Distinctive Competencies Research Articles

Identifying core global mental health professional competencies: A multi-sectoral perspective

Abstract Concerned with sustainably alleviating mental distress and promoting the right to health worldwide, global mental health (GMH) is practised across various contexts spanning the humanitarian-development-peace nexus. The inherently intersectoral and multidisciplinary nature of GMH calls for competency frameworks and training programmes that embody diversity, decolonisation and multiprofessionalism. Existing competency frameworks have failed to capture the multi-sectoral, inter-professional nature of contemporary GMH practice. In response to these needs, a qualitative content analysis of relevant job advertisements was conducted to distil a comprehensive set of professional competencies in contemporary GMH practice. Approximately 200 distinct skills and competencies were extracted from 70 job advertisements and organised into four meta-dimensions: ‘skills’, ‘sector’, ‘self’ and ‘subject’. The first known systematic attempt at a multi-sectoral GMH competency framework, it offers a springboard for exploring vital yet overlooked professional competencies such as resilience, self-reflection, political skills and entrepreneurialism. On this basis, recommendations for building a competent, agile and effective GMH workforce with diversified and future-proof skillsets are proposed. The framework can also inform inter-professional training and curriculum design, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at early-career professional development, particularly in low- and middle-income settings.

Development of Distinctive Competencies in the Credit Union in favor of its Socioeconomic System

Development of Distinctive Competencies in the Credit Union in favor of its Socioeconomic System

Opportunities and limitations of digital educational tools in shaping entrepreneurial mindset and competences

This paper examines the potential of digital learning environments in preparing future entrepreneurs through higher education. Despite historic doubts regarding the systematic teaching of entrepreneurial skills, in recent decades entrepreneurship education has distinctly evolved. Unlike conventional professions, entrepreneurship encompasses a diverse array of specific challenges in business creation and management. This makes it challenging to adopt a uniform educational approach. Hence, a blend of appropriate educational methods is essential. These range from inspiring learners through entrepreneurial narratives to fostering conceptual and practical skills for recognizing opportunities, validating business ideas, gaining knowledge and skills for managing processes and resources, and cultivating personal attributes crucial for entrepreneurial success. The paper critically evaluates the potential of digital learning environments in nurturing entrepreneurial competencies. This is achieved by juxtaposing the outcomes of existing theoretical and empirical studies on the utilization of digital tools in entrepreneurship education. The research aims to address crucial questions: what, how, and by whom should entrepreneurship be taught; the distinct advantages and limitations of various digital tools in fostering specific entrepreneurial competencies; and to what extent digital learning environments can enhance the overall effectiveness of entrepreneurship education, considering the extent of resources committed. The array of digital tools encompasses virtual learning environments, interactive communication channels, multimedia products, engaging learning content, and specialized software for practical activities. The research adopts an exploratory methodology, applying qualitative methods. An online questionnaire was conducted to explore the perspectives of current entrepreneurship students in two Bulgarian universities. The paper concludes that digital learning environments indeed have the potential to significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of entrepreneurship education. However, a discerning approach is essential when selecting the appropriate digital tools tailored to foster distinct entrepreneurial competencies, considering the specific stage of the entrepreneurial learning process. Different digital facilitators demonstrate varying degrees of efficacy in shaping the mindset and competencies of future entrepreneurs in determining entrepreneurial opportunities, cultivating relationships, conceptualizing, organizing, strategizing, and displaying commitment.

Keeping the Customer Satisfied: Applying a Kano Model to Improve Vaccine Promotion in the Philippines.

The success of global health interventions heavily relies on reaching populations in a way that aligns with their priorities and needs. This warrants novel approaches to determine the design of meaningful interventions and targeted delivery pathways. To date, global health scholarship and practice have largely underused approaches already established in fields that emphasize customer satisfaction, such as quality management or consumer psychology. In our study, we apply Kano methodology-originally designed to understand how product attributes nonlinearly influence customer satisfaction-to inform design decisions regarding a video-based vaccine intervention in the Philippines. Between September 2021 and April 2022, we administered a Kano questionnaire to 205 caregivers of small children. Data were analyzed following routine Kano approaches, supplemented by cultural consensus analysis (CCA), which is an approach used largely in anthropology to identify distinct cultural groups and competencies. Applying Kano and CCA methodologies allowed us to make informed design decisions in terms of optimizing accessibility and credibility of an intervention that ultimately proved successful in bolstering vaccine intentions. Results guided us to include national and international logos, to appreciate the value of summarizing key messages, and to recognize the importance of fact- or story-based communication as attributes that influenced respondent satisfaction one-dimensionally. We found that involving trusted messengers and including text-based information were required to avoid dissatisfaction. Interacting with someone after viewing the product and creating opportunities to share the promotional material via social media were attractive attributes whose presence would increase satisfaction but would not spark severe dissatisfaction if omitted. Other attributes (short duration, video- or animation-based intervention, delivering the intervention at health centers or in group settings) played a limited role in respondent satisfaction. Global health research and practice can benefit from applying approaches established in other fields when making evidence-based prioritization decisions to tailor interventions.

