Deliberate Strategy Research Articles

Energy and inflation crises in Romania and Slovenia: different institutions, similar responses

The 2021–2022 inflation crisis in the EU offers an opportunity to examine how diverse industrial relations systems respond to similar macroeconomic shocks. This article compares Romania and Slovenia, two post-communist countries whose industrial relations systems are poles apart. The expectation was that, in contrast to the enfeebled Romanian system, Slovenia would not only resort to social dialogue but also adopt comprehensive measures to shield workers from the dual energy- and food-related shock. Yet, there was less divergence than anticipated. In particular, while unilateralism took place in Romania because of the weakness of its unions post-2011, the interruption of tripartite negotiations in Slovenia was the result of the social partners’ actions and not a deliberate government strategy. Hence, while confirming that governments play the main role in supporting social dialogue, this article suggests that the social partners also carefully ponder the costs and benefits of their involvement in tripartite policy-making.

Moving Beyond Surface-Level Diversity: Strategies for Embedding Inclusion Through Organizational Change

This article discusses strategies for organizations to achieve meaningful diversity, equity, and inclusion by embedding it into their culture and operations. Despite commitments to increasing representation, superficial diversity efforts often fail due to social and cognitive forces that privilege homogeneity. Research shows people disproportionately bond with similar others, reinforcing familiar norms through homophilous networks. Unconscious biases also affect judgments and decision-making. To disrupt these status quo dynamics, the article recommends strategic approaches like cultivating allyship programs, adjusting hiring to recruit more diverse candidates, and periodically reshuffling teams and assignments. Specific tactics then help operationalize the strategies, such as rotating discussants in meetings and pairing executives with employees of different backgrounds for job shadowing. Case studies of companies like AB InBev and Verizon demonstrate how tailored tactics allow enacting strategic diversity approaches in hands-on ways. Leaders must recognize dynamics undermining equity and take proactive long-term steps through deliberate strategies and oversight.

Dynamic Analysis of the Effectiveness of Emergency Collaboration Networks for Public Health Emergencies from a Systems Thinking Perspective

In recent years, public health emergencies have become frequent worldwide. In response to these complex and evolving emergencies, the organizations involved are increasingly collaborating with each other. From a systems thinking perspective, greater attention should be given to the long-term development and continuous operation of emergency collaboration systems. By time slicing the development of the COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan, the different phases of emergency collaboration networks can be respectively established. A new method for identifying key organization nodes and different network attack strategies is proposed, assessing network effectiveness from two dimensions: efficiency and resilience. The results indicate that, compared to random attack strategies, the efficiency and resilience of these networks are significantly affected by deliberate attack strategies, underscoring the network’s sensitivity to high-importance nodes. Based on the variations in network efficiency and resilience, the effectiveness of different forms of networks are classified into four types. The pre-emergency network is categorized as resilience-focused, the mid-emergency network as efficiency-oriented, the post-emergency network as efficient-resilient, and the overall emergency network as inefficient-fragile. Analyzing forms of network effectiveness at different phases offers a deeper understanding of the operational characteristics, dynamic changes, and existing issues within emergency collaboration networks. This study provides a vital theoretical basis and practical guidance for emergency management departments and decision-makers on how to effectively improve collaboration mechanisms between different organizations.

Candidate withdrawal in the French 2024 national legislative elections

AbstractIn France’s 2024 legislative elections, two-thirds of the candidates who qualified for the runoff withdrew from the competition. The media argued that this was a deliberate strategy to reduce the radical right’s chances of winning an absolute majority of seats. This kind of strategic behavior is based on rationality and collective action that hardly covers the full range of possibilities. This article seeks to identify the reasons why candidates pulled out before the second round of the national legislative elections in France. Our analysis uses semi-structured interviews with candidates who withdrew and identifies several explanations for their decision: electoral tactics driven by coercion, the long-term prospects of profile-raising benefits, voter pressure, disaffection with the campaign content, and the personal examples of other candidates. These results indicate that the decision to leave the race involved rationality, responsiveness to public preferences, emotions, and a learning process.

