomenological approach. The information collected was analysed using critical discourse analysis. The major findings of the study were that under the guise of “public participation,” influential non-state actors have the capacity to perpetuate social-spatial inequalities in the form of curtailing the majority from accessing common public goods. A case in point in this study is how the efforts of powerful conservationists, environmentalists, and tourism businesspersons managed to stall the construction of much-needed road and railway infrastructure severally through litigations in lengthy environmental court processes involving injunctions and stop orders to the government bodies in charge. Moreover, powerful non-state actors were found to have formed informal and sometimes formal coalitions with politicians with selfish interests, which serves to deepen the exclusionary practices and the common good. The study concludes that mostly composed of certain types of elites (NGOs, business communities, politicians and privileged social-cultural groups), non-state actors have used participatory policies to advance their own interests at the expense of the majority whom they claim to represent. These practices are traced to the historically unjust social, political, and economic forces involved in the production of space in Nairobi.

Keywords: eco-politics, exclusion, infrastructure, Nairobi national park, non-state actors, protests

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Authors: G. T. Aigarinova

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This article considers the legal issues of food security as a major component of national security of the republic. The problem of food security is the top priority of the economic policy strategy of any state, the effectiveness of this solution influences social, political, and ethnic stability in society. Food security and nutrition is everyone’s business. Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. By analyzing the existing legislation in the area of food security, the author identifies weaknesses and gaps, suggesting ways to improve it.

Keywords: food security, national security, agriculture, public resources, economic security

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Authors: Ebru Esen, Ömer Akkaya, Nattanan Pankrobkaew

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Though the experience concept found its place in the field of marketing in 1982, it is today in front of us as an important phenomenon in understanding the consumer behaviours. In parallel with the globalization and intensification of the competition, the enterprises have been in an effort to provide unique experiences for their consumers by going beyond providing services with the products. In this context, experience-oriented marketing enables the enterprises to use the marketing strategies of providing experiences for their customers and to have advantages in terms of competition. Based on it, this article discusses the concepts of experience, experience-oriented marketing and buying behaviour of consumers as a whole, and details about the application conducted in Konya Selcuklu University.

Keywords: experience, experience marketing, buying behaviour of consumers

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Authors: Lucia Varra, Marzia Timolo

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The interest of scholars towards corporate sustainability has strengthened in recent years in parallel with the growing need to undertake paths of cultural and organizational change, as a way for greater competitiveness and stakeholders’ satisfaction. In fact, studies on the business sustainability, while on the one hand have integrated the three dimensions of sustainability that existed for some time in the economic approaches (economic, environmental and social dimensions), on the other hand did not give rise to an organic construct that puts together the aspects of strategic management with corporate social responsibility and even less with the organizational issues. Therefore some important questions remain open: Which organizational structure and which operational mechanisms are coherent or propitious to a sustainability strategy? Existing studies appear to be fragmented, although some aspects have shared importance: knowledge management, human resource, management, leadership, innovation, etc. The construction of a model of sustainable organization that supports the sustainability strategy no longer seems to be postponed, as is its connection with the main practices of measuring corporate social responsibility performance. The paper aims to identify the organizational characteristics of a sustainable corporate. To this end, from a theoretical point of view the work examines the main existing literary contributions and, from a practical point of view, it presents a business case referring to a service organization that for years has undertaken the sustainability strategy. This paper is divided into two parts: the first part concerns a review of the main articles on the strategic management topic and the main organizational issues raised by the literature, such as knowledge management, leadership, innovation, etc.; later, a modeling of the main variables examined by scholars and an integration of these with the international measurement standards of CSR is proposed. In the second part, using the methodology of the case study company, the hypotheses and the structure of the proposed model that aims to integrate the strategic issues with the organizational aspects and measurement of sustainability performance, are applied to an Italian company, which has some organizational and human resource management interventions are in place to align strategic decisions with the structure and operating mechanisms of the structure. The case presented supports the hypotheses of the model.

