Company Representatives Research Articles

Plant-based Protein Food Products: Perceptions from the Greek Food Industry

The food industry is under pressure to improve food production and reduce its impact on the environment. Furthermore, consumers today are increasingly shifting to more sustainable diets. In this context, plant-based protein sources appear as a promising solution. This study investigates the perceptions of company representatives operating in Greece who produce or intend to produce, food products containing plant-based proteins. Based on 360 responses, this quantitative analysis a) identifies the main drivers and barriers for consumer acceptance of these products, b) ascertains the most popular choice (word and phrase) on their labels, and c) explores variations in key marketing factors such as organoleptic characteristics, price, and promotion of plant protein-based products versus those with animal protein sources. According to the findings, “human health” is the prevailing incentive to shift to the consumption of plant-based protein food products. Additionally, “reluctance” is the predominant barrier for consumers to change their eating habits. Regarding the use of words and phrases on labels, the word “plant-protein” and the phrase “high in vegetable protein” were found to be the most popular. Furthermore, there is an agreement that both the organoleptic characteristics and the promotional strategies of plant-based protein products and animal-based protein products, are or should be similar. Interestingly, the majority of respondents noted that the price of plant protein products is or will be higher compared to animal protein products. This study provides meaningful insights into the food and beverage industry and companies that either have or will have products with plant-based sources of protein.
 Keywords: alternative proteins, alternative products, plant-based proteins, plant-based substitutes, food industry, business perceptions

Community physicians’ attitudes towards meetings with representatives of pharmaceutical companies: a pilot study

BackgroundMarketing by pharmaceutical companies has become an increasingly controversial issue for the medical community and the public. This controversy stems from the potential influence that pharmaceutical companies can wield through marketing on the medical community. This study assesses community physicians’ attitudes towards pharmaceutical companies and their representatives to get a better understanding of how their activities affect daily work in community clinics.MethodsA cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire-based study of 170 community physicians in southern Israel was conducted via convenience sampling. The questionnaire was designed to assess physicians’ attitudes about the nature of their relationships with representatives of pharmaceutical companies and possible associations with physicians’ demographic and professional profiles. The questionnaire was distributed, at weekly staff meetings in the study clinics, to a convenience sample of physicians, who agreed to participate in the study.ResultsMost physicians did not have an extreme attitude on interactions with representatives of pharmaceutical companies. Interestingly, while they thought that pharmaceutical companies play an important role in medical progress, they did express concern regarding the risk of misleading information. While they believed that interactions between physicians and representatives of pharmaceutical companies had a negative effect on the clinic workflow, they were not in favor of prohibiting such interactions. Physicians who graduated from medical schools in Israel held a less sympathetic position towards these interactions.ConclusionThe anticipated heterogeneous attitudes of community-based physicians on interactions with representatives of pharmaceutical companies reflect an inherent complex relationship, with aspects that are specific to the Israeli medical field. Interestingly, physicians trained in other countries than Israel also have divergent attitudes, further affecting the socio-cultural impact on practitioner’s attitudes towards this intricate and often politicized topic. Open professional dialogue and targeted educational programs on the physician–pharmaceutical relationship, with more explicit regulation, could potentially ease the discomfort experienced by physicians, especially in the Israeli context and result in a clearer framework of interaction that would leverage the potential advantages while accounting for ethical and regulatory pitfalls.

Aligning HE Pedagogical Innovation with VET, Industry, and Research Partnerships: Insights on the Demola Portugal Initiative

