Current Methodological Approaches Research Articles

Improving the Science of Adolescent Social Media and Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities of Smartphone-Based Mobile Sensing and Digital Phenotyping

AbstractThe impact of social media (SM) use (‘screentime’) on adolescent mental health has been the focus of increasing concern, despite mixed findings from empirical research. Current methodological approaches rely on self-reported SM use, which has limited accuracy and obscure the dynamic interplay of SM use and mental health. Smartphone-based mobile sensing offers new opportunities to gain insights into adolescents’ SM use patterns and behaviors, particularly at an idiographic level. Considerations and challenges of smartphone sensing methods for capturing adolescents’ SM use patterns and behaviors in clinical psychological science are discussed in the context of a pilot study using smartphone-based sensing with adolescents. The pilot study included 19 adolescents (Mean age = 15.84; 68% boys; 79% White) who installed a passive monitoring application (AWARE) on their phones for 31 (SD = 5.6) days. Descriptive data of sensing acceptability and feasibility are presented based on participant ratings and data yield ratio of usable data (74.18%). Sensing yielded 10,038 hourly observations collected from the ‘application foreground’ sensor across all participants from social media apps, and a total of 645 applications used. Categorization of SM apps were coded (kappa >.90) into ‘social networking’ (N = 20 apps) and ‘broader SM’ (N = 41) and compared to both Play Store-defined SM apps (N = 26) and popular SM apps based on Common Sense Media Survey (N = 9). Descriptive data on extracted behavioral features (duration, checking) from SM use categories (binned hourly and daily) are presented. Challenges, opportunities, and future directions of sensing methods for SM use are discussed to inform our understanding of its impacts on mental health and to improve the rigor of SM research in clinical psychological science.

Complexities and challenges of translating intervention success to real world gait in people with Parkinson's disease.

Unstable gait leading to falls negatively impacts the quality of life in many people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Systematic review evidence provides moderate to strong evidence of efficacy for a wide range of physiotherapy-based interventions to reduce gait impairment. However, outcomes have often focused on gait assessments conducted in controlled laboratory or clinical environments. This perspective investigates the complexities and challenges of conducting real-world gait assessments in people with PD and the factors that may influence the translation from improved lab-assessed gait to improved real-world gait. Through a thorough review of current literature, we present an in-depth analysis of current methodological approaches to real-world gait assessments and the challenges that may influence the translation of an intervention's success from lab-based outcomes to improved walking during daily life. We identified six key factors that may influence the translation of intervention success into real-world environments at different stages of the process. These factors comprise the gait intervention, parameters analyzed, sensor setup, assessment protocols, characteristics of walking bouts, and medication status. We provide recommendations for each factor based on our synthesis of current literature. This perspective emphasizes the importance of measuring intervention success outside of the laboratory environment using real-world gait assessments. Our findings support the need for future studies to bridge the gap between proven efficacy for gait as assessed in controlled laboratory environments and real-world impact for people with PD.

Helical ultrastructure of the L-ENA spore aggregation factor of a Bacillus paranthracis foodborne outbreak strain

In pathogenic Bacillota, spores can form an infectious particle and can take up a central role in the environmental persistence and dissemination of disease. A poorly understood aspect of spore-mediated infection is the fibrous structures or ‘endospore appendages’ (ENAs) that have been seen to decorate the spores of pathogenic Bacilli and Clostridia. Current methodological approaches are opening a window on these long enigmatic structures. Using cryoID, Alphafold modelling and genetic approaches we identify a sub-class of robust ENAs in a Bacillus paranthracis foodborne outbreak strain. We demonstrate that L-ENA are encoded by a rare three-gene cluster (ena3) that contains all components for the self-assembly of ladder-like protein nanofibers of stacked heptameric rings, their anchoring to the exosporium, and their termination in a trimeric ‘ruffle’ made of a complement C1Q-like BclA paralogue. The role of ENA fibers in spore-spore interaction and the distribution of L-ENA operon as mobile genetic elements in B. cereus s.l. strains suggest that L-ENA fibers may increase the survival, spread and virulence of these strains.

