Search results for: success achievement motivation

Authors: Leonie Bradfield, Stephen Fityus, John Simmons

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The shearing behavior of current and planned coal mine spoil dumps up to 400m in height is studied using large-sample-high-stress direct shear tests performed on a range of spoils common to the coalfields of Eastern Australia. The motivation for the study is to address industry concerns that some constructed spoil dump heights ( > 350m) are exceeding the scale ( ≤ 120m) for which reliable design information exists, and because modern geotechnical laboratories are not equipped to test representative spoil specimens at field-scale stresses. For more than two decades, shear strength estimation for spoil dumps has been based on either infrequent, very small-scale tests where oversize particles are scalped to comply with device specimen size capacity such that the influence of prototype-sized particles on shear strength is not captured; or on published guidelines that provide linear shear strength envelopes derived from small-scale test data and verified in practice by slope performance of dumps up to 120m in height. To date, these published guidelines appear to have been reliable. However, in the field of rockfill dam design there is a broad acceptance of a curvilinear shear strength envelope, and if this is applicable to coal mine spoils, then these industry-accepted guidelines may overestimate the strength and stability of dumps at higher stress levels. The pressing need to rationally define the shearing behavior of more representative spoil specimens at field-scale stresses led to the successful design, construction and operation of a large direct shear machine (LDSM) and its subsequent application to provide reliable design information for current and planned very-high dumps. The LDSM can test at a much larger scale, in terms of combined specimen size (720mm x 720mm x 600mm) and stress (σn up to 4.6MPa), than has ever previously been achieved using a direct shear machine for geotechnical testing of rockfill. The results of an extensive LDSM testing program on a wide range of coal-mine spoils are compared to a published framework that widely accepted by the Australian coal mining industry as the standard for shear strength characterization of mine spoil. A critical outcome is that the LDSM data highlights several non-compliant spoils, and stress-dependent shearing behavior, for which the correct application of the published framework will not provide reliable shear strength parameters for design. Shear strength envelopes developed from the LDSM data are also compared with dam engineering knowledge, where failure envelopes of rockfills are curved in a concave-down manner. The LDSM data indicates that shear strength envelopes for coal-mine spoils abundant with rock fragments are not in fact curved and that the shape of the failure envelope is ultimately determined by the strength of rock fragments. Curvilinear failure envelopes were found to be appropriate for soil-like spoils containing minor or no rock fragments, or hard-soil aggregates.

Keywords: coal mine, direct shear test, high dump, large scale, mine spoil, shear strength, spoil dump

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Authors: Ibrahim Elshaer, Samar Kamel

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Organizational politics (OP) has received a great deal of attention in the management literature due to its popularity, mystery, and potential advantages for those how can use it. It involves the use of power and social networks within an organization to promote interests and gain potential benefits. Its implication for human resource (HR) management decisions is heretofore one of its least studied aspects, and awaits further investigation. Therefore, it is our intention to investigate certain relations between organizational politics and the validity of HR decisions in addition to the expected dysfunctional consequences. The study is undertaken on two HR management practices- Performance appraisal (measured by the distributive justice scale) and downsizing- depending on data gathered from the hotel industry in Egypt; a developing Non-Western country, in which Political practices of HR management are common in public and private organizations. Data was obtained from a survey of 600 employees in the Egyptian hotel industry. A total of 500 responses were attained. 100 uncompleted questionnaires were excluded leaving 400 usable with response rate of around 80%. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the causal relationship between the research variables. The analysis of the current study data reveals that organizational politics is negatively linked to the perception of distributive justice of performance appraisal, additionally, the perception of distributive justice in performance appraisal is positively linked to the perception of validity in the downsizing decisions and finally the perception of OP is negatively linked to the perception of downsizing decisions validity. This study makes three important contributions. First although there have been several studies on OP, the majority of these studies have focused on examining its effect on employees’ attitudes in workplace. This empirical study helps in identifying the influence of OP on the effectiveness and success of HR decisions and accordingly the organizational system. Second, it draws attention to OP as an important phenomenon that influence HR management in hospitality industry, since empirical evidences concerning OP in the hospitality management literature are meager. Third, this study contributes to the existing downsizing literature by examining OP and low distributive justice as challenges of the effectiveness of the downsizing process. Finally, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no empirical study in the tourism and hospitality management literature has examined the effect of OP and distributive justice on the workplace using data gathered from the hotel industry in Egypt; a developing non-Western setting.

Keywords: organizational politics, performance appraisal, downsizing, structural equation modeling, hotel industry

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Authors: Bernard Tan

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The paper presents a conceptual framework which serves as an art model of Singapore artistic identity. Specifically, the study examines Singapore's artistic identity through the artworks of the country’s significant artists covering the period 1950s to the present. Literature review will discuss the challenges of favouring or choosing one artist over the other. Methodology provides an overview of the perspectives of local artists and surveys Singapore’s artistic histories through qualitative interviews and case studies. Analysis from qualitative data reveals that producing works of accrued visual significance for the country which captures it zeitgeist further strengthens artist’s artistic identity, and consequently, their works remembered by future generations. The paper presents a conceptual framework for Singapore’s artistic identity by categorising it into distinctive categories or Periods: Colonial Period (pre-1965); Nation Building Period (1965-1988); Globalisation Period (1989-2000); Paternal Production Period (2001-2015); and A New Era (2015-present). Godalisation, coined from God and Globalisation – by artist and art collector, Teng Jee Hum – is a direct reference to the godlike influence on Singapore by its founding Father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, the country’s first Prime Minister who steered the city state “from Third World to First” for close to half a century, from 1965 to his passing in 2015. A detailed schema showing important factors in different art categories: key global geopolitics, key local social-politics, and significant events will be analysed in depth. Main artist groups or artist initiatives which evolved in Singapore during the different Periods from pre-1965 to the present will be categorized and discussed. Taken as a whole, all these periods collectively add up to the Godalisation Era; impacted by the social-political events and historical period of the nation, and captured through the visual representation of the country’s significant artists in their attempt at either visualizing or mythologizing the Singapore Story. The author posits a co-relation between a nation’s economic success and the value or price appreciation of the country’s artist of significance artworks. The paper posed a rhetorical question: “Which Singapore’s artist will historian of the future – and by extension, the people of the country from future generations – remember? Who will remain popular? Whilst which artists will be forgotten.” The searching question: “Who will survive, be remembered in the annals of history and, above all, how to ensure the survival of one’s nation artistic identity? The art that last will probably be determined by the future, in the future, where art historians pontificate from a later vantage point.

Keywords: artistic identity, art collection, godalisation, singapore

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Authors: N. Gelovani, D. Ismailov, S. Bochorishvili

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Religious minorities of Georgia include Muslims. Their composition is sufficiently miscellaneous, enclosing both ethnical viewpoint and belonging to the inner Islamic denomination. A majority of Muslims represent Azerbaijanis, who chiefly live in Kvemo Kartli (Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli and Tsalka). The catalyst for researchers of Islamic History is the geopolitical interests of Georgia, centuries-old contacts with the Islamic world, the not entirely trivial portion of Islam confessor population, the increasing influence of the Islamic factor in current religious-political processes in the world, the elevating procedure of Muslim religious self-consciousness in the Post-Soviet states, significant challenges of international terrorism, and perspectives of rapid globalization. The rise in the level of religious identity of Muslim citizens of Georgia (first of all of those who are not ethnic Georgians) is noticeable. New mosques have been constructed and, sometimes, even young people are being sent to the religious educational institutions of Muslim countries to gain a higher Islamic education. At a time when gender studies are substantive, the goal of which is to eliminate gender-based discrimination and violence in societies, it is essential in Georgia to conduct researches around the concrete problem – Islamic tradition, woman and education in Georgia. A woman’s right to education is an important indicator of women’s general status in a society. The appropriate resources, innovative analysis of Georgian ethnological materials, and surveying of the population (quantitative and qualitative research reports, working papers), condition the success of these researches. In the presented work, interrelation matters of Islam, gender and education in contemporary Georgia by the example of the Azerbaijani population in Kvemo Kartli during period 1992-2016 are studied. We researched the history of Muslim religious education centers in Tbilisi and Kvemo Kartli (Bolnisi, Gardabani, Dmanisi, Tetri Tskaro, Marneuli and Tsalka) in 1992-2016, on the one hand, and the results of sociological interrogation, on the other. As a result of our investigation, we found that Azeri women in the Kvemo Kartli (Georgia) region mostly receive their education in Georgia and Azerbaijan. Educational and Cultural Institutions are inaccessible for most Azeri women. The main reasons are the absence of educational and religious institutions at their places of residence and state policies towards Georgia’s Muslims. 

