Complex Concept Research Articles

Optimalisasi Pemanfaatan Media GeoGebra dan Lembar Kerja Peserta Didik (LKPD) untuk Meningkatkan Pemahaman Materi Dimesi Tiga

This research discusses the design and implementation of GeoGebra media and Student Worksheets (LKPD) for three-dimensional material. The main focus is to explore the potential use of media, such as 3D simulations, learning videos, and mathematical modeling applications, in increasing students' understanding of complex concepts. This research aims to analyze the benefits of using media in LKPD, including increasing student involvement, facilitating abstract understanding, and developing critical thinking skills. The research method used is Research and Development (R&D), which involves the needs analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation stages. The research subjects consisted of 30 students taking the Mathematics Teaching Materials course. Data was collected through a questionnaire on student responses to the media used in the LKPD. The research results show that the use of media in LKPD significantly increases understanding of three-dimensional concepts. In addition, students responded positively to the use of media, which was considered to help visualize concepts and increase interest in learning. Media implementation strategies in LKPD, such as demonstrations, group assignments and class discussions, have proven effective in overcoming the challenges of three-dimensional mathematics learning. Thus, media integration in LKPD is recommended as an effective strategy to increase students' understanding and involvement in mathematics learning.

A Hardware Approach For Accelerating Inductive Learning In Description Logic

The employment of Machine Learning (ML) techniques in embedded systems has seen constant growth in recent years, especially for black-box ML techniques (such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs)). However, despite the successful employment of ML techniques in embedded environments, their performance potential is constrained by the limited computing resources of their embedded computers. Several hardware-based approaches were developed (e.g., using FPGAs and ASICs) to address the constraints of limited computing resources. The scope of this work focuses on improving the performance for Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) on embedded environments. ILP is a powerful logic-based ML technique that uses logic programming to construct human-interpretable ML models, where those logic-based ML models are capable of describing complex and multi-relational concepts. In this work, we present a hardware-based approach that accelerates the hypothesis evaluation task for ILPs in embedded environments that use Description Logic (DL) languages as their logic-based representation. In particular, we target the \(\mathcal {ALCQ}^{\mathcal {(D)}}\) language. According to experimental results (through an FPGA implementation), our presented approach has achieved speedups up to 48.7-fold for a disjunction of 32 concepts on 100 M individuals, where the baseline performance is the sequential CPU performance of the Raspberry Pi 4. For role and concrete role restrictions, the FPGA implementation achieved speedups up to 2.4-fold (for MIN cardinality role restriction on 1M role assertions); all FPGA implemented role and concrete role restrictions have achieved similar speedups. In the worst-case scenario, the FPGA implementation achieved either a similar or slightly better performance than the baseline (for all DL operations); the worst-case scenario resulted from using small datasets such as: using conjunction and disjunction on < 100 individuals, and using role and concrete (float/string) role restrictions on < 100,000 assertions.

Social Support, Body Image, and Death Anxiety in Later Life: A Cross-Sectional Study in Yazd City, Iran

Introduction: Social support is a crucial factor in how well older adults adjust to the aging process and related challenges, such as anxiety about death. Body image in older adults is a complex and important concept, yet it has been under-researched. This study examined the correlations between social support, death anxiety, and body image in older adults residing in Yazd City, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved older adults from Yazd City, Iran, who visited comprehensive urban health centers in 2022. A convenience sample of 200 participants was selected. They completed questionnaires on demographics, social support perception, body image concerns, and death anxiety. Results: The total social support score (p < 0.01) as well as the score of family support (p < 0.05) and others' support (p < 0.01) showed a significant negative correlation with death anxiety. However, no significant association was found between death anxiety and body image, nor between social support and body image. Regression analysis revealed that only "support from others" was a significant predictor of death anxiety (p < 0.01). Men reported receiving more friends' social support than women (p < 0.05). Participants with higher socioeconomic status were more likely to receive greater family’s social support (p < 0.01) and experience less death anxiety (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Social support positively impacts the mental well-being and morale of older adults. It can, therefore, be considered a readily available resource and a form of social capital to reduce death anxiety, enhance their sense of purpose, and improve their quality of life.

