Corporate Databases Research Articles

Can We Use Financial Data to Predict Bank Failure in 2009?

This study seeks to answer the question of whether we could use a bank’s past financial data to predict the bank failure in 2009 and proposes three new empirical proxies for loan quality (LQ), interest margins (IntMag), and earnings efficiency (OIOE) to forecast bank failure. Using the bank failure list from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) database, I match the banks that failed in 2009 with a control sample based on geography, size, the ratio of total loans to total assets, and the age of banks. The model suggested by this paper could predict correctly up to 94.44% (97.15%) for the failure (and non-failure) of banks, with an overall 96.43% prediction accuracy, (p = 0.5). Specifically, the stepwise logistic regression suggests some proxies for capital adequacy, assets/loan risk, profit efficiency, earnings, and liquidity risk to be the predictors of bank failure. These results partially agree with previous studies regarding the importance of certain variables, while offering new findings that the three proposed proxies for LQ, IntMag, and OIOE statistically and economically significantly impact the probability of bank failure.

Understanding Conflict in the Franchised Restaurant Industry: Insights from Court Records

Relationships between franchisees and franchisors are susceptible to conflicts. This exploratory study employed a content analysis using a data triangulation of New York court records (23 cases, 3 dismissed) spanning from 1957 to 2016 and IFA corporate databases to explore the causes of conflict in the franchised restaurant industry. The findings revealed that the courts dismissed three lawsuits on jurisdictional grounds at the preliminary litigation stage. Out of the 20 cases, the courts found that 13 cases filed by the franchisees had no meritorious causes of action. This leads to a belief that the franchisees did not obtain sufficient advice from their attorneys or that they did not arbitrate their conflicts before filing the lawsuits. The primary theoretical implication of this study is that parties in franchising may recognize the red flags in conflict before advancing to the litigation stage. This would help the parties of interest to mitigate the tension in their relationship. Among the practical implications of this study include the recommendation for a better franchising regulation which safeguards the interests of all stakeholders. Policymakers should consider mandating arbitration clauses in the franchising agreements to balance the relationship between franchisees and franchisors.

The Role of Islamic Social Finance Instruments Towards Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria: A Juristic Analysis

Nigeria is one of the West African countries that have abundant natural resources. It is also a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). According to World Bank statistics, Nigeria’s poverty rate is alarming, ranking next after India. Despite the numerous natural resources in Nigeria, poor economic management and governance are considered factors responsible for the current standard of living in the country. This study examines the potential opportunities and challenges in employing the Islamic social instruments of Zakah, Sadaqah, and Waqf in wealth redistribution to alleviate poverty in Nigeria. This study uses data obtained through library search to explicate the achievements and challenges of wealth redistribution in Nigeria and the role of Islamic social financing in eradicating poverty. It adopts a descriptive and juristic analysis approach to the roles and potential contributions of existing Islamic social finance platforms in the sustainable redistribution of wealth in Nigeria. This study reviews existing social finance platforms in Nigeria through an analysis of the Qur’an, Hadith, and Islamic economic worldview interpretations. The study explores the socio-economic potential of Nigeria’s multi-ethnic, cultural, and religious society. This study finds that Islamic social finance institutions in Nigeria face corporate governance, effective records, database management, and regulatory challenges impeding public and private institutions’ initiatives to address wealth redistribution and eradicating poverty through Islamic social financing use of Zakah, Sadaqah, and Waqf in Nigeria.

Online Blogging System for an Organization

Abstract: Organizations understand the critical significance of encouraging communication and collaboration among their members in today's digitally connected environment. The conception and creation of an online blogging system designed especially for usage by organizations are described in this abstract. The suggested system seeks to transform the dynamics of internal communication by giving staff members a centralized forum on which to exchange knowledge, experiences, and insights in an organized and easily accessible way. By utilizing modern web technologies, the system provides an easy-to-use interface with features that are intuitively designed to make content creation, publication, and interaction smooth. Personalized user profiles, a hierarchical topic classification system, real-time commenting, and content moderation tools are some of the main features. Additionally, cross-platform connectivity is improved and data consistency is guaranteed by integration with current corporate databases and communication channels. By encouraging a transparent and cooperative atmosphere. The suggested system seeks to transform the dynamics of internal communication by giving staff members a centralized forum on which to exchange knowledge, experiences, and insights in an organized and easily accessible way. By utilizing modern web technologies, the system provides an easy-to-use interface with features that are intuitively designed to make content creation, publication, and interaction smooth. Personalized user profiles, a hierarchical topic classification system, real-time commenting, and content moderation tools are some of the main features. Additionally, cross-platform connectivity is improved and data consistency is guaranteed by integration with current corporate databases and communication channels. The Online Blogging System encourages employees to share their knowledge, participate in productive discussions, and develop an innovative and open culture within the company by creating an environment that is open and collaborative. Additionally, the technology makes it easier for knowledge to be retained and shared, allowing insightful.