Keywords: Islam, gender, Georgia, education

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Authors: Doreen Chemutai

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While women's parliamentary representation has increased over the years, most women contest the affirmative action seat (A.A). There is a lack of knowledge on why women prefer the affirmative seat vis- a- vis the open seat. This study argues that comparing women's path on the reserved and open seat to parliamentary representation enables us to pass judgment on why this trend continues. This paper provides a narrative analysis of women members of parliament's (MPs) trajectory in the open seat and Affirmative Action seat to parliamentary representation. Purposive sampling was used to select participants from the Northern Uganda districts of Kitgum, Pader, Oyam, Agago, and Gulu. The eight women MPs chosen for the study completed in-depth interviews exploring their qualifications, careers, and experiences before joining the political office, their party affiliation, and the kind of seat they currently occupy in the 10th parliament. Findings revealed similarities between women on the open and reserved to include; women generally irrespective of the seat they choose to contest for find it difficult to win elections because voters doubt women's effectiveness as leaders. All women as incumbents find it difficult to be re-elected because their evaluation is harsher than that for men. Findings also revealed that women representatives are motivated by their personal lived experiences, community work, educational leadership, and local leadership. The study establishes that the popularity of the party in a given geographical location and the opponents' quality will determine the success of the parliamentary candidate in question irrespective of whether one is contesting on the open or Affirmative seat. However, the study revealed differences between MPs' experiences in the quest for the parliamentary seat, females on the open seat are subjected to gender discrimination in elections by party leadership, stereotyped, and are victims of propaganda in the initial contesting stages. Women who win elections in the open seat have to be superior to their male opponents. In other circumstances where a woman emerges successful, she may be voted for due to other reasons beyond capability, such as physical appearance or sociability. On the other hand, MPs' revelations on affirmative action seats show that the political terrain is smoother despite larger constituencies. Findings show that women on the Affirmative Action seat do not move to the open seat because of the comfort associated with the seat and maintain consistency, since the constituencies doubt the motives of representatives who change from one seat to another. The study concludes that women MPs who contest on the open seat are likely to suffer structural barriers such as gender discrimination and political recruitment bias instead of women on the affirmative seat. This explains why the majority of women contest on the affirmative seat.

Keywords: affirmative action seats, open seats, parliamentary representation, pathways

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Authors: Loren Clarke, Katie Reed

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The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in high school education assessment offers transformative potential, providing more personalized, timely, and accurate evaluations of student performance. However, the successful adoption of AI-driven assessment systems requires robust change management strategies to navigate the complexities and resistance that often accompany such technological shifts. This presentation explores effective methods for implementing AI in high school assessment, emphasizing the need for strategic planning and stakeholder engagement. Focusing on a case study of a Victorian high school, it will examine the practical steps taken to integrate AI into teaching and learning. This school has developed innovative processes to support academic integrity and foster authentic cogeneration with AI, ensuring that the technology is used ethically and effectively. By creating comprehensive professional development programs for teachers and maintaining transparent communication with students and parents, the school has successfully aligned AI technologies with their existing curricula and assessment frameworks. The session will highlight how AI has enhanced both formative and summative assessments, providing real-time feedback that supports differentiated instruction and fosters a more personalized learning experience. Participants will learn about best practices for managing the integration of AI in high school settings while maintaining a focus on equity and student-centered learning. This presentation aims to equip high school educators with the insights and tools needed to effectively manage the integration of AI in assessment, ultimately improving educational outcomes and preparing students for future success. Methodologies: The research is a case study of a Victorian high school to examine AI integration in assessments, focusing on practical implementation steps, ethical practices, and change management strategies to enhance personalized learning and assessment. Outcomes: This research explores AI integration in high school assessments, focusing on personalized evaluations, ethical use, and change management. A Victorian school case study highlights best practices to enhance assessments and improve student outcomes. Main Contributions: This research contributes by outlining effective AI integration in assessments, showcasing a Victorian school's implementation, and providing best practices for ethical use, change management, and enhancing personalized learning outcomes.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, assessment, curriculum design, teaching and learning, ai in education

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Authors: Abudjana Babiker

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The middle of twenty century witnessed an explosion in public housing. After the great depression, some of the capitalists and communist countries have launched policies and programs to produce public housing in the urban areas. Concurrently, modernity was the leading architecture style at the time excessively supported the production, and principally was the instrument for the success of the public housing program due to the modernism manifesto for manufactured architecture as an international style that serves the society and parallelly connect it to the other design industries which allowed for the production of the architecture elements. After the second world war, public housing flourished, especially in communist’s countries. The idea of public housing was conceived as living spaces at the time, while the Workplaces performed as the place for production and labor. Michel Foucault - At the end of the twenty century- the introduction of biopolitics has had highlighted the alteration in the production and labor inter-function. The house does not precisely perform as the sanctuary, from the production, for the family, it opens the house to be -part of the city as- a space for production, not only to produce objects but to reproduce the family as a total part of the production mechanism in the city. While the public housing kept altering from one country to another after the failure of the modernist’s public housing in the late 1970s, the society continued changing parallelly with the socio-economic condition in each political-economical system, and the public housing thus followed. The family structure in the major cities has been dramatically changing, single parenting and the long working hours, for instance, have been escalating the loneliness in the major cities such as London, Berlin, and Tokyo and the public housing for the families is no longer suits the single lifestyle for the individuals. This Paper investigates the performance of both the single/individual lifestyle and the family/society structure in Tokyo and Berlin in a relation to the utilization of public housing under economical policies and the socio-political environment that produced the individuals and the collective. The study is carried through the study of the undercurrent individual/society and case studies to examine the performance of the utilization of the housing. The major finding is that the individual/collective are revolving around the city; the city identified and acts as a system that magnetized and blurred the line between production and reproduction lifestyle. The mass public housing for families is shifting to be a combination between neo-liberalism and socialism housing.

Keywords: loneliness, production reproduction, work live, publichousing

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Authors: David A. Scott, Michelle G. Scott

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The problem of juvenile crime, school suspensions and oppositional behaviors indicates a need for a wide range of intervention programs for at-risk youth. Juvenile court systems and mental health agencies are examining alternative ways to deal with at-risk youth that will allow the adolescent to live within their home community. The previous trend that treatment away from home is more effective than treatment near one's community has shifted. Research now suggests that treatment be close to home for several reasons, such as increased treatment success, parental involvement, and reduced costs. Treatment options consist of a wide range of interventions, including outpatient, inpatient, and community-based services (therapeutic group homes, foster care and in-home preservation services). The juvenile justice system, families and other mental health agencies continue to seek the most effective treatment for at-risk youth in their communities. This research examines two possible treatment modalities, a multi-systemic outpatient program and a residential program. Research examining effective, evidence- based counseling will be discussed during this presentation. The presenter recently completed a three-year research grant examining effective treatment modalities for at-risk youth participating in a multi-systemic program. The presenter has also been involved in several research activities gathering data on effective techniques used in residential programs. The data and discussion will be broken down into two parts, each discussing one of the treatment modalities mentioned above. Data on the residential programs was collected on both a sample of 740 at- risk youth over a five-year period and also a sample of 63 participants during a one-year period residing in a residential programs. The effectiveness of these residential services was measured in three ways: services are evaluated by primary referral sources; follow-up data is obtained at various intervals after program participation to measure recidivism (what percentage got back into trouble with the Department of Juvenile Justice); and a more sensitive, "Offense Seriousness Score", has been computed and analyzed prior to, during and after treatment in the residential program. Data on the multi-systemic program was gathered over the past three years on 190 participants. Research will discuss pre and post test results, recidivism rates, academic performance, parental involvement, and effective counseling treatment modalities.