Responsible innovation and corporate sustainability performance: A structural equation modeling‐neural network approach

AbstractTechnological innovations may bring unintended consequences despite their potential usefulness. Responsible innovation (RI) has gained increasing popularity in high‐tech nations as a means to mitigate potentially disruptive technological developments. Unfortunately, existing RI research has not sufficiently elucidated the sustainability performance of firms, leading to ambiguous theoretical underpinnings, relationships, and practical applicability. This study aims to address these concerns and provide directions for future research on RI. Based on the resource‐based view, the research introduces RI as a distinctive competency of a firm to investigate the mechanisms driving sustainability performance, measured in three areas: financial, social, and environmental. The study presents the antecedents of RI as a driving force that can enable businesses to gain a sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) and improve sustainability performance. Data were collected from 190 innovative manufacturing firms in Malaysia. First, structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to investigate the antecedents that significantly influence RI. In the second phase, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis was employed to rank the significant predictors identified through SEM. Furthermore, the RI dimensions that lead to SCA and sustainability performance were also ranked using ANN, offering practical strategic business directions for managers.

The methodological and relational core competencies of General practice/Family medicine in Primary Care.

In this article, we examine three out of the seven distinctive values of General practice/family medicine (Gpfm), as proposed by World Organization of Family Doctors (Wonca) and recently translated into Italian: patient-centered care, continuity of care, and evidence-based care. We believe that these values can contribute to the ongoing debate on the reorganization of the primary care model and the reform of the core curriculum of Italian Gpfm. These three values are the basis of the distinctive methodological and relational competencies of Gpfm. In this contribution, we analyze them through the lens of epistemology of complexity, aiming to highlight the unique aspects of this method and relationship, thus identifying the necessary competencies for Gpfm. The thought and method of care - the first and third values - are analyzed considering that the framework in which Gpfm operates leads to significant modifications of the clinical method. While it certainly encompasses elements of the traditional clinical method, they are executed at different paces and with different objectives, employing distinct strategies. For instance, the epidemiological context with a high prevalence of symptomatic distress but low prevalence of "true" disease needs the early generation of diagnostic hypotheses. These hypotheses are then tested using verbal and physical examinations as exclusion tests with high predictive power. The aim is to arrive at diagnoses that are not exhaustive, yet operational and contextualized. Furthermore, the uncertainty inherent in Gpfm requires the utilization of contextual knowledge related to the patient's environment, negotiation with the patient about the tolerable threshold of decisional uncertainty, their involvement - which increases with greater uncertainty - and the use of the test of time within an organizational and relational protective network. Complex thinking enables reflection on the second value - the relationship - by assigning the physician's subjectivity a place as precious as that of the patient, which is already historically established. Thus, both the physician and patient, as subjects, exist on the same ontological plane but differ methodologically due to their distinct roles. Adopting an epistemology of complexity in Gpfm allows each variable of the system - subjects, context, method, clinical aspects - to regain significance. This approach favours a genuine science in service of humanity.

Communication Competence and Stakeholder Communication as a Dimension of Distinctive Competence in Work Life: A Qualitative Qualitative Research

This study was conducted with the aim of revealing employees' perception of competence and determining which competence domains and sub-components are most associated with competence. Adopting a qualitative research approach, the study was designed using a phenomenological pattern, and research data were collected through an in-depth interview method. The research findings were interpreted based on the responses provided by private sector employees to questions in line with their professional experiences, focusing on their perceptions of professional competence and the types of competencies they highlight as crucial for success in today's competitive business environment. 
 According to the findings, the perception of competence among private sector employees is categorized into three main themes, namely technical/functional, fundamental/managerial, and behavioral/personal, which align with the literature. The most significant research finding obtained within the scope of this study is the participants' emphasis on communication competence as the most crucial type of competence in today's context. Additionally, participants have further delineated sub-themes of communication competence by discussing various types of communication competencies within the realm of work life. Among all participants, 'stakeholder communication' stands out as the most highlighted type of communication competence. Following stakeholder communication is intra-team communication, effective communication skills, persuasive communication, social communication, and empathetic communication. Furthermore, network-focused communication, marketing communication, professional language in communication, listening-persuasion in communication, and trustworthiness in communication emerge as sub-themes highlighted within the overarching theme of communication competence in the work environment.

