Effective Information Flow Research Articles

INITIATION OF CONTACT TRACING FOR COVID-19 AT AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION FOR HEALTH SCIENCE: INITIAL EXPERIENCES

Transmission of COVID-19 cases has been found in clusters and sporadic form in different parts of Nepal, which swiftly strained the healthcare system. Contact tracing is a strategy to prevent further transmission of the COVID-19. It reduces the overwhelming burden in a health system. Academic institutions are the best alternative in contact tracing, not only in terms of task shifting but their training in epidemiology and research also best suits them. Besides, they can also train the health workers assigned for contact tracing in rural and urban settings. Multi-sectoral involvement from academia, community health workers, and effective information flow are instrumental for effec­tive contact tracing in resource-limited settings.

Attitudes towards Developing E-portfolio as an Extension for Personal Learning Environment of Universities in Sri Lanka

The study on the attitudes towards developing e-portfolio as an extension for Personal Learning Environment of Universities in Sri Lanka is aimed at energizing students to be actively involved in learning culture, assess students regularly, and predict final results to maintain the effective and efficient two-way flow of information. An electronic portfolio is a collection of electronic evidence assembled and managed by a user, usually on the Web. The study mainly emphasizes the attitudes of the main stakeholders of the e-portfolio, such as Administrators, Academic Staff Members, and Undergraduates. The study is conducted as a case study at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, using convenience sampling method. The questionnaire method is used to collect data and descriptive analysis and bivariate analysis are used to analyze data and graphical methods and equations have been used to present the gathered data. The study is concluded with positive opinions from administrators, academic staff members, and undergraduates while designing an e-portfolio for the university system. The system flowed with the feasibility study and requirement analysis, which are driven by the development of the e-portfolio. The e-portfolio system design, which consists of system architecture, database, and system design, is illustrated in the study. Finally, the study proposed to develop the e-portfolio as an extension for personal learning which, already exists in the university context in Sri Lanka.

Ethical Issues in the COVID Era: Doing the Right Thing Depends on Location, Resources, and Disease Burden.

Ethical Issues in the COVID Era: Doing the Right Thing Depends on Location, Resources, and Disease Burden.

Readiness for ICT Based B2C Information Flow – Case Study of the Hungarian Food Sector

The complexity of information flow and cooperation among enterprises operating in a supply chain is growing. This process has a significant impact on the economy and the objective is that both traditional and new ICT (Information and Communication Technology) solutions meet the pressing needs for more efficient business processes. The current paper focuses on enterprises belonging to the food supply chain and analyses some indicators supporting the information flow within the company and with partners (being either a partner enterprise or the final consumer). Our Institute has prepared a survey to examine the ICT usage and attitude by enterprises operating in the agri-food sector. The importance of business processes supportable by ICT had to be assessed by companies. In this study we evaluated the importance of some ICT indicators supporting information flow in the chain. The main objective of the current article is to determine the difference between food enterprises divided by different grouping factors regarding their evaluation of the chosen indicators. In our opinion, competitive advantage may be reached using ICT solutions for widening and maintaining relations through a more effective information flow with partners and consumers.

Gestión del conocimiento en las universidades

El objetivo del trabajo es constatar la relación entre la comunicación y la gestión del conocimiento en el ámbito universitario, así como la comunicación del conocimiento a través del uso de plataformas digitales. La metodología empleada se encaminó a la descripción del objeto de estudio mediante la revisión teórica y documental, lo que permitió identificar a los principales conceptos, perspectivas de análisis y modelos asociados. Los resultados obtenidos pusieron foco en los elementos convergentes entre las variables de la investigación, lo que permitió resaltar la relevancia de difundir el conocimiento generado en la institución Universidad para apoyar el desarrollo tanto organizacional como social. Como parte de las conclusiones, se destaca la conexión intrínseca de los procesos comunicativos con los elementos de la gestión del conocimiento. En tal sentido, las tecnologías juegan un papel esencial como herramientas para lograr un efectivo flujo de información en una universidad y obliga, en el contexto actual, a gestionar sus procesos en espacios digitales.

Digital twin: current scenario and a case study on a manufacturing process

In the current scenario, industries need to have continuous improvement in their manufacturing processes. Digital twin (DT), a virtual representation of a physical entity, serves this purpose. It aims to bridge the prevailing gap between the design and manufacturing stages of a product by effective flow of information. This article aims to create a state-of-the-art review on various DTs with their application areas. The article also includes schematic representations of some of the DTs proposed in various fields. The concept is also represented by a case study based on a DT model developed for an advanced manufacturing process named friction stir welding. Towards the end, a model for implementing DT in a factory has been proposed.