Https://vestnik.zqai.kz/index.php/vestnik/article/view/1413

The presented article gives the wording and justification of the methodological understanding of constitutionalism as the main paradigm of the vector of development of modern Kazakhstan in the context of the reform of the Constitution. The study considers the relationship of domestic constitutionalism with the realities dictated by the historical stages of the development of Kazakh statehood, authentication and ambiguity of constitutionalism; partisanship, universality, and a broad public interest in the value of constitutionalism as phenomena; constitutional imperatives and the correlation of legal and moral norms during the establishment of constitutionalism. The relationship between constitutionalism and popular sovereignty in the context of this article is the critical focus of political theory, jurisprudence, and constitutionalism. The authors suggests that the constitution can be more meaningfully understood by adopting a more complex concept of democracy—one that is able to distinguish between popular sovereign power in the hands of the people themselves, and in those of their agents in government. It establishes that underlying the bedrock doctrine of the basic structure of the constitution are fundamental questions about the relationship between constitutionalism and popular sovereignty. The article examines theoretical approaches to the concept of legal policy, considers the directions of legal policy and their inclusion in the constitutions of our country, as well as attempts to substantiate the role and influence of legal policy in the field of protecting the rights and freedoms of the individual in constitutional and other aspects, analyzes the historical process of Kazakhstan's acquisition of sovereignty, the formation and further improvement of individual institutions that make up the constructs of constitutionalization. The text is a conscious effort to institutionalize the country's revolutionary experience during its independent formation.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE CONCEPT OF “BEHAVIOR” AND RELATED CONCEPTS IN ITALIAN AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES

The article offers a comparative analysis of a number of concepts, ‟atto”, ‟azione”, ‟attività”, ‟comportamento” in the Italian language, and their justification in the structure of the category of relations in the cultural linguistics environment of the Italian language in comparison with similar concepts in the cultural linguistics environment of the English language. The analysis was carried out using the dictionary definitions method, which made it possible to analyse the semantic structure of words, as well as the method of comparative analysis to determine the similarities and differences of the studied lexemes in Italian and English languages. The study assumed consideration of these concepts in a combination of cognitive and cultural linguistics approaches. This combination is due to topicality of comparative studies in the dynamic development of the study of problems of intercultural communication as a challenge of modernity. In the course of a comprehensive analysis, the similarities and differences of the compared concepts were revealed in two cultural linguistics environments of almost totally unrelated languages. The result of the study of the semantic structure of the lexemes ‟atto”, ‟azione”, ‟attività”, ‟comportamento” is supposed to create the basis for further studies of the semiotics and axiology of verbal expressions of the complex concept of ‟behaviour” in the system of interpersonal and social relations.

Digital state in the regulation of land relations

Introduction. The 21st century is considered to be the era of digital technologies for the rapid exchange of information, obtaining various services, doing business and other processes related to the functioning of society. The relevant processes related to the digitalization of public services (and the use of technology in the regulation of social relations in general) create a new concept, namely the "digital state". Technological means are widely used in the regulation of branches of law related to land legislation. However, the process of using digital technologies in land legislation is somewhat slow. The purpose of this paper is to examine the concept of "digital state" in the modern sense, to identify the main features of the digital state and the means of regulating social relations with the help of technology, and also to determine the main areas of digitalization of land legislation. Results. The digital state is a complex concept which includes the following categories: e-government; - e-court; - e-healthcare; - cybersecurity. The process of formation of a digital state in Ukraine consists of several stages related to the introduction of technologies into the process of legal regulation of public relations. Land law, as a branch of law consisting of many institutions, can also be digitalized. Complete digitalization of land law at one point is a rather complicated and lengthy process, but it is already possible to identify the main areas of digitization of land legislation that can be further implemented by the authorized state authorities. Conclusion. The introduction of digitalization into the land legislation of Ukraine is an extremely important task today. We can already say with certainty that the digitalization of land legislation should take place in two key aspects, namely: simplification of regulation of procedures existing in land legislation and ensuring the possibility of digital exchange of documents between the subjects of land legal relations.