Academia–industry collaboration has been around for some time, but there has been a shift in both the education and workforce settings to work closely together, coordinating initiatives across all sectors, namely higher education (HE), vocational education and training (VET), and industry, in an attempt to mutually drive innovation, provide opportunities to go from concept to action, encourage entrepreneurship, improve ICT use, and other equally important hard and soft skills, aiming to bridge the existing gap between the teaching–learning arena and the business world. Aware that the VET sector, HE, the government, and industry should be devoted to forging partnerships considered key to the development of research, leading to quality, more business, and ultimately, the economic and social well-being of society, a Consortium of 14 Portuguese Polytechnic Institutions engaged in an innovative pedagogical training program, “Learning based on co-creation processes,” a project within the Demola Portugal Initiative (2021–2023), and at the Polytechnic Institute of Viseu (IPV) with reference No. POCH-04-5267-FSE-000818. This training program, with its active methodologies, is then put into practice through the “Link Me Up—1000 Ideias” project. In our study, we will focus on the needs, expectations, and experiences of the IPV teaching staff and the vocational schoolteachers that participated in the training course. Through the analysis of questionnaires and e-portfolios of the participants in the first two editions (January–June 2021 and September 2021–February 2022), we intend to answer the following questions: (i) Which facilitation skills can be meaningfully used by the teachers participating in the (Demola) Pedagogical Innovation Training course at IPV? (ii) Which tools/platforms can enhance the students’ learning and collaboration among different team members, company representatives, and trainees/facilitators? The data collected confirm that the Demola Portugal Initiative provides an effective approach to bring HE closer to the labor market and keep pace with progress and innovation.

Factors influencing the buying behaviour of cotton farmers towards pesticides in Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh

Introduction of high-yielding varieties and fertilizer responsive varieties has influenced the incidence of pests and diseases. To eradicate them farmers are willing to use pesticides which are quick action. As the pest incidence is increased, emergence of new pests there was also an increase in the usage of pesticides.The pre-scheduled survey was done inGuntur district of Andhra Pradesh. A representative sample of 100 farmers were taken for the study.India ranks 4th largest producer of pesticides with an estimated market size of 4.9 billion US dollars after the United States, Japan and China with a market share of 10 percent globally. Cotton ranks 2nd in the consumption of pesticides among agricultural crops. Andhra Pradesh ranks 1st in the production of cotton. The major source of pesticide purchase is from private dealer. The payment method was both cash and credit. The major source of information regarding pesticides was by the pesticide dealers, progressive farmers, pesticide company representatives. The basis for pesticides application was previous usage experience, pesticide dealer recommendations, neighbor farmer recommendation. The farmers had satisfaction towards availability of the choice products, accessibility to input stores, availability of a range of products.The major constraint faced by the farmer was high price, high interest on credit. The overall problems faced by the farmers was lack of usage information, unavailability of product during peak pest incidence.

Stakeholder contributions to commercialization and market creation of a radical innovation: bridging the micro- and macro levels

PurposeSuccessful commercialization is crucial to innovative firms, but further investigation is needed on how diverse stakeholders can contribute to the commercialization of a radical innovation that requires particular market creation support. This paper aims to, therefore, analyze the key stakeholders and their contributive activities in commercialization and market creation, particularly in the case of radical innovations.Design/methodology/approachThis study relies on qualitative research design including interviews with key stakeholders, such as regulators, scientists, experts, licensing partners, core company representatives and extensive secondary data. This single-case study concerns a functional food product, which is a radical innovation requiring the development of a novel product category positioned between the food and medicine categories in global market settings. Since its market launch in 1995, the involvement of multiple stakeholders was needed for its successful commercialization in over 30 countries.FindingsResults uncover the contributions of diverse stakeholders to commercialization and market creation, particularly of radical innovation. Stakeholders performed market creation activities such as regulating the marketing and labeling of food products, conducting safety assessments, revealing and validating the positive health effects of the novelty and raising awareness of healthy living and cardiovascular health. The commercialization activities included distributing the products overseas, applying the ingredient to different food products and making the products available for users.Research limitations/implicationsThis single-case study provides an overview of the positive stakeholder activities with contributions to market creation and commercialization of functional food innovations. Although the user perspective was not included in the empirical part of this study because of our focus on B2B actors, users of the innovation can contribute to R&D activities to a great extent.Originality/valueThe developed framework of stakeholders’ contributive activities in radical innovation commercialization and market creation contributes to literature discussing market creation as well as commercialization within the marketing and innovation management research fields. This work also generates practical advice for managers who commercialize (radical) innovations.

