Core Capabilities Research Articles

The impact of knowledge characteristics on process performance: experimenting with the conversion perspective on knowledge transfer velocity

PurposeWith shorter product cycles and a growing number of knowledge-intensive business processes, time consumption is a highly relevant target factor in measuring the performance of contemporary business processes. This research aims to extend prior research on the effects of knowledge transfer velocity at the individual level by considering the effect of complexity, stickiness, competencies, and further demographic factors on knowledge-intensive business processes at the conversion-specific levels.Design/methodology/approachWe empirically assess the impact of situation-dependent knowledge transfer velocities on time consumption in teams and individuals. Further, we issue the demographic effect on this relationship. We study a sample of 178 experiments of project teams and individuals applying ordinary least squares (OLS) for regression analysis-based modeling.FindingsThe authors find that time consumed at knowledge transfers is negatively associated with the complexity of tasks. Moreover, competence among team members has a complementary effect on this relationship and stickiness retards knowledge transfers. Thus, while demographic factors urgently need to be considered for effective and speedy knowledge transfers, these influencing factors should be addressed on a conversion-specific basis so that some tasks are realized in teams best while others are not. Guidelines and interventions are derived to identify best task realization variants, so that process performance is improved by a new kind of process improvement method.Research limitations/implicationsThis study establishes empirically the importance of conversion-specific influence factors and demographic factors as drivers of high knowledge transfer velocities in teams and among individuals. The contribution connects the field of knowledge management to important streams in the wider business literature: process improvement, management of knowledge resources, design of information systems, etc. Whereas the model is highly bound to the experiment tasks, it has high explanatory power and high generalizability to other contexts.Practical implicationsTeam managers should take care to allow the optimal knowledge transfer situation within the team. This is particularly important when knowledge sharing is central, e.g. in product development and consulting processes. If this is not possible, interventions should be applied to the individual knowledge transfer situation to improve knowledge transfers among team members.Social implicationsFaster and more effective knowledge transfers improve the performance of both commercial and non-commercial organizations. As nowadays, the individual is faced with time pressure to finalize tasks, the deliberated increase of knowledge transfer velocity is a core capability to realize this goal. Quantitative knowledge transfer models result in more reliable predictions about the duration of knowledge transfers. These allow the target-oriented modification of knowledge transfer situations so that processes speed up, private firms are more competitive and public services are faster to citizens.Originality/valueTime consumption is an increasingly relevant factor in contemporary business but so far not been explored in experiments at all. This study extends current knowledge by considering quantitative effects on knowledge velocity and improved knowledge transfers.

The occurrence and mechanism of hysteresis between axial deformation and short‐circuit electromagnetic force during the vibration of power transformer windings

AbstractMechanical stability is one of the core capabilities of power transformers. External short‐circuit accidents are the main cause of winding instability. International Electrotechnical Commission 60076‐5 standard recommends a method to calculate the short‐circuit strength of power transformer windings by comparing the stress within windings under the effect of the maximum electromagnetic force with the critical stress of the winding. This method assumes that the maximum deformation will be produced by the maximum electromagnetic force, which corresponds to the first peak of the waveform. However, owing to the interactions between disks during the vibration process, the maximum deformation may occur after the occurrence of the maximum electromagnetic force. The hysteresis phenomenon between disk deformation and electromagnetic force is studied. The definition of the hysteresis phenomenon during the vibration process is first demonstrated, and the mechanism of the hysteresis phenomenon is investigated. The vibration model is established. By decoupling analysis, the conditions for the formation of hysteresis are proposed, and the mechanism of the hysteresis phenomenon is validated by the experiment, which is conducted on a winding sample. In the deformation formula, the term that determines the time‐varying characteristic is found. The waveform‐determining term is the difference between the two cosine components, whose frequencies are the natural vibration frequency and the electromagnetic force frequency. When the two frequencies are close, the maximum deformation lags behind the maximum force, and the hysteresis phenomenon occurs.

