bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Internet of Things and organizational performance in the Tanzanian banks
Authors: Kisanjara Simeo
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) as a new technology is gaining traction in many business organizations in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of IoT on the organizational performance of Tanzanian banks.

Design/methodology/approach

For data collection, this study used a quantitative approach with a questionnaire. A total of 342 respondents were considered, with an 82.16% response rate. AMOS software was used to analyze data using structural equation modeling (SEM) as the primary technique.

Findings

The results revealed that the majority of the hypotheses tested in this study have a significant effect on organizational performance, as indicated by their p-value of 0.05. However, there is no statistically significant effect of performance expectancy on organizational performance by lowering IoT operation costs. Furthermore, the availability of IoT has no discernible effect on organizational performance by improving service quality.

Practical implications

The findings of this study inform policymakers to reformulate information and communication technologies policy to clearly spell out the adoption and implementation of the IoT as a new technological innovation for providing services not only in the banking sector but also in other service delivery organizations. In particular, the policy should have a clear vision of implementing an appealing, conducive and positive, meaningful service delivery environment, as well as achieving appropriate, successful, effective and sustainable organizational performance

Originality/value

As a result, this paper contributes to a better understanding of the factors (including performance expectancy, effort expectancy and accessibility) of IoT on organizational performance by influencing operational costs, service delivery speed and service quality. These factors were not adequately addressed in previous related studies, and they have a significant influence on organizational performance levels in Tanzanian banks.
Green human resource management, job embeddedness and their effects on restaurant employees’ green voice behaviors
Authors: Tabrizi Reza Sharbaf , Karatepe Osman M. , Rezapouraghdam Hamed , Rescalvo-Martin Elisa , Enea Constanta
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to test the interrelationships of green human resource management (GHRM), job embeddedness (JEM), green promotive voice behavior and green prohibitive voice behavior. It assesses JEM as a mediator of the link between GHRM and the aforesaid green voice behavioral consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

Data obtained from the employees of 11 restaurants in Northern Cyprus were used to gauge the said relationships via the partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

GHRM boosts employees’ JEM. Employees high on JEM exhibit green promotive and prohibitive behaviors at elevated levels. JEM is the psychological mechanism relating GHRM to green work outcomes.

Practical implications

Restaurateurs should create an environment that enables employees to speak up and share their opinions on the problems and challenges concerning the environmental sustainability and green initiatives of the restaurant. In addition, they should develop and maintain good relations with employees via GHRM practices. These are important implications that would promote eco-friendly behaviors among employees.

Originality/value

This paper focuses on JEM, green promotive voice behavior and green prohibitive voice behavior as the neglected outcomes of GHRM. That is, there is no empirical evidence reporting that GHRM fosters employees’ JEM. This is also true for JEM as a mediator linking GHRM to the aforementioned dimensions of green voice behavior. With this stated in mind, this study fills in these gaps.
BIM and lean construction in prefabricated housing construction in China
Authors: Fang Yanqing , Gao Shang , Jiang Yanwu , Li Shuquan
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Building information modelling (BIM), lean construction (LC) and prefabricated housing construction (PHC) have individually aroused great attention from academia and industry. However, the integration of LC and BIM in PHC projects has not been sufficiently explored. This study aims to assess the current status of the implementation of BIM and LC in China’s PHC sector given, firstly, that China is a developing country characterised by the world’s largest population and a huge housing market, and secondly, that although China’s PHC is strongly supported by the government, the adoption of BIM and LC in PHC varies.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed approach (questionnaire survey and interviews) is adopted in this study. A total of 127 valid questionnaires were collected. This is followed by interviewing 12 interviewees who are key stakeholders in PHC and hold managerial positions.

Findings

The findings of the questionnaire survey show that BIM is more prevalent than LC in PHC projects in China. In addition, the adoption of LC exhibits more maturity in stages associated with production and manufacturing, and logistics and transportation, whereas BIM has seen wider adoption in design and construction. The interviews validated the factors that influence the implementation of BIM and LC in PHC projects in China.

