Search results for: resilient leadership

Authors: M. Nita-Lazar, E. Manea, C. Bumbac, A. Banciu, C. Stoica

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The population and economic growth have generated a significant new number of pollutant compounds which have to be degraded before reaching the environment. The wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been the last barrier between the domestic and/or industrial wastewaters and the environment. At present, the conventional WWTPs have very high operational costs, most of them linked to the aeration process (60-65% from total energy costs related to wastewater treatment). In addition, they have had a low efficiency in pollutants removal such as pharmaceutical and other resilient anthropogenic compounds. In our study, we have been focused on new wastewater treatment strategies to enhance the efficiency of pollutants removal and decrease the wastewater treatment operational costs. The usage of mixed microalgae-bacteria granules technology generated high efficiency and low costs by a better harvesting and less expensive aeration. The intertrophic relationships between microalgae and bacteria have been characterized by the structure of the population community to their metabolic relationships. The results, obtained by microscopic studies, showed well-organized and stratified microalgae-bacteria granules where bacteria have been enveloped in the microalgal structures. Moreover, their population community structure has been modulated as well as their nitrification, denitrification processes (analysis based on qPCR genes expression) by the type of the pollutant compounds and amounts. In conclusion, the understanding and modulation of intertrophic relationships between microalgae and bacteria could be an economical and technological viable alternative to the conventional wastewater treatment. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by grant PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2016-0865 from the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation CNCS/CCCDI-UEFISCDI.

Keywords: activated sludge, bacteria, granules, microalgae

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Authors: Lorifel Hinay

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Natural disasters have increased in frequency and severity in the Philippines over the years resulting to detrimental impacts in school properties and lives of learners. The topography of the Province of Southern Leyte is a hotspot for inevitable natural disaster-causing hazards that could affect schools, cripple the educational system and cause environmental, cultural and social detrimental impacts making Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) an indispensable platform to keep learners safe, secure and resilient. This study determined the schools’ vulnerability and risk assessment to earthquake, landslide, flood, storm surge and tsunami hazards, and its relationship to status in disaster preparedness. Descriptive-correlational research design was used where the respondents were School DRRM Coordinators/School Administrators and Municipal DRRM Officers. It was found that schools’ vulnerability and risk were high in landslide, medium in earthquake, and low in flood, storm surge and tsunami. Though schools were moderately prepared in disasters across all hazards, they were less accomplished in group organization and property security. Less planning preparation and less implementation of DRRM measures were observed in schools highly at risk of earthquake and landslide. Also, schools vulnerable to landslide and flood have very high property security. Topography and location greatly contributed to schools’ vulnerability to hazards, thus, a school-based disaster preparedness plan is hoped to help ensure that hazard-exposed schools can build a culture of safety, disaster resiliency and education continuity.

Keywords: disaster risk reduction and management, earthquake, flood, landslide, storm surge, tsunami

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Authors: Leandro da S. Nascimento, Maristela J. Melo

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The increased competition in the globalization drives organizations to innovate in their products and services to remain competitive. Innovation and creativity are incorporated as key aspects to creating value for consumers and for the creation of competitive advantage in organizations. However, there are factors that contribute strong with development of innovation and creation in organizations. These factors are the intellectual capital and knowledge management, which together with sustainability, ensure the development of competitive strategies. However, it is understood that the role of the leader is essential to stimulate the development of human capital, because the human capital is essential for organizations of knowledge. It is the leader who drives the dissemination and sharing of knowledge, an essential aspect for the formation of intellectual capital and therefore should be managed. And it turns out that the management of knowledge through intellectual capital allows the development of environmental initiatives efficiently and effectively. Thus, the research demonstrates the importance of the role of leader / manager in organizations and seeks to analyze how managers can contribute to the adoption of sustainability through intellectual capital and knowledge management.

Keywords: intellectual capital, knowledge management, leadership role, sustainability