Two Decades of Department of Veterans Affairs Traumatic Brain Injury Care and Benefits for Veterans of Post-9/11 Conflicts.

To describe the background, methodology, and results of the congressionally mandated Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Veterans Health Registry. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA). A total of 441 639 Veterans of post-9/11 conflicts who exhibited symptoms associated with TBI and sought care or benefits from the VA between September 2001 and September 2021. Design: Retrospective analysis of VHA and VBA administrative records. (1) VA/Department of Defense Identity Repository to identify Veterans with a deployment to the Southwest Asia theater of operations; (2) the VA TBI Screening and Evaluation Program data; (3) Inpatient and Outpatient Encounter data; and (4) an extract of the VBA Corporate Database to identify Veterans filing benefit claims based on TBI. An unduplicated total of 441 639 post-9/11 Veterans were identified in the Registry via three different pathways to entry: 369 909 Veterans through a positive TBI Screen, 253 177 Veterans receiving healthcare including a TBI diagnosis, and 108 541 Veterans filing TBI disability claims. Among Veterans reporting current TBI symptoms who completed a clinical evaluation, a diagnosis of TBI was confirmed by a TBI specialist in 68.7% of the cases. The TBI severity of confirmed cases was classified as mild in 86.6% of the cases, moderate in 8.3%, and severe in 4.1%. The TBI Registry Veterans were hospitalized 66 503 times and seen 1 521 898 times as outpatients in VHA facilities with diagnoses including TBI. Among Veterans filing TBI disability claims, 67.3% were adjudicated as service-connected. The VA TBI Health Registry has identified over 440 000 Veterans of post-9/11 conflicts who presented to the VA for care or benefits with TBI symptomatology. This large number and the volume of TBI health care and benefits provided over the two decades since 9/11 demonstrate the need for the VA's strong ongoing focus on screening, evaluation, and rehabilitation of TBI.

Adaptable software tools for searching objects-analogues tasks 
 in NO-CODE concept

The paper is devoted to the problem of methodological and software support for the search of object analogues, performed when solving the problems of modelling and designing the development of oil and gas fields. The article shows that there is no single generally accepted methodology for searching analogues, existing methodologies differ in applied similarity criteria and search algorithms, are adapted to the search conditions, and are modernised. With the inconsistency of methods computer programs for searching analogues are created at a low level of abstraction, for a limited range of tasks, the existing developments are integrated with corporate databases and in general do not solve the problem of providing analysts with pro-software tools. As a solution we propose the development of programs for searching analogues in the concept of "no-code" (without programming) on the basis of analytical platforms. The "no-code" approach will allow analysts without involving programmers to create software tools for searching analogues, implementing their own variant methods. The article presents the authors' algorithm for express analysis of data at the initial stage of analogue search and the software tool that implements it, created "no code" on the basis of the Russian analytical platform Loginom.

A supported primary health pathway for mild traumatic brain injury quality improvement report.

Introduction Best-practice guidelines recommend that patients are followed-up to check if they have recovered following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and to refer to concussion services, if needed. However, in New Zealand, rates of follow-up are low and access to concussion services can be delayed. Aim We aimed to improve rates of follow-up and access to concussion services for mTBI patients aged ≥8 years by the implementation of a supported health pathway and test its success. Methods The pathway included a decision support tool, funded follow-up appointments, clinician training and a patient education resource. Sociodemographics, injury details and proportions of patients receiving a follow-up by type and time were extracted from the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) database between 18 May 22 and 30 June 23 and compared to national ACC data prior to implementation. Results Data were extracted for 220 patients, with a mean age of 31.5 years, 51.4% female and 21.4% Māori and Pacific. There was an increase in the proportion of patients receiving a follow-up from 36% pre-implementation to 56.8% post-implementation. Sixty-three patients (28.6%) accessed a concussion service post-implementation compared to 10% pre-implementation. Time to concussion service reduced from an average of 55 (s.d. = 65.4) to 37 days (29.5). Discussion Risk factor criteria within the decision support tool need to be weighted to improve specificity of referrals. Timing from injury to medical review in primary care needs to be considered. This quality improvement project provides preliminary evidence for implementation of a supported health care pathway for mTBI.