Originality/value

The study uses a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis framework to clarify the opportunities, threats, strengths and weaknesses of BIM and LC in China’s PHC and proposes strategies.
Enriching healthcare service quality by leveraging service experiences in Indian private hospitals: application of fuzzy-AHP approach
Authors: Senapati Shubham , Panda Rajeev Kumar
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Over the years, despite the best efforts to evaluate service quality through multiple techniques, the connotation between service deliverance and consumer expectation remains sporadic. In the quest to quantify service quality from an innovative perspective, the current study has leveraged consumer-perceived experiences to unveil the novel intricacies of healthcare quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Anchoring on the dimensions of patient experience (PX), field data were collected from 244 patients at different private hospitals operating across India. Further, this study incorporated a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP) to evaluate consumer preferences and prioritised the dimensions of PX in three categories of Indian hospitals, namely nursing homes (NHs), mid-tier corporate hospitals (MCHs) and top-tier corporate hospitals (TCHs).

Findings

The results establish a performance ranking by demonstrating that MCHs outperform the rest alternatives on the grounds of perceived experiences. Tukey's honestly significance difference (HSD) test was executed to confirm the heterogeneity among the participants' preferences across three different hospital categories. The results reveal that for most of the alternatives, the mean scores of the criterion were statistically significantly different.

Originality/value

In healthcare studies, PX dawned as an entity with an ability to propel healthcare quality in a better way than the classical techniques did. The study's findings present a comprehensive picture of a care delivery system by identifying relatively significant dimensions of PX, hence improving the quality quotients by adjusting healthcare offerings in alignment with consumer expectations and organisational strategies.
The evaluation of friction and wear performances of commercial automotive brake friction polymer composites
Authors: M. Kanagaraj , S. Babu , Jegan Mohan Sudhan Raj , T.V. Christy
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to compare the friction and wear performance of commercial brake pads for four wheelers among metallic, semimetallic and non-asbestos organic (NAO) formulations to identify one with the right combination of properties for optimal performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Three commercially available brake pads for four-wheeler automotive applications were acquired. Samples were cut from the brake pads to study their physical and mechanical properties. The effects of friction and wear were analyzed using a pin-on-disk tribotester. Surface morphology on the worn-out surface of the brake pads was studied.

Findings

It was observed that the frictional properties remained stable and less fluctuating in the semimetallic and NAO pads, whereas the coefficient of friction of all the pads varied between 0.35 and 0.55. The wear rate of the metallic pads is less than that of NAO and semimetallic pads. The surface morphology studies revealed that the metallic pads contained more primary plateaus and smaller amounts of secondary plateaus compared to semimetallic and NAO pads, resulting in better wear resistance characteristics.

Originality/value

Because the market is flooded with various options for brake pad materials, it is imperative that the vehicle manufacturers choose the right pad material with great care not only to ensure the optimal functioning of the braking system but also passenger safety. Mechanical and tribological properties of brake pads contribute greatly to their effectiveness. There is a requirement to choose the proper material for a certain application that has a consistent friction coefficient and reduced wear.
Using deep learning to interpolate the missing data in time-series for credit risks along supply chain
Authors: Zhang Wenfeng , Lim Ming K. , Yang Mei , Li Xingzhi , Ni Du
Published: February 2023

Purpose

As the supply chain is a highly integrated infrastructure in modern business, the risks in supply chain are also becoming highly contagious among the target company. This motivates researchers to continuously add new features to the datasets for the credit risk prediction (CRP). However, adding new features can easily lead to missing of the data.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the gaps summarized from the literature in CRP, this study first introduces the approaches to the building of datasets and the framing of the algorithmic models. Then, this study tests the interpolation effects of the algorithmic model in three artificial datasets with different missing rates and compares its predictability before and after the interpolation in a real dataset with the missing data in irregular time-series.

Findings

The algorithmic model of the time-decayed long short-term memory (TD-LSTM) proposed in this study can monitor the missing data in irregular time-series by capturing more and better time-series information, and interpolating the missing data efficiently. Moreover, the algorithmic model of Deep Neural Network can be used in the CRP for the datasets with the missing data in irregular time-series after the interpolation by the TD-LSTM.

Originality/value

This study fully validates the TD-LSTM interpolation effects and demonstrates that the predictability of the dataset after interpolation is improved. Accurate and timely CRP can undoubtedly assist a target company in avoiding losses. Identifying credit risks and taking preventive measures ahead of time, especially in the case of public emergencies, can help the company minimize losses.
The greening of IT use: the impact of environmental concerns on the use of internet systems
Authors: Goethals Frank , Ziegelmayer Jennifer L.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Internet use has a high environmental footprint that is often overlooked by end users. This paper contributes to limiting the negative environmental footprint of Information Technology (IT) use by understanding the relationship between environmental concerns and use of IT amongst users who are aware of the environmental footprint of IT use. Second, the paper argues that taking environmental concerns into account in technology acceptance studies is relevant, even in studies concerning ordinary IT (i.e. IT not commonly classified as “green” technology).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct two vignette-based surveys in two different countries: the USA and Belgium. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to analyse the effect of environmental concerns on the intention to use the webcam during online meetings and binary logistic regression is used to analyse the relationship between environmental concerns and reported actual use of webcams.