Psychometric properties of information and communication technology competencies scale: Latent profile analysis

Rapid expansion of information and communication technologies (ICT) underscores importance of ICT competency for success in modern society. In education, ICT facilitates knowledge acquisition, innovative teaching methods, and development of digital literacy skills. By measuring ICT competencies, teacher training programs can better equip educators for technology integration, leading to more effective teaching and learning processes. It is crucial for educational policies to emphasize integration of ICT and ensure teachers are prepared to utilize it effectively. The study aims to determine psychometric properties of “information and communication technology competency scale (ICTCS)” for pre-service teachers (PSTs) in the Russian setting and identify distinct proficiency levels among them. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to adapt a scale measuring PSTs’ ICT competencies. The research involved two different samples for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (n=160) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (n=326). To establish language validity, a translation, and cross-cultural adaptation process was followed. Data analysis included EFA, CFA, reliability estimation, and latent profile analysis, with satisfactory results obtained for scale’s psychometric properties. The study concludes that ICTCS, with two factors (ICTC-PU and ICTC-ID), is a valid and reliable measure of teachers’ attitudes and skills regarding ICT use. Four-class latent profile model reveals distinct competence levels, informing targeted professional development programs. Educational institutions and policymakers should prioritize these programs and use the scale for teacher evaluations. Future research should explore the efficacy of these programs, expand the sample size, incorporate objective measures, and employ longitudinal designs to better understand the impact on student outcomes.

Entrepreneurial Hospitality Businesses: Application to a New Consumer Purpose Model

This paper applies a proposed concept of underlying consumer purpose and psychological bonding to the entrepreneurial hospitality industry, including hotels, restaurants, and bed and breakfast establishments. Since the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the industry has seen a huge surge in pent-up demand. Event planners’ expectations have risen. Students are flocking to the industry where there is almost a guaranteed employment upon graduation. The hospitality industry, being one of the largest industries worldwide, faces intense market competition. To succeed, it relies on various factors, including customer satisfaction, loyalty, trust, affective commitment, and share of wallet The model applied in the paper has recently been published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Management. The model synthesizes multiple theories, that includes need fulfilment theory, goal theory, and congruency theory. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that a comprehensive understanding of consumers' needs, goals, values, and self-image is crucial for marketers to enhance service experiences, achieve sustainable success, and help consumers attain their desired psychological outcomes. To combat this somewhat sceptical view of service mix development benefitting the hotel firm primarily, we propose the need to broaden hotel marketing and innovation strategies to include recognition of purposeful fulfilment of consumers' psychological needs/tasks, goals, values, and self-concept. Doing so will strengthen the organizational commitment to hotel consumers, leading to sustainable success for the hotel firm and other hospitality-related businesses. To exemplify further the usefulness of consumers' underlying purpose, we have supplied a variety of hotel examples in figures that demonstrate how hotels can create innovative products or services by utilizing a single meaningful purpose to communicate distinct competencies in meeting consumers' psychological needs and goals and asserting values congruence and self-image congruity. These easy-to-understand models can be applied to the hospitality industry. The paper includes examples and illustrations throughout. Implications for future research and further applications are discussed.

Importance and Barriers of Establishing Educational/Training Programs in Electric Vehicles/Hybrid-Electric Vehicles in Jordan

Jordan has set priority plans to mitigate climate change impacts, where Jordan moves towards low emissions by promoting the Electric Vehicle and Hybrid-Electric Vehicle (EV/HEV) market. Therefore, there will be a pressing need for professionals in the field of maintenance and design of EV/HEVs. Accordingly, surveys were conducted to address the market needs in Jordan. The surveys targeted main stakeholders from different geographical locations in Jordan. This study was concerned with project partners, Academic staff, and students from eight universities located in Balqa’a, Irbid, Al-Karak, Tafilah, and the capital city Amman. The responses obtained are from 8, 140, and 799 project partners, academic staff, and students, respectively. The results, including surveys on teaching and training facilities, are analyzed and discussed. In conclusion, this study presents a crucial foundation for three specialized diploma programs (vocational diploma, technical diploma, and higher diploma) and a bachelor program tailored to Jordan’s EV/HEV market needs. Through a deliberate alignment of the curriculum with the evolving demands of the EV/HEV sector, the diploma programs will foster graduates who hold the essential knowledge and skills to excel in this rapidly expanding field. Furthermore, the programs address the distinct competencies and expertise that the local market requires, ensuring that graduates are well prepared to meet industry needs. The significance of this work serves as a bridge between academia and the market, resulting in graduates who possess the knowledge and skills, that are highly sought after by prospective employers.