Flexible Work Arrangements and Productivity of Sales Representatives of Book Publishing Companies in Nigeria

This study examined the effect of flexible work arrangements on productivity of sales representatives of book publishing companies in Nigeria. The specific objectives of the study were; to examine the relationship between flexi-time, job sharing, part time and telecommuting and employee effectiveness and employee efficiency of sales representatives of top 10 book publishing companies in Nigeria. Cross-sectional survey involving collecting data across top 10 book publishing companies in Nigeria was employed. Twenty (20) sales representatives from each company were surveyed using convenience sampling technique. Out of the 200 questionnaires administered, 162 copies of questionnaire were filled correctly and returned. constructs of flexible work arrangements as well as measures of employee productivity were measured on four point Likert scale ranging from 4= Strongly agree; 3 = Agree; 2= Disagree; 1 = Strongly disagree. Cronbach Alpha was employed to ascertain the internal consistency of the instruments and they fall within 0.70 -.080 threshold. Validity of instrument was determined using face and content validity. Views of respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) with the aid of statistical package for social sciences version 22.0. Statistical instrument employed to analyze the hypotheses was Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (rs). Findings revealed that flexi-time, job sharing, part time and telecommuting all have significant positive relationship with both employee effectiveness and employee efficiency. Based on the findings, the study concludes that making time and location flexible for employees, the book publishing sector organizations in Nigeria could significantly enhance productivity of their sales representatives. The study therefore recommended among others that since flexi-time is found to have the potential to affect employee productivity, management of companies in the book publishing sector in Nigeria should avail all categories of staff the opportunity to choose start and close time where necessary. It is also suggested that more options of FWAs like compressed week work and self-roistering could be added to the survey instrument in addition to the ones identified in this study which could lead to new findings.

Navigating co-design of actor-networks

In this paper, we illustrate the importance of involving different types of users in collaborative design and innovation processes to allow end-users to speak on their own behalf. However, involving multiple actors with diverse concerns requires designers to carefully stage spaces for negotiation. Through a case study of the design of a pilot program to make insulin more accessible to marginalised diabetes patients in India, we explore how designers navigate the design process by staging and facilitating several spaces for negotiation populated by patients with diabetes, doctors, company representatives, design games and management templates.

Climate change impacts and adaptation efforts in different economic sectors of the Trinational Metropolitan Region Upper Rhine

The Trinational Metropolitan Region Upper Rhine (TMO33Official German abbreviation of the region, referring to Trinationale Metropolregion Oberrhein.) is a polycentric and highly urbanized region in Central Europe. The impacts of climate change onto the regional enterprises are complex and differ sectorwise and according to geographical factors. In this paper, we take a differentiated look at climate change impacts and adaptation efforts in nine of the region’s most affected sectors: agriculture, forestry & wood processing, food & beverage industries, water supply, logistics, winter tourism, manufacturing industries and the building sector. Framed by risk concepts we evaluate 157 interviews with company representatives and an additional online survey (n = 100) among small and medium-sized enterprises. The interviews and the online survey were carried out within the Interreg projects Clim’Ability and Clim’Ability Design during the years 2016–2021. We present an overview of sector-specific patterns of climate change impacts and adaptation efforts. Furthermore, we investigate the affected business units and fields of action for adaptation measures in a cross-sector perspective. Our results show that heat is the most relevant climatic stressor for a majority of the regional enterprises, followed by general warming and droughts. Extreme weather events like heavy rain, floods, thunderstorms or hail also play a considerable role, but adaptation to those phenomena appears to be less developed. This is an important starting point for future adaptation strategies and sector-specific recommendations for policy makers and local stakeholders.

ՀՀ ապահովագրական ոլորտում ինշուրտեխ թվային նորարարությունների ներդրման հնարավոր ուղղությունները / The Possible Directions of Implementation of Insurtech Digital Innovations in the Insurance Sector of RA

In the course of research, the essence of insurance was revealed, the KPIs of RA insurance companies were analyzed. On the basis of academic literature, the features of RA insurance companies are evaluated and highlighted. As a result of the research, it was revealed that, despite the great progress in the digitalization of the RA financial sector, similar technologies do not have large application volumes in the insurance sector. Moreover, there are already fintech companies in the financial sector of RA, and the technological community of RA has accumulated a lot of experience in the field of financial technologies. It is emphasized that the insurance sector of RA needs to be re-equipped, taking into account the comfort of the user. The purpose of the article is to identify and indicate possible directions of implementation of digital innovations in the insurance sector of RA. The article may be of interest to insurance industry policy makers, analysts and representatives of tech companies.