Keywords: CSR, strategic management, sustainable leadership, sustainable human resource management, sustainable organization

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Authors: Eunjung Lee

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This research investigates the intricate connection between cultural differences and online consumer behaviors by integrating Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory with analysis methodologies such as text mining, data mining, and topic analysis. Our aim is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how national cultural differences influence individuals' behaviors when engaging with online reviews. To ensure the relevance of our investigation, we systematically analyze and interpret the cultural nuances influencing online consumer behaviors, especially in the context of online reviews. By anchoring our research in Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory, we seek to offer valuable insights for marketers to tailor their strategies based on the cultural preferences of diverse global consumer bases. In our methodology, we employ advanced text mining techniques to extract insights from a diverse range of online reviews gathered globally for a specific product or service like Netflix. This approach allows us to reveal hidden cultural cues in the language used by consumers from various backgrounds. Complementing text mining, data mining techniques are applied to extract meaningful patterns from online review datasets collected from different countries, aiming to unveil underlying structures and gain a deeper understanding of the impact of cultural differences on online consumer behaviors. The study also integrates topic analysis to identify recurring subjects, sentiments, and opinions within online reviews. Marketers can leverage these insights to inform the development of culturally sensitive strategies, enhance target audience segmentation, and refine messaging approaches aligned with cultural preferences. Anchored in Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory, our research employs sophisticated methodologies to delve into the intricate relationship between cultural differences and online consumer behaviors. Applied to specific cultural dimensions, such as individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term vs. short-term orientation, the study uncovers nuanced insights. For example, in exploring individualism vs. collectivism, we examine how reviewers from individualistic cultures prioritize personal experiences while those from collectivistic cultures emphasize communal opinions. Similarly, within masculinity vs. femininity, we investigate whether distinct topics align with cultural notions, such as robust features in masculine cultures and user-friendliness in feminine cultures. Examining information-seeking behaviors under uncertainty avoidance reveals how cultures differ in seeking detailed information or providing succinct reviews based on their comfort with ambiguity. Additionally, in assessing long-term vs. short-term orientation, the research explores how cultural focus on enduring benefits or immediate gratification influences reviews. These concrete examples contribute to the theoretical enhancement of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions theory, providing a detailed understanding of cultural impacts on online consumer behaviors. As online reviews become increasingly crucial in decision-making, this research not only contributes to the academic understanding of cultural influences but also proposes practical recommendations for enhancing online review systems. Marketers can leverage these findings to design targeted and culturally relevant strategies, ultimately enhancing their global marketing effectiveness and optimizing online review systems for maximum impact.

Keywords: comparative analysis, cultural dimensions, marketing intelligence, national culture, online consumer behavior, text mining

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Authors: Mohammad Arabi

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Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is a systematic approach to fundamentally redesign organizational processes to achieve significant improvements in organizational performance. At Fars Regional Electric Company, implementing BPR is deemed essential to increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve service quality. This article examines how BPR can help enhance the performance of Fars Regional Electric Company. The objective of this research is to evaluate and analyze the advancements in process modeling and reengineering at Fars Regional Electric Company and to provide solutions for improving the productivity and efficiency of organizational processes. This study aims to demonstrate how BPR can be used to improve organizational processes and enhance the overall performance of the company. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods and includes interviews with senior managers and experts at Fars Regional Electric Company. The analytical tools include process modeling software such as Bizagi and ARIS, and statistical analysis software such as SPSS and Minitab. Data analysis was conducted using advanced statistical methods. The results indicate that the use of BPR techniques can lead to a significant reduction in process execution time and overall improvement in quality. Implementing BPR at Fars Regional Electric Company has led to increased productivity, reduced costs, and improved overall performance of the company. This study shows that with proper implementation of BPR and the use of modeling tools, the company can achieve significant improvements in its processes. Recommendations: (1) Continuous Training for Staff: Invest in continuous training of staff to enhance their skills and knowledge in BPR. (2) Use of Advanced Technologies: Utilize modeling and analysis software to improve processes. (3) Implementation of Effective Management Systems: Employ knowledge and information management systems to enhance organizational performance. (4) Continuous Monitoring and Review of Processes: Regularly review and revise processes to ensure ongoing improvements. This article highlights the importance of improving organizational processes at Fars Regional Electric Company and recommends that managers and decision-makers at the company seriously consider reengineering processes and utilizing modeling technologies to achieve developmental goals and continuous improvement.