The Silent Kill: Medicide as an Instrument of Genocidal Policy in Gaza

The Israeli military attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, have severely impacted healthcare, including the destruction of medical infrastructure, targeted assaults on healthcare workers, and the obstruction of medical aid. These actions have resulted in a profound humanitarian crisis, exacerbating existing health challenges and creating new ones, while dismantling Gaza’s already fragile healthcare system. This study examines the multi-faceted destruction of the healthcare infrastructure, arguing that these actions constitute a deliberate strategy of warfare aimed at incapacitating the healthcare system. This phenomenon, termed "medicide" — the systematic destruction of a healthcare system, wholly or partially, with the intent of impairing or eliminating the conditions necessary to save and sustain the lives of the sick and injured — is explored within the context of its long-term psychological and physical toll on the Gazan population.

Use and De-implementation of Fecal Occult Blood Tests in the Acute Care Setting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

To determine methods of FOBT de-implementation in acute care practice while summarizing the reasons and contraindications for inappropriate FOBT in acute care settings. Fecal occult blood testing is valuable for colorectal cancer screening in ambulatory settings but is not valuable for diagnostics in acute care with consistent indications for discontinuation as a tradition-based practice. We included all English language prospective and retrospective evaluation studies of FOBT use in acute care settings with or without de-implementation interventions and published as original research articles in peer-reviewed journals. A meta-analysis of FOBT positivity was conducted using a random effects model. Quality was assessed using Critical Appraisals Skills Programme criteria. Of 2,471 abstract/titles screened, 157 full-text articles were reviewed, and 22 articles met inclusion criteria of measuring prevalence or de-implementation of FOBT use in acute care settings. All 22 studies evaluated either FOBT use or de-implementation. Twenty articles reported FOBT positivity, with some illustrating that FOBT results were inconsequential to subsequent endoscopy decisions (n=7, 32%). The included studies represent a publication date range spanning 32 years, with limited documentation of de-implementation strategies. Four published studies described system-level disinvestment to administratively eliminate access to inpatient FOBT orders. Overall, all studies endorsed that the use of FOBTs in acute care settings results in increased workload and/or cost without diagnostic benefit. Critical appraisal of low-value tradition-based practices such as FOBT use in acute care settings are essential for deploying deliberate and effective de-implementation strategies.

Pivoting B2B Platform Business Models: From Platform Experimentation to Multi-Platform Integration to Ecosystem Envelopment

The landscape of digital servitization in the manufacturing sector is evolving, marked by a strategic shift from traditional product-centric to platform business models (BMs). Manufacturing firms often employ a blend of approaches to develop business-to-business (B2B) platforms, leading to significant reconfigurations in their BMs. However, manufacturing firms frequently encounter failures in their B2B platform development initiatives, leading them to abandon the initial efforts and/or pivot to alternative platform strategies. Therefore, this study, through an in-depth case study of a leading wind turbine manufacturer, articulates a three-phase pivoting framework for B2B platform BMs with corresponding platform development and strategic orientation. Initially, a manufacturer focused on asset-based product sales, supplemented by asset maintenance services, follows an emergent platformization strategy, characterized by the rise of multiple, independent B2B platforms catering to diverse functions. Next, focusing on the imposed customer journey strategy, the firm shifts towards an imposed and strategic multi-platform integration into an all-encompassing platform supported by artificial intelligence (AI), signaling a maturation of the platform BM to combine the wide range services into an energy-performance-based contract. Finally, the last step of the firm’s platform BM evolution consists of a deliberate open platform strategy to external stakeholders and enveloping its offerings in a broader platform ecosystem. The study showcases advanced AI applications that process wind farm, wind turbine, and blade data, signifying a transformative leap toward value capture via platform ecosystem. The paper advances B2B platform BMs and digital servitization literature, highlighting a progressive approach's efficacy and strategic pivoting.

