Digital Platforms Research Articles

MAGMA-MICK: A state-of-the-art digital platform facilitating the programmatic implementation of whole genome sequencing for TB care and prevention

MAGMA-MICK: A state-of-the-art digital platform facilitating the programmatic implementation of whole genome sequencing for TB care and prevention

Cross-border digital platforms and discretionary adaptation strategy of exporters in emerging markets: The capability building perspective

Cross-border digital platforms and discretionary adaptation strategy of exporters in emerging markets: The capability building perspective

Developing an AI-Based clinical decision support system for basal insulin titration in type 2 diabetes in primary Care: A Mixed-Methods evaluation using heuristic Analysis, user Feedback, and eye tracking.

Developing an AI-Based clinical decision support system for basal insulin titration in type 2 diabetes in primary Care: A Mixed-Methods evaluation using heuristic Analysis, user Feedback, and eye tracking.

Mapping Amazon's logistical footprint on the Ruhr – How a tech company is influencing cities, cluster politics and climates

Today, the networks of digital platforms are deeply intertwined with our everyday topographies. One of the giants of the industry is Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce company. Over the past decade, it has become our neighbour, employer and critical public infrastructure provider – a standard in modern city life. For the Ruhr metropolis in Germany, Amazon epitomizes a transformative force for shaping the historically industrial region into a warehouse for Europe. It brings with it the promise of turning the region into a service sector hub. With its extensive logistics and delivery operations, however, Amazon is building onto already existing (public) infrastructures, past and present: Drawing on the example of the logistical cluster at the Westfalenhütte in the north-east of Dortmund, a 612.000-resident city in Western Germany, this paper maps out how deeply rooted in (and dependent on) industrial histories ‘innovative’ contemporary developments by tech companies are. From the ground to the cloud, it reveals the various layers of public local infrastructure that Amazon is settling on to, profiting off of – or even taking over.

Inclusive digital platforms: Designing for and with users with mild intellectual disabilities or low literacy skills

Inclusive digital platforms: Designing for and with users with mild intellectual disabilities or low literacy skills

Technology and Social Bonds: Exploring the Dynamics of Human Connection in the Society 5.0 Era

In the Society 5.0 era, human connections are profoundly influenced by technological advancements, particularly social media. This study explores the impact of these changes on social bonds, emphasizing the balance between connectivity and relationship quality. Using a descriptive survey method, data were gathered from 147 participants through a structured questionnaire. The findings reveal that while digital platforms enhance communication frequency, facilitate long-distance relationships, and broaden cultural understanding, they also present challenges such as reduced face-to-face interactions, dependency on digital tools, and superficial connections. Participants widely recognized the role of technology in creating opportunities for new relationships and sustaining existing ones across distances. However, they also emphasized the enduring value of physical interactions for emotional depth and trust. Moderate levels of agreement regarding digital distractions and technology's role in conflict resolution reflect the complexities of navigating these tools in everyday relationships. The dual nature of technology—as both a connector and a potential disruptor—highlights the need for strategies to promote mindful and balanced usage. This study underscores the importance of fostering digital literacy and encouraging offline engagement to preserve meaningful social bonds. By addressing these dynamics, Society 5.0 can strengthen inclusivity, empathy, and cohesion, ensuring that technological progress aligns with human well-being and authentic connections.

The social function of the state and human rights: protection mechanisms under martial law

The article examines the peculiarities of implementing the social function of the state and protecting human rights during wartime, as well as prospects for improving social protection mechanisms in the context of contemporary challenges. The author analyzes the theoretical aspects of the state’s social function as a key tool for ensuring societal stability, social justice, and the realization of citizens’ rights. The main problems faced by the state in fulfilling its social function during wartime are highlighted, including infrastructure destruction, mass migration, digital inequality, cybersecurity threats, and limited financial resources. Special attention is given to social protection mechanisms that operate under crisis conditions. The potential of digital platforms, such as «Diia», for providing social services, mobile medical brigades, support programs for internally displaced persons, and targeted assistance to vulnerable population groups is explored. The role of international organizations, such as the United Nations and the Red Cross, in supporting the state’s social function and ensuring citizens’ rights during wartime is also considered. The article emphasizes the need to reform the legal framework to adapt to crisis conditions, simplify procedures for obtaining social benefits, and implement rapid response mechanisms for humanitarian challenges. The importance of digitalizing the social sphere as a tool to enhance accessibility, transparency, and efficiency of social protection is analyzed. The prospects for introducing artificial intelligence to automate the administration of social services, enabling more targeted assistance, are discussed. The prospects for improving mechanisms to protect the social function of the state include the development of digital infrastructure, strengthening cybersecurity, enhancing digital literacy among the population, and integrating international experience. A critical task is the development of a comprehensive post­war recovery strategy that addresses the needs of affected citizens, infrastructure restoration, and the creation of conditions for economic growth. The conclusion emphasizes that the effective implementation of the state’s social function and the protection of human rights are essential factors in ensuring societal stability and the recovery of the country in the post-war period.