Keywords: at-risk youth, group homes, therapeutic group homes, recidivism rates

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Authors: Petra Hofmann, Dana Koniel, Jussi Luukkanen, Walter Nieminen, Lea Hannola, Ilkka Donoghue

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The Covid-19 pandemic forced people to isolate and become physically less connected. The pandemic hasnot only reshaped people’s behaviours and needs but also accelerated digital transformation (DT). DT of cities has become an imperative with the outlook of converting them into smart cities in the future. Embedding digital infrastructure and smart city initiatives as part of the normal design, construction, and operation of cities provides a unique opportunity to improve connection between people. Internet of Things (IoT) is an emerging technology and one of the drivers in DT. It has disrupted many industries by introducing different services and business models, and IoT solutions are being applied in multiple fields, including smart cities. As IoT and data are fundamentally linked together, IoT solutions can only create value if the data generated by the IoT devices is analysed properly. Extracting relevant conclusions and actionable insights by using established techniques, data analytics contributes significantly to the growth and success of IoT applications and investments. Companies must grasp DT and be prepared to redesign their offerings and business models to remain competitive in today’s marketplace. As there are many IoT solutions available today, the amount of data is tremendous. The challenge for companies is to understand what solutions to focus on and how to prioritise and which data to differentiate from the competition. This paper explains how IoT and data analytics can impact competitive advantage and how companies should approach IoT and data analytics to translate them into concrete offerings and solutions in the smart city context. The study was carried out as a qualitative, literature-based research. A case study is provided to validate the preservation of company’s competitive advantage through smart city solutions. The results of the researchcontribution provide insights into the different factors and considerations related to creating competitive advantage through IoT and data analytics deployment in the smart city context. Furthermore, this paper proposes a framework that merges the factors and considerations with examples of offerings and solutions in smart cities. The data collected through IoT devices, and the intelligent use of it, can create a competitive advantage to companies operating in smart city business. Companies should take into consideration the five forces of competition that shape industries and pay attention to the technological, organisational, and external contexts which define factors for consideration of competitive advantages in the field of IoT and data analytics. Companies that can utilise these key assets in their businesses will most likely conquer the markets and have a strong foothold in the smart city business.

Keywords: internet of things, data analytics, smart cities, competitive advantage

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Authors: Chineduum Okpala

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Nigeria, since her independence, has been engulfed in financial crimes of different forms. From embezzlement and conversion of public funds by public servants to stealing, contract inflation, and money laundering. Money laundering in Nigeria, particularly by political exposed persons, has been an issue of concern since independence. Corruption has been endemic, and Nigeria needs to integrate pro-active measures to show to the international community that it is ready to move against this vice. This paper discusses the negative effect of corruption and its effect on prosecutorial discretion. It also takes cognisance of the policy and aims of the anti-money laundering (AML) policy as enacted in Nigeria. It also takes as valid the assumption that the effective application of the rule of law will improve the efficacy of the Nigerian regime. In this regard, the perspective is internal to the Nigerian regime and its internal policy discourse which also reflect its policy discourse at international level. This paper takes notice of the typology of money laundering (ML) offences that most affect Nigeria, which hinges on corruption and abuse of office by a specific type of person, politically exposed persons (PEP). This typology of money laundering offence appears to be the most prevalent in developing nations like Nigeria. The application of essential principles of law provides an opportunity for the internalisation of the rule of law in the anti-money laundering regime in Nigeria, which could aid the successful prosecution of politically exposed persons on money laundering offences. The rule of law and how well the Nigerian legal system manages to deal with the interface between high level politics and the criminal justice system in Nigeria cannot be understood from internal sources but must be developed as a genuine but critical account informed by perspectives external to the Nigerian regime. If the efficacy of the regime is to be assessed in view of notorious failures of the regime, an external assessment is needed. Hence the paper discusses the need to integrate the essential principles of law in the application of prosecutorial discretion in the anti-money laundering regime in Nigeria, particularly with politically exposed persons. The paper highlights jurisdiction where prosecutorial discretion is integrated into the anti-money laundering regime in accordance to the rule of law which forms a basis for comparative analysis of the success of the anti-money laundering regime in Nigeria. This paper discusses why the application of prosecutorial discretion should not be used as a tool to extricate or avail the rich and powerful in the society from justice. The paper aims to argue that the successful prosecution of politically exposed persons, will raise the confidence of the citizens and the international community in the anti-money laundering regime in Nigeria.

Keywords: money laundering, politically exposed persons, corruption, Nigeria

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Authors: Nezha Badi

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It has been shown in the literature that Algerian university students suffer from low levels of reading comprehension proficiency, which hinder their overall proficiency in English. This low level is mainly related to the methodology of teaching reading which is employed by the teacher in the classroom (a teacher-centered environment), as well as students’ poor sense of self-efficacy to undertake reading comprehension activities. Arguably, what is needed is an approach necessary for enhancing students’ self-beliefs about their abilities to deal with different reading comprehension activities. This can be done by providing them with opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning (learners’ autonomy). As a result of learning autonomy, learners’ beliefs about their abilities to deal with certain language tasks may increase, and hence, their language learning ability. Therefore, this experimental research study attempts to assess the extent to which an integrated approach combining one particular reading approach known as ‘collaborative strategic reading’ (CSR), and teacher’s attributional feedback (on students’ reading performance and strategy use) can improve the reading comprehension skill and the sense of self-efficacy of EFL Algerian university students. It also seeks to examine students’ main reasons for their successful or unsuccessful achievements in reading comprehension activities, and whether students’ attributions for their reading comprehension outcomes can be modified after exposure to the instruction. To obtain the data, different tools including a reading comprehension test, questionnaires, an observation, an interview, and learning logs were used with 105 second year Algerian EFL university students. The sample of the study was divided into three groups; one control group (with no treatment), one experimental group (CSR group) who received a CSR instruction, and a second intervention group (CSR Plus group) who received teacher’s attribution feedback in addition to the CSR intervention. Students in the CSR Plus group received the same experiment as the CSR group using the same tools, except that they were asked to keep learning logs, for which teacher’s feedback on reading performance and strategy use was provided. The results of this study indicate that the CSR and the attributional feedback intervention was effective in improving students’ reading comprehension proficiency and sense of self-efficacy. However, there was not a significant change in students’ adaptive and maladaptive attributions for their success and failure d from the pre-test to the post-test phase. Analysis of the perception questionnaire, the interview, and the learning logs shows that students have positive perceptions about the CSR and the attributional feedback instruction. Based on the findings, this study, therefore, seeks to provide EFL teachers in general and Algerian EFL university teachers in particular with pedagogical implications on how to teach reading comprehension to their students to help them achieve well and feel more self-efficacious in reading comprehension activities, and in English language learning more generally.

Keywords: attributions, attributional feedback, collaborative strategic reading, self-efficacy

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Authors: Raphael M. Rettig, Tessa C. Flatten

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This empirical study answer calls for research on Absorptive Capacity and Process Innovation. Due to the fourth industrial revolution, manufacturing companies face the biggest disruption of their production processes since the rise of advanced manufacturing technologies in the last century. Therefore, process innovation will become a critical task to master in the future for many manufacturing firms around the world. The general ability of organizations to acquire, assimilate, transform, and exploit external knowledge, known as Absorptive Capacity, was proven to positively influence product innovation and is already conceptually associated with process innovation. The presented research provides empirical evidence for this influence. The findings are based on an empirical analysis of 732 companies from seven leading and emerging countries: Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States of America. The answers to the survey were collected in February and March 2018 and addressed senior- and top-level management with a focus on operations departments. The statistical analysis reveals the positive influence of potential and Realized Absorptive Capacity on successful process innovation taking the implementation of new digital manufacturing processes as an example. Potential Absorptive Capacity covering the acquisition and assimilation capabilities of an organization showed a significant positive influence (β = .304, p < .05) on digital manufacturing implementation success and therefore on process innovation. Realized Absorptive Capacity proved to have significant positive influence on process innovation as well (β = .461, p < .01). The presented study builds on prior conceptual work in the field of Absorptive Capacity and process innovation and contributes theoretically to ongoing research in two dimensions. First, the already conceptually associated influence of Absorptive Capacity on process innovation is backed by empirical evidence in a broad international context. Second, since Absorptive Capacity was measured with a focus on new product development, prior empirical research on Absorptive Capacity was tailored to the research and development departments of organizations. The results of this study highlight the importance of Absorptive Capacity as a capability in mechanical engineering and operations departments of organizations. The findings give managers an indication of the importance of implementing new innovative processes into their production system and fostering the right mindset of employees to identify new external knowledge. Through the ability to transform and exploit external knowledge, own production processes can be innovated successfully and therefore have a positive influence on firm performance and the competitive position of their organizations.