Corporative strategies of spatial warehousing development of retailers in Moscow agglomeration

The rapid growth of the transport and logistics complex of urban agglomerations forces large companies to change spatial strategies for warehouse networks development based on current trends. Thus, there is a transformation of factors for the placement of warehouse facilities. This article examines the general and specific features of the spatial development of warehouse networks of the largest retailers and online-operators in the post-soviet period using the example of the Moscow agglomeration. The novelty of the work consists both in the comparative analysis and typologization of strategies for warehouse networks development, and in the study of shifts in their territorial development. The information base of the study was the author's database of corporations’ warehouse facilities, collected on the basis of open sources. Two multidirectional trends have been identified. The first is the shift of new construction to the periphery of the Moscow agglomeration, to the zone of influence of the Central Ring Road (CRR), and an increase in the average area of warehouse facilities. The second is the development of a network of small warehouse facilities (sorting centers, darkstores) in the core of the agglomeration, near or inside the Moscow Ring Road (MKAD). Territorial shifts have been identified in the placement of new warehouse facilities for both online-operators and retailers. Online retailers have moved from a strategy of placing warehouses near airports to placing a large warehouse in every sector of the Moscow agglomeration. For retailers, the determining factor of location remains proximity to motorways (formerly main highways, now the intersections of the main highway and the Central Ring Road/A–107 or A–108) with the possibility of expanding the service area to all regions of the Central Federal District. Based on the results obtained, a typology of strategies for the spatial development of warehouse networks of the largest retailers in the region is proposed. The analysis provides an idea of current trends in spatial strategies for the development of corporate warehouse networks in the Moscow agglomeration, which can be used in forecasting and territorial planning for other large-scale urban agglomerations, based on the concept of diffusion of innovations.

Analysis of modern approaches to ensuring cyber security of corporate databases

Analysis of modern approaches to ensuring cyber security of corporate databases

Female directors and firms’ financial performance: an empirical application of Kanter’s theory in the Indian context

Purpose Given the relevance of female directors in the governance of any firm, this paper aims to examine their effect on firms’ financial performance by investigating their general impact and segregating the same into different subgroups based on Kanter’s theory. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the purpose, this study selects a sample of the top 100 listed Indian firms for the period of 2014–2018 and gathers the data pertaining to the variables under consideration from the respective firms’ annual report and corporate database Capitaline Plus. For undertaking the investigation, the authors have segregated the sample into three groups, i.e. firms with boards having less than 10% of female directors are called skewed boards; firms with boards having female directors that range from 10% to 20% are called as tilted board; and firms with boards having sizable representation of female directors of above 20%. To examine the performance impact of overall female directors and their different subgroups, the authors have used a generalized estimating equation model. For the robustness test, the authors have used the fixed-effect model. Findings The authors find a significant positive impact of the overall percentage of female directors on the financial performance of firms. Additionally, the results indicate that boards with a titled group of female directors and boards with a sizable representation of female directors significantly positively impact firms’ performance. However, the authors fail to extricate any significant performance impact of boards with a skewed group of female directors. Practical implications First, the study reveals that despite prevailing nepotism in India, female directors, owing to their core characteristics, can create a favorable perception of firms in the market. Second, it also works as an eye-opener for regulators by revealing the minimum threshold for female directors that a board should have to exploit the benefits of a gender quota rather than mere compliance with the requirements of the Companies Act, 2013. Third, it implies that more gender-diverse boards can improve a firm’s financial performance only if female directors range between the thresholds of 10% to 20%. Finally, the finding is significant for changing the business culture in India, where institutions are traditionally less supportive of women than in other emerging countries. Originality/value Departing from existing studies, which provide evidence on the performance impact of the overall percentage of female directors, the study unveils the differential impact of female directors on firms’ financial performance depending on their level of representation on the board. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in the context of an emerging market to test Kanter’s theory.