Focus groups as counterspaces for Black girls and Black women: A critical approach to research methods

When researchers intentionally account for the complexities of gendered racism, focus groups can become spaces for healing, community building, information exchange, psychological safety, and support for Black girls and Black women. This approach, when situated within race, gender critical perspectives, presents opportunities for ascertaining Black girls and Black women’s onto-epistemologies in ways that coincide with their identities. Given the alternative possibilities of focus groups, in this paper we advance strategies for employing focus groups as counterspaces, an anti-racist and anti-oppressive research method that educational psychologists can utilize to challenge current methodological approaches related to Black girls and Black women. To transform how educational psychologists spotlight Black girls and Black women as knowledge producers in research, we draw upon guiding theoretical frameworks (Black Girl Cartography and Critical Race Feminism) that highlight their voices and intersectional perspectives. We will (1) explain the theoretical perspectives that center this method as a critical approach for the gendered racialized experiences of Black girls and Black women, (2) share insights from the field where focus groups provide psychological safety and group collectivism, serve as an adaptive coping mechanism, and provide space for authentic communication styles, (3) consider areas for improvement and best practices for focus groups in research design, data collection and analysis, and (4) provide ethical considerations related to focus groups as counterspaces. Implications for critical research methodology approaches centering Black girls and Black women and the broader impact on the field of educational psychology are discussed.

Molecular monitoring of Dinophysis species assemblage in mussel farms in the Northwestern Adriatic Sea

Several Dinophysis species can produce potent lipophilic toxins that pose a risk to human health when contaminated seafood is consumed, especially filter-feeding bivalve mussels. In the mussel farms of the Northwestern Adriatic Sea, seawater and seafood are regularly monitored for the presence of Dinophysis species and their associated toxins, but the current methodological approaches, such as light microscopy determinations, require a long time to make results available to local authorities. A molecular qPCR-based assay can be used to quantify various toxic Dinophysis species in a shorter timeframe. However, this approach is not currently employed in official testing activities. In this study, field samples were collected monthly or bi-weekly over one year from various mussel farms along the Northwestern Adriatic coast. The abundance of Dinophysis species in the seawater was determined using both traditional microscopy and qPCR assays. In addition, the concentration of lipophilic toxins for DSP in mussel flesh was quantified using LC-MS/MS focusing on the okadaic acid group. Dinophysis spp. site-specific single cells were isolated and analysed by qPCR yielding a mean rDNA copy number per cell of 1.21 × 104 ± 1.81 × 103. The qPCR assay gave an efficiency of 98 % and detected up to 10 copies of the rDNA target gene. The qPCR and light microscopy determinations in environmental samples showed a significant positive correlation (Spearman rs = 0.57, p-value < 0.001) with a ratio of 2.24 between the two quantification methods, indicating that light microscopy estimates were generally 44.6 % lower than those obtained by the qPCR assay. The qPCR approach showed several advantages such as rapidity, sensitivity and efficiency over conventional microscopy analysis, showing its potential future role in phytoplankton monitoring under the Official Controls Regulations for shellfish.

Towards sustainable crop protection in agriculture: A framework for research and policy

CONTEXTEuropean countries have set ambitious targets to reduce the risks of pesticide use. Achieving these targets will require a large proportion of farmers to adopt sustainable crop protection practices. However, how to enable this transition and what are the best policies to support farmers remain open questions. OBJECTIVEHere, we provide a coherent review of existing evidence and new insights into farmer decision-making and policy analysis in the context of the transition to more sustainable crop protection. We synthesise and extend the empirical evidence and the conceptual and methodological foundations to examine farmers' decisions to adopt sustainable crop protection and to assess the potential of different policy measures to support this transition. Our analysis focuses on European agriculture. METHODSWe provide a framework and synthesise evidence by reviewing the literature and combining agronomic and economic perspectives. We focus on three issues: i) indicators for empirical analyses of adoption of sustainable crop protection practices; ii) behavioural perspectives on farmer adoption; iii) insights into methodological approaches for assessing adoption of sustainable crop protection practices and related policies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONWe have identified four main findings and implications. First, sustainable crop protection practices consist of combinations and bundles of individual measures that are not currently regularly considered in policy instruments and policy analysis. Second, definitions of adoption should move from simple adoption metrics to impacts, for example on pesticide risk reduction. Third, behavioural factors are highly relevant to farmers' adoption decisions, but are currently under-researched and under-represented in the field of sustainable crop protection practices. Fourth, the tools currently used for policy analysis do not allow these key aspects to be represented. We draw policy conclusions. SIGNIFICANCEOur analyses help guide policy decisions to achieve pesticide use and risk reduction objectives, and have implications for pesticide policy in Europe and beyond. We identify gaps in current conceptual and methodological approaches, promising avenues for future research, and ways to make results more coherent and comparable. Our analysis thus provides new insights and templates to guide future research and policy analysis on the adoption of sustainable crop protection approaches.