The rapid generation of E-learning tools under resource constraints approach

Enhancing the efficiency of Ukraine's security and defense sector is one of the key prerequisites for maintaining state sovereignty and achieving victory in the war. This is particularly relevant to the training and education system for specialists of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP). The active phase of Russia's war against Ukraine has significantly exacerbated the contradiction between the necessity to improve the efficiency of this system on one hand and the stringent requirement to economize resources (financial, human, and temporal) on the other. Resolving this contradiction is feasible through the intensive implementation of various e-learning tools and technologies, along with associated pedagogical methodologies. One of the factors limiting the effectiveness of e-learning is the complexity of the traditional process of creating these tools. The negative impact of this factor can be mitigated by developing approaches for the rapid generation of e-learning tools. Thus, there is a need to develop an integrated approach that enables the quick creation of educational content and e-learning tools through the use of innovative technologies. Such tools should save time and enhance the efficiency of learning material assimilation. The primary requirements for this approach include the rational use of limited resources and the adaptability of outcomes to the needs of each specialist. The article proposes an integrated approach to the rapid generation of e-learning tools for studying hardware and software devices and systems. This approach includes the following stages: developing a paper version of the learning material, which is the foundation for further enhancements; supplementing the paper version with an eBook based on H5P, which ensures interactivity and flexibility in learning; introducing a simulator module that allows for the emulation of device operation, stimulates student engagement, and deepens understanding of the material; adding an augmented reality module that visualizes complex concepts and provides opportunities for practical knowledge application. The implementation of the integrated approach to the rapid generation of e-learning tools is demonstrated using the educational module "Fortinet FG-60E Firewall." This module exemplifies how the integrated approach can be applied to prepare specialists in Ukraine's security and defense sector under wartime conditions. Survey results from participants who utilized the developed integrated learning approach indicate its high effectiveness.

Is Any Job Better Than No Job? Utilising Jahoda’s Latent Deprivation Theory to Reconceptualise Underemployment

Underemployment is a widely discussed but complex concept. This article progresses discussions and provides a new sociological conceptualisation. It builds on a classic theory of unemployment, Jahoda et al.’s ‘latent deprivation theory’ (LDT), that identified five ‘latent functions’ provided by jobs, besides a wage: time structure, social relations, sense of purpose/achievement, personal identity and regular activity. LDT was ground-breaking in illuminating previously hidden injuries of joblessness. This article proposes that LDT can be similarly ground-breaking for reconceptualising underemployment: it demonstrates conceptually the multiple ways in which the mere existence of a job is insufficient in protecting individuals from socially and psychologically negative impacts associated with unemployment. A sociology of underemployment can help better understand complex, shifting and precarious work and expose inherent forms of suffering and injustice.

CANCIÓN DE JINETE: o olhar equidistante da paisagem proibida

This communication proposes to analyse, from the perspective of comparative studies and landscape theory, the poem Canción de Jinete, by Federico García Lorca, and the Brazilian resistance poetry produced after the military coup of 1964 (Ferreira Gullar, Thiago de Mello, mimeograph generation…). To this end, the concepts of landscape and complexity (Claudio Guillén, Michel Collot, Anne Cauquelin, Agustín Berque, Alain Roger, Gilles Deleuze, Manuel Ángel Vázquez-Medel, Èdouard Glissant) will be taken as a theoretical and philosophical support to seek parallels and similarities, in the construction of the forbidden landscape, between the Spanish poet and Brazilian poetry. Military dictatorships have disastrous consequences on any community and one of the most persecuted segments, due to its power of persuasion, is the artistic/intellectual. Murders, torture and exile are the main resources used by usurpers to silence the voices of those who resist living under the shadow of totalitarianism. As a cultural construct, the literary landscape is influenced by the space-time circumstances in which the poet finds himself. The landscape apprehended in experiences of oppression and exile records the violence that human beings can exercise in situations of power, remaining as a historical testimony of a tragedy that should not be repeated, nor forgotten.