Keywords: business process reengineering, electric company, Fars province, process modeling advancements

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Authors: Kehinde Emmanuel Atanlusi

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It is impossible to stifle the gust of social change as it makes its way through institutionalised hierarchies on its way to expressing itself. This advancement might also have repercussions for institutions, families, and politics, so modifying the norms and establishing new societal ideals. In the following paragraphs, it will explore how gender roles in the family have changed over time, how this has affected consumption, and how marketing has been influenced by these changes. It was decided to use the empirical research method, which led to several discoveries, one of which was that marketing in the pre-modern era was predicated on metanarratives and gender stereotypes. However, these aspects of marketing have undergone significant transformations in the post-modern era, which led to the formation of an assumption regarding what future marketing trends will be like. In spite of the fact that post-modern marketing methods have a number of drawbacks, it was suggested that these strategies be embraced and updated in the future in order to expand consumer bases and target audiences.

Keywords: Marketing, Gender Roles, Advertising, Decentralisation, Fragmentation

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Authors: Kritchakhris Na-Wattanaprasert

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The objective of this research is to design and develop a prototype of a key performance indicator system this is suitable for warehouse management in a case study and use requirement. In this study, we design a prototype of key performance indicator system (KPI) for warehouse case study of furniture business by methodology in step of identify scope of the research and study related papers, gather necessary data and users requirement, develop key performance indicator base on balance scorecard, design pro and database for key performance indicator, coding the program and set relationship of database and finally testing and debugging each module. This study use Balance Scorecard (BSC) for selecting and grouping key performance indicator. The system developed by using Microsoft SQL Server 2010 is used to create the system database. In regard to visual-programming language, Microsoft Visual C# 2010 is chosen as the graphic user interface development tool. This system consists of six main menus: menu login, menu main data, menu financial perspective, menu customer perspective, menu internal, and menu learning and growth perspective. Each menu consists of key performance indicator form. Each form contains a data import section, a data input section, a data searches – edit section, and a report section. The system generates outputs in 5 main reports, the KPI detail reports, KPI summary report, KPI graph report, benchmarking summary report and benchmarking graph report. The user will select the condition of the report and period time. As the system has been developed and tested, discovers that it is one of the ways to judging the extent to warehouse objectives had been achieved. Moreover, it encourages the warehouse functional proceed with more efficiency. In order to be useful propose for other industries, can adjust this system appropriately. To increase the usefulness of the key performance indicator system, the recommendations for further development are as follows: -The warehouse should review the target value and set the better suitable target periodically under the situation fluctuated in the future. -The warehouse should review the key performance indicators and set the better suitable key performance indicators periodically under the situation fluctuated in the future for increasing competitiveness and take advantage of new opportunities.

Keywords: key performance indicator, warehouse management, warehouse operation, logistics management

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Authors: Koel Chakraborty

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This paper critically examines the role of ‘disclosure and visibility’ of sexual minorities in a heteronormative organizational setting. The paper wishes to comment on the importance of promoting ‘visibility’ as an important catalyst in increasing the efficacy of outreach programs as part of diversity management practices as well as increasing the efficacy of teams. The aim of the research is to assess the pitfalls of not bringing ‘one’s authentic or whole self’ to work. In doing so, it will address whether Inclusive Leadership at the top propels employees to come out. The paper finally discusses and recommends strategies that could be helpful toward attaining and improving the visibility factor at a cross-functional level. This is a qualitative research with interviews and surveys conducted in inclusive workplace environments across various private sector companies in India.