Experiences of Faith-Based Organizations as Key Stakeholders in Policy Responses to Human Trafficking

Faith-based organizations (FBOs) are substantially involved in the anti-human trafficking movement. Yet, limited research is available on their crucial roles in the field. This study explored their input in anti-trafficking policy implementation in the US by examining their motivations to engage in anti-human trafficking work, their distinctive competencies as stakeholders, and their experiences and challenges in providing anti-human trafficking services. A purposive sample of 16 leaders from 14 FBOs with anti-human trafficking work experience was recruited. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. The findings showed that FBOs have experience in various aspects of prevention, protection, and even assistance in prosecuting human trafficking cases and at multiple levels of intervention. The distinctive capacities of FBOs for policy advocacy, training, and housing services for trafficking survivors provide a glimpse of their leading roles in human trafficking policy implementation. Operating primarily outside public funding allows FBOs to develop short-term and long-term services for trafficking survivors without time constraints. The FBOs in the study reported using a non-discriminatory, survivor-centered, and trauma-informed approach in their anti-human trafficking service delivery. All the respondents in the study concurred that efforts by any FBOs to convert trafficking survivors to a particular faith are unethical and counterproductive. The implications for practice, policy implementation, and research are discussed.

Exploring the re-legitimisation of messages for health and physical education within contemporary English and Welsh curricula reform

ABSTRACT This paper explores how messages for health and PE ([H]PE) within English and Welsh curricula are being re-legitimised through distinct performance and competence pedagogic models. Drawing upon Bernstein’s sociology of knowledge (Bernstein, 1996. Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity: Theory, research, critique. Taylor and Francis; 2000. Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity: Theory, research and critique (revised ed.). Rowman and Littlefield) data was generated through a deductive content analysis of the contemporary statutory English National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) and the new Curriculum for Wales (CfW), Health and Well-Being Area of Learning and Experience (HWB-AoLE). Findings illustrate how the current English and Welsh curricula are re-legitimising discourses for (H)PE through a more prominent emphasis placed on competency models whereby the educator and learner are given greater autonomy to control the transmission and acquisition of (H)PE messages. However, the curriculum documents are beset with contradictions that to an extent reproduce discourses of performativity and individualisation. Consequently, the paper emphasises the need for educators and policymakers to be given the opportunity for critical dialogue on the implications of re-legitimising messages through competency models for all educator and learner identities.

Distinctive Competencies and Process of Innovation During Organizationals Merger : The Moderating Effect of Knowledge Vacuum

Merger organization may encounter contra and supportive conditions. Organizational changes due to merger often occur both process and knowledge intertia. Especially to a research and development agency which its core activity is innovation. Merger among R&D organizations is aimed to achieve legit images but also may delay innovation process. This study measure the effect of knowledge vacuum as a moderating variable between distinctive competencies and process of innovation. 36 targeted researchers and engineers from various former public research & development agencies were involves in a questionnaire survey. Data was analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results show that distinctive competencies significantly affect process of innovation, meanwhile knowledge vacuum is not a significant moderating variable between distinctive competencies and process of innovation<strong>. </strong>The most important aspects of distinctive competencies are to define detailed process of innovation from start to end and to be able to commercialize innovation output. These aspects will boost changing organization to achieve new goals and maintain innovation process. In this case of insignificant knowledge vacuum, the possibility of open innovation is adequate.