Understanding surprise: Toward a theory of surprise marketing

Surprise marketing is a deliberate strategy involving the introduction of unexpected and/or uncertain elements (e.g., unexpected coupons, mystery box) into the customer shopping journey to evoke strong positive emotions. Despite its widespread use, academic research lacks a comprehensive understanding of its intricacies. This study addresses this gap by delving into four crucial dimensions—what, how, why, and when—to provide a more profound comprehension of surprise marketing, define the concept, and delineate its fundamental characteristics. Building on both theoretical literature and real-world business examples, the authors identify curiosity and attribution as mechanisms that initiate four mediating paths: excitement, anxiety, gratitude, and skepticism. These paths underscore the tensions underlying surprise marketing that also shape marketing outcomes across shopping stages and lead to both favorable and adverse effects. Reflecting these inherent dynamics, this study introduces five managerial moderators—surprise stimulus type, surprise stimulus value, surprise complexity, customer loyalty type, and distribution channel—that can either amplify or reduce the dynamic effects of surprise marketing. These boundaries of its influence reveal managerial pathways to achieve favorable outcomes. This article concludes with managerial implications and research directions to advance pioneering trends in surprise marketing practices.

Creating and sustaining urban green spaces in Africa under phenomenal urbanisation: residents’ perspectives on home gardens in Wa, Ghana

Attaining the goals of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which aims for sustainable, inclusive, and resilient cities, necessitates accelerated efforts to green urban environments. While keeping home gardens is not new, it offers a unique potential as a deliberate strategy for urban greening in Africa. However, Ghana has limited empirical evidence regarding the motivations, challenges, and constraints of keeping domestic gardens, which is essential for informing urban greenery policy. This study addresses this knowledge gap by employing the self-determination theory and conducting an exploratory cross-sectional survey with 285 structured questionnaires administered to residents in seven rapidly growing neighbourhoods in Wa, Ghana. The results reveal that 56% of respondents had gardens within their properties, with beautification (56.1%) and food production (52.3%) being the primary motivations. Vegetables (46.7%) and trees (30.2%) were the most commonly cultivated plants. Conversely, limited space (49%) and busy schedules (34%) were identified as the main barriers to home gardening. The findings indicate that the motivation for owning gardens aligns with the autonomy need of the self-determination theory. In contrast, the relationship need, which correlates with environmental motivations, was notably low among residents. The study recommends that local authorities, civil society organisations, and neighbourhood planning committees implement aggressive sensitisation and education campaigns to promote the environmental benefits of domestic gardening.

“The Game Changers”: How Equity-Driven Pedagogical Scaffolding Reduces Participation Disparities in Physical Education

Achieving gender equity and social inclusiveness remains a key priority in education. In the context of Physical Education (PE), fostering inclusive practices is critical to ensuring all students, regardless of gender, ability, or social status, can participate meaningfully. By examining the impact of three pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) equity-driven pedagogical practices on gender equity and student engagement in game-based activities, this study investigates how targeted pedagogical interventions can reduce gender disparities in engagement and promote inclusivity in student game interactions within PE classes. Specifically, we aimed to determine whether students of different sexes exhibit similar engagement rates, identify any existing disparities, examine changes in these disparities during the intervention, assess the equity and inclusiveness of student game interactions, and explore the link between these interactions and engagement rates. A total of three PSTs were engaged in a yearlong study, divided into two units: basketball (3v3) and volleyball (4v4). A pedagogical scaffolding intervention aimed at fostering equity and inclusion was implemented through their yearlong engagement in school-placement teaching practices. Data concerning students’ participation in game-based activities were collected in the first and last unit of the schoolyear (Basketball—first semester; and Volleyball—second semester). Engagement rates, measured as participation time (PT) and Rate of Play (RoP), were recorded through video analysis. A Social Network Analysis (SNA) was used to evaluate the equity and inclusiveness of student interactions. Initial disparities in engagement rates favoured boys in both sports. However, post-test results indicated a significant increase in engagement for both sexes, with disparities decreasing over the intervention period. Basketball showed a significant reduction in gender differences in RoP (p < 0.05), while volleyball results indicated no significant gender disparities post-intervention. The SNA revealed more equitable and inclusive game interactions over time, particularly in volleyball. The results suggest the pedagogical intervention’s effectiveness in increasing students’ engagement and reducing game-based gender disparities. These findings underscore the importance of deliberate scaffolding strategies to enhance equity and inclusion, highlighting the potential of the reported strategies for fostering a more inclusive and engaging environment for all students.

Valence sound symbolism facilitates classification of vowels and emotional facial expressions.