Keywords: absorptive capacity, digital manufacturing, dynamic capabilities, process innovation

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Authors: Liane J. Ioannou, Jonathan Serpell, Joanne Dean, Cino Bendinelli, Jenny Gough, Dean Lisewski, Julie Miller, Win Meyer-Rochow, Stan Sidhu, Duncan Topliss, David Walters, John Zalcberg, Susannah Ahern

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Background: The occurrence of thyroid cancer is increasing throughout the developed world, including Australia and New Zealand, and since the 1990s has become the fastest increasing malignancy. Following the success of a number of institutional databases that monitor outcomes after thyroid surgery, the Australian and New Zealand Endocrine Surgeons (ANZES) agreed to auspice the development of a bi-national thyroid cancer registry. Objectives: To establish a bi-national population-based clinical quality registry with the aim of monitoring and improving the quality of care provided to patients diagnosed with thyroid cancer in Australia and New Zealand. Patients and Methods: The Australian and New Zealand Thyroid Cancer Registry (ANZTCR) captures clinical data for all patients, over the age of 18 years, diagnosed with thyroid cancer, confirmed by histopathology report, that have been diagnosed, assessed or treated at a contributing hospital. Data is collected by endocrine surgeons using a web-based interface, REDCap, primarily via direct data entry. Results: A multi-disciplinary Steering Committee was formed, and with operational support from Monash University the ANZTCR was established in early 2017. The pilot phase of the registry is currently operating in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, with over 30 sites expected to come on board across Australia and New Zealand in 2018. A modified-Delphi process was undertaken to determine the key quality indicators to be reported by the registry, and a minimum dataset was developed comprising information regarding thyroid cancer diagnosis, pathology, surgery, and 30-day follow up. Conclusion: There are very few established thyroid cancer registries internationally, yet clinical quality registries have shown valuable outcomes and patient benefits in other cancers. The establishment of the ANZTCR provides the opportunity for Australia and New Zealand to further understand the current practice in the treatment of thyroid cancer and reasons for variation in outcomes. The engagement of endocrine surgeons in supporting this initiative is crucial. While the pilot registry has a focus on early clinical outcomes, it is anticipated that future collection of longer-term outcome data particularly for patients with the poor prognostic disease will add significant further value to the registry.

Keywords: thyroid cancer, clinical registry, population health, quality improvement

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Authors: John Acire, Wilfred Lajul, Ogwang Tom

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Using a qualitative research technique, this study investigates the influence of Early Childhood Education (ECE) on learning outcomes in lower primary schools in Gulu City, Uganda. The study, which is based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of human learning, fills gaps in the current literature on the influence of ECE on learning outcomes. The aims of the study include analyzing the state of learning outcomes, investigating ECE practices, and determining the influence of these practices on learning outcomes in lower primary schools. The findings highlight the critical significance of ECE in promoting children's overall development. Nursery education helps children improve their handwriting, reading abilities, and general cognitive development. Children who have received nursery education have improved their abilities to handle pencils, form letters, and engage in social interactions, highlighting the significance of fine motor skills and socializing. Despite the good elements, difficulties in implementing ECE practices were found, such as differences in teaching styles, financial limits, and potential weariness due to prolonged school hours. The study suggests focused interventions to improve the effectiveness of ECE practices, ensure their connection with educational goals and maximize their influence on children's development. The study's findings show that respondents agree on the importance of nursery education in supporting holistic development, socialization, language competency, and conceptual comprehension. Challenges in nursery education, such as differences in teaching techniques and insufficient resources, highlight the need for comprehensive measures to address these challenges. Furthermore, parental engagement in home learning activities was revealed as an important factor affecting early education outcomes. Children who were engaged at home performed better in lower primary, emphasizing the value of a supportive family environment. Finally, the report suggests measures to enhance parental participation, changes in teaching methods through retraining, and age-appropriate enrolment. Future studies might concentrate on the involvement of parents, ECE policy practice, and the influence of ECE teachers on lower primary school learning results. These ideas are intended to help create a more favorable learning environment by encouraging holistic development and preparing children for success in succeeding academic levels.

Keywords: early childhood education, learning outcomes in lower primary schools, early childhood education practices, how ECE practices influence learning outcomes in lower primary schools

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Authors: Michio Kurosu

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Alterations in glycosylation not only directly impact cell growth and survival but also facilitate tumor-induced immunomodulation and eventual metastasis. Identification of cell type-specific glycoconjugates (tumor markers) has led to the discovery of new assay systems for certain cancers via immunodetection reagents. N- and O-linked glycans are the most abundant forms of glycoproteins. Recent studies of cancer immunotherapy are based on the immunogenicity of truncated O-glycan chains (e.g., Tn, sTn, T, and sLea/x). The prevalence of N-linked glycan changes in the development of tumor cells is known; however, therapeutic antibodies against N-glycans have not yet been developed. This is due to the lack of specificity of N-linked glycans between normal/healthy and cancer cells. Abnormal branching of N-linked glycans has been observed, particularly in solid cancer cells. While the discovery of drug-like glycosyltransferase inhibitors that block the biosynthesis of specific branching has a very low likelihood of success, altered glycosylation levels can be exploited by suppressing N-glycan biosynthesis through the inhibition of dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase1 (DPAGT1) activity. Inhibition of DPAGT1 function leads to changes of O-glycosylation on proteins associated with mitochondria and zinc finger binding proteins (indirect effects). On the basis of dynamic crosstalk between DPAGT1 and Snail/Slung/ZEB1 (a family of transcription factors that promote the repression of the adhesion molecules), we have developed pharmacologically acceptable selective DPAGT1 inhibitors. Tunicamycin kills a wide range of cancer and healthy cells in a non-selective manner. In sharp contrast, our DPAGT1 inhibitors display strong cytostatic effects against 16 solid cancers, which require the overexpression of DPAGT1 in their progression but do not affect the cell viability of healthy cells. The identified DPAGT1 inhibitors possess impressive anti-metastatic ability in various solid cancer cell lines and induce their mitochondrial structural changes, resulting in apoptosis. A prototype DPAGT1 inhibitor, APPB has already been proven to shrink solid tumors (e.g., pancreatic cancers, triple-negative breast cancers) in vivo while suppressing metastases and has strong synergistic effects when combined with current cytotoxic drugs (e.g., paclitaxel). At this conference, our discovery of selective DPAGT1 inhibitors with drug-like properties and proof-of-pharmaceutical concept studies of a novel DPAGT1 inhibitor are presented.