Environmental activity-based protein profiling for function-driven enzyme discovery from natural communities

BackgroundMicrobial communities are important drivers of global biogeochemical cycles, xenobiotic detoxification, as well as organic matter decomposition. Their major metabolic role in ecosystem functioning is ensured by a unique set of enzymes, providing a tremendous yet mostly hidden enzymatic potential. Exploring this enzymatic repertoire is therefore not only relevant for a better understanding of how microorganisms function in their natural environment, and thus for ecological research, but further turns microbial communities, in particular from extreme habitats, into a valuable resource for the discovery of novel enzymes with potential applications in biotechnology. Different strategies for their uncovering such as bioprospecting, which relies mainly on metagenomic approaches in combination with sequence-based bioinformatic analyses, have emerged; yet accurate function prediction of their proteomes and deciphering the in vivo activity of an enzyme remains challenging.ResultsHere, we present environmental activity-based protein profiling (eABPP), a multi-omics approach that extends genome-resolved metagenomics with mass spectrometry-based ABPP. This combination allows direct profiling of environmental community samples in their native habitat and the identification of active enzymes based on their function, even without sequence or structural homologies to annotated enzyme families. eABPP thus bridges the gap between environmental genomics, correct function annotation, and in vivo enzyme activity. As a showcase, we report the successful identification of active thermostable serine hydrolases from eABPP of natural microbial communities from two independent hot springs in Kamchatka, Russia.ConclusionsBy reporting enzyme activities within an ecosystem in their native state, we anticipate that eABPP will not only advance current methodological approaches to sequence homology-guided enzyme discovery from environmental ecosystems for subsequent biocatalyst development but also contributes to the ecological investigation of microbial community interactions by dissecting their underlying molecular mechanisms.

Definition of Regulatory Targets for Electricity Default Rate in Brazil: Proposition of a Fuzzy Inference-Based Model

The current electricity default rates in continental countries, such as Brazil, pose risks to the economic stability and investment capabilities of distribution utilities. This situation results in higher electricity tariffs for regular customers. From a regulatory perspective, the key issue regarding this challenge is devising incentive mechanisms that reward distribution utilities for their operational and investment choices, aiming to mitigate or decrease electricity non-payment rates and avoid tariff increases for regular customers. Despite adhering to the principles of incentive regulation, the Brazilian Electricity Regulatory Agency (ANEEL) uses a methodological approach to define regulatory targets for electricity defaults tied to econometric models developed to determine targets to combat electricity non-technical losses (NTLs). This methodology has been widely criticized by electricity distribution utilities and academics because it includes many ad hoc steps and fails to consider the components that capture the specificities and heterogeneity of distribution utilities. This study proposes a fuzzy inference-based model for defining regulatory default targets built independently of the current methodological approach adopted by ANEEL and aligned with the principles of incentive regulation. An empirical study focusing on the residential class of electricity consumption demonstrated that it is possible to adopt a specific methodology for determining regulatory default targets and that the fuzzy inference approach can meet the necessary premises to ensure that the principles of incentive regulation and the establishment of regulatory targets are consistent with the reality of each electricity distribution utility.

Informing policy via dynamic models: Cholera in Haiti.

Public health decisions must be made about when and how to implement interventions to control an infectious disease epidemic. These decisions should be informed by data on the epidemic as well as current understanding about the transmission dynamics. Such decisions can be posed as statistical questions about scientifically motivated dynamic models. Thus, we encounter the methodological task of building credible, data-informed decisions based on stochastic, partially observed, nonlinear dynamic models. This necessitates addressing the tradeoff between biological fidelity and model simplicity, and the reality of misspecification for models at all levels of complexity. We assess current methodological approaches to these issues via a case study of the 2010-2019 cholera epidemic in Haiti. We consider three dynamic models developed by expert teams to advise on vaccination policies. We evaluate previous methods used for fitting these models, and we demonstrate modified data analysis strategies leading to improved statistical fit. Specifically, we present approaches for diagnosing model misspecification and the consequent development of improved models. Additionally, we demonstrate the utility of recent advances in likelihood maximization for high-dimensional nonlinear dynamic models, enabling likelihood-based inference for spatiotemporal incidence data using this class of models. Our workflow is reproducible and extendable, facilitating future investigations of this disease system.