Evaluating Large Language Models with RAG Capability: A Perspective from Robot Behavior Planning and Execution

After the significant performance of Large Language Models (LLMs) was revealed, their capabilities were rapidly expanded with techniques such as Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). Given their broad applicability and fast development, it's crucial to consider their impact on social systems. On the other hand, assessing these advanced LLMs poses challenges due to their extensive capabilities and the complex nature of social systems. In this study, we pay attention to the similarity between LLMs in social systems and humanoid robots in open environments. We enumerate the essential components required for controlling humanoids in problem solving which help us explore the core capabilities of LLMs and assess the effects of any deficiencies within these components. This approach is justified because the effectiveness of humanoid systems has been thoroughly proven and acknowledged. To identify needed components for humanoids in problem-solving tasks, we create an extensive component framework for planning and controlling humanoid robots in an open environment. Then assess the impacts and risks of LLMs for each component, referencing the latest benchmarks to evaluate their current strengths and weaknesses. Following the assessment guided by our framework, we identified certain capabilities that LLMs lack and concerns in social systems.

Ambidexterity in the boardroom: A core capability to improve effectiveness

The achievement of board effectiveness has been the subject of substantial research and merits continued investigation. The topic has prompted many important and complex questions, all of which can be summarized by an enduring enigma: Why do similar boards of directors that govern comparable organizations and apply the same good governance practices perform differently? Solving this enigma involves more than checking off a list of success factors; it also requires identifying a core capability that brings these factors together. The capability in question is board ambidexterity, which can be summed up as the ability to harmonize and reconcile extremes or opposites. Based on the paradox perspective, this article addresses twelve dualities, explaining and illustrating them with survey data and quotes from in-depth interviews with CEOs and board chairs. The link between ambidexterity and board effectiveness is examined, as well as potential imbalances that boards can experience. Since developing ambidexterity is more an art than a science, this article proposes a diagnostic tool to help governance committees and boards examine their level of ambidexterity. It also suggests a general approach to navigating diverse dualities.

Are generative design tools creative? A characterisation of tools throughout the design process

AbstractGenerative design is now a core capability of today's CAD systems enabling broader exploration of the design space. This paper presents a desktop review of 15 tools with the aim of characterising where the tools are used in the design process and to what extent they can be considered creative.The results showed that, despite their increasing capabilities, GD tools are unable to exhibit all phases of creativity and cannot be applied in all stages of the design process. This highlights the criticality of the human in design providing opportunities for GD to augment designer creativity.

The effects of a firm’s internationalization, age, and environmental turbulence on the capabilities that comprise strategic agility

This study investigates a largely unexplored area by examining how internationalization, firm age, and environmental turbulence influence the key components of strategic agility, namely strategic sensitivity, leadership unity, and resource fluidity. Although these factors have been identified as potential catalysts for strategic agility, their specific impacts on strategic agility’s core capabilities have yet to be thoroughly explored. Our research aims to bridge this gap, providing a nuanced understanding of how each of these variables shapes the strategic agility of a firm. The study uses the empirical research of 220 Spanish firms in the service sector and then adopts partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the data. Our findings indicate that internationalization has a dual effect on strategic agility: internationalization enhances strategic sensitivity, reflecting improved environmental awareness, but it diminishes leadership unity, illustrating the complexities of global leadership alignment. Additionally, an increase in firm age is associated with a decrease in all the aspects of strategic agility. By contrast, environmental turbulence positively impacts each dimension of strategic agility, suggesting that turbulent conditions can indeed promote the adaptability and responsiveness of a firm.

Phase Change Nanocapsules Enabling Dual-Mode Thermal Management for Fast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The fast-charging performance of conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is determined by the working temperature. LIBs may fail to work under harsh conditions, especially in the low-temperature range of the local environment or in the high-temperature circumstances resulting from the release of substantial Joule heating in the short term. Constructing a thermal engineering framework for thermal regulation and maintaining the battery running at an appropriate temperature range are feasible strategies for developing temperature-tolerant, fast-charging LIBs. In this work, we prepare phase change nanocapsules as a thermal regulating layer on the cell surface. The polyurea shells of the nanocapsules are decorated with polyaniline, where the molecular vibration of polyaniline is enhanced under solar irradiation, enabling light-to-heat conversion that achieves an effective temperature increment at low temperatures. Based on the large latent heat storage capability of the n-octadecane core in the nanocapsules, the thermal regulating layer is sufficient to modulate strong heat release when operating LIBs at a high current rate, which efficiently prevents strong side reactions at high temperatures or even the occurrence of thermal runaway. This work highlights the promise of optimizing the operating temperature with a thermal regulator to ensure the safety and performance stability of fast-charging LIBs.