Keywords: LGBT, diversity, organisation, leadership

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Authors: Ghada Ahmed

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Feminist translation is one of the strategies adopted in the field of translation studies when a gendered content is being rendered from one language to another, and this strategy has been examined in previous studies on written texts. This research, however, addresses the practice of feminist translation in audiovisual texts that are concerned with the screen, dialogue, image and visual aspects. In this thesis, the objectives are studying feminist translation and its adaptation in subtitling from Arabic into English. It addresses the connections between gender and translation as one domain and feminist translation practices with particular consideration of feminist translation strategies in English subtitles. It examines the visibility of the translator throughout the process, assuming that feminist translation is a product directed by the translator’s feminist position, culture, and ideology as a means of helping unshadow women. It also discusses how subtitling constraints impact feminist translation and how the image that has a narrative value can be integrated into the content of the English subtitles. The reasons for conducting this research project are to study language sexism in English and look into Arabic into English gendered content, taking into consideration the Arabic cultural concepts that may lose their connotations when they are translated into English. This research is also analysing the image in an audiovisual text and its contribution to the written dialogue in subtitling. Thus, this research attempts to answer the following questions: To what extent is there a form of affinity between a gendered content and translation? Is feminist translation an act of merely working on a feminist text or feminising the language of any text, by incorporating the translator’s ideology? How can feminist translation practices be applied in an audiovisual text? How likely is it to adapt feminist translation looking into visual components as well as subtitling constraints? Moreover, the paper searches into the fields of gender and translation; feminist translation, language sexism, media studies, and the gap in the literature related to feminist translation practice in visual texts. For my case study, the "Speed Sisters" film has been chosen so as to analyze its English subtitles for my research. The film is a documentary that was produced in 2015 and directed by Amber Fares. It is about five Palestinian women who try to break the stereotypes about women, and have taken their passion about car-racing forward to be the first all-women car-racing driving team in the Middle East. It tackles the issue of gender in both content and language and this is reflected in the translation. As the research topic is semiotic-channelled, the choice for the theoretical approaches varies and combines between translation studies, audiovisual translation, gender studies, and media studies. Each of which will contribute to understanding a specific field of the research and the results will eventually be integrated to achieve the intended objectives in a way that demonstrates rendering a gendered content in one of the audiovisual translation modes from a language into another.

Keywords: audiovisual translation, feminist translation, films gendered content, subtitling conventions and constraints

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Authors: Rodrigo Zeidan

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The paper identifies failures of decision making and corporate governance that allow non-financial companies around the world to develop hedging strategies that lead to hefty losses in the aftermath of the financial crisis. The sample is comprised of 346 companies from 10 international markets, of which 49 companies (and a subsample of 13 distressed companies) lose a combined US$18.9 billion. An event study shows that most companies that present losses in derivatives experience negative abnormal returns, including a number of companies in which the effect is persistent after a year. The results of a probit model indicate that the lack of a formal hedging policy, no monitoring to the CFOs, and considerations of hubris and remuneration contribute to the mismanagement of hedging policies.

Keywords: risk management, hedging, derivatives, monitoring, corporate governance structure, event study, hubris

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Authors: Abdul-Ganiyu Fuseini, Bernice Redley, Helen Rawson, Lenore Lay, Debra Kerr

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Aim: The study aimed to develop and validate a culturally appropriate patient-reported outcome measure for measuring dignity for older adults during acute hospital admissions. Design: A three-phased mixed-method sequential exploratory design was used. Methods: Concept elicitation and generation of items for the scale was informed by older adults’ perspectives about dignity during acute hospitalization and a literature review. Content validity evaluation and pre-testing were undertaken using standard instrument development techniques. A cross-sectional survey design was conducted involving 270 hospitalized older adults for evaluation of construct and convergent validity, internal consistency reliability, and test–retest reliability of the scale. Analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 25. Reporting of the study was guided by the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist. Results: We established the 15-item Hospitalized Older Adults’ Dignity Scale that has a 5-factor structure: Shared Decision-Making (3 items); Healthcare Professional-Patient Communication (3 items); Patient Autonomy (4 items); Patient Privacy (2 items); and Respectful Care (3 items). Excellent content validity, adequate construct and convergent validity, acceptable internal consistency reliability, and good test-retest reliability were demonstrated. Conclusion: We established the Hospitalized Older Adults Dignity Scale as a valid and reliable scale to measure dignity for older adults during acute hospital admissions. Future studies using confirmatory factor analysis are needed to corroborate the dimensionality of the factor structure and external validity of the scale. Routine use of the scale may provide information that informs the development of strategies to improve dignity-related care in the future. Impact: The development and validation of the Hospitalized Older Adults Dignity Scale will provide healthcare professionals with a feasible and reliable scale for measuring older adults’ dignity during acute hospitalization. Routine use of the scale may enable the capturing and incorporation of older patients’ perspectives about their healthcare experience and provide information that informs the development of strategies to improve dignity-related care in the future.