Understanding the decision of companies to invest in renewables: An investor perspective

Investments in renewable energy sources (RES) can mobilize significant capital to support renewable energy deployment. However, policymaking does not pay adequate attention to investors’ motives and preferences and thus it is possible that current policies lack vital elements that appeal to potential investors. The aim of this study was to examine how Greek companies that have invested in renewables perceive RES investments and, in specific, to examine their views about economic drivers, barriers to investments and the measures that could facilitate investments. To that aim, 15 in-depth interviews were held with representatives of Greek companies and the data were analyzed with thematic analysis. It was indicated that perceiving the investment as profitable and secure was what mainly drove companies to invest while rapid depreciation was another driver. The perceived barriers requiring policy response involved the bureaucracy of the licensing procedure and the lack of grid capacity. In addition, companies that lack substantial capital find it difficult to ensure favorable conditions for loans. The most recommended measures to facilitate companies to invest in RES were to eliminate bureaucracy, expand the grid and accelerate procedures.

What does energy resilience mean for transitioning oil majors: A study of the impact of energy governance on energy resilience

How oil majors respond to climate change mitigation in times of crisis significantly impacts the success of the ongoing low-carbon energy transition, especially amid the recent COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine conflict turbulences. The study employs thematic content analysis using the software of MAXQDA on the disclosed information of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Equinor, representatives of national oil companies (NOCs) in state-centric and market-centric governance, ranging from 2019 to 2022, to compare energy resilience of different energy governance. It is found that NOCs in state-centric governance exhibit stronger coping capacity in crisis yet need to catch up regarding adaptive and transformative capacity compared with NOCs in market-centric governance. The research findings provide lessons for policymakers on state intervention in the petroleum industry. States can oppose short-term trends and offer stimuli in times of crisis. However, in the long run, state dominance would severely hinder the energy transition of NOCs.

Teaching English for specific purposes at Russian universities: problems teachers have to cope with

Any university performance is assessed according to the job placement of its graduates who according to the Russian Federal Educational Standard of higher vocational education must acquire professional skills as well as skills of using Russian and foreign sources of information and being active representatives of domestic companies in business dealings with their overseas partners. Thus, in comparison with English for general purposes taught at Russian schools, students at non-linguistic universities learn English for specific purposes. Since an ESP course is a very demanding one, the paper deals with the main challenges ESP teachers cope with.

The formation of strategic portfolio of the development of risk management in telecommunications enterprises during martial law and post-war conditions

The object of research is the processes of interaction of components of the strategic portfolio of development of telecommunications enterprises, which are subject to the principles of economic security and highlight risk management measures, in terms of overcoming the negative consequences of any changes, conflicts, crises, management problems, and stresses from external influences on the development of telecommunications enterprises. One of the most problematic areas is to determine the actual risks of strategic development of telecommunications enterprises caused by threats and challenges due to the war in Ukraine, which resulted in the destruction of infrastructure, reconstruction works, demining, migration of personnel, reduced solvency of the population, investment risks. This requires an adequate response to preserve positions or minimize destruction. At the same time, an important task is the formation of strategic imperatives for the economic security of telecommunications enterprises. In addition, it is important not only to establish a list of such components, but also to substantiate the principles of ensuring the organisational and managerial stability and competitiveness of the telecommunications enterprise by forming a strategic portfolio for the development of risk management in conditions of instability and uncertainty during martial law and post-war conditions and the dynamism of the external environment. In the course of the study, methods of detailed analysis of the current state of the problem, based on information search and methods of empirical research (observation, comparison) were used. As well as the method of synthesis and structural-genetic method (extraction from a complex phenomenon of such elements that significantly affect the rest of the research object, in the case of sustainable development tools). At the same time different sources of information, databases, secondary sources of information, company websites and analytical reports were used. As well as primary sources - interviews of company representatives. The scientific and practical value of the study lies in the formation of the theoretical and methodological foundations of strategic risk management aimed at avoiding or reducing them and at the same time ensuring the desired level of economic security of the telecommunications enterprise. This will allow clearly building the management process in the risk management system in the long term and ensuring the desired level of economic security of the telecommunications enterprise. This allows a reasonable approach to building a business, contributes to the improvement of strategic plans through the relationship with risk management, namely: – possibility of in-depth goal setting to achieve the ultimate goal; – development of the least risky strategic set and an effective system of performance indicators; – improving the efficiency of risk management; – adaptation to changes in the external and internal environment; – increasing the flexibility of the business model.