“Crafting a ‘TransitionOmeter’: A Proposed Framework for Developing and Honing Capabilities of Young People Transitioning to Adult Healthcare Services.”

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on an innovative approach to preparing children and young people, with Spina Bifida, to move from child-centered to adult-oriented healthcare systems. Reflecting on our role in delivering a national nurse led service, we set to identify and critique international transition tools in use for this population. Specifically, we aimed to identify the core capabilities and indicators of progression to successful transition, so that holistic interventions could be planned to match the needs of individuals and their carers. There were two phases to the study, initially focusing on a systematic literature review on transition tools and the specific items that these tools captured, including skills, abilities and behaviors. Phase two culminated in the articulation of a segmented and incremental “road map”, aligned with facets deemed essential for a successful healthcare transition. The reporting of the literature review (phase one) followed the PRISMA guidelines and shaped the qualitative element of the study (phase two) through the use of semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. The search strategy yielded 11 studies, which were then manually searched for other relevant literature, adding a further 14 articles. The review analyzed 7 specific tools for spina bifida and 8 generic tools, which were deemed appropriate for this group of patients. A comprehensive list of core capabilities was then articulated and framed to fit a progression timeline. Specific interventions were formulated to explore ways to co-produce resources that could enhance and support a planned transition to adult-focused services. Our proposed mapping of capabilities and progression could shape other transition programs, where nurses work collaboratively with young people, carers and other members of a team. More work is needed to further explore and embed the framework that, as we did, could be digitized and shared with all stakeholders involved in the transition process.

Navigating genomic testing: Evaluation of an e-learning module with general practitioners

Background: Primary care, or general, practitioners (GPs) are increasingly expected to communicate with and support their patients through genetic or genomic testing. However, GPs worldwide report a lack of knowledge about genetics and what constitutes a genetic or genomic test. Few Australian educational resources for medical practitioners address core capabilities in genetics or genomics. Methods: We developed and evaluated a 90-minute online education module, Navigating Genomic Testing in General Practice, hosted online for 12 months. The module aimed to increase GPs’ awareness and knowledge of genomics, increase confidence in their capability to support genomic testing and foster intention to utilise that knowledge. GPs residing and practising in Australia who completed the module also completed a mandatory post-module survey. They were then invited to complete a behavioural intention survey and participate in an interview. Results: Between December 2018 and 2019, 216 Australian GPs completed the module and mandatory survey. Fourteen GPs went on to complete the optional survey. Most Australian GPs who completed the module reported gaining knowledge that was relevant to their practice (n = 215, 99.5%) and entirely met their learning needs (n = 168, 77.8%). Respondents of the optional survey (n = 14) indicated that confidence in their capability significantly increased post module, together with intention to support patients undergoing genomic testing. Conclusion: GPs in this study reported increased confidence, ability and intent, which are factors that can lead to changes in behaviour. Our findings support use of this type of online course as an educational tool to help GPs navigate genomics as it increasingly impacts their practice.

From Retrieval to Generation: A Simple and Unified Generative Model for End-to-End Task-Oriented Dialogue

Retrieving appropriate records from the external knowledge base to generate informative responses is the core capability of end-to-end task-oriented dialogue systems (EToDs). Most of the existing methods additionally train the retrieval model or use the memory network to retrieve the knowledge base, which decouples the knowledge retrieval task from the response generation task, making it difficult to jointly optimize and failing to capture the internal relationship between the two tasks. In this paper, we propose a simple and unified generative model for task-oriented dialogue systems, which recasts the EToDs task as a single sequence generation task and uses maximum likelihood training to train the two tasks in a unified manner. To prevent the generation of non-existent records, we design the prefix trie to constrain the model generation, which ensures consistency between the generated records and the existing records in the knowledge base. Experimental results on three public benchmark datasets demonstrate that our method achieves robust performance on generating system responses and outperforms the baseline systems. To facilitate future research in this area, the code is available at https://github.com/dzy1011/Uni-ToD.