Research on iconicity or sound symbolism chronicles associations between aspects of word meaning and word form. In valence sound symbolism, specifically, vowels were demonstrated to be associated with valence, so that the vowel /i/ (as in English sea) is judged to fit positively valenced stimuli, whereas the vowel /o/ (as in German Boot) is judged to fit negatively valenced stimuli. However, because previous findings were based on judgments or name invention tasks, they may reflect deliberate strategies. The present research aims to demonstrate the automaticity of valence sound symbolism in online language processing by means of a speeded response task. A total of 163 participants performed a speeded categorization task in which they were requested to classify one of two simultaneously presented stimuli, pseudowords containing the vowels /i/ or /o/ and pictures with positive or negative emotional facial expressions. Thus, stimulus pairings could be either congruent (/i/-words and positive expressions; /o/-words and negative expressions) or incongruent (/i/-words and negative expressions; /o/-words and positive expressions). We observed faster and more accurate responses for congruent over incongruent combinations (the simple effects were significant for positive but not for negative expressions). Thus, sound symbolic congruency (vs. incongruency) of an irrelevant stimulus facilitated responses, which accords with an automatic process contributing to valence sound symbolism and indicates that valence sound symbolism is deeply engrained in the human cognitive system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Deliberate Amorphization of Co-MOF for Constructing Crystalline-Amorphous Heterostructures Toward High-Performance Water Electrolysis.

The endowment of metal organic frameworks (MOF) with superior electrocatalytic performance without compromising their structural/compositional superiorities is of great significance for the development of renewable energy devices, yet remains a grand challenge. Herein, a deliberate partial amorphization strategy is developed to construct a heterostructured electrocatalyst consisting of crystalline Co-MOF and amorphous Co-S nanoflake arrays aligned on the carbon cloth (CC) substrate (abbreviated as Co-MOF/Co-S@CC hereafter) through a rapid sulfuration method. The simultaneous implement of crystalline-amorphous (c-a) heterostructure and nanoflake arrayed architecture on CC substrate renders the Co-MOF/Co-S@CC with abundant and tight active sites, accelerated charge transfer rate, regulated electronic structures, and reinforced structural stability. As such, the obtained Co-MOF/Co-S@CC electrode demonstrates outstanding electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performances with the overpotentials of 64 and 217mV at 10mA cm-2, respectively. Moreover, a two-electrode electrolyzer assembled by Co-MOF/Co-S@CC electrodes exhibits the lower cell voltages and larger current densities than those of Pt/C and RuO2 counterparts, excellent reversibility and prominent long-term stability, representing a great prospect for feasible H2 production. This adopted concept of c-a heterostructure for electronic regulation may bring about insightful inspiration for designing high-performance electrocatalysts for sustainable energy systems.

Pivot Subtitling on Netflix

This study examines the impact of English as a pivot language in the Turkish subtitles of Squid Game. As an integral part of global media, pivot subtitling (indirect subtitle translation) should not be understood as a response to an alleged talent crunch of subtitling professionals but rather as a deliberate policy and strategy pursued by streaming services and their language service providers to streamline subtitling workflows between non-English language pairs. The present research uncovers the multilingual nature of this practice and exposes its limitations through a case study of the Turkish subtitles of Squid Game. The findings suggest that English as a pivot language may have limitations in conveying the full range of sociopragmatic aspects present in the Korean discourse. This has implications for the social dynamics between the characters and the thematic undertones of the series. Beyond its function as a pivot language, English also serves as a dominant cultural filter that mediates Korean culture into downstream languages through an Anglo‑American lens, which may obscure the stratified facets of Korean and impose an added layer of cultural interpretation on target viewers. Lay summary When you kick back to watch the latest trending show, you may notice more non-English content topping the charts. That’s likely how you found Squid Game, which became the most-watched show in 94 countries. Like many others, you probably used subtitles in your local language to follow along because not everyone speaks Korean, right? But here’s the catch: the subtitlers of the show do not speak Korean either! Instead, they used English as a “pivot” language - meaning that the Korean dialogue was first translated into English, and then into your language. This practice is common in the industry to speed up translation due to an alleged shortage of subtitlers who can translate between non-English language combinations, like Korean and Turkish. But why should you care? Think about it. The creator of Squid Game spent 12 years bringing his vision to life. However, when going global, subtitles are just a necessary evil in the post-production stage. A step that has to be ticked, rather than a communicative goal to be achieved. If you use social media, you might have seen debates about the English subtitles of Squid Game. Now, imagine the situation for other languages. Using English as a bridge can dilute or alter important cultural and linguistic elements. For instance, when English is used as a middle step, certain Korean nuances might not fully come through in the Turkish subtitles. This can change how viewers understand the characters and the deeper themes of the series. My research highlights the need to rethink how we handle multilingual translations so that viewers worldwide can experience shows as they were truly meant to be understood. So, the next time you settle in for a binge-watch, know that you’re in good hands.

STRAIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE MODERNIST USE OF PREVISUALIZATION

This essay recharacterizes Edward Weston, Paul Strand, and others’ use of ‘straight photography’ as a deliberate modernist strategy that invites the viewer to distinguish between what the photographer foresaw in their photographs and what they intended. As such, ‘previsualization’ is shown to be a method that engages genre conventions inherited from fine art painting and not a necessary quality of art photographs. The first portion of this essay illustrates how versions of previsualization and foresight informed the aesthetic theories of John Ruskin and Peter Henry Emerson. Then, it shows how ‘straight’ photographers pushed against this tradition, inviting viewers to distinguish between photographic foresight and artistic intention. I conclude by suggesting ways the separation of foresight and intention could ramify into our understanding of other arts.

Combined loading of unreinforced and Z-pin reinforced composite pi joints: An experimental and numerical study

Blind predictions of experimental responses of non-reinforced and z-pin reinforced composite pi joints were established using a progressive damage and failure model. The finite element model used a novel mixed-mode cohesive formulation to model intra-laminar and inter-laminar damage. A deliberate meshing strategy was used for cohesive interlayers to capture the interaction between intra- and inter-laminar damage modes. A smeared cohesive zone modeling approach was implemented to efficiently include the effects of z-pinning for the z-pin reinforced specimens. Using material properties obtained through experimental correlation of simpler joint configurations, blind predictions for large element specimens subjected to combined loading (axial compression and push-off loading) were established. To assess the predictive capabilities of the model, experimental and numerical comparisons were made in terms of load-displacement response, critical loads, and failure progression. Comparisons between the experimental results and predictions for the unreinforced joints were found to be in good agreement across the range of compressive loads tested. For the z-pin reinforced joints, initial responses were accurately predicted; however, ultimate loads and the toughening effect of the z-pin reinforcement was overpredicted.

Human rights and corruption: Problems and potential of individualizing a systemic problem

Abstract This article examines the advantages and challenges of a deliberate legal-political strategy that addresses corruption at an individual, rather than systemic, level. Empirical research has highlighted the correlations between the extent and nature of corruption and the level of human rights enjoyment. In response to these observations, anti-corruption and human rights policy agendas have been converging at the international and regional levels. However, framing corruption as a human rights violation that incurs international state responsibility poses conceptual difficulties. Additionally, the risks and benefits of this convergence need to be assessed. This article concludes that the human rights approach provides significant added value, outweighing its limitations. Yet, it remains an open question whether human rights are the appropriate normative framework for denouncing and combating corruption. The article suggests that the human rights perspective, by opening up new avenues for monitoring and litigation, effectively supplements the criminal law approach. It argues for a more balanced integration of corruption concerns within human rights frameworks, with equal emphasis on human rights considerations in all anti-corruption monitoring schemes. Such integration would likely foster a positive feedback loop, where anti-corruption efforts enhance human rights conditions, while certain human rights facilitate the fight against corruption.

Economic insecurity and pension participation in Ghana’s music sector

ABSTRACT Economic insecurity represents an existential threat to many workers, not least those in the Creative and Cultural Sector (CCS). Based on recent survey data from Ghanaian musicians gathered between April 2022 and March 2023, this paper presents indicative findings which demonstrate a persistent pension savings gap, with only about one in seven musicians in the sample (14.6%) reporting participation in a pension scheme – explained by both demand-side reasons (i.e. indecision about enrolment, not having the financial wherewithal to contribute regularly or not knowing about existing pension schemes) and supply-side reasons (i.e. limited pension options developed with the involvement of musicians). The paper also finds that while education level, age, location, and marital/family status appear to be important factors, in relative terms, there was little evidence to suggest that any group was more likely than the other to participate in a pension scheme. To improve pensions uptake, the paper argues that a long overdue, deliberate policy strategy should involve piloting a dedicated group personal pension scheme for musicians and testing savings commitments in the case of voluntary schemes over the long term and short term, respectively, with both going hand in hand with pension literacy programmes and incentives, wherever necessary.