Findings

The higher the respondents' environmental concerns, the higher their intention to use internet systems in a more environmentally responsible way, provided the respondents are aware of the environmental footprint of internet system use. Moreover, the higher the respondents’ environmental concerns, the more likely they are to use internet systems in a more environmentally responsible way.

Originality/value

This study is the first to distinguish “Greening of IT Use” from “Greening of IT” and “Greening by IT” and to show that environmental concerns has an impact on the way end users (intend to) use internet systems, provided the users are aware of the environmental footprint of that use.
The institutionalisation of social and environmental accounting practices in Europe
Authors: Pizzi Simone , Principale Salvatore , Fasiello Roberta , Imperiale Francesca
Published: February 2023

Purpose

In the last few years, the European context has been characterised by a high degree of attention paid by policymakers, practitioners and academics to the effects related to the transposition of Directive 2014/95/EU by the member states. In particular, one the main issues of the intervention made by the European Commission is represented by the theoretical misalignment between corporate communications and actions. According to this evidence, this paper aims to shed light on this debate through a critical evaluation of the effectiveness of Directive 2014/95/EU.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis was built using panel data analysis on a sample of 813 European listed companies. Furthermore, the authors performed additional analysis and robustness checks to assess the reliability of the analysis.

Findings

The analysis underlined the enabling role of the reporting scope, external assurance and corporate social responsibility (CSR) committees on sustainability reporting. Furthermore, the research highlighted the need to pay specific attention to the real contribution provided by companies to the sustainable development goals.

Research limitations/implications

The research provided theoretical insights into the effects related to mandatory sustainability reporting, which represents an emerging field in accounting research.

Practical implications

The analysis revealed the limited effects of Directive 2014/95/EU. In this regard, the paper contributes to the debate about accounting regulation in Europe.

Originality/value

This paper will shed light on the role of Directive 2014/95/EU in sustainable development. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to analyse CSR decoupling in Europe after the transposition of Directive 2014/95/EU by the member states.
The differential effect of learning from others on creative performance over individual tenure: empirical evidence from open innovation communities
Authors: Ma Jifeng , Lu Yaobin , Tang Jing
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore how and when learning from others promotes creative performance over the contributor’s tenure in the context of open innovation communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze a publicly available data set that includes 25,923 innovative items developed by 2,194 contributors from an open innovation community of an online game spanning eight years. Logistic regression model is used for analyzing the data.

Findings

The results show that multicultural experiences are negatively related to contributor’s creative performance, and this negative relationship weakens as contributor’s tenure increases. While diverse skills are positively related to contributor’s creative performance, and this positive relationship strengthens as contributor’s tenure increases.

Originality/value

This research highlights the importance of online team collaboration in knowledge transfer through learning from others in open innovation communities. By identifying two outcomes of learning from others through online team collaboration, the authors demonstrate the double-edged role of learning from others and advance the understanding on how the effect of learning from others varies over the contributor’s tenure. These results expand the understanding of online team collaboration and provide a new perspective for research on learning from others.
Modelling of crude oil price data using hidden Markov model
Authors: Kadhem Safaa , Thajel Haider
Published: February 2023

Purpose

One of the most important sources of energy in the world, due to its great impact on the global economy, is the crude oil. Due to the instability of oil prices which exhibit extreme fluctuations during periods of different times of market uncertainty, it became hard to the governments to predict accurately the prices of crude oil in order to build their financial budgets. Therefore, this study aims to analyse and model crude oil price using the hidden Markov process (HMM).

Design/methodology/approach

Traditional mathematical approaches of time series may be not give accurate results to measure and analyse the crude oil price, since the latter has an unstable and fluctuating nature, hence, its prediction forms a challenge task. A novel methodology that is so-called the HMM is proposed that takes into account the heterogeneity in prices as well as their hidden state-based behaviour.

Findings

Using the Bayesian approach, several estimated models with different ranks are fitted to a non-homogeneous data of Iraqi crude oil prices from January 2010 into December 2021. The model selection criteria and measures of the prediction performance of each model are applied to choose the best model. Movements of crude oil prices exhibit extreme fluctuations during periods of different times of market uncertainty. The processes of model estimation and the model selection were conducted in Python V.3.10, and it is available from the first author on request.