Keywords: dignity, older adults, hospitalisation, scale, patients, dignified care, acute care

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Authors: Mohamed Aljarallah, Mohamed Nurullah, George Saridakis

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This paper aims and objectives are to investigate how the structural change of the financial regulatory bodies affect the financial supervision and how the regulators can design such a structure with taking into account; the Central Bank, the conduct of business and the prudential regulators, it will also consider looking at the structure of the international regulatory bodies and what barriers are found. There will be five questions to be answered; should conduct of business and prudential regulation be separated? Should the financial supervision and financial stability be separated? Should the financial supervision be under the Central Bank? To what extent the politician should intervene in changing the regulatory and supervisory structure? What should be the regulatory and supervisory structure when there is financial conglomerate? Semi structure interview design will be applied. This research sample selection contains a collective of financial regulators and supervisors from the emerged and emerging countries. Moreover, financial regulators and supervisors must be at a senior level at their organisations. Additionally, senior financial regulators and supervisors would come from different authorities and from around the world. For instance, one of the participants comes from the International Bank Settlements, others come from European Central Bank, and an additional one will come from Hong Kong Monetary Authority and others. Such a variety aims to fulfil the aims and objectives of the research and cover the research questions. The analysis process starts with transcription of the interview, using Nvivo software for coding, applying thematic interview to generate the main themes. The major findings of the study are as follow. First, organisational structure changes quite frequently if the mandates are not clear. Second, measuring structural change is difficult, which makes the whole process unclear. Third, effective coordination and communication are what regulators looking for when they change the structure and that requires; openness, trust, and incentive. In addition to that, issues appear during the event of crisis tend to be the reason why the structure change. Also, the development of the market sometime causes a change in the regulatory structure. And, some structural change occurs simply because of the international trend, fashion, or other countries' experiences. Furthermore, when the top management change the structure tends to change. Moreover, the structure change due to the political change, or politicians try to show they are doing something. Finally, fear of being blamed can be a driver of structural change. In conclusion, this research aims to provide an insight from the senior regulators and supervisors from fifty different countries to have a clear understanding of why the regulatory structure keeps changing from time to time through a qualitative approach, namely, semi-structure interview.

Keywords: financial regulation bodies, financial regulatory structure, global financial regulation, financial crisis

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Authors: Rizalito B. Javier

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Research has shown that foreign students with higher levels of cultural awareness and intercultural communication competence tend to have better academic performance outcomes. This study aimed to find out the cultural awareness, intercultural communication competence, and academic performance of foreign students and its relationships among variables. Methods used were descriptive-comparative and correlational research design, quota purposive sampling technique while frequency counts and percentages, mean and standard deviation, T, and F-test and chi-square were utilized to analyze the data. The results revealed that the majority of the respondents were under the age bracket of 21-25 years old, mostly males, all single, and mostly citizens of Papua New Guinea, Angolan, Vanuatu, Tanzanian, Nigerian, Korean, Rwanda, and Myanmar. Most language spoken was English, many of them were born again Christians, the majority took BS business management degree program, their studies mainly supported by their parents, they had stayed in the Philippines for 3-4 years, and most of them attended five to six times of cultural awareness/competence workshop-seminars, majority of their parent’s occupations were family own business, and had been earning a family monthly income of P61,0000 and above. The respondents were highly aware of their culture in terms of clients’ issues. The intercultural communication competence of the respondents was slightly aware in terms of intercultural awareness, while the foreign students performed good remarks in their average academic performance. However, the profiles of the participants in terms of age, gender, civil status, nationality, course/degree program taken, support to the study, length of stay, workshop attended, and parents’ occupation have significant differences in the academic performance except for the type of family, language spoken, religion and family monthly income. Moreover, cultural awareness was significantly related to intercultural communication competence, and both were not related to academic performance. It is recommended that foreign students be provided with cultural orientation programs, offered language support services, promoted intercultural exchange activities, and implemented inclusive teaching practices to allow students to effectively navigate and interact with people from different cultural backgrounds, fostering a more inclusive and collaborative learning environment.

