Demand Greater Flexibility Research Articles

The evolving relationship between asset servicers and FinTechs : Unlocking efficiency and collaboration

Significant transformations are underway as asset servicers and FinTech companies forge new alliances. As asset servicers refocus their operations on value added services, they constantly seek adaptation. Innovative technologies, refined methodologies and data-driven insights hold immense potential for boosting operational efficiency. FinTech companies have emerged as valuable partners to asset servicers, enhancing efficiency, fostering operational excellence and driving customer-centric new solutions. This paper explores the exciting opportunities and novel strategies shaping the asset servicing landscape, shedding light on evolving custody services. Legacy processes, burdensome paperwork and obsolete technology have prompted asset servicers to pursue smoother interactions and more satisfying client experiences. Fortunately, the realm of FinTech offers a fresh avenue to address these persistent challenges. A central theme here is that evolving client expectations have spurred an imperative for asset servicers to embrace technology in order to maintain their competitive edge. Clients now demand greater flexibility and comprehensive services, driving a shift towards automation, streamlined workflows and data-driven insights to lower costs, manage risks and provide tailored client solutions. Nevertheless, various hurdles stand in the way of successful collaboration. Effective communication, transparent partnerships and proactive engagement emerge as critical elements for maximising the benefits of this relationship.

Remote working in research: An increasing usage of flexible work arrangements can improve productivity and creativity.

EMBO Reports (2019) 20: e47435[OpenUrl][1][FREE Full Text][2] Remote working—or flexible working arrangements—is becoming increasingly popular in scientific research, driven by both social trends and advances in technology. The major benefits—the ability to continue careers while starting families or avoiding the upheaval of moving for a temporary position—often outweigh disadvantages, such as the lack of face‐to‐face encounters around a laboratory or meetings. There are also unanticipated advantages, such as increased creativity resulting from an improved work–life balance, which has spurred not just scientific research, but also other professions to adopt flexible working. According to a survey by telecoms group Vodafone, 75% of companies worldwide have now introduced such policies, and of those 83% reported improved productivity (https://www.vodafone.com/content/index/media/vodafone-group-releases/2016/flexible-working-survey.html). > The trend for flexible work arrangements is being driven not just by technical advances, but also cultural changes as workers themselves demand greater flexibility. The trend for flexible work arrangements is being driven not just by technical advances, but also cultural changes as workers themselves demand greater flexibility. A recent survey of nearly 10,000 people working in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Spain, the UK and USA by Fuze, a provider of communications services in Boston, USA, found that 89% think that flexible working should become normal, and 54% would move jobs to obtain a better work/life balance (https://www.fuze.com/future-of-work). Research from the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) spanning five leading European countries corroborated anecdotal reports of improved productivity through flexible working and also indicated longer‐term health benefits through reduced stress. Specific data for the life sciences are sparse, but it is hard to find a laboratory, biotech or pharma company nowadays without at least some remote working arrangements. Although bench work is harder to perform remotely, a growing amount of observation and analysis can be performed at a distance. Moreover, … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DEMBO%2BReports%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.15252%252Fembr.201847435%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F30530631%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=FULL&journalCode=embor&resid=20/1/e47435&atom=%2Fembor%2F20%2F1%2Fe47435.atom

Flexibility in return, reconstruction and livelihoods in displaced villages in Casamance, Senegal

The paper argues that livelihoods research in situations of violent conflict and its aftermath can contribute to geographical understandings of flexibility. Such settings paradoxically demand greater flexibility from economic actors while imposing new and sometimes severe constraints on them to exercise it. These constraints often have spatial aspects. The paper explores these issues through research on return of the displaced in Casamance, Senegal. It analyses the dynamics of reoccupation and exploitation by villagers of their former habitable and agricultural spaces amid improving but still problematic security conditions. Flexibility is most visible in the new settlement forms adopted in villages undergoing reconstruction, mainly reflecting security issues. It is also evident in shifting patterns of economic activity and the reconfiguration of local political space. However, such flexibility transcends the situation under study and has long been described in livelihoods research across the developing world, albeit in other terms.