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Authors: Josie Gardner

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The overall intention of this research is to reimagine peacebuilding in both in theory and practical application in light of the shortcomings and unsustainability of the current peacebuilding paradigm. These limitations are identified here as an overly rational-material approach to peacebuilding that neglects the inner dimension of peace for a fragmented rather than holistic model, and that espouses a conflict and violence-centric approach to peacebuilding. In counter, this presentation is purposed to investigate the dynamics of inner and outer peace as a holistic, complex system towards ‘inner-outer’ peacebuilding. This paper draws from primary research in the protracted conflict context of north-western India (Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh) as a case study. This presentation has two central aims. First, to introduce the process of inner (psycho-spiritual) peacebuilding, which has thus far been neglected by mainstream and orthodox literature. Second, to examine why inner peacebuilding is essential for realising sustainable peace on a broader scale as outer (socio-political) peace and to better understand how the inner and outer dynamics of peace relate and affect one another. To these ends, Josephine (the researcher/author/presenter) partnered with Yakjah Reconciliation and Development Network to implement a series of action-oriented workshops and retreats centred around healing, reconciliation, leadership, and personal development for the dual purpose of collaboratively generating data, theory, and insights, as well as providing the youth leaders with an experiential, transformative experience. The research team created and used a novel methodological approach called Mapping Ritual Ecologies, which draws from Participatory Action Research and Digital Ethnography to form a collaborative research model with a group of 20 youth co-researchers who are emerging youth peace leaders in Kashmir, Jammu, and Ladakh. This research found significant intra- and inter-personal shifts towards an experience of inner peace through inner peacebuilding activities. Moreover, this process of inner peacebuilding affected their families and communities through interpersonal healing and peace leadership in an inside-out process of change. These insights have generated rich insights and have supported emerging theories about the dynamics between inner and outer peace, power, justice, and collective healing. This presentation argues that the largely neglected dimension of inner (psycho-spiritual) peacebuilding is imperative for broader socio-political (outer) change. Changing structures of oppression, injustice, and violence—i.e. structures of separation—requires individual, interpersonal, and collective healing. While this presentation primarily examines and advocates for inside-out peacebuilding and social justice, it will also touch upon the effect of systems of separation on the inner condition and human experience. This research reimagines peacebuilding as a holistic inner-outer approach. This offers an alternative path forward those weaves together self-actualisation and social justice. While contextualised within north-western India with a small case study population, the findings speak also to other conflict contexts as well as our global peacebuilding and social justice milieu.

Keywords: holistic, inner peacebuilding, psycho-spiritual, systems youth

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Authors: Tania Sharmin

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Energy use, overheating and thermal discomfort in low-income tropical housing remains an under-researched area. This research attempts to explore these aspects in the Loving Community, a housing colony created for former leprosy patients and their families in Ahmedabad in India. The living conditions in these households and working practices of the inhabitants in terms of how the building and its internal and external spaces are used, will be explored through interviews and monitoring which will be based on a household survey and a focus group discussion (FGD). The findings from the study will provide a unique and in-depth account of how the relocation of the affected households to the new, flood-resistant and architecturally-designed buildings may have affected the dwellers’ household routines (health and well-being, comfort, satisfaction and working practices) and overall living conditions compared to those living in poorly-designed, existing low-income housings. The new houses were built under an innovative building project supported by De Montfort University Leicester (DMU)’s Square Mile India project. A comparison of newly-built and existing building typologies will reveal how building design can affect people’s use of space and energy use. The findings will be helpful to design healthier, energy efficient and socially acceptable low-income housing in future, thus addressing United Nation’s sustainable development goals on three aspects: 3 (health and well-being), 7 (energy) and 11 (safe, resilient and sustainable human settlements). This will further facilitate knowledge exchange between policy makers, developers, designers and occupants focused on strategies to increase stakeholders’ participation in the design process.

Keywords: thermal comfort, energy use, low-income housing, tropical climate

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Authors: Saba Baienat, Ivanka Iordanova, Bechara Helal

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Incorporating the principles of Design for Adaptability (DfAd) and Circular Economy (CE) into the service life planning of buildings and construction engineering projects can significantly enhance sustainable development. By employing DfAd, both the service life and design process can be optimized, gradually postponing the building’s End of Life (EoL) and extending the service life of buildings, thereby closing material cycles and making them more circular. This paper presents a comprehensive framework that addresses adaptability strategies and considerations to objectively assess the role of DfAd in circularity. The framework aims to provide a streamlined approach for accessing DfAd strategies and identifying the most effective ones for enhancing a project's adaptability. Key strategies include anticipating changes in requirements, enabling adaptations and transformations of the building for better use and reuse, preparing for future lives of the building and its components, and contributing to the circular material life cycle. Furthermore, the framework seeks to enhance the awareness of stakeholders about the subject of Design for Adaptability through the lens of the Circular Economy. Additionally, this paper integrates Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies to evaluate the environmental impacts of implementing DfAd strategies within the context of the Circular Economy. By utilizing LCA, the framework provides a quantitative basis for assessing the sustainability benefits of adaptable building designs, offering insights into how these strategies can minimize resource consumption, reduce emissions, and enhance overall environmental performance. This holistic approach underscores the critical role of LCA in bridging DfAd and CE, ultimately fostering more resilient and sustainable construction practices.