Experimental Analysis of Style Transfer and Target Detection in Interactive Art on Smartphones

In recent years the popularity of smartphones has been on the rise, the importance of user experience is being discussed more frequently, and interface design is determined as a crucial technique in the interactive design of mobile devices. As both supply and demand for smartphones have grown, the interactive interface designs are obtained as significant, and attention is paid to their effects. The traditional method is only applicable to computers, has a limited user base, and has poor efficiency and effectiveness. However, the operation and functionality of mobile phones are diminished due to the installation of unwanted applications. Hence it is particularly evident in the interactive art approach in which there has been limited innovation in core capabilities and few distinguishing features among more established programmes. Inorder to perform speedy progress, the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Deep Learning (DL) are widely determined. Furthermore, Style Transfer and Target Detection are emerging as popular because of their significance to the field of visual research. So this paper proposes the prevalent quasi- and flat-materialized style and analyzes the skills necessary for applications. The proposed method achieved superior performance when validated with MPI Sintel and Train2020 MSCOCO datasets.

Research on Partner Selection in Enterprise Innovation Ecosystem

In the face of fierce market competition, enterprises must ensure the competitiveness of their products or services through technological innovation. However, the complexity of technology often surpasses the capabilities of individual enterprises, leading them to deepen cooperation with other organizations. The entities within the enterprise innovation ecosystem depend on each other, collaborate closely, and rely on core enterprises to integrate resources, thereby creating system value and enhancing competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to explore the process of selecting appropriate ecosystem partners. It begins by providing an overview of relevant concepts, characteristics, selection factors, and methods. Subsequently, it analyzes the roles, resources, and synergy evolution of the entities within the ecosystem. An evaluation system encompassing operation, core, synergy, and development capability is then established. This system comprises 16 indicators, including organization scale and reputation, and is accompanied by a hierarchical evaluation model. Finally, the validity of the evaluation system is confirmed through empirical analysis, utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method.

A thematic analysis of the links between multinational enterprises’ corporate social responsibility and the Sustainable Development Goals in Myanmar

AbstractAdopting textual analysis, we examine the links between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 30 foreign subsidiaries in Myanmar, a Country of Concern (CoC). The analysis covers the period from 2001 up to 2020. Our work contributes to the literature on SDGs and CSR in a CoC. We find that although multinational enterprises (MNEs) address community issues via philanthropy unrelated to their principal business, in some cases CSR is related to their core capability. Despite some diversity in CSR processes, we find that MNEs tackle limited CSR issues. Furthermore, MNEs’ CSR generates positive externalities rather than reduce negative externalities. This finding confirms the discourse in international business policy suggesting MNEs focus on only positive externalities and ignoring negative externalities, and this neglect of negative externalities could result in a net-negative impact from their CSR. Nevertheless, we observe that CSR activities map onto all but one SDG, thus demonstrating the potential for further investment in CSR in Myanmar. Our study highlights that given a CoC is all about institutional weakness, MNEs’ CSR must focus on strengthening institutions to bring about systemic changes in these contexts, as opposed to short-term ‘bandage’ approaches, otherwise, gains to SDGs will be short-lived.

Optimizing organizational success: Matching the right position with the right person

The purpose of this study is to identify the core capabilities required of Information Technology workers working in IT firms. Personal competencies, technical competencies, job-related competencies, interpersonal competencies, knowledge level competencies, and management competencies were all employed in the study, and they are all linked to IT employees’ performance and help them thrive in their jobs. The existing study is primary in nature and involves retrieval of responses from IT employees through structured questionnaire ranged from 1–5 Likert scale. The sample size of the study is 176 respondents using purposive random sampling techniques. The study ‘s findings imply that in order to get a competitive advantage in the business industry, every individual in the company should be involved in improving productivity and efficiency at work. Similarly, the firm faces a difficult task in retaining people and persuading them to stay current in their fields of expertise or critical performance areas. As a result, competency mapping will aid the organisation in finding the expected skills of each employee in relation to the jobʼs actual skill set. Specific training initiatives to overcome the skill shortfall of IT employees should be taken based on the identified gaps.