Seasonal variation in orthopedic health services utilization in Switzerland: The impact of winter sport tourism

BackgroundClimate- or holiday-related seasonality in hospital admission rates is well known for many diseases. However, little research has addressed the impact of tourism on seasonality in admission rates. We therefore investigated the influence of tourism on emergency admission rates in Switzerland, where winter and summer leisure sport activities in large mountain regions can generate orthopedic injuries.MethodsUsing small area analysis, orthopedic hospital service areas (HSAo) were evaluated for seasonality in emergency admission rates. Winter sport areas were defined using guest bed accommodation rate patterns of guest houses and hotels located above 1000 meters altitude that show clear winter and summer peak seasons. Emergency admissions (years 2000–2002, n = 135'460) of local and nonlocal HSAo residents were evaluated. HSAo were grouped according to their area type (regular or winter sport area) and monthly analyses of admission rates were performed.ResultsOf HSAo within the defined winter sport areas 70.8% show a seasonal, summer-winter peak hospital admission rate pattern and only 1 HSAo outside the defined winter sport areas shows such a pattern. Seasonal hospital admission rates in HSAo in winter sport areas can be up to 4 times higher in winter than the intermediate seasons, and they are almost entirely due to admissions of nonlocal residents. These nonlocal residents are in general -and especially in winter- younger than local residents, and nonlocal residents have a shorter length of stay in winter sport than in regular areas. The overall geographic distribution of nonlocal residents admitted for emergencies shows highest rates during the winter as well as the summer in the winter sport areas.ConclusionSmall area analysis using orthopedic hospital service areas is a reliable method for the evaluation of seasonality in hospital admission rates. In Switzerland, HSAo defined as winter sport areas show a clear seasonal fluctuation in admission rates of only nonlocal residents, whereas HSAo defined as regular, non-winter sport areas do not show such seasonality. We conclude that leisure sport, and especially ski/snowboard tourism demands great flexibility in hospital beds, staff and resource planning in these areas.

Soils of the Main Ethiopian Rift Valley escarpment: A transect study

The mountainous environment of the Ethiopian highlands has a great variety of ecotopes and thus demands great flexibility in land management. Different climatic conditions and landscape positions induce different soil forming processes, leading to various soil types with specific risks and potentials. The present study portrays a soil sequence of the central section of the Main Ethiopian Rift Valley, from the footslopes of the eastern escarpment to the marginal volcano structures. Six profiles under natural vegetation are described for classification according to the USDA Soil Taxonomy and World Reference Base for Soil Resources classification systems, and special site characteristics are discussed. The Acacia savannah of the footslopes (1900 m a. s. l.) is characterized by Vertisols (Mazic Vertisols/Aridic Haplusterts), with often pronounced effects of seasonal waterlogging. All other soils are well-drained and reflect the general increase in rainfall with elevation and slope, causing a decline in topsoil pH and a change from cation-rich clay soils of the Podocarpus-dominated forest at 2300 m a. s. l. (Mollic Nitisols/Typic Palehumults) to strongly-leached Humic Umbrisols/Humic Dystrudepts of the Hagenia-dominated forest around 2600 m a. s. l. The highland savannah plain (2700 m a. s. l.) with a drier and cooler environment has typically Mollic Cambisols/Dystric Haplustepts, which are less leached and have a rather brownish colour. At 2900 m a. s. l., Niti-umbric Alisols/Andic Hapludalfs are found in the Hypericum forest at the midslopes of the marginal volcanoes receiving high rainfall, whereas soil development is at a more initial state in the Erica-dominated forest at 3200 m a. s. l. (Umbric Andosols/Alic Hapludands). Clay mineral composition is kaolinite-dominated for the upper five profiles, with a high proportion of poorly crystalline components in the upper savannah and the volcano upslopes. The lowermost profile probably has a polygenetic origin indicated by an abrupt change from a smectitic to a kaolinitic composition in the subsoil. Soil development on quite homogeneous bedrock appears essentially controlled by relief and climate, underlining the suitability of the region as a model area for in-depth gradient studies on ecosystem processes and land use.

Evaluation of object-oriented design patterns in game development

The use of object-oriented design patterns in game development is being evaluated in this paper. Games’ quick evolution, demands great flexibility, code reusability and low maintenance costs. Games usually differentiate between versions, in respect of changes of the same type (additional animation, terrains etc). Consequently, the application of design patterns in them can be beneficial regarding maintainability. In order to investigate the benefits of using design patterns, a qualitative and a quantitative evaluation of open source projects is being performed. For the quantitative evaluation, the projects are being analyzed by reverse engineering techniques and software metrics are calculated.

Modern insulin therapy in children and adolescents.

Clear evidence exists that near-normal blood glucose control will prevent serious late diabetic complications. This review summarizes the targets for blood glucose control and discusses why insulin replacement therapy is so complicated in children and adolescents. It is important that diabetes treatment teams have excellent knowledge of insulin preparations, insulin pharmacokinetics and action profiles and the limitations and pitfalls of therapy. This is necessary to be able to optimize and individualize treatment. A detailed summary of different insulin regimens is given and discussed to help treatment teams choose a suitable regimen for the individual patient. The use of home blood glucose measurement is necessary to reach the targets of treatment. If economic resources are limited, alternative strategies are suggested. In wealthy countries the lifestyle of adolescents demands great flexibility and a suggestion for systematic training to increase flexibility in daily life is presented.