Оценка профессиональных групп в структуре занятого населения российских регионов на основе концепции экономической сложности

Current scientific discussions are related to the assessment of the prospects for the development of the la-bor market, the identification of professions that will be in demand in the future and determine the opportunities for the development of human capital. The purpose of the work is to assess the structure of professional em-ployment and occupational groups in the regions of the Russian Federation based on the concept of economic complexity. Estimates of the complexity of employment structures and occupational groups were obtained based on data for 2018, 2020 and 2022. The assessment of the complexity of the structure of professional employment in a region can be considered as a relative characteristic of the level of development of its human capital. The assessment of the complexity of a professional group is a relative assessment of the human capital of its typical representative. The ranks of the complexity assessments of occupational groups generally correspond to the existing ideas about the average level of human capital development of representatives of these groups of the employed population. For five occupational groups, the ranks of difficulty assessments do not change over time, including for doctors of science, candidates of sciences and specialists of the highest level of qualification. For the four occupational groups, the ranks change insignificantly - no more than one. The ranks of the complexity scores change significantly for two occupational groups: "managers" (the position of the occupational group is improving) and "workers in the service and trade sectors, protection of citizens and property" (the position is dete-riorating). The rank score of the occupational group "unskilled workers" is higher than the rank scores of the three groups of skilled workers.

Exploring the uncharted influence of family social capital in entrepreneurial ecosystems

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to develop theory, thereby attending to the existing knowledge gap regarding the impact of family firms on entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs). Reducing such a gap is both timely and relevant given the ubiquity of family firms across the globe and the lack of theoretical development at the intersection of EE and family firm literatures. By employing social capital theory in a propositional theorizing approach, this article presents unique propositions that enrich current understanding of the EE phenomenon.Design/methodology/approachOur method adopts a three-step propositional theorizing approach. The first step outlines our conceptualization, drawing on social capital theory and identifying multiple levels of analysis pertaining to EEs and family firms. The second step precisely identifies the constructs used for the theorization process, drawing upon relevant literature. The third step involves proposition building, which produces our findings.FindingsAs a result of our propositional theorizing method, we developed 10 theoretical propositions to explain interactions between family members, nonfamily entrepreneurs, family firms and new ventures in the EE, thereby focusing on the social elements of the EE and reducing its conceptual complexity while extending the explanatory power of family social capital in the EE.Research limitations/implicationsDespite being increasingly relevant in research, policy and practice discourse, EEs remain under theorized. By theorizing in this context, we provide explanations of the mechanisms to explain social interactions between family members, nonfamily entrepreneurs, family firms and new ventures and how such interactions are likely to provide better access to the untapped resources in the EE. Furthermore, our theorization also identifies underexplored research areas paving the way for future scholars.Practical implicationsThis article is relevant to practitioners and policymakers interested in creating balanced, inclusive and effective EE policies and interventions. Our theorization generates insights that complement a bottom-up approach where the state assumes a facilitating role for actors such as family firms to positively impact their EE. This research is both timely and necessary because, if unaddressed, it will lead to ineffective and potentially exclusionary policies and EE interventions.Originality/valueWe contribute to the literature by synthesizing the two domains and thereby advancing knowledge at the intersection of EE and family firm literatures. We strengthen the link between two burgeoning research areas through a propositional theorizing mode of theory development. Under the assumptions of a grand theory, social capital theory, we highlight the benefits that derive from social interactions in the EE between family firms and other EE actors.

Exploring attitudes to research involving human subjects among Vietnamese university students: establishing a prospective longitudinal mixed-methods student cohort at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City.