Identifying a competency improvement strategy for infection prevention and control professionals: A rapid systematic review and cluster analysis

AbstractRemarkable progress has been made in infection prevention and control (IPC) in many countries, but some gaps emerged in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Core capabilities such as standard clinical precautions and tracing the source of infection were the focus of IPC in medical institutions during the pandemic. Therefore, the core competences of IPC professionals during the pandemic, and how these contributed to successful prevention and control of the epidemic, should be studied. To investigate, using a systematic review and cluster analysis, fundamental improvements in the competences of infection control and prevention professionals that may be emphasized in light of the COVID‐19 pandemic. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, and CBM databases for original articles exploring core competencies of IPC professionals during the COVID‐19 pandemic (from January 1, 2020 to February 7, 2023). Weiciyun software was used for data extraction and the Donohue formula was followed to distinguish high‐frequency technical terms. Cluster analysis was performed using the within‐group linkage method and squared Euclidean distance as the metric to determine the priority competencies for development. We identified 46 studies with 29 high‐frequency technical terms. The most common term was “infection prevention and control training” (184 times, 17.3%), followed by “hand hygiene” (172 times, 16.2%). “Infection prevention and control in clinical practice” was the most‐reported core competency (367 times, 34.5%), followed by “microbiology and surveillance” (292 times, 27.5%). Cluster analysis showed two key areas of competence: Category 1 (program management and leadership, patient safety and occupational health, education and microbiology and surveillance) and Category 2 (IPC in clinical practice). During the COVID‐19 pandemic, IPC program management and leadership, microbiology and surveillance, education, patient safety, and occupational health were the most important focus of development and should be given due consideration by IPC professionals.

Are Australian Cancer and Palliative Care Nurses Ready to Prescribe Medicines? A National Survey

Registered nurse prescribing has been put forth, for decades, as an innovative approach to meet growing healthcare needs, particularly in areas of care where medications are essential and highly controlled such as for patients requiring cancer and palliative care. However, the adoption of innovative health delivery models requires acceptance by key stakeholders. This study explores cancer and palliative care nurses' attitudes toward nurse prescribing and their perceptions about educational requirements for a nurse prescriber. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to Australian nurses between March and July 2021. Data were collected using the Advancing Implementation of Nurse Prescribing in Australia online survey. Pearson χ2 tests were used to examine associations between nurses in cancer care, palliative care, and all other specialties on demographics, attitudes to nurse prescribing, and educational perspectives to become prescribers. Of the 4,424 nurses who participated in the survey, 161 nurses identified they worked in cancer care and 109 in palliative care settings. Although nurses have a common set of core capabilities, their work contexts and their professional experiences shape their attitudes toward practice. Nurses in cancer care were significantly less certain than nurses in palliative care [χ2(2) = 6.68, P = .04], and nurses from all other specialties [χ2(2) =13.87, P = <.01] of the benefits of nurse prescribing (ie, nurse prescribing would decrease health care system costs, reduce patient risk). Nurses in cancer care were more certain that successfully implementing nurse prescribing requires strong support from their medical and pharmacy colleagues. In addition, nurses working in cancer and palliative care agreed that improving patient care was their primary motivator for becoming a prescriber. Open to expanding their role and responsibilities, nurses in cancer and palliative care settings reported that successfully adopting nurse prescribing must be supported by their other healthcare colleagues within the same environment, which demands strong interprofessional collaborative efforts.

Cultivating a capability for empathy in the Bologna system—the shortcomings of economics and the importance of the civil

Abstract A central aim of the original Bologna Declaration in 1999 was to give the opportunity of advancement in education to every European citizen. According to the Declaration, this goal is worth achieving not simply in order to provide better-qualified workers within the European Union, rather, the aim of higher education within the European Union is understood in a holistic sense as a prerequisite for the composition of a well-functioning European civil society. How can such an ambitious goal be achieved? In this article, we propose that the core capability at stake is that of empathy which, for this reason, should be central to programmes of European higher education. Empathy is not regarded as just a property of specific individuals but as an attribute which must be ascribed to specific forms of civil intercourse. Therefore, what is needed in European higher education is the provision of a social environment for students which allows for civil-cultivation, and for processes of self-cultivation. Self-cultivation, as described here, means more than a refinement of manners; rather, it refers to the development of a civil mode for approaching others: a mode that is sensitive and self-aware at the same time, and which can be regarded as arising out of a shared European heritage interconnecting rhetoric and sociability.