A Semiotic Analysis of the Verbal and Non-Verbal Slogans Used in the Day of Ashura

Slogans serve multifaceted purposes. They elucidate intricate concepts, articulate group philosophies and objectives, foster identification, spark violent conflicts, and anticipate future expectations. This study delves into the examination of the slogans articulated by Imam Al-Hussein (peace be upon him) or his adherents during Ashura revolution in response to the deviations in Yazid's rule. The primary objective is to unravel the meanings embedded in the visual signs, encompassing both denotation and connotation, inherent in these slogans. Employing Barthes's (1968) semiotic theory, the researchers scrutinize six selected images, each featuring impactful slogans sourced from various websites. The analysis reveals that these images encompass a fusion of verbal and non-verbal signs. Furthermore, the study finds that slogans not only have denotative meanings, but are also rich in various connotations. The inclusion of colour in conjunction with the slogans in the images is a deliberate strategy to capture the reader's attention and evoke psychological responses.

Fungal primary and opportunistic pathogens: an ecological perspective.

Fungal primary pathogenicity on vertebrates is here described as a deliberate strategy where the host plays a role in increasing the species' fitness. Opportunism is defined as the coincidental survival of an individual strain in host tissue using properties that are designed for life in an entirely different habitat. In that case, the host's infection control is largely based on innate immunity, and the etiologic agent is not transmitted after infection, and thus fungal evolution is not possible. Primary pathogens encompass two types, depending on their mode of transmission. Environmental pathogens have a double life cycle, and tend to become enzootic, adapted to a preferred host in a particular habitat. In contrast, pathogens that have a host-to-host transmission pattern are prone to shift to a neighboring, immunologically naive host, potentially leading to epidemics. Beyond these prototypical life cycles, some environmental fungi are able to make large leaps between dissimilar hosts/habitats, probably due to the similarity of key factors enabling survival in an entirely different niche, and thus allowing a change from opportunistic to primary pathogenicity. Mostly, such factors seem to be associated with extremotolerance.

Effectiveness of caring behaviours course on decision-making and caring behaviours in undergraduate nursing students: An experimental study.

Although caring is a core principle of the nursing profession, students often lack the knowledge, comprehension and ability to integrate care into all aspects of nursing practice. Students may have few opportunities to practise caring behaviours on patients who create the impression of providing care and elicit a feeling of receiving care. Studies of strategies to enhance caring behaviours in nursing education are limited. This experimental study aimed to examine the effect of nursing caring behaviours course based on interactive learning strategies on the caring behaviours and decision-making abilities of nursing students. A purposive sample of 50 undergraduate students was recruited from a faculty of nursing. Students in the intervention group (n = 24) received 2 h of training per week for 14 weeks in accordance with caring behaviours course based on interactive learning strategies including discussion, brainstorming, concept mapping, reflection and simulation training. Nursing students in the control group (n = 26) received training according to other elective courses in the curriculum. Data were measured at the baseline time point, 7th week and 14th week with the Caring Behaviours Inventory and Nursing Decision-Making Instrument. Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Friedman test and mixed repeated measures ANOVA were used to assess the data. No significant difference was determined in terms of baseline caring behaviours and decision-making scores between the intervention and control groups (p > 0.05). A significant difference in caring behaviours between the two groups and time effect was not found (p > 0.05). However, there was a significant interaction between time and groups (F = 3.484, p = 0.047). There was a significant increase in the decision-making in intervention groups over time (F = 9.372, p < 0.001) and interaction between time and groups (F = 4.160, p = 0.019). A deliberate strategy to raise students' awareness of caring behaviours and incorporate interactive learning methods into education enhances both caring behaviours and clinical decision-making.