Using Library Resource Materials to Integrate Deep Information and Externality Impacts into Semi-Live Finance Case Course Analyses

This paper focuses on the manner in which business library research can be integrated into an upper-level case course in financial management to allow students to study the impact of externalities and what shall be referred to here as “deep information” in examining business decision making. The case class discussed herein analyzes firms contemporaneously, i.e., those facing current financial and operating situations. This differs greatly from traditional case courses that focus instead on historical company situations. In particular, the approach developed at The University of Toledo in its Advanced Financial Management course is examined. Tangentially, the interaction with other courses in the finance curriculum is also discussed.More particularly, the incorporation into the case analysis of the impacts of various factors that are outside of the control of a firm’s management, but that strongly influence and channel its performance, is showcased. Examples of these external factors include the impacts of economic trends and conditions, demographics, international developments, competition, and industry effects. In addition to research on external factors, two other areas in which library assistance can aid in the analysis of concurrent case companies include -- finding data and information that delves more deeply into company activities, e.g., by using corporate and other databases, and utilizing EDGAR to study the footnotes of a firm to uncover obscure and often less comprehensible issues behind its activities and behavior. In doing this, focus is placed upon the manner in which the synergistic efforts of the librarian and case instructor can effectively present and integrate this information into these contemporaneous cases to enhance student learning experience.

Association between the accumulation of elevated serum γ-glutamyltransferase level and risk of atrial fibrillation: a nationwide cohort study

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. The association between AF and γ-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) was not fully established. This study demonstrated the independent association of cumulative GGT score and AF incidence with the dose-response relationship. Using the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation database, adult subjects who had 4 consecutive annual health examinations from 2009 to 2012 were enrolled. A cumulative GGT score was calculated as the cumulative number of the highest GGT quartile amongst four examinations (0–4 times). A multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was performed. Among a total of 3,500,847 people included, AF was developed in 27,752 people (0.793%) during a median of 8.0 years of follow up. The incidence rate of AF and adjusted hazard ratio were increased by a stepwise manner in the higher quartile group and cumulative GGT score group. In subgroup analysis, this trend was more prominent in the elderly, people without hypertension, non-obese people, and people without any four comorbidities (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity). Our results suggest multiple accumulation of elevated GGT levels in health examination might be a useful marker for risk stratification of AF development, especially in the elderly and healthy population.

Database security at cache layer

As database security is the main concern, we are going to place an encryption module at the cache layer. All the encryption and decryption will be done at the cache layer before storing that data to the database, which will provide more security to the database Higher level security should be provided to the database so here we are placing an idea of Elliptical Curve Cryptography. A database is a collection of data that helps us to collect, retrieve, organize and manage the data in an efficient and effective manner. Databases are critical assets. They store client details, financial information, personal files, company secrets and other data necessary for business. Today database security is getting greater importance than the past which is the amount of data is stored in a corporate database is increasing. People are depending more on the corporate data for making a decision, management of customer service and supply chain management etc. Data stored in databases is usually very vulnerable data so it becomes very important and crucial to maintain this data securely. There are many front end applications that fetch data from secondary storage to main memory for processing and from main memory, data is stored in cache for temporary processing. Any loss or unavailability of data may seriously affect its performance. The database security should provide protected access to the contents of a database and should preserve the integrity, availability, consistency, and quality of the data. In this paper, I present a model where data is protected even on cache layer.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the primary lung cancer screening program in Akita Prefecture, a region with the fastest aging population in Japan.

Akita Prefecture has the largest proportion of older inhabitants and the highest cancer mortality rate in Japan. Lung cancer is one of the biggest killers, and early detection is critical. Chest X-ray examinations are the main screening method for lung cancer; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the screening system. Here, we evaluate how COVID-19 has affected lung cancer screening in Akita Prefecture. Using the Akita General Health Corporation database, the average annual number of chest X-ray screening tests, close examinations and lung cancer diagnoses (stratified by sex and age) was evaluated during 2016-2019, and compared with the 2020 values. Furthermore, data on lung cancer registrations from 2018 to 2020 were obtained from the Collaborative Akita Prefecture Hospital-Based Cancer Registration System and analyzed. The average annual number of screening tests, close examinations and lung cancer diagnoses declined (by >50%) between 2016 to 2019 and 2020, especially among older people (aged ≥65 years). Furthermore, by stage, the number of patients with early-stage lung cancer (stage 0-I) decreased, and the number with advanced-stage cancer (stage IV) increased. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced lung cancer screening participation, especially among the older adult population in Akita Prefecture, resulting in a decrease in lung cancer diagnoses through screening. This might have reduced the number of early-stage cancer registrations. It is necessary to improve health education among the public regarding the importance of chest X-ray screening. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 622-627.