Training, experience, and perceptions of chest tube insertion by higher speciality trainees: implications for training, patient safety, and service delivery

BackgroundSeldinger Chest Tube Insertion (CTI) is a high acuity low occurrence procedure and remains a core capability for UK physician higher speciality trainee’s (HST). A multitude of factors have emerged which may affect the opportunity of generalists to perform CTI. In view of which, this paper sought to establish the current experiences, attitudes, training, and knowledge of medical HST performing Seldinger CTI in acute care hospitals in the Peninsula deanery.MethodsA Scoping review was performed to establish the UK medical HST experience of adult seldinger CTI. Synonymous terms for CTI training were searched across Cochrane, ERIC, Pubmed and British education index databases. Following which, a regional survey was constructed and completed by HST and pleural consultants from five hospitals within the Peninsula deanery between April–July 2022. Data collected included participants demographics, attitudes, training, experience, and clinical knowledge. Outcomes were collated and comparisons made across groups using SPSS. A p-value of < 0.05 was defined as significant.ResultsThe scoping review returned six papers. Salient findings included low self-reported procedural confidence levels, poor interventional selection for patient cases, inadequate site selection for CTI and 1 paper reported only 25% of respondents able to achieve 5–10 CTI annually. However, all papers were limited by including grades other than HST in their responses.The regional survey was completed by 87 HST (12 respiratory, 63 non-respiratory medical HST and 12 intensivists/anaesthetists HST). An additional seven questionnaires were completed by pleural consultants. Respiratory HSTs performed significantly more Seldinger CTI than general and ICM/anaesthetic registrars (p < 0.05). The percentage of HST able to achieve a self-imposed annual CTI number were 81.8, 12.9 and 41.7% respectively. Self-reported transthoracic ultrasound competence was 100, 8 and 58% respectively (p < 0.001). The approach to clinical management significantly differed with national guidance with pleural consultants showing an agreement of 89%, respiratory HST 75%, general HST 52% and ICM/anaesthetic HST 54% (p = 0.002).ConclusionCompared to respiratory trainees, non-respiratory trainees perform lower numbers of Seldinger CTI, with lower confidence levels, limited knowledge, and a reduced perceived relevance of the skill set. This represents a significant training and service challenge, with notable patient safety implications.

Cost Leadership and Growth Strategy – How a Recognized Surfboard Manufacturer Established a Competitive Advantage by Having the Lowest Cost of Operation and Grew Outside Their Core Capabilities

Cost Leadership and Growth Strategy – How a Recognized Surfboard Manufacturer Established a Competitive Advantage by Having the Lowest Cost of Operation and Grew Outside Their Core Capabilities

Do Acquisitions Enrich Corporate Knowledge and Organizational Capital?

We examine the impact of frequent acquisitions on the firm&#x0027;s knowledge capital and organizational capital. We find that frequent acquirers are more likely to have greater knowledge and organizational capital. Firms with higher knowledge capital are also likely to pursue more acquisitions, contrary to the current notion that firms deficient in R&amp;D are more likely to pursue acquisitions. Our results suggest firms enhance exploration and exploitation capabilities through active acquisition programs. The greater a firm&#x0027;s absorptive capacity, the stronger the positive effects of the acquisition frequency on the knowledge capital and organizational capital. Our results suggest that frequent acquisitions decrease a firm&#x0027;s inertia, broaden its knowledge base, and enhance its core capabilities. We find that in-house R&amp;D and externally acquired R&amp;D via acquisitions are complements, not substitutes, contrary to the existing findings. Our results further suggest that firms with higher absorptive capacity (knowledge capital) are more likely to engage in frequent acquisitions.