Research capacity is increasing in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with progressive development in the range and complexity of studies being undertaken, often in collaboration with high-income country partners. Although senior local stakeholders are typically involved in ensuring that research is conducted according to accepted standards for ethical and scientific quality, to date there has been little exploration of the views of younger generations around the ethics of research involving human subjects. We present our protocol to establish a longitudinal mixed-methods student cohort at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, that is investigating students' views around the ethics of clinical and public-health oriented research. We use a synergistic approach involving initial deliberative engagement activities ( e.g. science cafes, debates) to inform participants about complex concepts, prior to formal quantitative and qualitative methods (surveys, focus group discussions and in-depth interviews) that are designed to explore the students' views in detail. We focus in particular on dengue research, i.e. research that addresses a locally relevant disease with which the students are likely familiar, and probe their thoughts on such themes as appropriate remuneration for research participants, involvement of vulnerable groups, use of human challenge trials in LMICs etc. A snapshot of the cohort and its activities after one year is also presented; among 429 active students, primarily from the Faculty of Medicine, the proportions of male and female students were similar, the majority were from southern or central Vietnam where dengue is endemic, and available data indicates the cohort to be representative of the expected spectrum of socioeconomic groups. The cohort provides a unique resource to investigate the views of young people on medical ethics, an important but hitherto underrepresented group in such discussions. Feedback indicates a clear interest in contributing thoughts and ideas to the development of clinical research in Vietnam.

Выставочное пространство российских музеев как объект культуры

The article examines the exhibition space of Russian museums of the Soviet and post-Soviet periods as an object of culture. Emphasis is placed on its importance in shaping and reflecting social values, and the evolution of exhibition spaces, design elements, and the role they play in presenting, interpreting, and preserving cultural heritage are examined. The discussion covers the layout, interconnection and functionality of the various zones inside the museum. The tasks in designing architectural and artistic solutions for museum complexes are perhaps one of the most difficult in environmental design. Here it is necessary to take into account functionality, ergonomics, aesthetics, subordinating them to the general concept of the museum complex, considering the regularity of the location of objects, the movement of visitor flows, the zoning of space, taking into account the safety and preservation of cultural objects. The article highlights the design features of the museum space of the XX–XXI centuries, taking into account historical changes, political realities, stylistic trends and trends in art.

Real-World Experiences in Higher Education: Contributing to the Developing a Systems Thinking Paradigm

Background: Systems thinking has been proposed as a means to address complex and wicked problems. Systems thinking involves moving beyond looking at an issue from a static perspective and seeing interrelationships between parts and wholes. Students will be better prepared to handle the complexity of the world if they develop a systems thinking paradigm. Yet, little research exists on how individuals develop a systems thinking paradigm. Purpose: This phenomenological research study focuses on “What real-world experiences contribute to developing a systems thinking paradigm?” Methodology/Approach: Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 11 faculty affiliated with the University of Florida School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Data were coded using Colaizzi's seven-step approach. Findings/Conclusions: The essence of the study was that real-world experiences contribute to developing a systems thinking paradigm. Fieldwork, laboratory, and research experience develop the knowledge needed to understand the concept of complexity. Immersive academic experiences create opportunities for people to interact with others who have varying perspectives. Nonacademic work in the real world gives people a holistic view of the system. Implications: It is recommended that faculty focus on incorporating real-world experiences into their pedagogy and obtain support to create these opportunities.

Effectiveness of Using ChatGPT as a Tool to Strengthen Benefits of the Flipped Learning Strategy

In this study, we evaluate how ChatGPT complements and enriches the traditional flipped learning strategy in higher education, particularly in engineering courses. Using an experimental design involving 356 students from basic programming courses in undergraduate engineering programs, we compared the normalized learning gain between groups that used the ChatGPT-assisted flipped learning strategy (focus groups) and those that followed a traditional video-based flipped learning methodology (control groups). The intervention lasted ten weeks, with two sessions of two hours each week. A pre-test–post-test analysis revealed that the focus groups showed significant improvement in normalized learning gain values compared to the control groups. These results confirm that incorporating ChatGPT into the flipped learning strategy can significantly enhance student performance by providing a more active, interactive, and personalized approach during the teaching–learning process. We conclude that the flipped learning strategy, upgraded with the assistance of ChatGPT, provides an effective means to improve understanding and application of complex concepts in programming courses, with potential to be extended to other areas of study in higher education. This study opens routes for future research on the integration of artificial intelligence into innovative pedagogical strategies with the goal of scaffolding the learning experience and improving educational outcomes.