Human Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies for Psychiatric Disorders: The Current Progress and Future Directions.

With the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the limitations of the diagnostic scheme and treatment options of these disorders, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies play a significant role in uncovering the pathological basis of psychiatric disorders and potentially using biological markers in clinical settings. The use of MRI in clinical research has grown over the past three decades, and current MRI research continues to provide an avenue to guide the development of diagnostic approaches and therapeutic solutions. However, the current shortcomings of MRI studies derive not only from technical limitations (i.e., the range of contrasts that MRI probes or sensors can create) but also from confounding factors in the current methodological approaches of case-control studies for psychiatric disorders. Thus, by reviewing the recent literature on MRI research on psychiatric disorders, we explain the current progress and limitations of brain MRI methodologies used to study psychiatric disorders. We consider the growing use of cross-disorder methods to identify shared and disease-specific pathological features across psychiatric disorders. In addition, we need to outline healthy developmental and aging changes of the brain and investigate the disorder difference as a deviation of the trajectory. Although these methods have provided us with new insights, the demarcation between psychiatric disorders based on a definitive set of pathologies remains limited. This challenge of disease stratification is further complicated by the presence of multiple different sets of disorder pathologies within a single disorder and the different progressive timelines of different disorders. As such, we introduce the ongoing research projects in Japan, namely, the Brain Mapping by Integrated Neurotechnologies for Disease Studies (Brain/MINDS) and the Strategic International Brain Science Research Promotion Program (Brain/MINDS Beyond). These collaborative research initiatives across Japan use neuroimaging and travel-subject harmonization to conduct nationwide MRI studies capable of providing large-scale coherent results, which may address the current limitations of MRI psychiatric disorder research.

ГЕНЕЗИС КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНИХ ПІДХОДІВ ДО КАТЕГОРІЇ «ЛОГІСТИКА»

Abstract. The article deals with the current theoretical and methodological approaches to foming «logistics» category, which is considered as a science and a practical area of business. A retrospective and development evolution of the researched category in military, mathematical and economic aspects is given. Attention is drawn to the fact that in economic science, the genesis of «logistics» category is closely related to forming market relations in industrialized countries. Three main conceptual approaches were studied, which form the definition of the term «logistics» and generally determine the directions of further scientific developments, the nature of logistics use in practice: associativity with material and technical support of production and other types of activities, sales of products; scientific organization of managing infrastructural flow processes by means of their integration, optimization of costs and rationalization of production processes; scientific organization of managing any flow processes in any sphere of human activity. A critical analysis of the considered approaches was carried out from both a scientific and a practical point of view. The differences of F. Kotler's ideas on market logistics compared to mainstream approaches in the marketing aspect are outlined. The interrelationship of the theory, methodology, object and subject of logistics with certain types of activities, material and goods and related information and financial flows is stated. Attention is focused on the dominant paradigmatic idea – global integration and optimization of flow processes. It is justified that the development of information technologies had the greatest impact on logistics, and logistics itself is now increasingly influencing the development of various spheres of human activity. The genesis of approaches to «logistics» category is summarized: stages, conceptual features and definitions of examined term. It was concluded that in modern conditions, logistics is mainly aimed at increasing the efficiency of integration of any flow processes that have features of spatio-temporal sequence, therefore attempts to globalize logistics fields of application not only in the economy, but also in the science in general, culture, and art etc. are natural.

Counter-narrative as method: Researching immigrant teachers differently

AbstractThis article addresses the ethical question concerning how educational research helps immigrant teachers gain authority and ownership over their self-understanding and self-becoming. By critically examining prior research and analysing the dominant discourse surrounding this specific group, we highlight the limitations and ethical implications of existing findings. We problematise current methodological approaches ito advocate for the necessity of counter-narratives. By empowering immigrant teachers to ‘author(w)rite’ their own accounts, this form of authorship broadens scholarly discourse, allowing them to pursue self-understanding and assert agency over their narratives. To illustrate our contention, we present our counter-narratives in the form of satirical poetry within boxed texts, highlighting the need to expand and complicate conventional research practices. Through subversive discourse, we emphasise more empowering methodologies in the ethical interpretation and representation of immigrant teacher participants. We suggest that counter-narratives offer an alternative lens through which to examine the lived realities and emotions of immigrant teachers, ultimately enriching scholarly discussions and fostering a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of their humanity.