Originality/value

Using the Bayesian approach, several estimated models with different ranks are fitted to a non-homogeneous data of Iraqi crude oil prices from January 2010 to December 2021.
Customer development-product development dilemmas in startup firms: a qualitative investigation into founder's involvement
Authors: Eesley Dale T. , Sharma Yukti , Singh Ramendra , Sindhav Birud
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Entrepreneurship literature recognizes the founder’s involvement as a salient factor in determining the success of startups. Nevertheless, its role in conjunction with the marketing roles of founders has been relatively unexplored. Very little is known about how founder’s involvement in marketing tasks (i.e. developing products, sales and customers) helps attain success in early startups. To fill this knowledge gap, this study aims to qualitatively investigate the founder’s involvement under three vital functional areas (i.e. sales, customer development and product development) and also explain their entwined nature of the relationship as the early-stage startups grow to become a scalable businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used purposive sampling for conducting in-depth interviews with 11 startup founders in the midwestern city of the USA. A constant comparative method was used to code the interview transcripts, while juxtaposing them with extant literature.

Findings

Using three levels of axial coding, this study identified 32 descriptive codes, 11 aggregate codes and 2 interpretive codes. Following this, the authors present five propositions that illustrate the relationship between founders’ involvement, customer development, product development and sales.

Practical implications

This study offers guidelines to founders on how they could generate initial sales, identify early customers and build and sustain mutually beneficial relationships with them.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the extant literature on entrepreneurship and innovation literature. It presents motivation and potential processes, including systematic activities performed by founders in generating sales in conjunction with customer development and product development, thereby making a novel contribution.
Mobile financial services and household welfare in a developing economy: boon and bane
Authors: Ahmad Sohana Wadud , Wongsurawat Winai
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether the introduction of innovative financial products increases welfare for low-income households working in the manufacturing sector. Specifically, the authors measure the impact of mobile financial services (MFSs) on economic opportunities and wellbeing of garment factory workers in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on Amartya Sen’s Capabilities Approach. Close to 400 textile factory workers were interviewed about their experience using Bangladesh’s most popular MFS, and how their household welfare has changed over time. Results were tabulated and analyzed with simple statistical tools.

Findings

While there remains an abundance of friction in the system, financial innovation still assisted low-income households in savings, and expedited and secured their fund transfers. The introduction of the new technology, especially when it is made mandatory, seems to have disempowered married women by reducing their financial independence from their husbands.

Originality/value

This study should help policy makers and international bodies in their efforts to design and support the inclusive growth of mobile financial technology.
A systematic review of UTAUT2 constructs’ analysis among MSMEs in non-OECD countries
Authors: Lee Yvonne , Lim WeiLee , Eng Ho Sai
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to analyse the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and UTAUT2 constructs used in research on information and communication technology (ICT) adoption and use among micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in non-organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD) countries. It also investigates the areas of ICT adoption along the value chain in studies using these constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

Systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted, where 910 studies were retrieved manually in five academic databases. Forty-eight studies were finalised after four filtration levels.

Findings

Majority of the studies were published within the past six years, and 85.42% were studies in the form of journal papers. UTAUT constructs more researched compared to UTAUT2 constructs. More than half of the studies investigated ICT application in value chain boundaries, while 16 studies were organisation-wide studies.

Research limitations/implications

With developments in MSMEs’ technology, the UTAUT2 model must be expanded to internal company operations including finance and infrastructure maintenance. To boost competitiveness and productivity, non-OECD authorities should focus on the cost and user-centric characteristics of MSMEs’ technology adoption.

Originality/value

Although SLRs on UTAUT and UTAUT2 constructs have been attempted previously, this study contributes to the body of knowledge by focusing analysis on the application of those constructs on MSMEs in non-OECD countries and also by situating ICT adoption along the value chain of enterprises.
An exploration into the factors influencing the implementation of big data analytics in sustainable supply chain management
Authors: Tambuskar Dhanraj P. , Jain Prashant , Narwane Vaibhav S.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

With big data (BD), traditional supply chain is shifting to digital supply chain. This study aims to address the issues and challenges in the way toward the implementation of big data analytics (BDA) in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM).