Keywords: DPAGT1 inhibitors, anti-metastatic drugs, natural product based drug designs, cytostatic effects

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Authors: I. Gupta, N. Setia

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Introduction. Buyer conduct is a progression of practices or examples that buyers pursue before making a buy. It begins when the shopper ends up mindful of a need or wish for an item, at that point finishes up with the buying exchange. Business visionaries can't generally simply shake hands with their intended interest group people and become more acquainted with them. Research is often necessary, so every organization primarily involves doing continuous research to understand and satisfy consumer needs pattern. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the present study is to examine the different behaviors of the consumer, including pre-purchase, purchase, and post-purchase behavior. Materials and Methods: In order to get results, face to face interview held with 80 people which comprise a larger part of female individuals having upper as well as middle-class status. The prime source of data collection was primary. However, the study has also used the theoretical contribution of many researchers in their respective field. Results: Majority of the respondents were females (70%) from the age group of 20-50. The collected data was analyzed through hypothesis testing statistical techniques such as correlation analysis, single regression analysis, and ANOVA which has rejected the null hypothesis that there is no relation between researching the consumer behavior at different stages and organizational performance. The real finding of this study is that simply focusing on the buying part isn't enough to gain profits and fame, however, understanding the pre, buy and post-buy behavior of consumer performs a huge role in organization success. The outcomes demonstrated that the organization, which deals with the three phases of research of purchasing conduct is able to establish a great brand image as compare to their competitors. Alongside, enterprises can observe customer conduct in a considerably more proficient manner. Conclusion: The analyses of consumer behavior presented in this study is an attempt to understand the factors affecting consumer purchasing behavior. This study has revealed that those corporations are more successful, which work on understanding buying behavior instead to just focus on the selling products. As a result, organizations perform good and grow rapidly because consumers are the one who can make or break the company. The interviews that were conducted face to face, clearly revealed that those organizations become at top-notch whom consumers are satisfied, not just with product but also with services of the company. The study is not targeting the particular class of audience; however, it brings out benefits to the masses, in particular to business organizations.

Keywords: consumer behavior, pre purchase, post purchase, consumer satisfaction

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Authors: Prince Chukwuneme Enwereji, Annelien Van Rooyen

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In recent years, technology integration in education has transformed the learning landscape, particularly in online institutions. One technological advancement that has gained popularity is e-tutoring, which offers personalised academic support to students through online platforms. While e-tutoring has become well-known and has been adopted to promote collaborative learning, there are still students who do not use these services for various reasons. However, little attention has been given to understanding the perspectives of students who have not utilized these services. The research objectives include identifying the perceived benefits that non-e-tutoring students believe e-tutoring could offer, such as enhanced academic support, personalized learning experiences, and improved performance. Additionally, the study explored the potential drawbacks or concerns that non-e-tutoring students associate with e-tutoring, such as concerns about efficacy, a lack of face-to-face interaction, and platform accessibility. The study adopted a quantitative research approach with a descriptive design to gather and analyze data on non-e-tutoring students' perspectives. Online questionnaires were employed as the primary data collection method, allowing for the efficient collection of data from many participants. The collected data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Ethical concepts such as informed consent, anonymity of responses and protection of respondents against harm were maintained. Findings indicate that non-e-tutoring students perceive a sense of control over their own pace of learning, suggesting a preference for self-directed learning and the ability to tailor their educational experience to their individual needs and learning styles. They also exhibit high levels of motivation, believe in their ability to effectively participate in their studies and organize their academic work, and feel comfortable studying on their own without the help of e-tutors. However, non-e-tutoring students feel that e-tutors do not sufficiently address their academic needs and lack engagement. They also perceive a lack of clarity in the roles of e-tutors, leading to uncertainty about their responsibilities. In terms of communication, students feel overwhelmed by the volume of announcements and find repetitive information frustrating. Additionally, some students face challenges with their internet connection and associated cost, which can hinder their participation in online activities. Furthermore, non-e-tutoring students express a desire for interactions with their peers and a sense of belonging to a group or team. They value opportunities for collaboration, teamwork in their learning experience, the importance of fostering social interactions and creating a sense of community in online learning environments. This study recommended that students seek alternate support systems by reaching out to professors or academic advisors for guidance and clarification. Developing self-directed learning skills is essential, empowering students to take charge of their own learning through setting objectives, creating own study plans, and utilising resources. For HEIs, it was recommended that they should ensure that a variety of support services are available to cater to the needs of all students, including non-e-tutoring students. HEIs should also ensure easy access to online resources, promote a supportive community, and regularly evaluate and adapt their support techniques to meet students' changing requirements.

Keywords: online-tutor;, student support;, online education, educational practices, distance education

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Authors: Jan Schmitt, Sophie Fischer

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After the Corona pandemic, climate change is a further, long-lasting challenge the society must deal with. An ongoing climate change need to be prevented. Nevertheless, the adoption tothe already changed climate conditionshas to be focused in many sectors. Recently, the decisive role of the economic sector with high value added can be seen in the Corona crisis. Hence, manufacturing industry as such a sector, needs to be prepared for climate change and adaption. Several examples from the manufacturing industry show the importance of a strategic effort in this field: The outsourcing of a major parts of the value chain to suppliers in other countries and optimizing procurement logistics in a time-, storage- and cost-efficient manner within a network of global value creation, can lead vulnerable impacts due to climate-related disruptions. E.g. the total damage costs after the 2011 flood disaster in Thailand, including costs for delivery failures, were estimated at 45 billion US dollars worldwide. German car manufacturers were also affected by supply bottlenecks andhave close its plant in Thailand for a short time. Another OEM must reduce the production output. In this contribution, a game-based learning approach is presented, which should enable manufacturing companies to derive their own strategies for climate adaption out of a mix of different actions. Based on data from a regional study of small, medium and large manufacturing companies in Mainfranken, a strongly industrialized region of northern Bavaria (Germany) the game-based learning approach is designed. Out of this, the actual state of efforts due to climate adaption is evaluated. First, the results are used to collect single actions for manufacturing companies and second, further actions can be identified. Then, a variety of climate adaption activities can be clustered according to the scope of activity of the company. The combination of different actions e.g. the renewal of the building envelope with regard to thermal insulation, its benefits and drawbacks leads to a specific strategy for climate adaption for each company. Within the game-based approach, the players take on different roles in a fictionalcompany and discuss the order and the characteristics of each action taken into their climate adaption strategy. Different indicators such as economic, ecologic and stakeholder satisfaction compare the success of the respective measures in a competitive format with other virtual companies deriving their own strategy. A "play through" climate change scenarios with targeted adaptation actions illustrate the impact of different actions and their combination onthefictional company.

Keywords: business strategy, climate change, climate adaption, game-based learning

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Authors: Chandra Shekhar Majumder, Orin Sultana Jamie

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Background: Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) has been a widely accepted surgical intervention for nasolacrimal duct obstructions. Some previous studies demonstrated the potential benefits of the peroperative application of agents like Mitomycin-C (MMC) with DCR to improve surgical outcomes. Relevant studies are rare in Bangladesh, and there are controversies about the dose, duration of MMC, and outcome. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the comparative efficacy of DCR with and without MMC in a tertiary hospital in Bangladesh. Objective: The study aims to determine the outcome of a dacryocystorhinostomy with preoperative local use of mitomycin–C. Methods: An analytical study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, Sir Salimullah Medical College & Mitford Hospital, Dhaka, from January 2023 to September 2023. Seventy patients who were admitted for DCR operation were included according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients were divided into two groups: those who underwent DCR with peroperative administration of 0.2 mg/ml Mitomycin-C for 5 minutes (Group I) and those who underwent DCR alone (Group II). All patients were subjected to detailed history taking, clinical examination, and relevant investigations. All patients underwent DCR according to standard guidelines and ensured the highest peroperative and postoperative care. Then, patients were followed up at 7th POD, 1-month POD, 3 months POD, and 6 months POD to observe the success rate between the two groups by assessing tearing condition, irrigation, height of tear meniscus, and FDDT- test. Data was recorded using a pre-structured questionnaire, and collected data were analyzed using SPSS 23. Results: The mean age of the study patients was 42.17±6.7 (SD) years and 42.29±7.1 (SD) years in Groups I and II, respectively, with no significant difference (p=0.945). At the 6th month’s follow-up, group I patients were observed with 94.3% frequency of symptom-free, 85.6% patency of lacrimal drainage system, 68.6% had tear meniscus <0.1mm and 88.6% had positive Fluorescence Dye Disappearance Test (FDDT test). In group II, 91.4% were symptom-free, 68.6% showed patency, 57.1% had a height of tear meniscus < 0.1 mm, and 85.6% had FDDT test positive. But no statistically significant difference was observed (p<.05). Conclusion: The use of Mitomycin-C preoperatively during DCR offers better postoperative outcomes, particularly in maintaining patency and achieving symptom resolution with more FDDT test positive and improvement of tear meniscus in the MMC group than the control group. However, this study didn’t demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the two groups. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods would be beneficial to corroborate these findings.