Keywords: circular economy (CE), design for adaptability (DfAd), life cycle assessment (LCA), sustainable development

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Authors: Dawit Abay Tesfamariam

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Ethiopia’s Climate- Resilient Green Economy strategy focuses mainly on generating and utilization of Renewable Energy (RE). The data collected in 2016 by Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) indicates that the intermittent RE sources on the grid from solar and wind energy were only 8 % of the total energy produced. On the other hand, the EEP electricity generation plan in 2030 indicates that 36 % of the energy generation share will be covered by solar and wind sources. Thus, a case study was initiated to model and compute the balance and consumption of electricity in three different scenarios: 2016, 2025, and 2030 using the Energy PLAN Model (EPM). Initially, the model was validated using the 2016 annual power-generated data to conduct the EPM analysis for two predictive scenarios. The EPM simulation analysis using EPM for 2016 showed that there was no significant excess power generated. Hence, the model’s results are in line with the actual 2016 output. Thus, the EPM was applied to analyze the role of energy storage in RE in Ethiopian grid systems. The results of the EPM simulation analysis showed there will be excess production of 402 /7963 MW average and maximum, respectively, in 2025. The excess power was dominant in all months except in the three rainy months of the year (June, July, and August). Consequently, based on the validated outcomes of EPM indicates, there is a good reason to think about other alternatives for the utilization of excess energy and storage of RE. Thus, from the scenarios and model results obtained, it is realistic to infer that; if the excess power is utilized with a storage mechanism that can stabilize the grid system; as a result, the extra RE generated can be exported to support the economy. Therefore, researchers must continue to upgrade the current and upcoming energy storage system to synchronize with RE potentials that can be generated from RE.

Keywords: renewable energy, storage, wind, energyplan

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Authors: Miral Selim, May Haggag, Ibrahim Abotaleb

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The aging of transportation infrastructure presents significant challenges, particularly concerning the monitoring and maintenance of bridges. This study investigates the application of Random Forest algorithms for predictive modeling of bridge conditions, utilizing data from the US National Bridge Inventory (NBI). The research is significant as it aims to improve bridge management through data-driven insights that can enhance maintenance strategies and contribute to overall safety. Random Forest is chosen for its robustness, ability to handle complex, non-linear relationships among variables, and its effectiveness in feature importance evaluation. The study begins with comprehensive data collection and cleaning, followed by the identification of key variables influencing bridge condition ratings, including age, construction materials, environmental factors, and maintenance history. Random Forest is utilized to examine the relationships between these variables and the predicted bridge conditions. The dataset is divided into training and testing subsets to evaluate the model's performance. The findings demonstrate that the Random Forest model effectively enhances the understanding of factors affecting bridge conditions. By identifying bridges at greater risk of deterioration, the model facilitates proactive maintenance strategies, which can help avoid costly repairs and minimize service disruptions. Additionally, this research underscores the value of data-driven decision-making, enabling better resource allocation to prioritize maintenance efforts where they are most necessary. In summary, this study highlights the efficiency and applicability of Random Forest in predictive modeling for bridge management. Ultimately, these findings pave the way for more resilient and proactive management of bridge systems, ensuring their longevity and reliability for future use.

Keywords: data analysis, random forest, predictive modeling, bridge management

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Authors: Malki Fatima Zahra Nadia, Kellal Cheiimaa, Brahimi Houria

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Total Quality Management (TQM) is one of the most important modern management systems in marketing, that help organizations to survive and remain competitive in the dynamic market with frequent changes. It assists them in gaining a competitive advantage, growth, and excellence compared to their competitors. To understand the impact of TQM on competitive advantage in economic companies, a study was conducted in Ooredoo Telecommunications Company. A questionnaire was designed and distributed to OOredoo' 75 employees in each of the departments of leadership, quality assurance, quality control, research and development, production, customer service, Similarly, resulting in the retrieval of 72 questionnaires. To analyze the descriptive results of the study, the SPSS software version 25 was used. Additionally, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the help of Smart Pls4 software was utilized to test the study's hypotheses. The study concluded that there is an impact between total quality management and competitive advantage in Ooredoo company to different degrees. On this basis, the study recommended the need to implement the total quality management system at the level of all organizations and in various fields.

Keywords: total quality management, ISO system, competitive advantage, competitive strategies

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Authors: Henry Kuppen

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In the last decade, tree managers have faced many threats of pests and diseases and the effects of climate change. Managers will recognize that they have to put more energy and more money into tree management. By recognizing the cause behind this, the opportunity will arise to build sustainable tree populations for the future. More and more, unwanted larvae are sprayed, ash dieback infected trees are pruned or felled, and emerald ash borer is knocking at the door of West Europe. A lot of specific knowledge is needed to produce management plans and best practices. If pest and disease have a large impact, society loses complete tree species and need to start all over again building urban forest. But looking at the cause behind it, landscape design, and tree species selection, the sustainable solution does not present itself in managing these threats. Every pest or disease needs two important basic ingredients to be successful: climate and food. The changing climate is helping several invasive pathogens to survive. Food is often designed by the landscapers and managers of the urban forest. Monocultures promote the success of pathogens. By looking more closely at the basics, tree managers will realise very soon that the solution will not be the management of pathogens. The long-term solution for sustainable tree populations is a different design of our urban landscape. The use of tree species diversity can help to reduce the impact of climate change and pathogens. Therefore landscapers need to be supported. They are the specialists in designing the landscape using design values like canopy volume, ecosystem services, and seasonal experience. It’s up to the species specialist to show what the opportunities are for different species that meet the desired interpretation of the landscape. Based on landscapers' criteria, selections can be made, including tree species related requirements. Through this collaboration and formation of integral teams, sustainable plant design will be possible.