Business process reengineering for designing a knowledge-enabled customer-centric competitiveness strategy

PurposeThe study aims to design a holistic multi-stage hierarchical model that leverages the firm's knowledge-enabled distinctive core competencies (DCCs) and builds enduring and profitable customer relationships to achieve sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in dynamic and challenging environments. It developed a knowledge-enabled customer-centric competitiveness strategy (KCCS) model that integrates four pillars: business process reengineering (BPR), knowledge management (KM), customer relationship management (CRM) and competitiveness strategy. It also proposed a BPR model to enable cross-functional cooperation and coordination for firms dealing with customers, provided a blueprint for KCCS's successful implementation and compared the KCCS model with other customer-centric (CC) approaches.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted an exploratory research design based on a literature review of relevant studies. It has systematically analyzed 130 articles and books from Scopus, the Web of Science, Google Scholar and other renowned databases from 1982 to 2022. The analysis involved identifying and selecting relevant literature and conducting thematic research to develop a theoretical KCCS model that integrates BPR, KM, CRM, competitiveness strategy and the firm's SCA into a KCCS model.FindingsThis study developed an integrative KCCS theoretical model rooted in the extant literature in BPR, KM, CRM, competitiveness strategy, DCCs, SCA and other fields. The study proposed a BPR model as a significant component of KCCS that enables cross-functional cooperation and coordination, which are often troublesome for firms in their dealings with customers. The study also provided a blueprint for successfully implementing the KCCS model and compared the KCCS model with other CC approaches.Originality/valueThis study filled many research gaps in the literature in which knowledge-enabled CC frameworks are widely scattered. It offered a conceptual multi-stage hierarchical KCCS model that combines interrelated elements of BPR, KM, CRM, and competitiveness strategy. It proposed a BPR model as a significant component of the KCCS that enables cross-functional cooperation and coordination, which frequently form barriers when dealing with customers. It also provided a blueprint for successfully implementing the KCCS and compared it with other CC approaches.

Scaled Performance on the Vascular Qualifying Examination Does Not Correlate With Vascular Certifying Examination First Attempt Pass in a National Cohort of Residents and Fellows

Specialty board certification is an important indicator of surgeon competence and necessary for residency and fellowship programs to maintain accreditation with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Thus, identification of trainees at risk of board certification failure is important for both vascular surgery graduates and their parent program. Passing the written Vascular Qualifying Examination (VQE) is a prerequisite for eligibility to take the Vascular Certifying Examination (VCE). However, the association between performance on the VQE and ability to pass the VCE has not been examined. We sought to examine the correlation of VQE performance on first-time pass achievement of VCE. We utilized American Board of Surgery data to examine predictive associations of a national longitudinal cohort of all vascular surgery integrated residents (VIR) and fellows (VSF) who completed the VQE and VCE from 2016 through 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to examine trends. Chi-squared tests were used to examine proportional group differences. Predictive associations between VQE scaled score performance and first-time pass achievement on subsequent VCE attempts were examined using logistic regression. VQE scaled score performance and VCE pass rates were obtained for all VIR and VSF (n = 579; 176 residents and 403 fellows) from 151 programs (47 residency and 104 fellowship) during the study period. First-attempt pass rate for the VQE was 94% in the study cohort, while first-attempt pass rate for the VCE was 93%. There were no significant differences in pass-fail rates between VIR and VSF candidates taking the VQE (P = .133) or the VCE (P = .501), respectively. Trainee scaled score performance on VQE was not predictive of subsequent first-attempt pass achievement on VCE (odds ratio, 1.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-1.01; P = .077) (Figure). Stratified subgroup analyses by VIR and VSF cohorts also showed no significant predictive first-attempt VCE pass achievement (P = .125 and P = .171, respectively). In this national cohort of vascular trainees taking the VQE and VCE, VQE performance was not predictive of subsequent VCE first-time pass achievement. Although this finding highlights the necessity to identify other measures of trainee competence in order to indicate preparedness of trainees for board certification examinations, it is also reflective of the ability to assess distinctive competencies between the two examinations, with VQE focused on medical knowledge, and VCE on clinical judgement and interpersonal communication skills. This ensures certification of well-rounded vascular surgeons and maintenance of high-quality standards within our specialty.

Using the instant semantic analysis and feedback system for mining effective behavioural patterns to facilitate learning effectiveness of online discussion

ABSTRACT This study utilised the instant semantic analysis and feedback system (ISAFS) to assist learners in the online discussion learning activities of socio-scientific issues (SSIs) and to document their learning process behaviours for behavioural analyses. The aim was to understand the learners’ discussion behaviours during the ISAFS assisted learning process and to guide them in exhibiting more effective discussion behaviours in order to facilitate the learning effectiveness of online asynchronous discussions. The research participants were 55 eleventh-grade students from a senior high school in northeastern Taiwan. A single pre-experimental group design was adopted to collect the learning process data. Eventually, 34 effective samples were considered following the online discussions. The results showed that learners with distinct computer-mediated communication competences and personality traits have different behaviour patterns. Overall, the behavioural analyses reveal that different learning behaviours would result in distinct learning effectiveness, and that learners with different computer-mediated communication competences and personality traits would present various learning behaviours. Based on the research results, suggestions for the application of ISAFS in teaching and implications for future developments are proposed. The findings could be instrumental in the improvement of the teaching process through online discussions.