Design/methodology/approach

The factors that affect the implementation of BDA in SSCM are identified through a widespread literature review. The PESTEL framework is used for this purpose as it covers all the political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors. These factors are then finalized by means of experts' opinion and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

A total of 10 factors are finalized with 31 sub-factors, of which sustainable performance, competitive advantage, stakeholders' involvement and capabilities, lean and green practices and improvement in environmental performance are found to be the critical factors for the implementation of BDA in SSCM.

Research limitations/implications

This research has taken up the case of Indian manufacturing industry. It can be diversified to other geographical areas and industry sectors. Further, the quantitative analysis may be undertaken with structured or semi-structured interviews for validation of the proposed model.

Practical implications

This research provides an insight to managers regarding the implementation of BDA in SSCM by identifying and examining the influencing factors. The results may be useful for managers for the implementation of BDA and budget allocation for BDA project.

Social implications

The result includes green practices and environmental performance as critical factors for the implementation of BDA in SSCM. Thus the research establishes a positive relationship between BDA and sustainable manufacturing that ultimately benefits the environment and society.

Originality/value

This research addresses the challenges in the implementation of BDA in SSCM in Indian manufacturing sector, where such application is at its nascent stage. The use of PESTEL framework for identifying and categorizing the factors makes the study more worthwhile, as it covers full spectrum of the various factors that affect the strategic business decisions.
Is this the real life? Or just a fantasy? A closer look at maladaptive daydreaming
Authors: Vyas Mahimna , Shaikh Mehatab , Rana Shubh , Pendyala Anjana Gauri
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) has yet to be recognized as a formal condition. This paper aims to shed light on the phenomenon of daydreaming, its potential maladaptive nature and the characteristics of MD, as well as potential interventions that may be implemented to address it.

Design/methodology/approach

The present paper is a general conceptual review of the condition of MD. It provides a historical overview of the phenomenon and attempts to draw meaningful inferences from the scientific work pertaining to the development of diagnostic criteria, the assessment and interventions developed to treat MD.

Findings

Studies have shown that MD can cause distress and impair an individual's typical functioning, and specific diagnostic criteria and symptoms have been identified. Scheduled clinical interviews, self-report measures and derivative treatment modules are currently utilized to understand, assess and treat the symptoms related to MD.

Practical implications

Formal recognition of the condition ensures that the individuals receiving treatment for the condition are provided with insurance coverage and reimbursement for treatment.

Social implications

Authors also hope for MD recognition, awareness, reduced stigma and acceptance.

Originality/value

This review offers a fair overview of the recent scientific findings pertaining to MD and attempts to open a channel of discourse to enhance the inclusivity of relevant psychopathological conditions in the existing classifications.
Experimental and finite element method investigation on the compression behaviour of FCCZ and BCC lattice structures of additively manufactured Fe-3Si samples
Authors: Pramanik Sudipta , Hoyer Kay-Peter , Schaper Mirko
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the manufacturability of Fe-3Si lattice structures and the resulting mechanical properties. This study could lead to the successful processing of squirrel cage conductors (a lattice structure by design) of an induction motor by additive manufacturing in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

The compression behaviour of two lattice structures where struts are arranged in a face-centred cubic position and vertical edges (FCCZ), and struts are placed at body-centred cubic (BCC) positions, prepared by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), is explored. The experimental investigations are supported by finite element method (FEM) simulations.

Findings

The FCCZ lattice structure presents a peak in the stress-strain curve, whereas the BCC lattice structure manifests a plateau. The vertical struts aligned along the compression direction lead to a significant increase in the load-carrying ability of FCCZ lattice structures compared to BCC lattice structures. This results in a peak in the stress-strain curve. However, the BCC lattice structure presents the bending of struts with diagonal struts carrying the major loads with struts near the faceplate receiving the least load. A high concentration of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) near the grain boundaries along cell formation is observed in the microstructure.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on additive manufacturing of Fe-3Si lattice structures. Currently, there are no investigations in the literature on the manufacturability and mechanical properties of Fe-3Si lattice structures.
An economic assessment of options for operating within plantation forestry water entitlements and tightening cap and trade policy
Authors: Regan Courtney M. , Connor Jeffery D. , Iftekhar Md Sayed
Published: February 2023