Keywords: cultural competence, communication competence, intercultural competence, and culture-academic performance.

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Authors: Patrick Innocenti, Elias Montini, Silvia Menato, Marzio Sorlini

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Documented experiences of industrial symbiosis are always triggered and driven only by economic goals: environmental and (even rarely) social results are sometimes assessed and declared as effects of virtuous behaviours, but are merely casual and un-pursued side externalities. Even worse: all the symbiotic project candidates entailing economic loss for just one of the (also dozen) partners are simply stopped without considering the overall benefit for the whole partnership. The here-presented approach aims at providing methodologies and tools to effectively manage these situations and fostering the implementation of virtuous symbiotic investments in manufacturing aggregations for a more sustainable production.

Keywords: business model, industrial symbiosis, industrial agglomerations, sustainability

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Authors: Ameni Mejri, Moufida Hajjaj, Salem Hasnaoui, Ridha Bouallegue

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The technology advances have most lately made the millimeter wave (mmWave) communication possible. Due to the huge amount of spectrum that is available in MmWave frequency bands, this promising candidate is considered as a key technology for the deployment of 5G cellular networks. In order to enhance system capacity and achieve spectral efficiency, very large antenna arrays are employed at mmWave systems by exploiting array gain. However, it has been shown that conventional beamforming strategies are not suitable for mmWave hardware implementation. Therefore, new features are required for mmWave cellular applications. Unlike traditional multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems for which only digital precoders are essential to accomplish precoding, MIMO technology seems to be different at mmWave because of digital precoding limitations. Moreover, precoding implements a greater number of radio frequency (RF) chains supporting more signal mixers and analog-to-digital converters. As RF chain cost and power consumption is increasing, we need to resort to another alternative. Although the hybrid precoding architecture has been regarded as the best solution based on a combination between a baseband precoder and an RF precoder, we still do not get the optimal design of hybrid precoders. According to the mapping strategies from RF chains to the different antenna elements, there are two main categories of hybrid precoding architecture. Given as a hybrid precoding sub-array architecture, the partially-connected structure reduces hardware complexity by using a less number of phase shifters, whereas it sacrifices some beamforming gain. In this paper, we treat the hybrid precoder design in mmWave MIMO systems as a problem of matrix factorization. Thus, we adopt the alternating minimization principle in order to solve the design problem. Further, we present our proposed algorithm for the partially-connected structure, which is based on the iterative hard thresholding method. Through simulation results, we show that our hybrid precoding algorithm provides significant performance gains over existing algorithms. We also show that the proposed approach reduces significantly the computational complexity. Furthermore, valuable design insights are provided when we use the proposed algorithm to make simulation comparisons between the hybrid precoding partially-connected structure and the fully-connected structure.