Occupational exposure to silica dust in Slovenia is grossly underestimated.

As a by-product or material used in various industries crystalline silica contaminates the air many occupational settings. If its fine particles are inhaled, they are deposited in the lungs and may cause the development of silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. The goal of this study was to estimate occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) in Slovenia and the associated health risks. To do that, we ran two cross-sectional studies, one to determine the number of workers at risk of occupational exposure to RCS in Slovene industries and the other to determine and classify changes in the lung radiographs of glass factory workers exposed to RCS, as a means to infer health risks for other RCS exposed workers in Slovenia. However, the first study shows that official public data on occupational exposure to silica in Slovenia are unreliable and incomplete and that company representatives strongly underestimate occupational exposure to silica. Measurements of total and silica dust are made by 8.3 % and 1.8 % of companies working with silica, respectively. The second study shows that about a third of the exposed workers had lung changes associated with silicosis. We have failed to achieve the goal of our study, as the obtained data are grossly underestimated and unreliable, but it has opened our eyes as to what needs to be improved. All companies need to systematically be informed about occupational health risks, field inspections need to be consistent, regular, and intensified, and health surveillance of all exposed workers implemented regularly.

Violations of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes: a multi-country analysis

The marketing of formula milk as a substitute for breast milk continues to be ubiquitous and multifaceted despite passage by the World Health Assembly of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) in 1981. In this paper, we summarized reports of the Code violations from eight studies using the WHO/UNICEF NetCode protocol. Among 3,124 pregnant women and mothers with young children, in eight countries, 64% reported exposure to promotion of products covered under the Code in the previous 6 months, primarily from advertisements seen outside of health facilities (62%). Nearly 20% of mothers with an infant < 6 months reported that a health care provider had advised them to feed their child food or drink other than breast milk, and 21% of providers reported contact with a representative of a formula company in the previous 6 months to distribute promotional materials, samples, or free supplies (range 2%–53%). Of the 389 retail stores and pharmacies surveyed, promotions were observed in 63% (range 0–100%), and of 1,206 labels and inserts of products reviewed, nearly half included health and/or nutrition claims (range 0–100%). A strong, though non-significant, linear relationship between the composite violations score and quality of Code legislation was found; countries with the lowest percentage of violations had the strongest Code legislation. In Latin America, over 50% of health care providers reported no knowledge of the Code, and 50% reported no knowledge of national legislation. Our study highlights three key facts: 1) the marketing of BMS is ubiquitous and multifaceted, 2) the high variability of promotion across countries generally reflects the comprehensiveness of Code legislation, and 3) health care providers have poor knowledge of the Code and national legislation.

Perception of Partnership among Freight Forwarder Companies in Supporting SDGs for the Sustainability of the Logistics System in Indonesia during the Covid 19

Partnership sustainable development goals are increasingly being studied from different perspectives; however, the perceptions of road freight companies have received little attention. This study explores the views of representatives of small and medium road transport companies on sustainable partnership development goals in Indonesia. This type of research uses quantitative research methods. Data were obtained from questionnaires distributed to 150 employees of freight forwarder companies in Central Java which were determined using the non-probability sampling method. This type of research uses quantitative research methods. Data were obtained from questionnaires distributed to 150 employees of freight forwarder companies in Central Java which were determined using the non-probability sampling method. The results of the study show that Transactional Flexibility has a positive effect on Firm performance, Operational Flexibility has a positive effect on Firm performance, and Strategic Flexibility has a positive effect on Firm performance.