Keywords: climate change, landscape design, resilient landscape, tree species selection

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Authors: Abdullah Almalky, Colin Evers

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Gifted individuals in rural areas may lack access and opportunities compared with urban students. This case study research provides research-based evidence to identify the professional needs of principals running rural schools with gifted education (GE) programs. The data were obtained from diverse cases (high-performing [HP] and low-performing [LP] schools) by conducting interviews with principals and teachers, conducting focus groups with gifted students, and analyzing policy documents. The findings reveal a lack of knowledge among principals in relation to GE. However, HP schools were more concerned with the needs of gifted students compared with LP schools. In addition, principals of HP schools were mostly instructional leaders, whereas LP schools were mostly led by building managers. Therefore, the study recommends a revision of GE policy in Saudi Arabia and urges ministries of education and universities to consider including GE in principals’ and teachers’ preparation programs to better serve gifted students in schools.

Keywords: gifted, Saudi Arabia, leadership, policy, rural education, case study, interview

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Authors: Ernest Nweke

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The work of Professional Accountants and Corporate governance are synonymous and cannot be divorced from each other. Organizations, profit and non-profit alike cannot implement sound corporate practices without inputs from Professional Accountants. In today’s dynamic corporate world, good corporate governance practice is a sine qua non. More so, following the corporate failures of the past decades like Enron and WorldCom, governments around the world, including Mongolia are becoming more proactive in ensuring sound corporate governance mechanisms. In the past fifteen years, the Mongolian government has taken several measures to establish and strengthen internal corporate governance structures in firms. This paper highlights the role of professional accountants and auditors play in ensuring that good corporate governance mechanisms are entrenched in listed companies in Mongolia. Both primary and secondary data are utilized in this research. In collection of primary data, Delphi method was used, securing responses from only knowledgeable senior employees, top managers, and some CEOs. Using this method, a total of 107 top-level company employees and executives randomly selected from 22 companies were surveyed; maximum of 5 and minimum of 4 from each company. These companies cut across several sectors. It was concluded that Professional Accountants play key roles in setting and maintaining firm governance. They do this by ensuring full compliance with all the requirements of good and sound corporate governance, establishing reporting, monitoring and evaluating standards, assisting in the setting up of proper controls, efficient and effective audit systems, sound fraud risk management and putting in place an overall vision for the enterprise. Companies with effective corporate governance mechanisms are usually strong and fraud-resilient. It was also discovered that companies with big 4 audit firms tend to have better governance structures in Mongolia.

Keywords: accountants, corporate disclosure, corporate failure, corporate governance

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Authors: Innocent Uzougbo Onwuegbuzie

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Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are crucial for numerous applications, yet they face significant challenges due to resource constraints such as limited power and memory. Traditional routing algorithms like Dijkstra, Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV), and Bellman-Ford, while effective in path establishment and discovery, are not optimized for the unique demands of WSNs due to their large memory footprint and power consumption. This paper introduces the Adaptive Energy-Aware Routing (AEAR) model, a solution designed to address these limitations. AEAR integrates reactive route discovery, localized decision-making using geographic information, energy-aware metrics, and dynamic adaptation to provide a robust and efficient routing strategy. We present a detailed comparative analysis using a dataset of 50 sensor nodes, evaluating power consumption, memory footprint, and path cost across AEAR, Dijkstra, AODV, and Bellman-Ford algorithms. Our results demonstrate that AEAR significantly reduces power consumption and memory usage while optimizing path weight. This improvement is achieved through adaptive mechanisms that balance energy efficiency and link quality, ensuring prolonged network lifespan and reliable communication. The AEAR model's superior performance underlines its potential as a viable routing solution for energy-constrained WSN environments, paving the way for more sustainable and resilient sensor network deployments.

Keywords: wireless sensor networks (WSNs), adaptive energy-aware routing (AEAR), routing algorithms, energy, efficiency, network lifespan

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Authors: Fortune Chibuike Onyia, Femi Ogundeji Ayodele

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The design of a drainage system at the permanent site of Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State is critical for mitigating flooding, managing surface runoff, and ensuring environmental sustainability. The design process employed a comprehensive analysis involving topographical surveys, hydraulic modeling, and the assessment of local soil types to ensure stability and efficient water conveyance. Proper slope gradients were considered to maintain adequate flow velocities and avoid sediment deposition, which could hinder long-term performance. From the result, the channel size estimated was 0.199m by 0.0199m and 0.0199m². This study proposed a channel size of 1.4m depth by 0.5m width and 0.7m², optimized to accommodate the anticipated peak flow resulting from heavy rainfall and storm-water events. This sizing is based on hydrological data, which takes into account rainfall intensity, runoff coefficients, and catchment area characteristics. The objective is to effectively convey storm-water while preventing overflow, erosion, and subsequent damage to infrastructure and properties. This sustainable approach incorporates provisions for maintenance and aligns with urban drainage standards to enhance durability and reliability. Implementing this drainage system will mitigate flood risks, safeguard campus facilities, improve overall water management, and contribute to the development of resilient infrastructure at Federal Polytechnic Oko.