Keywords: dacryocystorhinostomy, mitomycin-c, dacryocystitis, nasolacrimal duct obstruction

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Authors: Satoshi Kusaka

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The term ‘competency’ is attracting considerable scholarly attention worldwide with the advance of globalization in the 21st century and with the arrival of a knowledge-based society. In the current world environment, familiarity with varied disciplines is regarded to be vital for personal success. The idea of a competency-based educational system was mooted by the ‘Definition and Selection of Competencies (DeSeCo)’ project that was conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Further, attention to this topic is not limited to developed countries; it can also be observed in developing countries. For instance, the importance of a competency-based curriculum was mentioned in the ‘2013 Harmonized Curriculum Framework for the East African Community’, which recommends key competencies that should be developed in primary schools. The introduction of such curricula and the reviews of programs are actively being executed, primarily in the East African Community but also in neighboring nations. Taking Mozambique as a case in point, the present paper examines the conception of ‘competency’ as a target of frontline education in developing countries. It also aims to discover the manner in which the syllabus, textbooks and lessons, among other things, in primary-level math education are developed and to determine the challenges faced in the process. This study employs the perspective of competency-based education design to analyze how the term ‘competency’ is defined in the primary-level math syllabus, how it is reflected in the textbooks, and how the lessons are actually developed. ‘Practical competency’ is mentioned in the syllabus, and the description of the term lays emphasis on learners' ability to interactively apply socio-cultural and technical tools, which is one of the key competencies that are advocated in OECD's ‘Definition and Selection of Competencies’ project. However, most of the content of the textbooks pertains to ‘basic academic ability’, and in actual classroom practice, teachers often impart lessons straight from the textbooks. It is clear that the aptitude of teachers and their classroom routines are greatly dependent on the cultivation of their own ‘practical competency’ as it is defined in the syllabus. In other words, there is great divergence between the ‘syllabus’, which is the intended curriculum, and the content of the ‘textbooks’. In fact, the material in the textbooks should serve as the bridge between the syllabus, which forms the guideline, and the lessons, which represent the ‘implemented curriculum’. Moreover, the results obtained from this investigation reveal that the problem can only be resolved through the cultivation of ‘practical competency’ in teachers, which is currently not sufficient.

Keywords: competency, curriculum, mathematics education, Mozambique

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Authors: Shailendra Kumar Singh

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With the rise of New Linguistic World Order in the 21st century, the Aged Pragmatics is palpitating on the edge of theoretical irrelevance. What appears to be a new sociolinguistic reality is that the enlightening combination of alternative west, inclusive globalization and techno-revolution is adding novel recipes to communicative actions, style and gain among new linguistic breed which is being neither dominated nor powered by the western supremacy. The paper has the following main, interrelated, aims: it is intended to introduce the concept of alternative pragmatics that can offer what exactly is needed for our emerging societal realities; it asserts as to how the basic pillar of linguistic success in the new linguistic world order rests upon linguistic temptation and calibration of all; and it also reviews an inevitability of emerging economies in shaping the communication trends at a time when the western world is struggling to maintain the same control on the others exercised in the past. In particular, the paper seeks answers for the following questions: (a) Do we need an alternative pragmatics, one with alternativist leaning in an era of inclusive globalization and alternative west? (b) What are the pulses of shift which are encapsulating emergence of new communicative behavior among the new linguistic breed by breaking yesterday’s linguistic rigidity? (c) Or, what are those shifts which are making linguistic shift more perceptible? (d) Is New Linguistic World Order succeeding in reversing linguistic priorities of `who speaks, what language, where, how, why, to whom and in which condition’ with no parallel in the history? (e) What is explicit about the contemporary world of 21st century which makes linguistic world all exciting and widely celebrative phenomenon and that is also forced into our vision? (f) What factors will hold key to the future of yesterday’s `influential languages’ and today’s `emerging languages’ as world is in the paradigm transition? (g) Is the collapse of Aged Pragmatics good for the 21st century for understanding the difference between pragmatism of old linguistic world and new linguistic world order? New Linguistic world Order today, unlike in the past, is about a branding of new world with liberal world view for a particular form of ideal to be imagined in the 21st century. At this time without question it is hope that a new set of ideals with popular vocabulary will become the implicit pragmatic model as one of benign majoritarianism in all aspects of sociolinguistic reality. It appears to be a reality that we live in an extraordinary linguistic world with no parallel in the past. In particular, the paper also highlights the paradigm shifts: Demographic, Social-psychological, technological and power. These shifts are impacting linguistic shift which is unique in itself. The paper will highlight linguistic shift in details in which alternative west plays a major role without challenging the west because it is an era of inclusive globalization in which almost everyone takes equal responsibility.

Keywords: inclusive globalization, new linguistic world order, linguistic shift, world order

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Authors: S. K. Sharma, P. Kumar, Pratibha Singh

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Consumption of SNACK is growing its popularity every day in India and a broad range of these items are available in the market. The end user interest in ready-to-eat snack foods is constantly growing mainly due to their ease, ample accessibility, appearance, taste and texture. Food extrusion has been practiced for over fifty years. Its role was initially limited to mixing and forming cereal products. Although thermoplastic extrusion has been successful for starch products, extrusion of proteins has achieved only limited success. In this study, value-added extruded prawn product was prepared with prawn flavor powder and corn flour using a twin-screw extruder. Prawn flavor concentrates prepared from fresh prawn head (Solenocera indica). To prepare flavor concentrate prawn head washed with potable water and blended with 200ml 3% salt solution per 250gm head weight to make the slurry, which was further put in muslin cloth and boiled with salt and starch solution for 10 minutes, cooled to room temperature and filtered, starch added to the filtrate and made into powder in an electrically drier at 43-450c. The mixture was passed through the twin-screw extruder (co-rotating twin screw extruder - basic technology Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata) which was operated at a particular speed of rotation, die diameter, temperature, moisture, and fish powder concentration. Many trial runs were conducted to set up the process variables. The different extrudes produced after each trail were examined for the quality and characteristics. The effect of temperature, moisture, screw speed, protein, fat, ash and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) number and expansion ratio were studied. In all the four trials, moisture, temperature, speed and die diameter used was 20%, 100°C, 350 rpm and 4 mm, respectively. The ratio of prawn powder and cornstarch used in different trials ranged between 2:98 and 10:90. The storage characteristics of the final product were studied using three different types of packaging under nitrogen flushing, i.e. a- 12-pm polyester, 12-pm metalized polyester, 60-11m polyethylene (metalized polyester a), b- 12-11m metalized polyester, 37.5-11m polyethylene (metalized polyester b), c- 12-11m polyethylene, 9-11m aluminium foil, 37.5-11m polyethylene (aluminium foil). The organoleptic analysis was carried out on a 9-point hedonic scale. The study revealed that the fried product packed in aluminum foil under nitrogen flushing would remain acceptable for more than three months.