Keywords: alternating minimization, hybrid precoding, iterative hard thresholding, low-complexity, millimeter wave communication, partially-connected structure

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Authors: Ana Campina, José Caramelo Gomes, Maria Emília Teixeira, Cristina Costa-Lobo

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In the pursuit of educational equity within Human Rights and European Fundamental Laws, the reality presents serious problems based on the psychologic, social understanding. Take into account the miscellaneous cultures in the global context and the nowadays numbers of Human mobilities, there are serious problems affecting the societies. This justifies the diagnosed need of a renew pedagogical and social education strategy to achieve the integration positive context preventing violence and discrimination, especially in Education systems. Consequently, it is important to have in mind the respect, acceptance, and integration of special needs students in all study degrees, as it is law but a complex reality. Despite the UN and International Human Rights, European Fundamental Chart, and all EU Treats, as the 28th EU State Member’s fundamental laws forecast the right of Education, the respect, the action and promotion of different cultures and the Education for ‘Difference’ integration – cultures; ideologies, Special Needs Students/Citizens – there are different and severe problems. Firstly, there are questions/contexts/problems not denounced by the lack of investments, political, social or ‘powers’ pressures, so, consequently, the authorities don’t have the action as laws demand and the transgressors haven´t any juridical or judicial punishment. Secondly, and our most important point: Governments, authorities and even victims hide these violations/violence/problems what disable the effective protection and law enforcement. Finally, the official and non-official strategies to get around the duties, break away the laws, failing the victims protection and consequently enable the problems increase dramatically. With this research, we observed that there are international Organizations/regions and States acting without respect to the Education right despite their democratic ideology and the generated external ‘image’ of law-abiding and Human Rights defenders. Nevertheless, it is urgent to develop a consistent Human Rights Education program aiming to protect, promote and implement the Right to be different and be respected by the law, the governments, institutions official and non-official, adapted to the needs in each society. The background of this research is the International and European laws, in accordance with the state’s legal systems. The approaches and the differences of the Education for Human and Fundamental Rights execution in the different EU countries, studying the pedagogy and social inclusion programs/strategies, with particular analysis of the Special Needs students. The results aim to construct a European Education profiling, with the governments and EU interventions need, as well as the panorama of the Special Needs Students effective integration achieving a renewed strategy to promote the respect of the Differences and an Inclusive School life.

Keywords: international human rights, culture, differences, European education profiling

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Authors: Mohiuddin Ahsanul Kabir Chowdhury, Nafisa Lira Huq, Afroza Khanom, Rafiqul Islam, Abdullah Nurus Salam Khan, Farhana Karim, Nabila Zaka, Shams El Arifeen, Sk. Masum Billah

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After having astounding achievements in reducing maternal mortality and achieving the target for Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5, the Government of Bangladesh has set new target to reduce Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 70 per 100,000 live births aligning with targets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Aversion of deaths from maternal complication by ensuring quality health care could be an important path to accelerate the rate of reduction of MMR. This formative research was aimed at exploring the provision of quality maternal health services at different level of health facilities. The study was conducted in 1 district hospital (DH) and 4 Upazila health complexes (UHC) of Kurigram district of Bangladesh, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research methods. We conducted 14 key informant interviews with facility managers and 20 in-depth interviews with health care providers and support staff. Besides, we observed 387 normal deliveries from which we found 17 cases of post partum haemorrhage (PPH) and 2 cases of eclampsia during the data collection period extended from July-September 2016. The quantitative data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, and the qualitative component underwent thematic analysis with the broad themes of facility readiness for maternal complication management, and management of complications. Inadequacy in human resources has been identified as the most important bottleneck to provide quality care to manage maternal complications. The DH had a particular paucity of human resources in medical officer cadre where about 61% posts were unfilled. On the other hand, in the UHCs the positions mostly empty were obstetricians (75%, paediatricians (75%), staff nurses (65%), and anaesthetists (100%). The workload on the existing staff is increased because of the persistence of vacant posts. Unavailability of anesthetists and consultants does not permit the health care providers (HCP) of lower cadres to perform emergency operative procedures and forces them to refer the patients although referral system is not well organized in rural Bangladesh. Insufficient bed capacity, inadequate training, shortage of emergency medicines etc. are other hindrance factors for facility readiness. Among the 387 observed delivery case, 17 (4.4%) were identified as PPH cases, and only 2 cases were found as eclampsia/pre-eclampsia. The majority of the patients were treated with uterine message (16 out of 17, 94.1%) and injectable Oxytocin (14 out of 17, 82.4%). The providers of DH mentioned that they can manage the PPH because of having provision for diagnostic and blood transfusion services, although not as 24/7 services. Regarding management of eclampsia/pre-eclampsia, HCPs provided Diazepam, MgSO4, and other anti-hypertensives. The UHCs did not have MgSO4 at stock even, and one facility manager admitted that they treat eclampsia with Diazepam only. The nurses of the UHCs were found to be afraid to handle eclampsia cases. The upcoming interventions must ensure refresher training of service providers, continuous availability of essential medicine and equipment needed for complication management, availability of skilled health workforce, availability of functioning blood transfusion unit and pairing of consultants and anaesthetists to reach the newly set targets altogether.