Keywords: flood mitigation, drainage system, sustainable design, environmental management

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Authors: I.Hussain, A. Gulzar

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Knowledge sharing is very important in organizations for their future progress and survival. This study investigates the impact of destructive leadership (abusive supervision) on knowledge sharing in employees. Further, the authors want to investigate a context variable (group cohesion) and explore its cross level influence on the relationship of abusive supervision and knowledge sharing. Conservation of resource theory (COR) claims loss of psychological capital (an internal positive resource) in employees due to abusive supervision and hence decrease occurs in knowledge sharing. This study tests psychological capital as mediator and group cohesion as moderator in relationship of abusive supervision and knowledge sharing. Data was collected from 239 respondents from more than 40 different organizations and 50 different groups from all over Pakistan. Results show that abusive supervision has negative effect on knowledge sharing through reduction in psychological capital of employees, and increased group cohesion in employees reduces this negative effect improving psychological capital in employees.

Keywords: abusive supervision, knowledge sharing, psychological capital, group cohesion, conservation of resources

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Authors: Autumn Tooms Cypres

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Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, Republican nominee Donald Trump, capitalizing on his reputation for blunt and brash comments, created a political brand based on unedited statements and sweeping promises. While he vowed to 'Make America Great Again,' for many, the candidate’s discourse invoked legacies of marginalization and exclusion. As a result, this discussion focuses on Trump’s anti-immigration discourse (one of the primary foci of his campaign platform) and its influence across educational settings. The purpose of this effort is to demonstrate the power of political discourses relative to educational settings and to discuss the resulting everyday leadership challenges and opportunities. Discourse analysis frameworks are used to unpack the socio-political implications of the presidential campaign. In particular, they examine a serious of emails that a university administrator received post-election. The discussion concludes that leaders in education have a critical role to maintaining democratic institutions and ensuring inclusivity and belonging for all educational stakeholders.

Keywords: educational managment, politics, immigration, discourse

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Authors: Rahm Sibylle

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The core element in most European teacher training concepts consists in practical periods where teacher students may review the chosen profession before going on to their theoretical studies. In Germany, teacher students learn in practical studies about everyday teaching and learning in schools. Teacher students appreciate opportunities to explore school practice and to feel responsible for students’ learning. In practical studies, teacher students often idealize their teacher mentors (and consequently tend to imitate their teaching style) or contrarily feel disappointed about school practice. Concepts of empowerment through practical experience in school-based academic teacher training have to be developed. Our Swiss-German research project COPRA (Coaching in practical periods; funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG), aims at gaining resilient results about the effectiveness of (peer) coaching in practical school periods. To explore innovative ways of accompanying novice teachers in practical periods we consider different cultures of teacher training institutions. School cultures, including teachers’ beliefs and teaching traditions involve different training cultures as starting positions for our intervention study. In our qualitative study, we describe typologies of teacher training institutions by analyzing group discussions with teacher students, mentor teachers and university lecturers concerning participation, cooperation, and relationships. In our paper, we present the design of our intervention study, our coaching concept as well as typologies of teacher training cultures. We discuss opportunities for teacher students to learn through domain-specific (peer) coaching on the background of these typologies.

Keywords: teacher training (practical periods), teacher students' coaching, training cultures (typologies), COPRA (coaching in practical periods)

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Authors: Mahima Dubey, Girish Chandel

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Minor millets are highly nutritious and climate resilient cereal crops. These features make them ideal candidates to excavate the physiology of the underlying mechanism. In an attempt to understand the basis of mineral nutrition in minor millets, a set of five Barnyard millet genotypes were analyzed for grain Fe and Zn content under contrasting Fe-Zn supply to identify genotypes proficient in tolerating mineral deficiency. This resulted in the identification of Melghat-1 genotype to be nutritionally superior with better ability to withstand deficiency. Expression analysis of several Nicotianamine synthase (NAS) genes showed that HvNAS1 and OsNAS2 genes were prominent in positively mediating mineral deficiency response in Barnyard millet. Further, strategic efforts were employed for fast-track identification of more effective orthologous NAS genes from Barnyard millet. This resulted in the identification of two genes namely EfNAS1 (orthologous to HvNAS1 of barley) and EfNAS2 (orthologous to OsNAS2 gene of rice). Sequencing and thorough characterization of these sequences revealed the presence of intact NAS domain and signature tyrosine and di-leucine motifs in their predicted proteins and thus established their candidature as functional NAS genes in Barnyard millet. Moreover, EfNAS1 showed structural superiority over previously known NAS genes and is anticipated to have role in more efficient metal transport. Findings of the study provide insight into Fe-Zn deficiency response and mineral nutrition in millets. This provides millets with a physiological edge over micronutrient deficient staple cereals such as rice in withstanding Fe-Zn deficiency and subsequently accumulating higher levels of Fe and Zn in millet grains.