Keywords: extruded product, prawn flavor, twin-screw extruder, storage characteristics

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Authors: Rasha Elsawy

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Aside from the rapid growth of global information technology and the Internet, another key trend is the swift proliferation of wearable technologies. The future of wearable technologies is very bright as an emerging revolution in this technological world. Beyond this, individual continuance intention toward IT is an important area that drew academics' and practitioners' attention. The literature review exhibits that continuance usage is an important concern that needs to be addressed for any technology to be advantageous and for consumers to succeed. However, consumers noticeably abandon their wearable devices soon after purchase, losing all subsequent benefits that can only be achieved through continued usage. Purpose-This thesis aims to develop an integrated model designed to explain and predict consumers' behavioural intention(BI) and continued use (CU) of wearable fitness technology (WFT) to identify the determinants of the CU of technology. Because of this, the question arises as to whether there are differences between technology adoption and post-adoption (CU) factors. Design/methodology/approach- The study employs the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology2 (UTAUT2), which has the best explanatory power, as an underpinning framework—extending it with further factors, along with user-specific personal characteristics as moderators. All items will be adapted from previous literature and slightly modified according to the WFT/SW context. A longitudinal investigation will be carried out to examine the research model, wherein a survey will include these constructs involved in the conceptual model. A quantitative approach based on a questionnaire survey will collect data from existing wearable technology users. Data will be analysed using the structural equation modelling (SEM) method based on IBM SPSS statistics and AMOS 28.0. Findings- The research findings will provide unique perspectives on user behaviour, intention, and actual continuance usage when accepting WFT. Originality/value- Unlike previous works, the current thesis comprehensively explores factors that affect consumers' decisions to continue using wearable technology. That is influenced by technological/utilitarian, affective, emotional, psychological, and social factors, along with the role of proposed moderators. That novel research framework is proposed by extending the UTAUT2 model with additional contextual variables classified into Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Social Influence (societal pressure regarding body image), Facilitating Conditions, Hedonic Motivation (to be split up into two concepts: perceived enjoyment and perceived device annoyance), Price value, and Habit-forming techniques; adding technology upgradability as determinants of consumers' behavioural intention and continuance usage of Information Technology (IT). Further, using personality traits theory and proposing relevant user-specific personal characteristics (openness to technological innovativeness, conscientiousness in health, extraversion, neuroticism, and agreeableness) to moderate the research model. Thus, the present thesis obtains a more convincing explanation expected to provide theoretical foundations for future emerging IT (such as wearable fitness devices) research from a behavioural perspective.

Keywords: wearable technology, wearable fitness devices/smartwatches, continuance use, behavioural intention, upgradability, longitudinal study

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Authors: Shahzad A. Mughal, Ameer A. P. Ghaloo, Faisal Laghari, Mohsin A. Mirza

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Job satisfaction and level of job stressors among employees of a university are considered as essential factors responsible for institutional success. Job satisfaction is usually believed as a single baseline variable for the evaluation of a university human resource area. The objectives of this study were to assess the level of job satisfaction and influence of job stressors among university teachers and their association with long term physical health of the employees in government sector universities in Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted on university employees including faculty members and administrative staff of three government sector universities in Sindh province of Pakistan who have completed at least ten years of their job. The study period was six months. All the employees were randomly selected. The job satisfaction scale Questionnaire with yes and no options, together with questions regarding demographic factors, job stress or other working factors and physical health issues were administered in questionnaires. These questionnaires were handed out to 100 faculty members of both genders with permanent job and 50 non faculty staff of grade 17 and above with permanent employment status. Students’ T test and one way ANOVA was applied to categorical variables and Pearson’s correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the correlations between study variables. 121 successful responses were obtained (effective respondent rate 80.6%). The average score of overall job satisfaction was 65.6%. Statistical analysis revealed that the job satisfaction and work related stressors had negative impact on overall health status of the employees with resultant less efficacy and mental stress. The positive relation was perceived by employees for organizational support and high income with job satisfaction. Demographic features such as age and female gender were also linked to the level of job satisfaction and health related issues. The total variation among all responses regarding correlation between job satisfaction job stressors and health related issues was 55%. A study was conducted on University employees of government sector Universities in Pakistan, regarding association of job satisfaction and job stressors with long term physical health of the employees. Study revealed a moderate level of job satisfaction among the employees of all universities included in this study. Attitude and personal relations with heads of the departments and institution along with salary packages were considered as biggest job stressors related correlated directly with physical health. Demographic features and gender were associated factors for job satisfaction. Organizational support was the strongest factor for job satisfaction and results pointed out that by improving support level from University may improve the quality of job satisfaction and overall health of employees.

Keywords: job satisfaction, organizational support, physical health, university employees

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Authors: Charles St. Geste, Michael Neumann, Catherine Twohig

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Our primary aim is to examine farmer-centered participatory action learning as a tool to improve agricultural production, build resilience to climate shocks and, more broadly, advance community-driven solutions for sustainable development in rural communities across Haiti. For over six years, sixty plus farmers from Deslandes, Haiti, organized in three traditional work groups called konbits, have designed and tested low-input agroecology techniques as part of the Konbit Vanyan Kapab Pwoje Agroekoloji. The project utilizes a participatory action learning approach, emphasizing social inclusion, building on local knowledge, experiential learning, active farmer participation in trial design and evaluation, and cross-community sharing. Mixed methods were used to evaluate changes in knowledge and adoption of agroecology techniques, confidence in advancing agroecology locally, and innovation among Konbit Vanyan Kapab farmers. While skill and knowledge in application of agroecology techniques varied among individual farmers, a majority of farmers successfully adopted techniques outside of the trial farms. The use of agroecology techniques on trial and individual farms has doubled crop production in many cases. Farm income has also increased, and farmers report less damage to crops and property caused by extreme weather events. Furthermore, participatory action strategies have led to greater local self-determination and greater capacity for sustainable community development. With increased self-confidence and the knowledge and skills acquired from participating in the project, farmers prioritized sharing their successful techniques with other farmers and have developed a farmer-to-farmer training program that incorporates participatory action learning. Using adult education methods, farmers, trained as agroecology educators, are currently providing training in sustainable farming practices to farmers from five villages in three departments across Haiti. Konbit Vanyan Kapab farmers have also begun testing production of value-added food products, including a dried soup mix and tea. Key factors for success include: opportunities for farmers to actively participate in all phases of the project, group diversity, resources for application of agroecology techniques, focus on group processes and overcoming local barriers to inclusive decision-making.

Keywords: agroecology, participatory action learning, rural Haiti, sustainable community development

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Authors: Faye Cosgrove, Donna Peacock

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This paper examines current state strategies for dealing with vulnerable people in police custody and identifies the underpinning discourses and practices which inform these strategies. It has previously been argued that the state has utilised contradictory and conflicting responses to the control of crime, by employing opposing strategies of denial and adaptation in order to simultaneously both display sovereignty and disclaim responsibility. This paper argues that these contradictory strategies are still being employed in contemporary criminal justice, although the focus and the purpose have now shifted. The focus is upon the ‘vulnerable’ suspect, whose social identity is as incongruous, complex and contradictory as his social environment, and the purpose is to redirect attention away from negative state practices, whilst simultaneously displaying a compassionate and benevolent countenance in order to appeal to the voting public. The findings presented here result from intensive qualitative research with police officers, with health care professionals, and with civilian volunteers who work within police custodial environments. The data has been gathered over a three-year period and includes observational and interview data which has been thematically analysed to expose the underpinning mechanisms from which the properties of the system emerge. What is revealed is evidence of contemporary state practices of denial relating to the harms of austerity and the structural relations of vulnerability, whilst simultaneously adapting through processes of ‘othering’ of the vulnerable, ‘responsibilisation’ of citizens, defining deviance down through diversionary practices, and managing success through redefining the aims of the system. The ‘vulnerable’ suspect is subject to individual pathologising, and yet the nature of risk is aggregated. ‘Vulnerable’ suspects are supported in police custody by private citizens, by multi-agency partnerships, and by for-profit organisations, while the state seeks to collate and control services, and thereby to retain a veneer of control. Late modern ambivalence to crime control and the associated contradictory practices of abjuration and adjustment have extended to state responses to vulnerable suspects. The support available in the custody environment operates to control and minimise operational and procedural risk, rather than for the welfare of the detained person, and in fact, the support available is discovered to be detrimental to the very people that it claims to benefit. The ‘vulnerable’ suspect is now subject to the bifurcated logics employed at the new limits of the sovereign state.