The Green Triangle (GT) region of southern Australia is one of only two jurisdictions globally to licence plantation forestry's groundwater use. In response to declines in groundwater resources caused by historical plantation expansion, reductions in forest water allocations (~50%) are likely for some parts of the region, presenting novel challenges for forest managers in maintaining revenues and timber flows. This article presents a mathematical programming model evaluation of water trade opportunities for plantation forest owners to adapt to reduced water entitlements and explores how tightening groundwater policy could affect forestry returns and land use mix for the region. Results suggest that even absent opportunity to sell water, relatively limited 11% reduction in return could be expected for a large (−50%) water entitlement and (−48%) land‐use change out of forestry. Results suggest that opportunities for forestry companies to sell water entitlements may allow them to maintain or even increase combined returns from forestry and water sales. Whilst the results highlight the adaptive capacity of the plantation forestry sector to operate within reduced water entitlement, a significant sectoral and regional economy adjustment would be likely. The discussion focusses on the potential to realise optimisation model‐identified adaptation opportunities accounting for real‐world thin markets, transaction costs and market friction.
The people versus the money: What drives interest group influence in the European Union?
Authors: DE BRUYCKER ISKANDER , HANEGRAAFF MARCEL
Published: February 2023

This paper evaluates whether lobbying influence is open to the highest bidder or boosted by congruence with popular opinion. Common wisdom holds that well‐endowed organizations prevail in lobbying battles. This perception contrasts with recent observations, which point to the decisive role of public opinion. This paper unites these seemingly contrasting stances by arguing that both economic resources and congruence with public opinion are paramount for lobbying influence. What matters, we argue, is the interplay between the two. Lobby groups that already enjoy substantial economic capacities are expected to benefit most from congruence with public opinion. We test our expectations in the context of European Union policy making. We draw from a sample of 41 policy issues for which public opinion polls were conducted, an extensive content analysis of 2,085 news articles and 183 lobbyists’ survey responses. We demonstrate that interest groups with more economic resources are generally more influential, but only if their policy positions are congruent with a public majority.
Validating a novel tool for coding body worn camera footage of police‐community member interactions
Authors: Elkins‐Brown Nathaniel , James Stephen , James Lois
Published: February 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to validate a tool for coding police body‐worn camera (BWC) footage to measure the dynamics of police–community encounters, including items related to community members, officer performance, and situational outcomes.

Methods

Over 1000 BWC videos were scored by five coders who participated in an iterative interrater reliability exercise to improve the agreement. Krippendorf's alphas and a multilevel simultaneous component analysis were used to assess interrater reliability and the component structure of ratings, respectively. Bootstrapped and multilevel exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to ascertain any underlying dimensions supporting officer and community member behavior, and cluster analyses were performed to examine whether interactions could be grouped into coherent categories.

Results

The lower bound of unweighted means of bootstrapped alphas ranged from 0.67 to 0.96 depending upon item type, and 21.60% of the total variance in raters was between‐subjects. Factor analyses revealed only a single factor (“defensiveness”) underlying four items related to hostility directed toward officers by community members. Cluster analyses described seven categories that were highly overlapping but conceptually plausible with cluster silhouette means ranging from −0.06 to 0.13.

Conclusions

We validated a collection of interval‐level coding metrics on a random sample of over 1000 interactions between police officers and community members recorded through BWCs. In doing so, we provide a roadmap for researchers and practitioners to effectively measure the dynamics of police–community encounters and officer performance within those encounters and a framework for addressing the validity and reliability of items in future studies involving the measurement of BWC footage.
From professional aspirations to identity confirmation and transformation: The case of Japanese career women working for foreign subsidiaries in Japan
Authors: Pudelko Markus , Tenzer Helene
Published: February 2023

This study investigates what attracts career‐oriented women to foreign subsidiaries and how they experience this work context. Based on 125 interviews with career‐oriented women in Japan, we find that their frequent choice of foreign employers is not only motivated by professional aspirations but also by identity‐related aspirations. Japanese women who embraced an internationalist orientation experience a confirmation of their identity by working for foreign subsidiaries; by contrast, those who still felt bound by traditional role expectations, undergo a liberating identity transformation. Based on the perceptions of these particular employees, we develop recommendations for gender diversity management in foreign subsidiaries. We further argue that women, who are disadvantaged in the local employment context, often desire that foreign subsidiaries implement standardized home country human resource management practices, instead of adopting local practices. By focusing on the recruitment of highly qualified women, foreign subsidiaries may turn their liability of foreignness into a competitive advantage.
Bicameralism and Policy Responsiveness to Public Opinion
Authors: Ezrow Lawrence , Fenzl Michele , Hellwig Timothy
Published: February 2023