Keywords: gene expression, micronutrient, millet, ortholog

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Authors: Amir Ikram, Qin Su, Muhammad Fiaz, Muhammad Waqas Shabbir

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Women entrepreneurship witnessed a healthy rise in the last decade or so, and the scenario in Pakistan is not different. However female leaders are facing various, cultural, career oriented, and professional challenges. The study investigates the impact of social and industry-specific challenges on female entrepreneurship; social challenges was evaluated in terms of culture, and industry-specific challenges was measured in terms of team management and career growth. Purposive sampling was employed to collect data from 75 multicultural organizations operating in the culturally diverse and historic city of Lahore, Pakistan. Cronbach’s alpha was conducted to endorse the reliability of survey questionnaire, while correlation and regression analysis were used to test hypotheses. Industry-specific challenges were found to be more significant as compared to cultural factors. The paper also highlights the importance of female entrepreneurship for emerging economies, and suggests that bringing women to mainstream professions can lead to economic success.

Keywords: cultural challenges, emerging economy, female entrepreneurship, leadership

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Authors: Husnul Isa Harahap

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On December 2, 2016 occurred mass movements in Indonesia, led by the National Movement of Fatwa Guard, Indonesian Ulema Council (GNPF MUI). This movement is named 212 in accordance with the date, and also called The Third Islamic Defend Action, a continued movement of Islamic defend earlier (November 4, 2016 and October 14, 2016). All three movements have raised the issue of the demand that Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Jakarta governor) also known as Ahok put on trial for allegedly insulting the Quran. The interesting view of this movement is that: first, the great social movement could emerge from a small but sensitive issues. Second, although this movement followed by radical Islamic groups, that movement known as the largest and most peaceful Islamic Movement in Indonesia. Third, the movement succeeded in answer the doubts of many parties that the social movements with large masses can not maintain security, order, and even the cleanliness of the site action. What causes all this happen? First, the emphasis on the use of basic religious elements that Islam is love for peace. Second, the role of leadership that is trusted and based on religious relationship. Third, this movement is well organized and trying reflect Islamic values.

Keywords: Islamic values, social movement, peaceful group, sensitive issue

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Authors: Juan Carlos Rubio Romero, Francico Salguero Caparros, Virginia Herrera-Pérez

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No one is in the slightest doubt about the high levels of risk involved in work in the construction industry. They are even higher in structural construction work. The Critical Decision Method (CDM) is a semi-structured interview technique that uses cognitive tests to identify the different disturbances that workers have to deal with in their work activity. At present, the vision of safety focused on daily performance and things that go well for safety and health management is facing the new paradigm known as Resilience Engineering. The aim of this study has been to describe the variability in formwork labour on concrete structures in the construction industry and, from there, to find out the resilient attitude of workers to unexpected events that they have experienced during their working lives. For this purpose, a series of semi-structured interviews were carried out with construction employees with extensive experience in formwork labour in Spain by applying the Critical Decision Method. This work has been the first application of the Critical Decision Method in the field of construction and, more specifically, in the execution of structures. The results obtained show that situations categorised as unthought-of are identified to a greater extent than potentially unexpected situations. The identification during these interviews of both expected and unexpected events provides insight into the critical decisions made and actions taken to improve resilience in daily practice in this construction work. From this study, it is clear that it is essential to gain more knowledge about the nature of the human cognitive process in work situations within complex socio-technical systems such as construction sites. This could lead to a more effective design of workplaces in the search for improved human performance.

Keywords: resilience engineering, construction industry, unthought-of situations, critical decision method

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Authors: Mashaal Hooda

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The rationale for conducting this action research was to increase students' Academic Achievement (AA) contexts of studying/researching by employing the Goal Setting intervention (GS). The purposive sample consisted of 10 female undergraduate students at a university in Dubai. The intervention was introduced through workshop classes conducted online. The pre-intervention consisted of discussions concentrating on participants' research contexts amidst a pandemic. The GS moderators were implemented in the class, followed by scaffolding and mentoring interactions and self-reflective accounts of students' actions and feelings of using the intervention to better plan and structure their dissertation tasks. The research incorporated a Mixed Methods Methodology (MMM). Quantitative data collection took place through surveys, while qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Triangulation of the emergent themes showed a positive increase in students achievable GS, self-regulatory study skills, feedback-seeking behaviours, research organisation and synthesis, self-reflection and Academic Resilient (AR) attitudes amalgamate to enhance students' AA outcomes. Though, students' intrinsic motivational levels to study and research observed minor changes only. Nonetheless, the pebble in the shoe was removed as students AA contexts improved in undertaking better actionable steps for their research. Therefore, the GS intervention enabled students to set, balance, and achieve academic goals while catering to their academic anxieties, mental health concerns, and adaptability to the e-learning platforms amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the wide-scale changes the pandemic brought to the teaching and learning communities, the GS intervention served as a targeted intervention to help students maintain their achievement contexts in a goal-oriented way.