Nationwide study on multimorbidity prevalence: 7.64 million primary healthcare users in Portugal with multiple chronic conditions.

The goal of this study was to explore the prevalence of multimorbidity, its geographic variation, and changes from 2022 to 2024 in Portugal. Information regarding the chronic health conditions active in the primary healthcare patients' health problems lists on the electronic health records are derived from the digital platform Identity Card of Primary Healthcare (Bilhete de Identidade dos Cuidados de Saúde Primários, BI CSP) data for the period of 2022 and 2024. BI CSP nationwide data from May 2024 of the 10,366,861 registered users in Portuguese primary healthcare were used to determine the prevalence of multimorbidity (presence of 2 or more chronic health conditions) and analize differences to 2022. By May 2024, 73.7% of the population (7.64 million out of 10.37 million registered users in primary healthcare) were living with multimorbidity, indicating a 4.7% increase from 2022. The most common chronic conditions in 2024 included lipid disorders, hypertension, obesity, and tobacco abuse. Regionally, multimorbidity exceeded 65% in all zones, with the North (78.9%) and Alentejo (78.3%) regions having the highest rates. The prevalence increased across all regions, with the North region showing the smallest increase from 2022 to 2024. The prevalence of multimorbidity in Portugal is increasingly high across all the regions considered. Additional studies will be helpful in determining the extent to which the now-reported high prevalence of multimorbidity will impact the healthcare system in Portugal.

Female Influencers’ Self-presentation and Digital Leadership in Morocco: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis Approach to their Posted Content on Instagram

In recent years, social media have presented a significant virtual space for women to exercise their feminine subjectivity and realize the values of self-enhancement, ambition and leadership by managing the perceptions of others and projecting a desired social image. Many of the digital platforms host a plethora of social relations across various cultural, racial and gendered variables. With the ascent of social influencers on Facebook, tik-toc and Instagram, new modes of gender representations and leadership dynamics have come to the surface. Thus, female influencers on social media have managed to garner a larger pool of followers through impression management and positive self-presentation. This paper tries to investigate the textual and visual narratives of four Moroccan female influencers and analyze the content of their posts to unfold the strategies of impression management and self-presentation that control the way followers perceive them. The analysis of their content shows that these influencers use different modes (reels, multimodal texts, selfies…) and genres (micronarratives about everyday routines, didactic parables, quotes, poem recitations, endorsed advertisements), and interact with the media affordances at play on Instagram (like reduced anonymity, persistence and visibility), being heedful of the other generated content (likes, shares, comments) and context collapse (networked public). The analysis indicates the consistent use of strategies of impression management in five related factors, namely, self-concept, desired identity, role constraints, target value, and current or potential social image. The study aims to unfold the strategies used by these micro-influencers to project a desired social image and explain how these influencers manage the way they want their audience to perceive them (as leaders) and follow them.

Drott, Eric. Streaming Music, Streaming Capital

Marie Connolly of Universite du Quebec a Montreal reviews “Streaming Music, Streaming Capital” by Eric Drott. The Econlit abstract of this book begins: “Explores how the change in recorded music's commercial circulation from digital downloads to cloud-based streaming has transformed the conventions, practices, and discourses that shape both music and streaming, detailing how the ascendancy of digital platforms represents a response to the crises that have afflicted the capitalist world system since the 1970s and have intensified since the financial crisis of 2008.”