OGBN P04 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy- can we make it both Greener and cheaper?

Abstract Background Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most common operations in the UK, with around 60,000 performed in the UK each year. Large numbers of single use instruments are used in laparoscopic surgery, despite the availability of reusable and hybrid alternatives. A hybrid instrument is one where most of the instrument is reusable but it also has a single use replaceable component Operating theatres are a major carbon hotspot within healthcare. The NHS alone is estimated to be responsible for about 4% of England's carbon emissions, thought to be similar in Scotland and operating theatres account for up to 33% of solid waste produced in hospitals. The NHS has a target of reaching net zero emissions by 2040. There is a wide variability in surgical instruments use for laparoscopic cholecystectomy between operators and hospitals - our aim was to examine what was currently being used within 7 different hospital within a single health board, and to suggest the ‘greenest ’ possible instrument tray. It has already been shown that for a single procedure, the cost of using a hybrid laparoscopic clip appliers, scissors, and ports was 47% of that of single-use equivalents, and the carbon footprint 76% lower (Rizan 2021) Methods Visits to the 7 hospital sites currently performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy within a single health board was carried out by 3rd Year medical Student, as part of a Sustainability in Surgery SSC, during a 4 week period in May 2022. This was a snap shot audit and only one surgeon per site was visited. The items used during laparoscopic cholecystectomy were recorded with focus on the use of reusable, hybrid and single use tools. Costs and supplier information were gathered from theatre staff and company representatives. The relevant elements of the surgical tray setups were collated into a table and costs were compared. CO2 footprint was also collated when available. Results There was a wide variation in surgical set ups between hospitals within the same health board. 3 hospitals no longer had any reusable laparoscopic instruments and used all single use, the rest used a combination of single use, hybrid and disposable. All hospitals except one used single use laparoscopic ports- the other used hybrid ports. Most hospitals used single use clip appliers- one surgeon used ties instead. 2 hospitals used skin staples for skin closure. No single hospital utilised the most sustainable option in every item analysed. Costs were analysed below. Single use items were cheaper than reusables for nearly all key items but more expensive in the long term. Hybrid items had lower or similar costs to single use and much lower carbon emissions. Waste and decontamination costs were not taken into account in this analysis. Conclusions Taking the most sustainable practises from the hospitals we visited, an ‘ideal setup’ from an environmental viewpoint was devised using items already available within the health-board. We suggest that this be adopted to reduce both carbon emissions as well as costs. Where the upfront costs of purchasing new reusable instruments are prohibitive, hybrid instruments are recommended. Addressing simple things such as swapping low cost single use plastic item for their reusable counterparts is important and often overlooked. Using reusable instruments to the end of their lifespan, efficient decontamination and regular maintenance also play a role in reducing impact and costs. Further work is required by the healthcare sector and manufacturers to carry out environmental analyses for commonly used items and provide data upon which purchasing decisions could be made to improve sustainability and allow the NHS to meet its net zero target.