MODELING STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

This paper proposes a knowledge-based customer-centric strategic model to respond to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in the supply chain management (SCM) context. The proposed model strives to leverage knowledge-based distinctive core competencies (DCCs) to improve customer satisfaction and achieve SCA. An exploratory research design has been adopted. The study undertook a systematic literature review approach with 36 articles or books published between 1970 and 2020 to construct the strategic planning model. The paper presents an integrated multi-dimensional model for SCM, including value chain activities, competitiveness strategies, business process re-engineering (BPR), and SCA. The practical result of the article is to develop a theoretical strategic planning model for SCM as a holistic framework for using the company’s DCCs and creating an SCA in a highly competitive and dynamic business environment. The proposed model comprehensively covers the supply chain (SC)’s competitive advantage strategy. For businesses that tend to adapt and triumph, the proposed model helps reduce order cycle times, reduce inventory levels, increase accuracy and efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer service and satisfaction.

A Taxonomy of Idea Management Tools for Supporting Front-End Innovation

Idea management is a crucial pillar of corporate management. Organizations may save research expenses, influence future development, and maintain distinctive competency by controlling front-end ideas. To date, several idea management tools have been developed. However, it is unknown to what extent they support the idea management process. Therefore, this scoping review aims to understand the classification of idea management tools and their effectiveness through an overview of the academic literature. Electronic databases (Scopus, ACM Digital Library, Web of Science Core Index, Elsevier ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink) were searched, and a total of 38 journal papers (n = 38) from 2010 to 2020 were retrieved. We identified 30 different types of idea management tools categorized as digital tools (n = 21), guidelines (n = 5), and frameworks (n = 4), and these tools have been utilized by software designers, hardware designers, and stakeholders. The identified tools may support various stages of idea management, such as capturing, generating, implementing, monitoring, refinement, retrieving, selection, and sharing. However, most tools only support a single stage (either capture or generate), and they cannot track the life cycle of the ideas, which may lead to misunderstanding. Therefore, it is essential to develop tools for managing ideas that would allow end users, designers, and other stakeholders to minimize bias in selecting and prioritizing ideas.

Production Value Chain Model for Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Abstract In the Fourth Industrial Revolution, 4IR, manufacturing firms face more competitive environments, rapidly changing information and communication technologies (ICTs), and customers’ preferences than ever before. This paper analyzes relevant literature and proposes a systemic customer-centric knowledge-based production value chain (KPVC) to leverage distinctive core competencies (DCCs) and create sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in manufacturing contexts. The paper introduces an integrative customer-centric KPVC model that enables companies to respond to environmental drivers, leverage DCCs, and create SCA. It adopts an exploratory approach to developing a unified and inherently interdisciplinary model based on a review of relevant scholarly literature. The KPVC integrated model comprises production value chain (PVC), knowledge management (KM) processes, and business process re-engineering (BPR) enabling activities. A successful move to KPVC requires a fully integrated and automated system allowing firms to define, track, and manage their work processes. Effective KPVC is a principal approach for leveraging DCCs in the quest for achieving SCA in today’s competitive business world and generating better values for customers and companies.

Developing Health Tourism in a Gaming City: Stakeholder Perceptions of a Proposed Strategy

ABSTRACT Macao, a tourism city and a special administrative region of China, is known for its gaming industry, which accounts for the majority of its local GDP. But its singular economy has invoked much concern, especially when it is severely hit by the recent pandemic. Among others, the development of health tourism has been one of the diversification and sustainable strategies proposed. This study explores the potential and feasibility of this seemingly out-of-tune strategic proposal. Sixteen purposefully selected informants representing key strategic perspectives were approached and interviewed including academics and practitioners in health, wellness, medical and tourism fields, government legislative advisors and research institutes/associations in coordinated fields. Thematic analysis reveals an optimistic prospect in developing wellness tourism and a selection of medical tourism in Macao, capitalizing on the key trends identified, and a unique combination of VRIO (value, rarity, imitability, organization) resources and distinctive competencies that is only available in Macao. Possible implementation has also been discussed. The study contributes to scholarly knowledge of strategic visioning process.