Toward Better Digital Tool Designs to Assist Students on Math Assessments

Digital tools in digitally based math assessments are designed to help students solve math problems more effectively. However, inappropriate use of these tools can lead to negative outcomes. Using process data from NAEP, we generalized the differential item functioning methodologies and conducted a systematic investigation of the effectiveness of tool uses. Three measures were proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital tool on an item: its popularity (the proportion of students who used it), its impact on item score (the score gain/loss after matching on performance score and other tool uses), and its impact on item response time (the time saved/lost after matching on performance score and other tool uses). Using data from tens of thousands of students on the NAEP digital platform, we found that Calculator appeared to be the most useful tool, while Highlighter was least used among the dozen digital tools examined. Further applications of machine learning algorithms revealed clusters of tool uses on individual items associated with students having different levels of math proficiency and time management skills. Our systematic evaluation of digital tools contributes to general methodologies, solid data evidence, and valuable insights to inform the design of digital tools not only for the NAEP platform, but also for broad learning and assessment platforms.

Food Marketing to Teenagers: Examining the digital palate of targeted appeals.

Food Marketing to Teenagers: Examining the digital palate of targeted appeals.

The role of digital platforms in the transition to symbiotic and “smart communities”

The role of digital platforms in the transition to symbiotic and “smart communities”

Impact of a Digital Platform and Flare Risk Blood Biomarker Index on Lupus: A Study Protocol Design for Evaluating Self Efficacy and Disease Management

Impact of a Digital Platform and Flare Risk Blood Biomarker Index on Lupus: A Study Protocol Design for Evaluating Self Efficacy and Disease Management

The Digital Uprising: How Social Media is Amplifying Gender and Caste Narratives

The advent of social media has revolutionized the dissemination of information and the dynamics of social discourse. With its ability to rapidly spread content, digital platforms have become powerful tools in shaping gender and caste narratives, influencing public opinion, policy frameworks, and grassroots activism. Social media serves as a double-edged sword—on one hand, it provides a voice to the marginalized, facilitating awareness and mobilization; on the other hand, it fosters challenges such as misinformation, online harassment, and digital exclusion. This paper delves into the profound impact of social media on gender and caste narratives, highlighting how it has become an essential force in contemporary social movements. Digital platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, have enabled historically oppressed groups to challenge dominant narratives and demand justice. Movements like #MeToo, #DalitLivesMatter, and #AmbedkariteMovements have gained unprecedented momentum, drawing attention to systemic issues and prompting social and legal reforms. The viral nature of social media content ensures that even localized issues can receive global attention, reinforcing collective activism

CONSUMERS' BEHAVIOURAL INTENTION TO ADOPT SHARI’AH-COMPLIANT DIGITAL GOLD PLATFORM IN MALAYSIA: EXTENSION OF UTAUT MODEL

The advancement of technology has resulted in the emergence of digital platforms, such as digital gold platforms, as alternative channels for retail investment. In this study, we investigate factors that influence consumers’ behavioural intentions towards a Shari’ah-compliant digital gold platform in Malaysia. The study incorporates trust and Shari’ah-compliance as constructs in the extended UTAUT model. Gathering data from 130 respondents and applying SmartPLS 4.0 for data analysis, the study documents the significance of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, trust, and Shari’ah-compliance. Meanwhile, facilitating conditions and social influence turn out to be insignificant. The study notes that feeling safe, secure, and transparent as well as having Shari’ah-compliant features are crucial factors that influence consumer intention to adopt the Shari’ah-compliant digital gold platform in Malaysia. It is also critical to be aware of the services provided by Shari’ah-compliant providers and financial institutions by utilising the social network within the Shari’ah-compliant finance sphere.

한류 콘텐츠와 하이퍼리얼리티: 보드리야르의 시뮬라시옹 이론을 중심으로

This study examines the global success of Hallyu content, particularly K-pop and Netflix's Squid Game, through Jean Baudrillard’s concepts of simulation and hyperreality. Using a mixed-methods approach—case studies, social media analysis, and interviews with global fans—the research explores how Hallyu content transcends traditional cultural representation to create independent hyperrealities. K-pop idols and Squid Game characters are consumed not as reflections of reality but as idealized constructs shaped by fandom activities and digital platforms. User-generated content (UCC), such as fan art and reaction videos, reinforces these hyperrealities, transforming Hallyu into dynamic cultural phenomena. Cultural hybridity, blending traditional Korean elements with global aesthetics, enhances its global appeal. Digital platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Netflix amplify Hallyu's reach, fostering global fan communities that co-create and expand its narratives. Economically, Hallyu boosts Korea’s soft power, increasing demand for Korean products, services, and tourism. Culturally, it promotes global exchange and mutual understanding. The study suggests future research on regional audience differences, digital algorithms' influence on consumption, and hyperreality's broader implications in modern media.