Keywords: academic achievement, acadeic resilience, COVID-19, goal setting

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Authors: Saima Akbar, Tahseen Ullah Khan

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The analysis of the climate change impact on flood frequency represents an important issue for water resource management and flood risk mitigation. This research was conducted to address the effects of climate change on flood incidents of Pakistan and find out gaps in existing policies to reducing the environmental aspects on floods and effects of global warming. The main objective of this research was to critically analyses the National Climate Change Policy (NCCP), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Federal Flood Commission (FFC) and Vision 2025, as an effective policy document which is not only hitting the target of a climate resilient Pakistan but provides room for efficient and flexible policy implementation. The methodology integrates projected changes in monsoon patterns (since last 20 years and overall change in rainfall pattern since 1901 to 2015 from Pakistan Metrological Department), glacier melting, decreasing dam capacity and lacks in existing policies by using SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats) model in order to explore the relative impacts of global warming on the system performance. Results indicate the impacts of climate change are significant, but probably not large enough to justify a major effort for adapting the physical infrastructure to expected climatic conditions in Vision 2025 which is our shared destination to progress, ultimate aspiration to see Pakistan among the ten largest economies of the world by 2047– the centennial year of our independence. The conclusion of this research was to adapt sustainable measures to reduce flood impacts and make policies as neighboring countries are adapting for their sustainability.

Keywords: climatic factors, monsoon, Pakistan, sustainability

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Authors: Ramin Shadani

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This study introduces adaptive performance as a key organizational performance dimension and explores the relationship between the dimensions of a learning organization and adaptive performance. A survey was therefore conducted using the dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire (DLOQ), followed by factor analysis and structural equation modeling in order to investigate the dynamics between learning organization practices and adaptive performance. Results confirm that adaptive performance is indeed one important dimension of organizational performance. The study also shows that perceived knowledge and adaptive performance mediate the positive relationship between the practices of a learning organization with perceived financial performance. We extend existing DLOQ research by demonstrating that adaptive performance, as a nonfinancial organizational learning outcome, has a significant impact on financial performance. Our study also provides additional validation of the measures of DLOQ's performance. Indeed, organizations need to take a glance at how the activities of learning and development can provide better overall improvement in performance, especially in enhancing adaptive capability. The study has provided requisite empirical support that activities of learning and development within organizations allow much-improved intangible performance outcomes, especially through adaptive performance.

Keywords: adaptive performance, continuous learning, financial performance, leadership style, organizational learning, organizational performance

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Authors: Maria Kjellgren, Sara Lilliehorn, Urban Markström

Abstract:

Critical components that influence the role and performance of school social workers in Swedish elementary schools will be described and analysed, such as formal regulations, professional self-understanding, and the SSWs’ role in the interplay between professional domains involved in elementary school. The data collection was conducted through four semi-structured focus group interviews with a total of 22 SSWs in four different regions in Sweden. The result reveals three main challenges for the School Social Worker (SSW): (1) To navigate in a pedagogic and medical arena within a multidisciplinary team, (2) To manage ambiguity without any formal regulations and unclear settings and leadership and finally, (3) To negotiate tasks at different levels, with a health promotional and preventive focus, where the SSW ends up, mainly in remedial work with individual children. The results also disclosed that SSWs hold a vague professional self-understanding position with a little formal mandate to perform their work.

Keywords: school social worker, multidisciplinary team, counselling, professional self-understanding, formal regulations

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Authors: Shah Muhammad Butt

Abstract:

The study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of e-governance in Pakistan's public universities and how that adoption has affected organizational performance. An online Likert scale survey was utilized to gather information from 350 participants from different public universities in Pakistan. The data were examined using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The findings suggest that organizational culture, infrastructure, and leadership support are among the elements impacting the adoption of e-governance at Pakistan's public sector universities. A further finding of the study was that e-governance adoption benefited organizational performance, including effectiveness, efficiency, and customer satisfaction. The study emphasizes the significance of e-governance adoption at public sector universities and the demand for successful policies and strategies to support its implementation. To increase organisational performance and raise the standard of higher education in Pakistan, policymakers and university administrators should use the study's findings to develop and practice e-governance policies and initiatives.