Does the organization of the assembly affect whether governments deliver policy that reflects the public's changing preferences? Cross‐national analyses of public opinion and policy outputs for policies concerning welfare and immigration show that governments respond to shifts in public opinion in systems with a dominant chamber but not where bicameralism is strong. Our theory's emphasis on the distribution of power between chambers further explains differences within bicameral systems: constraints on policy change mean that responsiveness is weaker where power is equally distributed between chambers but more robust where power is concentrated in the lower house. Evidence from institutional change in Belgium, where the fourth state reform shifted power away from the senate and disproportionately toward the lower house, provides corroborating evidence that policy becomes more responsive when constitutions concentrate legislative power. This study's findings have implications for our understanding of how bicameralism matters for government responsiveness to public opinion.
Performance and usability of pre‐operative prediction models for 30‐day peri‐operative mortality risk: a systematic review
Authors: Vernooij J. E. M. , Koning N. J. , Geurts J. W. , Holewijn S. , Preckel B. , Kalkman C. J. , Vernooij L. M.
Published: February 2023

Estimating pre‐operative mortality risk may inform clinical decision‐making for peri‐operative care. However, pre‐operative mortality risk prediction models are rarely implemented in routine clinical practice. High predictive accuracy and clinical usability are essential for acceptance and clinical implementation. In this systematic review, we identified and appraised prediction models for 30‐day postoperative mortality in non‐cardiac surgical cohorts. PubMed and Embase were searched up to December 2022 for studies investigating pre‐operative prediction models for 30‐day mortality. We assessed predictive performance in terms of discrimination and calibration. Risk of bias was evaluated using a tool to assess the risk of bias and applicability of prediction model studies. To further inform potential adoption, we also assessed clinical usability for selected models. In all, 15 studies evaluating 10 prediction models were included. Discrimination ranged from a c‐statistic of 0.82 (MySurgeryRisk) to 0.96 (extreme gradient boosting machine learning model). Calibration was reported in only six studies. Model performance was highest for the surgical outcome risk tool (SORT) and its external validations. Clinical usability was highest for the surgical risk pre‐operative assessment system. The SORT and risk quantification index also scored high on clinical usability. We found unclear or high risk of bias in the development of all models. The SORT showed the best combination of predictive performance and clinical usability and has been externally validated in several heterogeneous cohorts. To improve clinical uptake, full integration of reliable models with sufficient face validity within the electronic health record is imperative.
Testicular torsion in vivo models: Mechanisms and treatments
Authors: Minas Aram , Mahmoudabadi Sina , Gamchi Naeimeh Shamsi , Antoniassi Mariana Pereira , Alizadeh Arash , Bertolla Ricardo Pimenta
Published: February 2023

Background

Testicular torsion is a condition in which a testis rotates around its longitudinal axis and twists the spermatic cord. This in turn results in a significant decrease in blood flow and perfusion of testicular tissue. During Testicular torsion, the testicular tissue is affected by ischemia, heat stress, hypoxia, and oxidative and nitrosative stress. The testicular torsion should be considered an emergency condition and surgical intervention (testicular detorsion ) as the sole treatment option in viable cases involves counter‐rotation on twisted testes associated, when possible, to orchipexy, in order to avoid recurrence. Possible testicular detorsion side‐effects occur due to reperfusion and endothelial cells injury, microcirculation disturbances, and intense germ cells loss.

Objectives

To discuss testicular torsion surgery‐based methods, different time frames for testicular torsion induction, and the associated pathophysiology by emphasizing cellular and molecular events as well as different therapeutic agent applications for testicular torsion.

Materials and methods

We reviewed all original research and epidemiological papers related to testicular torsion condition.

Results

Testicular torsion causes germ cell necrosis, arrested spermatogenesis, and diminished testosterone levels, with consequent infertility. Among different involved pathophysiological impacts, testicular torsion/detorsion‐induced ischemia seems to play the key role by leading the tissue toward other series of events in testis. Numerous studies have used adjuvant antioxidants, calcium channel blockers, anti‐inflammatory agents, or vasodilating agents in order to decrease these effects.