The concept of autonomous hydrogen energy complex: Adaptation of large nuclear power units to uneven energy consumption schedules

Evaluation of flexible operation of nuclear power plants (NPP) during load reduction hours shows inefficiency of the process with account for high capital investments in NPPs at relatively low fuel costs. The concept of producing hydrogen fuel at NPPs during the hours of low power demand in the energy grid will be an effective solution to the problem. Generating electricity through utilization of electrolysis hydrogen and oxygen production provides a possibility to significantly extend the flexibility range for power released by the NPP in the energy grid under a constant reactor capacity factor. Utilization of a low-power steam turbine can be a good solution to address the challenges of electricity production from hydrogen and oxygen. This will ensure high reliability of the main NPP steam turbine. In addition, in their previous works based on the experimental data relating the operation of NPPs, the authors showed that a low-power steam turbine and residual energy release from the reactor can be used for NPP auxiliary needs backup in case of a complete blackout. Thus, increased safety of NPPs will be ensured by installing an autonomous hydrogen energy complex. Moreover, this can reduce the risk of an accident when using both the newly developed and existing safety systems. This work presents an analysis of the current state of hydrogen production at NPPs, including the research results and rationale for efficiency of the developed energy complex. The calculations showed that development of NPPs in combination with autonomous hydrogen energy complexes will increase economic attractiveness of newly designed NPPs and will increase the competitiveness of existing nuclear plants on electricity market, will also provide their survival in the energy sector in the long term.

Representation, Identity, and Resistance in Two Selected Cameroonian Literary Texts by Victor Epie Ngome and Rosemary E. Ekosso

Representation and identity are complex concepts with diverse connotations that involve the binaries ‘the self’’ and ‘the other’. These oppositions could either be referring to an individual, a group, or a particular sex. However, some concepts like Hanna Fenichel Pitkin’s ‘Concept of Representation’, Edward Saïd’s discourse on Orientalism, and Michel Foucault’s Concepts of Power and Resistance present a contradiction in the notion of representation, identity, and resistance. What then is a true representation, a real identity? Is resistance always predetermined or an entity in its own right? This article seeks to examine the relationship in these concepts in two Anglophone Cameroonian literary texts notably, Victor Epie Ngome’s What God Has Put Asunder and Rosemary Ekosso’s House of Falling Women and to assess the validity of the textual representation of a union between two parties and the representation of the African woman in Ngome’s and Ekosso’s texts respectively. The methodology employed is comparative, analytical, and descriptive. The study tentatively concludes that, in as much as paradox abounds in the treatment of representation and true identity, it is observed that the self is in the best position to present itself, that representation, identity, and resistance are intrinsically intertwined, and that Ngome and Ekosso are actively engaged in a textual representation of the grievances of the Minority Anglophones and the unfavourable treatment of the woman in a patriarchal setting respectively. Otherness is found as the root cause of power dynamics.

Unveiling Holistic Healing: A comprehensive case study on the integrated management of Avaranjanya Pakshaghata

Pakshaghata is a condition where exacerbated Vata disrupts the vessels governing bodily functions, leading to constriction of sinews and affecting either the right or left side of the body. This results in symptoms such as loss of movement, pain, and speech impairment. Specific triggers can aggravate Vata, causing dryness in the Siras and Snayus, leading to hemiplegia or paralysis of one side of the body. Manifestations of Vata disorders can vary, including individual Vata aggravation, associated Vata aggravation, accumulation in bodily tissues or waste, and obstruction. Avarana, a complex concept in Ayurveda, plays a significant role in these conditions. In a case study discussed here, involving a 40-year-old male patient exhibiting loss of movement in the right upper and lower limbs and aphasia, the diagnosis was Kaphavrutta Udana Vyanjanita Pakkshaghata. Initially managed in an intensive care unit during the acute phase, the patient subsequently underwent Shamana treatment before undergoing Panchakarma and Vidhhakarma therapies.