Artificial Intelligence Unleashes Potential of Relative Permeability

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 207855, “Unleashing the Potential of Relative Permeability Using Artificial Intelligence,” by Abdur Rahman Shah, SPE, Schlumberger; Kassem Ghorayeb, SPE, American University of Beirut; and Hussein Mustapha, Schlumberger, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ To unlock the potential of large relative permeability (Kr) databases, the work flow proposed in the complete paper integrates data analysis, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI). The work flow allows for the automated generation of a clean database and a digital twin of Kr data, using AI to identify analog data from nearby fields by extending the rock-typing scheme across multiple fields for the same formation. Introduction Accurate Kr curves are critical because they can improve reservoir characterization, reduce uncertainty in history matching and production forecasting, and provide robust and reliable field development plans. However, preparing special core analysis (SCAL) data, particularly Kr curves, as an input for reservoir simulation traditionally has been a highly manual, time-consuming, labor-intensive process. Furthermore, no automated tools are available currently that perform a full quality review of Kr data using analytical or numerical methods. As a result, the quality and representativeness of Kr data used in reservoir simulation models is frequently inadequately checked. Furthermore, no tools exist to generate Kr curves based on analog field data in fields where Kr data is either missing or scarce. Integrated Work Flow The solution discussed in this paper aims to address challenges and automate processes using a combination of conventional algorithms and ML. It begins with a thorough quality check and cleanup of Kr laboratory data before using analog data to build Kr curves for a specific field or reservoir. The latter is especially important considering the challenges that arise when attempting to build on analog field data in the presence of large, corporate, regional, or country-scale databases. The approach classifies rocks using ML-proxy rock typing, which is subsequently used to find Kr equivalents. After that, these analogs can be used to fill up any data gaps for reservoir simulation in any discipline.

How to really quantify the economic value of customer information in corporate databases

This paper presents a novel solution to evaluate the real impact of information and information technology (IT) in companies as fundamental tools to assess how valuable the company’s customers are. The focus is on the concept of information and knowledge as an asset with intrinsic economic value and a variable to consider in order to achieve effective customer management. It is dual research. On the one hand, it is an exploratory-conceptual type based on a review of the literature and, on the other hand, it is descriptive-quantitative through the application of an empirical case study. The proposed new customer relationship management (CRM) information value model (VICRM) offers significantly different results from other traditional models. Its main advantages include the possibility of carrying out new segmentations of customers and estimations of the company’s value. On the other hand, the model corrects some of the classic problems in customer evaluation models, such as their high dependence on the retention rate or being very regressive in the first years. The results of this research aim to serve any company whose business model is Business to Consumer (B2C) to calculate, in an effective way, the value of a large amount of information companies have about their customers.

The use of software to increase the TBO on the example of the wells of the frequently repaired fund of the "Zhetybaimunaygas" PM

Background: The operation of fields at a late stage of development requires the use of more efficient methods for increasing the TBO of the producing field in order to reduce the high costs of maintenance and repair works of production well stock. Aim: Analysis of a well operation in a frequently repaired field (FRF), identification of the main causes of failure of downhole pumping equipment (DPE) and a way to solve problems using information technology. Materials and methods: An important indicator of improving the reliability of the production facilities is the time between overhauls of wells (the TBO). One of the most significant complications during the well operations at the fields is the abrasion of the internal cavity of the tubing by pumping rods (the PR). Abrasion occurs due to mechanical action between the sleeve joint and the body of the rod from the inner wall of the tubing during reciprocating movements. In order to minimize the contact of the rod with the tubing, a high-quality selection of the rod layout is required with further lowering of the pump rods with a centralizer. The software is an excellent tool for modeling sucker-rod pumping units (SRP), as well as for optimizing layouts of current SRP systems. Results: According to the well profiles analysis, it is possible to predict failures and the consequences of failures of underground equipment. The efficiency of lowering the layout of underground equipment, calculated in the RodStar software, the number of repairs decreased from 66 to 31 units, and the average operating time increased from 52 to 114 days. It is important to note that failures due to leaky tubing decreased from 25 to 10 units, and the number of parted rods from 24 to 6 units. Conclusion: Summing up the analysis of the use of software products for the selection of downhole pumping equipment in the operation of mechanized well stock in oil and gas fields, the relevance and timeliness of creating a corporate database and the use of modern tools should be noted. The effectiveness of the software and the module application are certainly confirmed by the positive results i.e. an increase in TBF and TBO of the production wells of "Zhetybaymunaigaz" PD.

Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling for nuclear engineering applications using OpenFOAM

Abstract This work is focused on the development and validation of models and methods for the simulation of wall boiling in nuclear engineering applications with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code OpenFOAM. The new chtMultiRegionReactingTwoPhaseEulerFoam solver was developed based on the reactingTwoPhaseEulerFoam solver of OpenFOAM Foundation version 7. The solver is used for the simulation of two-phase flow under consideration of wall boiling and conjugate heat transfer (CHT) between solid structure and two-phase fluid regions. The Euler–Euler approach for two-phase flows was used. The heat flux during wall boiling was calculated with the help of the extended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute wall heat flux partitioning model, in which the convective heat flux between solid wall and two-phase flow with high void fractions was also considered. The solver was validated against experimental data from the OECD/NEA PWR Subchannel and Bundle Tests benchmark. This Nuclear Power Energy Corporation (NUPEC) database provides data for different fuel assembly subchannel geometries at different thermal-hydraulic conditions. 10 experimental runs with different boundary conditions of the benchmark exercise I-1 were simulated with the chtMultiRegionReactingTwoPhaseEulerFoam solver. The solver showed good numerical stability in all examined cases, which captured different boiling regimes with up to cross-section averaged void fractions of 0.6. The results were compared with measured data for the averaged over the cross-section of the investigated geometry void fractions. Good agreement with experimental data was observed.

Influenza prevalence and vaccine efficacy among diabetic patients in Qatar

Seasonal influenza viruses may lead to severe illness and mortality in patients with comorbidities, including Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Vaccination against influenza in DM patients may reduce influenza incidence and severity. Before the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, influenza infections were the most prevalent respiratory infections in Qatar. Still, reports about influenza prevalence and vaccine efficacy in DM patients have not been reported. This study aimed to analyze influenza prevalence among other respiratory infections and assess influenza vaccine efficacy in DM patients in Qatar. Statistical analysis was performed on data obtained from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) database for patients that visited the emergency department (ED) with respiratory-like illnesses. The analysis was done for the period between January 2016 to December 2018. Among 17,525 patients who visited HMC-ED with clinical symptoms of respiratory infections, 2611(14.9%) were reported to have DM. Among DM patients, influenza was the most prevalent respiratory pathogen at 48.9%. Influenza virus A (IVA) was the most circulating type, contributing to 38.4%, followed by IVB contributing to 10.4% of total respiratory infections. Among the typed IVA-positive cases, 33.4% were H1N1, and 7.7% were H3N2. A significant decrease in influenza infections was reported in vaccinated DM patients (14.5%) when compared to non-vaccinated patients (18.9%) (p-value = 0.006). However, there was no significant relaxation in the clinical symptoms among vaccinated DM patients compared to their non-vaccinated counterparts. In conclusion, influenza was the most common etiology for respiratory viral infection among diabetic patients at the leading healthcare provider in Qatar. Although vaccination reduced the incidence rate among DM patients, it was less effective in preventing symptoms. Further studies on a larger cohort and for a more extended period are required to investigate influenza prevalence and vaccine efficacy among DM patients.

Decentralized decision-making and scaled autonomy at Spotify

While modern software companies strive to increase team autonomy to enable them to successfully operate the piece of software they develop and deploy, efficient ways to orchestrate the work of multiple autonomous teams working in parallel are still poorly understood. In this paper, we report how team autonomy is maintained at Spotify at scale, based on team retrospectives, interviews with team managers and archival analysis of corporate databases and work procedures. In particular, we describe how managerial authority is decentralized through various workgroups with collective authority, what compromises are made to team autonomy to ensure alignment and which team-related factors can further hinder autonomy. Our findings show that scaled autonomy at Spotify does not mean anarchy, or unlimited permissiveness. Instead, squads are expected to take responsibility for their work and coordinate, communicate and align their actions with others, and comply with a few enabling constraints. Further, squads take many decisions independently without management control or due to collective efforts that bypass formal boundary structures. Mechanisms and strategies that enable self-organization at Spotify are related to effective sharing of the codebase, achieving alignment, networking and knowledge sharing, and are described to guide other companies in their efforts to scale autonomy.