Discussion and conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, no previously conducted study examined therapeutical agents' beneficial effects post clinical I/R condition in humans. Different agents targeting different pathophysiological conditions were used to ameliorate the ischemia/reperfusion‐induced condition in animal models, however, none of the administrated agents were tested in human cases. Although considering testicular detorsion surgery is still the golden method to reverse the testicular torsion condition and the surgical approach is undeniable, the evaluated agents with beneficial effects, need to be investigated furthermore in clinical conditions. Thus, furthermore clinical studies and case reports are required to approve the animal models proposed agents' beneficial impacts.
Impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on women's perinatal mental health and its association with personality traits: An observational study
Authors: Birkelund Karine S. , Rasmussen Solrun S. , Shwank Simone E. , Johnson Jonas , Acharya Ganesh
Published: February 2023

Introduction

The burden of perinatal mental health problems was expected to increase during the COVID‐19 pandemic. We prospectively investigated the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women in Norway and explored associations with their sociodemographic characteristics and personality traits.

Material and methods

Sociodemographic information and the self‐reported impact of pandemic on wellbeing of pregnant women was collected using an online survey. To assess women's mental health, two validated questionnaires, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 item Scale (GAD‐7), were used prenatally and postnatally. Personality traits were evaluated using HumanGuide, a web‐based ipsative psychological evaluation instrument.

Results

772 women were included prenatally, of which 526 also responded to the survey 4–6 weeks postnatally. The median age was 29 years, 53.6% of the women were nulliparous when enrolled, and 35.1% worked in the healthcare sector. The median EPDS (6.0; interquartile range [IQR] 3.0–10.0 vs 6.0; IQR: 3.0–10.0) and the median GAD‐7 (5.0; IQR 2.0–9.0 vs 5.0; IQR 2.0–9.0) were similar pre‐and postnatally. Prenatally, the proportion of women scoring ≥13 on EPDS and ≥10 on GAD‐7 was 14.5% (112/772) and 21.5% (166/772), whereas the postnatal figures were 15.6% (82/526) and 21.5% (113/526), respectively. The differences were not significant (P = 0.59 and P = 0.99). Being <25 years of age, being on pre‐pregnancy psychotherapy or psychotropic medication, frequent voluntary isolation, perception of maternity care not proceeding normally, avoiding seeking medical assistance due to fear of infection and having negative economic consequences during the COVID19 pandemic significantly increased the risk of both anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥10) and depression (EPDS ≥13). Nullipara had a higher risk of anxiety, whereas being a healthcare worker had a lower risk. The personality trait factors Power (P = 0.008), Quality (P = 0.008), Stability (P < 0.001) and Contacts (P < 0.001) were significant predictors of depression among pregnant women, whereas the Quality (P = 0.005) and Contacts (P = 0.003) were significant predictors of anxiety.

Conclusions

During the initial phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the prevalence of depression (EPDS ≥ 13) and anxiety (GAD‐7 ≥ 10) was 14.5% and 21.5%, respectively, among Norwegian pregnant women. Certain sociodemographic characteristics and personality traits were significant predictors of depression and anxiety.
Modelling within‐person idiographic variance could help explain and individualize learning
Authors: Saqr Mohammed
Published: February 2023

Learning analytics is a fast‐growing discipline. Institutions and countries alike are racing to harness the power of using data to support students, teachers and stakeholders. Research in the field has proven that predicting and supporting underachieving students is worthwhile. Nonetheless, challenges remain unresolved, for example, lack of generalizability, portability and failure to advance our understanding of students' behaviour. Recently, interest has grown in modelling individual or within‐person behaviour, that is, understanding the person‐specific changes. This study applies a novel method that combines within‐person with between‐person variance to better understand how changes unfolding at the individual level can explain students' final grades. By modelling the within‐person variance, we directly model where the process takes place, that is the student. Our study finds that combining within‐ and between‐person variance offers a better explanatory power and a better guidance of the variables that could be targeted for intervention at the personal and group levels. Furthermore, using within‐person variance opens the door for person‐specific idiographic models that work on individual student data and offer students support based on their own insights.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

Predicting students' performance has commonly been implemented using cross‐sectional data at the group level.

Predictive models help predict and explain student performance in individual courses but are hard to generalize.

Heterogeneity has been a major factor in hindering cross‐course or context generalization.

What this paper adds

Intra‐individual (within‐person) variations can be modelled using repeated measures data.

Hybrid between–within‐person models offer more explanatory and predictive power of students' performance.

Intra‐individual variations do not mirror interindividual variations, and thus, generalization is not warranted.

Regularity is a robust predictor of student performance at both the individual and the group levels.

Implications for practice

The study offers a method for teachers to better understand and predict students' performance.

The study offers a method of identifying what works on a group or personal level.

Intervention at the personal level can be more effective when using within‐person predictors and at the group level when using between‐person predictors.