Keywords: Bangladesh, health facilities, maternal complications, quality of care

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Authors: Samrina Jafrin, Till Talaulicar

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This study investigates stakeholder perceptions of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting patterns and their effectiveness in enhancing trust and transparency. Utilizing a multi-method approach, including experimental research and systematic literature review, insights are gathered from investors, employees, customers, suppliers, managers, and community members. The findings reveal diverse stakeholder expectations and perceptions and emphasize the importance of effective ESG reporting strategies in building credibility and trust. This research contributes to the academic discourse on corporate sustainability reporting and provides practical recommendations for optimizing ESG reporting practices.

Keywords: ESG reporting, stakeholder perceptions, corporate sustainability, transparency, trust

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Authors: Fredrik Hartwig, Peter Lindberg

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In 2004, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued new accounting standards for impairment testing of goodwill. IFRS 3 Business Combinations and IAS 36 Impairment of Assets prohibited amortization of acquired goodwill and instead required companies to test goodwill for impairment annually or more often if necessary. The goodwill impairment test is based on management’s judgement and estimations, making the impairment-only-approach subjective and unreliable. Management can use the discretion opportunistically by managing goodwill impairments. The IASB’s remedy to the reliability problem has been to demand transparent financial reports. IAS 36 paragraph 134 requires detailed disclosures regarding the impairment test in order to make potentially unreasonable assumptions and estimations visible. The disclosure requirements should thus (in theory) make it more difficult for management to ‘choose’ assumptions and estimations that suit an agenda. Whether the requirement to disclose detailed disclosures regarding the impairment test leads to less opportunism is however an empirical question. This work analyses whether one of the required disclosures in IAS 36 paragraph 134, the reported discount rate, differs from an independently estimated risk-adjusted discount rate. Estimates of discount rates that are either lower or higher than the independently estimated discount rate are here defined as opportunism. In the former case - i.e. when the reported discount rate is lower - the objective may be to avoid profit reducing impairment charges. In the latter case - i.e. when the reported discount rate is higher - the objective may be to reduce profits or take ‘big baths’. This paper differs in one important respect from previous similar studies, the majority of which are based on purely descriptive statistics; we use multivariate regression analysis to analyze what factors affect deviations between disclosed discount rates and independently estimated discount rates. The sample consists of Swedish and Finnish listed companies. Swedish and Finnish listed companies are analysed since the accounting oversight bodies differ between the two countries. The results show that discount rate deviations in Swedish and Finnish listed companies are significantly related to accounting oversight, size and industry but not financial risk, business risk and goodwill intensity.

Keywords: discount rate, manipulation, goodwill impairment test, disclosures

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Authors: ShuPei Wang, Yina Patterson

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This article outlines strategies for improving oral expression to advance proficiency in speaking and listening skills through structured argumentation. The objective is to empower students to effectively use the target language to express opinions and construct compelling arguments. This empowerment is achieved by honing learners' debating and questioning skills, which involves increasing their familiarity with vocabulary and phrases relevant to debates and deepening their understanding of the cultural context surrounding pertinent issues. Through this approach, students can enhance their ability to articulate complex concepts and discern critical points, surpassing superficial comprehension and enabling them to engage in the target language actively and competently.

Keywords: debate, teaching and materials design, spoken expression, listening proficiency, critical thinking

Procedia PDF Downloads 77