Keywords: custody, policing, sovereign state, vulnerability

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Authors: Godian Asami Mabindah

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The convergence of knowledge management (KM) and competitive intelligence (CI) has gained significant attention in recent years as organizations seek to enhance their competitive advantage in an increasingly complex and dynamic business environment. This research study aims to explore and understand the synergistic relationship between KM and CI and its impact on organizational performance. By investigating how the integration of KM and CI practices can contribute to decision-making, innovation, and competitive advantage, this study seeks to unlock the potential benefits and challenges associated with this integration. The research employs a mixed-methods approach to gather comprehensive data. A quantitative analysis is conducted using survey data collected from a diverse sample of organizations across different industries. The survey measures the extent of integration between KM and CI practices and examines the perceived benefits and challenges associated with this integration. Additionally, qualitative interviews are conducted with key organizational stakeholders to gain deeper insights into their experiences, perspectives, and best practices regarding the synergistic relationship. The findings of this study are expected to reveal several significant outcomes. Firstly, it is anticipated that organizations that effectively integrate KM and CI practices will outperform those that treat them as independent functions. The study aims to highlight the positive impact of this integration on decision-making, innovation, organizational learning, and competitive advantage. Furthermore, the research aims to identify critical success factors and enablers for achieving constructive interaction between KM and CI, such as leadership support, culture, technology infrastructure, and knowledge-sharing mechanisms. The implications of this research are far-reaching. Organizations can leverage the findings to develop strategies and practices that facilitate the integration of KM and CI, leading to enhanced competitive intelligence capabilities and improved knowledge management processes. Additionally, the research contributes to the academic literature by providing a comprehensive understanding of the synergistic relationship between KM and CI and proposing a conceptual framework that can guide future research in this area. By exploring the synergies between KM and CI, this study seeks to help organizations harness their collective power to gain a competitive edge in today's dynamic business landscape. The research provides practical insights and guidelines for organizations to effectively integrate KM and CI practices, leading to improved decision-making, innovation, and overall organizational performance.

Keywords: Competitive Intelligence, Knowledge Management, Organizational Performance, Incusivity, Optimum Performance

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Authors: Woolfrey K., Woolfrey M., Bolton C. L., Warchuk D.

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Objectives: Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disease of adults worldwide. Despite total knee arthroplasty (TKA) demonstrating high levels of success, 20% of patients report dissatisfaction with their result. VOXX Wellness Stasis Socks are embedded with a proprietary pattern of neuro-receptor activation points that have been proven to activate a precise neuro-response, according to the pattern theory of haptic perception, which stimulates improvements in pain and function. The use of this technology in TKA patients may prove beneficial as an adjunct to recovery as many patients suffer from deficits to their proprioceptive system caused by ligamentous damage and alterations to mechanoreceptors during the procedure. We hypothesized that VOXX Wellness Stasis Socks are a safe, cost-effective, and easily scalable strategy to support TKA patients through their recovery. Design: Double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized trial. Participants: Patients scheduled to receive TKA were considered eligible for inclusion in the trial. Interventions: Intervention group (I): VOXX Wellness Stasis socks containing receptor point-activation technology. Control group (C): VOXX Wellness Stasis socks without receptor point-activation technology. Sock use during the waking hours x 6 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: Western Ontario McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire completed at baseline, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks to assess pain, stiffness, and physical function. Results: Data analysis using SPSS software. P-values, effect sizes, and confidence intervals are reported to assess clinical relevance of the finding. Physical status classifications were compared using t-test. Within-subject and between-subject differences in the mean WOMAC were analyzed by ANOVA. Effect size was analyzed using Cramer’s V. Consistent improvement in WOMAC scores for pain and stiffness at 2 weeks post op in the I over the C group. The womac scores assessing physical function showed a consistent improvement at both 2 and 6 weeks post op in the I group compared to C group. Conclusions: VOXX proved to be a low cost, safe intervention in TKA to help patients improve with regard to pain, stiffness, and physical function. Disclosures: None

Keywords: osteoarthritis, RCT, pain management, total knee arthroplasty

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Authors: Nuno Biga

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The integration of serious games with gamification in management education and training has gained significant importance in recent years as innovative strategies are sought to improve target audience engagement and learning outcomes. This research builds on the author's previous work in this field and presents a case study that evaluates the ex-post impact of a sample of applications of the BIGAMES management simulator in the training of top managers from various hospital institutions. The methodology includes evaluating the reaction of participants after each edition of BIGAMES Accident & Emergency (A&E) carried out over the last 3 years, as well as monitoring the career path of a significant sample of participants and their feedback more than a year after their experience with this simulator. Control groups will be set up, according to the type of role their members held when they took part in the BIGAMES A&E simulator: Administrators, Clinical Directors and Nursing Directors. Former participants are invited to answer a questionnaire structured for this purpose, where they are asked, among other questions, about the importance and impact that the BIGAMES A&E simulator has had on their professional activity. The research methodology also includes an exhaustive literature review, focusing on empirical studies in the field of education and training in management and business that investigate the effectiveness of gamification and serious games in improving learning, team collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving skills and overall performance, with a focus on training contexts in the health sector. The results of the research carried out show that gamification and serious games that simulate real scenarios, such as Business Interactive Games - BIGAMES©, can significantly increase the motivation and commitment of participants, stimulating the development of transversal skills, the mobilization of group synergies and the acquisition and retention of knowledge through interactive user-centred scenarios. Individuals who participate in game-based learning series show a higher level of commitment to learning because they find these teaching methods more enjoyable and interactive. This research study aims to demonstrate that, as executive education and training programs develop to meet the current needs of managers, gamification and serious games stand out as effective means of bridging the gap between traditional teaching methods and modern educational and training requirements. To this end, this research evaluates the medium/long-term effects of gamified learning on the professional performance of participants in the BIGAMES simulator applied to healthcare. Based on the conclusions of the evaluation of the effectiveness of training using gamification and taking into account the results of the opinion poll of former A&E participants, this research study proposes an integrated approach for the transversal application of the A&E Serious Game in various educational contexts, covering top management (traditionally the target audience of BIGAMES A&E), middle and operational management in healthcare institutions (functional area heads and professionals with career development potential), as well as higher education in medicine and nursing courses. The integrated solution called “BIGAMES A&E plus”, developed as part of this research, includes the digitalization of key processes and the incorporation of AI.

Keywords: artificial intelligence (AI), executive training, gamification, higher education, management simulators, serious games (SG), training effectiveness

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Authors: Adama NS Bah

Abstract:

Background: Loss of teeth has a negative influence on essential oral functions such as phonetics, mastication, and aesthetics. Dentists treat people with prosthodontic rehabilitation to recover essential oral functions. The oral health quality of life inventory reflects the success of prosthodontic rehabilitation. In many countries, the current conventional care delivered to replace missing teeth for adult patients involves the provision of removable partial dentures. Aim: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to gather the best available evidence to determine patients’ oral health-related quality of life improvement after treatment with partial dentures. Methods: We searched electronic databases from January 2010 to September 2019, including PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar. In this paper, studies were included only if the average age was 30 years and above and also published in English. Two reviewers independently screened and selected all the references based on inclusion criteria using the PRISMA guideline, and assessed the quality of the included references using the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tools. Data extracted were analyzed in RevMan 5.0 software, the heterogeneity between the studies was assessed using Forest plot, I2 statistics and chi-square test with a statistical P value less than 0.05 to indicate statistical significance. Random effect models were used in case of moderate or high heterogeneity. Four studies were included in the systematic review and three studies were pooled for meta-analysis. Results: Four studies included in the systematic review and three studies included in the meta-analysis with a total of 285 patients comparing the improvement in oral health-related quality of life before and after rehabilitation with partial denture, the pooled results showed a better improvement of oral health-related quality of life after treatment with partial dentures (mean difference 5.25; 95% CI [3.81, 6.68], p < 0.00001) favoring the wearing of partial dentures. In order to ascertain the reliability of the included studies for meta-analysis risk of bias was assessed and found to be low in all included studies for meta-analysis using the Cochrane collaboration tool for risk of bias assessment. Conclusion: There is high evidence that rehabilitation with partial dentures can improve the patient’s oral health-related quality of life measured with Oral Health Impact Profile 14. This review has clinical evidence value for dentists treating the expanding vulnerable adult population.

Keywords: meta-analysis, oral health impact profile, partial dentures, systematic review

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