Review of water scarcity assessments: Highlights of Mexico's water situation

AbstractThis article examines the situation of water scarcity and security in Mexico, with a focus on the drinking water supply issue in rural communities and the challenges posed by assessment methodologies. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to update the available information on the water crisis in Mexico and its impact on rural communities in the country, as well as the methodologies employed to assess water security and the methodological challenges associated with them. Among the most noteworthy findings is the persistent challenge in evaluating water scarcity and its implications for communities, due to the lack of consensus on the most precise methodology. Nevertheless, current methodological approaches suggest the integration of physical models with pertinent social, economic, and political data. The literature broadly agrees on the severity of the water scarcity crisis and the clear link between rural poverty and inadequate access to drinking water. Water scarcity is both a contributing factor to and a consequence of poverty, stemming from a complex interplay of socioeconomic pressures, inadequate institutional responses, and deficient water management. The paper concludes that water scarcity involves intricate interactions among various factors, encompassing physical water scarcity, pollution, and the impacts of climate change on the water cycle, and most critically, the complexities inherent in water management and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, the integration of well‐informed policies, effective management practices, and collaborative efforts is crucial for ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future. Effective water management can effectively mitigate the challenges of water scarcity and alleviate poverty.This article is categorized under: Engineering Water &gt; Water, Health, and Sanitation Human Water &gt; Rights to Water Science of Water &gt; Water and Environmental Change

Понятие и признаки территориальных преференциальных режимов: конституционно-правовые аспекты институционализации и финансового регулирования

The article reveals the features of territorial preferential regimes in the legal mechanism of the interconnected implementation of the socio-economic and territorial policies of the government. It also substantiates the need for a constitutional understanding of their legal regulation, including the financial one, through achieving not a narrow fiscal, but a general social effect, balancing private and public interests, increasing both the efficiency of implementing publicly significant tasks in the relevant territory and the living standards of the population. Analysis is made of the problems and drawbacks of current regulation in this sphere which have systematical character and indicate the lack of strategical and conceptual goal setting. Based on current methodological approaches, and constitutional legal cases, the article proposes the authorial definition of the concept and features of territorial preferential zones.

ALGEBRA OF SOCIAL PHENOMENA

The characteristics of modern societies are central to discussions of various types of policy (social, economic, etc.) and are often seen as predictors of socio-economic processes. Any society can be studied through the lens of social phenomena. Hence, it seems fair to assume that the better one understands the nature of social matter and its impact on various processes, the better one's decisions will be able to meet today's challenges. The purpose of this paper is to explain and present the new framework for measuring social phenomena in the form of an algebra based on the definition of social phenomenon, its components, rationality and mathematical logic. Methodology. Using the example of social cohesion, the paper examines the current fundamental methodological approaches to interpreting the definition and, consequently, measuring social phenomena. In this paper, the authors use an analogy with probability space and event algebra to develop their mathematical method. As a result, the article presents and explains the basic terms of the algebra of social phenomena that make up the new concept. Practical implications. The authors' approach to formalisation provides a tool for deriving the measure of a complex phenomenon from the measures of its components (simple phenomena), as demonstrated in the example. Thus, this study enriches the range of methods suitable for deepening one's knowledge of the social characteristics of the society under study. Value/Originality. The concept of algebra as a methodology for measuring social phenomena and establishing dependencies between them on the basis of mathematical logic has not yet been the subject of public discussion. Therefore, this publication is also an invitation to a scientific discussion.

Understanding Naturalistic Facial Expressions with Deep Learning and Multimodal Large Language Models.

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of affective computing systems for facial expression recognition (FER) research in naturalistic contexts. The first section presents an updated account of user-friendly FER toolboxes incorporating state-of-the-art deep learning models and elaborates on their neural architectures, datasets, and performances across domains. These sophisticated FER toolboxes can robustly address a variety of challenges encountered in the wild such as variations in illumination and head pose, which may otherwise impact recognition accuracy. The second section of this paper discusses multimodal large language models (MLLMs) and their potential applications in affective science. MLLMs exhibit human-level capabilities for FER and enable the quantification of various contextual variables to provide context-aware emotion inferences. These advancements have the potential to revolutionize current methodological approaches for studying the contextual influences on emotions, leading to the development of contextualized emotion models.