The Effect of Learning and Development Programs, Digital Communication Platforms, and Performance Management Systems on Employee Productivity in Digital Work Environments in Indonesia

This study investigates the effects of Learning and Development Programs, Digital Communication Platforms, and Performance Management Systems on Employee Productivity in Indonesian digital workplaces. The quantitative approach was utilized with a sample of 200 employees using a Likert scale (1-5). Structural Equation Modeling - Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) was utilized for data analysis. Results show that all three variables significantly and positively impact employee productivity, with the greatest effect seen in Digital Communication Platforms. The model explains 72% of the variance in productivity, as it underscores the necessity for end-to-end strategies integrating employee development, communication tools, and performance systems to boost productivity. Such findings have practical and theoretical consequences for fostering efficiency in the digital workplace.

패션 이커머스 플랫폼에서의 지각리스크와 정보가 신뢰와 지속이용의도에 미치는 영향

This study empirically analyzes the impact of perceived risk and information factors on platform trust and continuous use intention in fashion e-commerce platforms. The key variables include fashion aesthetic risk, digital transaction risk, store-generated information, and externally sourced information, with platform trust examined as a mediating factor in their relationships. This study specifically focuses on MZ consumers (Millennials and Generation Z) who purchase mid-range fashion products, providing a detailed understanding of consumer behavior in digital environments. A survey was conducted with 203 MZ consumers, and exploratory factor analysis and regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Additionally, basic statistical analysis and correlation analysis were performed to clarify the relationships between variables. The results revealed that fashion aesthetic risk and digital transaction risk negatively impact platform trust and continuous use intention. However, platform trust played a mediating role in mitigating these negative effects. Conversely, store-generated and externally sourced information significantly enhanced platform trust, which in turn positively influenced continuous use intention. Notably, platform trust was found to play a crucial role in the interaction between consumers' perceived risk and the quality of information provided. This confirms that platform trust is a key variable in shaping consumer behavior, as strategies to reduce perceived risk and establish trust are critical for strengthening continuous use intention. Additionally, the study empirically demonstrated that the reliability of platform information and the transparency of digital transactions significantly impact consumers' trust formation and reuse intention. It was also verified that differentiation in information provision, detailed product descriptions, and user-generated reviews play an essential role in trust formation and purchase decisions. This study highlights the importance of trust formation in fashion e-commerce platforms and suggests strategic approaches to enhance platform competitiveness by considering both the characteristics of fashion products and digital platforms. Furthermore, the findings offer meaningful strategic insights for platform operators to build long-term relationships with consumers based on trust and satisfaction. The study provides theoretical and practical implications for the continuous growth and competitive differentiation of fashion e-commerce platforms in the digital marketplace.

Social work and digital boundaries: Palestinian-Israeli and Jewish-Israeli experiences with WhatsApp during political turmoil

Abstract This research investigated how social workers with diverse national and political backgrounds communicate using digital tools during crises and political conflicts. Using a qualitative phenomenological approach, twenty-five social workers from municipal departments of social service in six ethnonationally mixed Israeli cities were interviewed in Hebrew and Arabic. The research examined how social workers with differing national identities navigate communication, focusing on perceptions, actions, and strategies during politically charged periods. The findings revealed three intercorrelated themes: strategic use of digital silence as a coping mechanism, power asymmetries reflected in communication patterns, and the struggle to maintain professional boundaries when political events permeate digital workplace discourse. While using digital tool as WhatsApp may decrease tension, it remained essential for work coordination, it simultaneously became a space where political tensions were enacted through patterns of engagement and disengagement, challenging professional norms and collegial relationships. The study recommends fostering awareness of how national identities shape communication on digital platforms like WhatsApp, encouraging inclusive and supportive professional environments during political crises. Ethical considerations and organizational guidelines should address the intersection of social work diversity, digital communication, and professional practice.