Proceedings of the 2020 Mathematics in Industry Study Group

&#x0D; MISG 2020&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; University of Newcastle, Australia&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; 28 January -- 1 February, 2020&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; This special Section of the ANZIAM Journal (Electronic Supplement) contains the refereed papers from the 2020 Mathematics and Statistics in Industry Study Group (MISG 2020) held at the University of Newcastle from 28 January -- 1 February 2020. The MISG is a special interest meeting of ANZIAM, the Australia and New Zealand Industrial and Applied Mathematics (ANZIAM) division of the Australian Mathematics Society. The MISG meetings take place annually and provide a forum where projects proposed by industry can be worked on intensively, by high profile scientists in the fields of Applied Mathematics, Statistics and Operations Research, from Australia, New Zealand and the world beyond, along with representatives from the industries proposing the projects.&#x0D; The writing of these papers was coordinated by the project moderators in consultation with the coauthors and company representatives. The manuscripts were submitted to the editors, Associate Professor Mike Meylan, Professor Ngamta Thamwattana and Professor Tony Roberts, and were subsequently refereed by two expert referees. On the advice of the referees, manuscripts were accepted for publication, subject to the recommended revisions, and formally approved by the editorial committee.&#x0D; At MISG 2020, six projects were presented from diverse industries, with 78 delegates participating.&#x0D; Industry Partners&#x0D; We gratefully acknowledge the support of our industry partners:&#x0D; &#x0D; Lovells Springs;&#x0D; Safearth;&#x0D; Concrush;&#x0D; Hyper Q Aerospace.&#x0D; &#x0D; Acknowledgements&#x0D; In addition to our industry partners, we gratefully acknowledge support from the following organisations:&#x0D; &#x0D; ANZIAM;&#x0D; Office of the NSW Chief Scientist \&amp; Engineer, Department of Industry, NSW Government;&#x0D; Priority Research Centre: Computer Assisted Research Mathematics and its Applications, The University of Newcastle;&#x0D; Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle.&#x0D; &#x0D; We are also grateful to Professor Ryan Loxton from the Centre for Optimisation and Decision Science, Curtin University, for giving a public lecture on power of optimisation research in mining, energy, and agriculture industries, as part of the MISG's outreach event and acknowledge the support from the Hunter Branch of the Royal Society of NSW in promoting the public lecture. We are also grateful to Professor Mark McGuinness (Victoria University of Wellington), Professor Troy Farrell (Queensland University of Technology), Associate Professor Amie Albrecht (University of South Australia) and Dr Neville Fowkes (University of Western Australia) for their helpful advice and comments in organising the MISG 2020.&#x0D; MISG2020 Organising Committee&#x0D; &#x0D; Professor Ngamta Thamwattana (Co-Director)&#x0D; Associate Professor Mike Meylan (Co-Director)&#x0D; Mrs Juliane Turner (Administrative Support)&#x0D; Dr David Allingham (Technical Support)&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Music Industry

The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, not only threatening people’s health but also impacting various industries. This paper will focus on the impact of the pandemic on the music industry, specifically on live and recorded music. To help determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted both live and recorded music, we will analyze the log-returns of stock data of three companies representative of the music industry: Live Nation Entertainment, Tencent Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. We also provide descriptive statistics related to the log-returns of stock data of the three companies and calculate the correlation coefficients of the log returns for these companies using three correlation methods (Pearson correlation test, Kendall correlation test, and Spearman correlation) before and after the pandemic. From stock price charts, we observed a negative relationship between the stock indices of both live and recorded music during the early pandemic period. However, we found that there was no correlation in the log-returns of both live and recorded music company stocks after the COVID-19 vaccination became widely available, despite their being a slight positive correlation from the results.

No Resilience Without Partners: A Case Study on German Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Context of COVID-19

Much research has been conducted on the effects of COVID-19 on company and supply chain resilience. However, few contributions have focused on small and medium-sized enterprises. These companies are claimed to be the drivers of economic growth but often lack access to resources and alternatives when interruptions occur, making them a bottleneck for supply chains. Using a multiple case study approach, this paper links resilience theory to the design of the relationships between eight German small and medium-sized enterprises and their suppliers and customers. It analyzes the way in which these companies combine contractual and relational investments across their supply chain flows of product, finance, and information in order to improve resilience. Company representatives were interviewed on three occasions between June 2018 and December 2020, that is, before COVID-19 and during the lockdowns. The results of the case study explain why and how companies of this type have been able to anticipate and manage the crisis. The interviews revealed that those companies that made the largest investments in the relational aspects of their partnerships while safeguarding product and financial flows through contracts performed best. In principle, contractual investments are higher in partnerships with suppliers. However, the precise combination of contractual and relational investments depends on the business model, the business philosophy of the CEO, and the allocation of power within the supply chain. These findings indicate that, when collaborating with small businesses, supply chain partners should focus on building relationships in order to create resilience in the supply chain.