Towards sustainable antimicrobials from plants: Some ways to abridge current methodological approaches

Plants are potential sources for new antimicrobials that might be helpful in combating antimicrobial resistance. Screening of plant materials for antimicrobial activities is an essential step towards discovery of new alternatives to current antibiotics. This article presents strategies allowing to simplify some methodological approaches used in initial testing of plant materials for their antimicrobial properties. Particular attention is given to sensitivity testing without extraction based on utilisation of agarose hydrogel tablets and dry powders. Other aspects relate to testing fractionated extracts and rapid determination of inhibition modes directly from zones of inhibition in diffusion assays. Using these approaches could facilitate standardised preliminary screening for new antimicrobials to make this process more productive.

Current methodological approaches in studying the use of advanced digital technologies in migration management

The use of technology in migration management has increased in recent years. As such, practitioners and scholars are increasingly interested in the real and potential use of advanced technologies in migration management. This paper offers an early review of academic and gray literature on the use of advanced digital technologies (ADTs) in migration management processes. The primary focus of this review is literature that discusses migration management technologies—ADTs used by institutional actors (governments, NGOs, transnational institutions). This paper is divided into four thematic areas, aimed at providing a summary of major trends in the literature, including research methodologies, types of technologies, purpose of technologies and the migrants impacted by the technologies explored. Based on the literature reviewed, we identify common themes and areas that merit further exploration and research. To close, we offer an early view into the current uses of advanced digital technologies that we have identified in our Migration Tech Tracker, an interactive tool that consolidates the information found in the literature review of the paper including the various uses of technology by the diverse range of actors in the migration sector. The paper leverages the information from the Tracker to both indicate where and how emerging technologies are being used to govern migrants and simultaneously to identify ADTs that are being analyzed, reported on and researched and those that remain underexplored.

Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation to Stabilize Seated Systolic Blood Pressure in Persons With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Protocol Development.

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) is an emerging therapeutic strategy to target spinal autonomic circuitry to normalize and stabilize blood pressure (BP) in hypotensive persons living with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Our aim is to describe our current methodological approach to identify individual tSCS parameters that result in the maintenance of seated systolic blood pressure (SBP) within a pre-defined target range. The parent study is a prospective, randomized clinical trial in which eligible participants will undergo multiple mapping sessions to optimize tSCS parameter settings to promote stable SBP within a target range of 110-120 mm Hg for males and 100-120 mm Hg for females. Parameter mapping includes cathode electrode placement site (T7/8, T9/10, T11/12, and L1/2), stimulation frequency (30, 60 Hz), current amplitudes (0-120 mA), waveform (mono- and biphasic), pulse width (1000 μs), and use of carrier frequency (0, 10 kHz). Each participant will undergo up to 10 mapping sessions involving different electrode placement sites and parameter settings. BP will be continuously monitored throughout each mapping session. Stimulation amplitude (mA) will be increased at intervals of between 2 and 10 mA until one of the following occurs: 1) seated SBP reaches the target range; 2) tSCS intensity reaches 120 mA; or 3) the participant requests to stop. Secondary outcomes recorded include 1) symptoms related to autonomic dysreflexia and orthostatic hypotension, 2) Likert pain scale, and 3) skin appearance after removal of the tSCS electrode. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT05180227.

Identifying characterizations of BPM methodology in hotel industry: evidence from listed hotel companies in Egypt

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify the characterizations of business process management (BPM) methodology in hotel industry through an aggregate processing of the core cyclesteps (CCCs) of the highly-cited BPM life-cycle models in the literature aiming to highlight the major issues of the current methodological approach of BPM in hotels when to put the notion of service process into practice.Design/methodology/approachThe paper identifies and examines the most popular BPM life-cycles models in the literature and locates 15 life-cycles that are highly cited. The paper then focuses on applying the theory on nine listed hotel companies in Egypt using a questionnaire in the form of a semi-structured interview technique.FindingsThe CCSs of BPM life-cycle model applied in hotels revealed a gap between BPM theory and practice in this sector. Utilizing this model of BPM life-cycle, the paper focuses on describing several of the main problems or pitfalls found in the methodological approach of BPM in hotels, which brings the essence of the whole operation management problems.Practical implicationsIn light of these findings, the paper discusses the practical implications and focuses on recommendations on how to properly improve the methodological approach of BPM in hotels in order to get better business results.Originality/valueThe paper bridges the gap between BPM theory and practice and suggests recommendations that will assist hotel companies to eliminate the problems of poor process management (PM). There are also future research recommendations to enhance the knowledge of BPM theory in the service sector.