Keywords: e-governance, adoption, public sector universities, Pakistan, organizational performance, higher education, technology, ICT, factors, comparative analysis

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Authors: Xian Xie, Qinghua Fang

Abstract:

This study used quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the characteristics of flipped classroom’s influence on classroom environment of college English reading, writing, and translating, and to summarize and reflect on the teaching characteristics of college English Reading, writing, and translating. The results of the study indicated that after the flipped classroom applied to reading, writing, and translating, students’ performance was improved to a certain extent, the classroom environment was improved to some extent, students of the flipped classroom are generally satisfied with the classroom environment; students showed a certain degree of individual differences to the degree of cooperation, participation, self-responsibility, task-orientation, and the teacher leadership and innovation. The study indicated that the implementation of flipped classroom teaching mode can optimize College English reading, writing, and translating classroom environment and realize target－learner as the center in foreign language teaching and learning, but bring a greater challenge to teachers.

Keywords: classroom environment, college English reading, writing and translating, individual differences, flipped classroom

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Authors: Nirupama Sam

Abstract:

COVID-19, the greatest pandemic since the turn of the century, presents several issues for urban planners, the most significant of which is determining appropriate mitigation techniques for creating pandemic-friendly and resilient public spaces. The study is conducted in four stages. The first stage consisted of literature reviews to examine the evolution and transformation of public spaces during pandemics throughout history and the role of public spaces during pandemic outbreaks. The second stage is to determine the factors that influence the success of public spaces, which was accomplished by an analysis of current literature and case studies. The influencing factors are categorized under comfort and images, uses and activity, access and linkages, and sociability. The third stage is to establish the priority of identified factors for which a questionnaire survey of stakeholders is conducted and analyzing of certain factors with the help of GIS tools. COVID-19 has been in effect in India for the last two years. Kerala has the highest daily COVID-19 prevalence due to its high population density, making it more susceptible to viral outbreaks. Despite all preventive measures taken against COVID-19, Kerala remains the worst-affected state in the country. Finally, two live case studies of the hardest-hit localities, namely Subhash bose park and Napier Museum park in the Ernakulam and Trivandrum districts of Kerala, respectively, were chosen as study areas for the survey. The responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS for determining the weights of the influencing factors. The spatial success of the selected case studies was examined using the GIS interpolation model. Following the overall assessment, the fourth stage is to develop strategies and guidelines for planning public spaces to make them more efficient and robust, which further leads to improved quality, safety and resilience to future pandemics.

Keywords: urban design, public space, covid-19, post-pandemic, public spaces

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Authors: Harun Ozdemirci

Abstract:

Complexity and chaos are the characteristics of our new world today. Either business or governmental sector, inner and outer environment changes in all aspects. To ensure leaders to guide organizations accurately and effectively, leaders also must change their attitudes towards this changing world . We need new tools, new mindsets and new views for new century. Every leader have to operate within an cerative and innovative way of thinking. But how it will occur and at which direction it will be managed or directed? What kind of abilities and attitudes make leader compatible with this ever-changing and ambigous environment? Leader who will lead in the future must have some special skillls. But how can we develop these skills and behaviours? What must be the mindset of a future leader? This paper searchs for answers of some of these questions. But asking questions is more important than giving answers to them. Innovation and creativity have been at the centerpiece of our lives for some years. But we don’t know how to manage and how to tackle with the challenges come up with this new situation. This new world order compel us to take some new positions against new employees who have different types of lives and habits, new productivity processes, new adversaries… Future environment will not be the same as we experience before. So, our responses to this new environment can not be the same as our predecessors gave. We have to innovate new ways of thinking, and new tools for solving new type of problems.

Keywords: innovation, creativity, leader, future, liberal arts

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Authors: Elucir Gir, Laelson Rochelle Milanês Sousa, Pedro Henrique Tertuliano Leoni, Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura, Ana Cristina de Oliveira e Silva, Renata Karina Reis

Abstract:

Context and significance: Resilience is a protective agent for the physical and mental well-being of nursing professionals. Team members are constantly subjected to high levels of work stress that can negatively impact care performance and users of health services. Stress levels have been exacerbated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the resilience of nursing professionals in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach carried out with professionals from nursing teams from all regions of Brazil. Data collection took place in the first year of the pandemic between October and December 2020. Data were obtained through an online questionnaire posted on social networks. The information collected included the sociodemographic characterization of the nursing professionals and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale was applied. Student's t-test for independent samples and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compare resilience scores with sociodemographic variables. Results: 8,792 nursing professionals participated in the study, 5,767 (65.6%) were nurses, 7,437 (84.6%) were female and 2,643 (30.1%) were from the Northeast region of Brazil, 5,124 (58.8% ) had low levels of resilience. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the resilience score and the variables: professional category (p<0.001); sex (p = 0.003); age range (p<0.001); region of Brazil (p<0.001); marital status (p=0.029) and providing assistance in a field hospital (p<0.001). Conclusion: Participants in this study had, in general, low levels of resilience. There is an urgent need for actions aimed at promoting the psychological health of nursing professionals inserted in pandemic contexts. Descriptors: Psychological Resilience; Nursing professionals; COVID-19; SARSCoV-2.

Keywords: psychological resilience, nursing professionals, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2

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