A publishing infrastructure for Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted academic authoring.

Investigate the use of advanced natural language processing models to streamline the time-consuming process of writing and revising scholarly manuscripts. For this purpose, we integrate large language models into the Manubot publishing ecosystem to suggest revisions for scholarly texts. Our AI-based revision workflow employs a prompt generator that incorporates manuscript metadata into templates, generating section-specific instructions for the language model. The model then generates revised versions of each paragraph for human authors to review. We evaluated this methodology through 5 case studies of existing manuscripts, including the revision of this manuscript. Our results indicate that these models, despite some limitations, can grasp complex academic concepts and enhance text quality. All changes to the manuscript are tracked using a version control system, ensuring transparency in distinguishing between human- and machine-generated text. Given the significant time researchers invest in crafting prose, incorporating large language models into the scholarly writing process can significantly improve the type of knowledge work performed by academics. Our approach also enables scholars to concentrate on critical aspects of their work, such as the novelty of their ideas, while automating tedious tasks like adhering to specific writing styles. Although the use of AI-assisted tools in scientific authoring is controversial, our approach, which focuses on revising human-written text and provides change-tracking transparency, can mitigate concerns regarding AI's role in scientific writing.

The U.S. Household Liquid Non-Disinfectant Cleaner Market: A Competitive Profile

This is the nineteenth paper—and twentieth study--that follows the footsteps of nineteen studies that have tried to analyze the competitive profiles of U.S. consumer markets: Men’s Shaving Cream, Beer, Shampoo, Shredded/Grated Cheese, Refrigerated Orange Juice, Men’s Razor-Blades, Women’s Razor-Blades, Toothpaste, Canned Soup, Coffee, Potato Chips, Alkaline AA Battery, Facial Tissue, Toilet Paper, Paper Towel, Disposable Diapers, Sanitary Pads, Automatic-Dishwasher Detergent, and Hand-Dishwashing Detergent. Michael Porter associates high market share with cost leadership strategy, which is based on the idea of competing on a price that is lower than that of the competition.However, customer-perceived quality—not low cost—should be the underpinning of competitive strategy, because it is far more vital to long-term competitive position and profitability than any other factor. So, a superior alternative is to offer better quality vs. the competition.In most consumer markets, a business seeking market share leadership should try to serve the middle class by competing in the mid-price segment; and offering quality better than that of the competition: at a price somewhat higher to signify an image of quality, and to ensure that the strategy is both profitable and sustainable in the long run. The middle class is the socio-economic segment that represents about 40% of households in America.Quality, however, is a complex concept, consumers generally find difficult to understand. So, they often use relative price, and a brand’s reputation, as a symbol of quality.The U.S. Household Liquid Non-Disinfectant Cleaner market had retail sales of $381 million in 2008. It was by far the largest segment of the eleven-segment Household Cleaners market, which had 2008 retail sales of $1,747 million. We have focused our attention on the 24-40 Oz size because it was the most popular, constituting 46% sales of the former market.The Household Liquid Non-Disinfectant Cleaner market was highly competitive, with no dominant player. In 2008 it had 24 brands each with sales over $ 1 million.Using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, we tested two hypotheses: (I) That the market leader is likely to compete in the mid-price segment, and that (II) Its unit price is likely to be higher than that of the nearest competition.For 2008--and 2007--the data supported both Hypothesis I and II, because the market leader, Formula 409, was a member of the mid-price segment, and its unit price was higher that of the runner-up, Fantastic, also a member of the same segment. We found that relative price was a strategic variable, as we have hypothesized.We also discovered four strategic groups in this market.A pattern is emerging in price-quality segmentation analysis. In thirteen studies—that exclude Men’s Razor-Blades, Women’s Razor-Blades, Coffee, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Disposable Diapers, and Sanitary Pads—the market leader was found to be a member of the mid-price segment, as we have hypothesized.Also, results in ten markets supported Hypothesis II.