Impression of Twitter and Whatsapp on Sleep Quality Among Nursing Students In Indonesia

Introduction: The widely used social media by mobile-platform, which makes communication easier, faster, enhance effective flow of information. However, it may have the potential negative effect in quality of sleep in nursing students. The purpose of this study was to examined the impact of using social media and identified predictors of poor sleep quality among nursing students. Methods: A school-based survey design was conducted. Totally, 264 students at school of health sciences in West Java with usage social media platform were participated in this study. The extensive self-administered questionnaires were used to assess extent of using social media and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Logistic regression analysis by a backward-stepwise technique was used to determine predictors of poor sleep quality. Results: One out of two nursing students (59.5 %) used both Instagram and WhatsApp, mostly at nights (59.8%), and more than 4-hour daily (19.3%). Majority nursing students (94.3%) have poor quality of sleep. Quality of sleep was differed significantly in bachelor students (p=0.03) in 8th semester (p = 0.006). Younger nursing students (β = 0.025, p = 0.021, 95% CI 0.001-0.566) who use social media less than 3-month (β = .019, p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.002-0.212), mostly during weekends and in 8th semester (β = 41.32, p = 0.018, 95% CI 1.902-897.73) were predictor of poorer sleep quality. Conclusion: Findings indicated a strong need for integrating sleep quality education and provide health-education to promote correct and effective use of social networks to minimize possible side effects in nursing students.

The integration of the supply chain in the core company strategy: The moderating role of supply chain uncertainty

A theoretical framework, tested in this research, proposes to define the strategy implications of Core Company strategy on SCI dimensions. To implement a strategy by developing collaboration within and across the firm, there is need for developing processes and structures, that support the effective flow of material and information, to achieve the set objectives and goals. It is clear from the theoretical discussion of SCI that the use of resources and capacities of external partners, generates supplier integration, to complement internal resources and capacities, for the achievement of set goals. Firms, with expanded and diverse product lines, emphasize this need because of the gap incapacity, which is developed in the process of the product. Moreover, with the implemented new product ideas, new gaps in resources and capacity may be generated.

Assessment of success of financial information system in educational, health, and medical centers affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

BACKGROUND:Financial information system is one of the subsystems in management information system that is very important in health institutions. The use of financial information system creating effective and efficient information flow will greatly assist the management in decision-making, so that it can achieve institutional goals easier. This study is endeavored to assess the success of financial information system in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This descriptive-correlational study was performed on the research population consisting of financial information system users in educational, health, and medical centers affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences during 2018 that were studied by the census method (n = 108) because of a small number of these users. The data were collected using a questionnaire. The content validity of questionnaire was confirmed by pooling the ideas of five academic members of the health information management and two financial information system users. The reliability of questionnaire was also estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Then, the AMOS software was used to analyze the gathered data.RESULTS:The result shows that system quality was positively correlated to the use and user satisfaction whereas use and user satisfaction was positively correlated to net benefit (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the information quality was positively correlated to the user satisfaction (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS:As per the finding of this study, to improve user's intention to use the financial information system and their satisfaction toward the system, managers need to develop useful, easy-to-understand, easy-to-learn, and easy-to-use information systems.

Measuring Efficiency and Effectiveness of Workers’ Performance and Information Flow System in Technical Universities in Ghana

This study observes the relationship between effective information flow system and worker's performance in the technical universities in Ghana. DEA was adapted for this study because it maximises the output measure of the various DMU without making any assumptions on the form of inputs to output. DEA has the capability of modelling model multi-input and multi-output relationships without a priori underlying functional form and thus has been used in various fields of operation. Data from the ten technical universities in Ghana was used covering the period between 2013 and 2017. The findings indicated that these institutions, ATU, KuTU and KTU came out with the best overall efficiency score which means they had the best scores and are blending their inputs and output variables rightly.

Conceptual approach to the formation of innovative support for sustainable development of machine-building enterprises

Methods. While developing the conceptual foundations for the formation of innovative support for the sustainable development of machine-building enterprises, the following methods were used: a systems approach (representing the enterprise as a separate microsystem), factor analysis (highlighting the factors of enterprise stability), and limit analysis (studying changes in the expenditure and income components of the enterprise activities). Results. The article defines that the conceptual approach to the formation of innovative support for sustainable development of machine-building enterprises is a multifaceted process. It characterizes the state of machine-building enterprises and the possibilities of their development in one direction or another. Taking into account modern trends, it has become increasingly important to make further research into the formation of the internal mechanism of using innovative support for sustainable development of the enterprise, taking into account its components. The relationship between the factors of the cognitive model of machine-building enterprises is revealed through conceptual foundations, as well as the relationship of qualitative and quantitative variables of functional dependence between the relevant factors. It takes into account the anomalies of factor-cause and factor-consequence, fuzzy set, which is an approximation of the relationship between the inputs and outputs of the system using a fuzzy knowledge base and operations on fuzzy sets. Novelty. It has been proven that the conceptual foundations of the formation of innovative support for sustainable development of machine-building enterprises are implemented through the use of specific factors and functions: development of a program of integrated formation of innovative support for sustainable development; creation of organizational structures that ensure the adoption and implementation of management decisions in the field of ensuring the maximum use of the potential of sustainable development; formation of effective information flows that will allow to take into account all possible options for management decisions; analysis of factors influencing the formation of innovative support for sustainable development; control over the implementation of management decisions. Practical value. The competitiveness of machine-building enterprises depends on the proper development of conceptual foundations for the formation of innovative support for sustainable development of machine-building enterprises, establishing proportions between its components and the completeness and rationality of the system-adaptive approach. If enterprises take these factors into account in the practical activities, it will allow them to be more competitive in the changing economic environment.

Digitization and Knowledge Spillover Effectiveness—Evidence from the “German Mittelstand”

The knowledge spillover theory of entrepreneurship (KSTE) considers determinants of knowledge diffusion as well as their impact on entrepreneurial activities and growth. Extending the KSTE, the role of incumbent firms for the broad diffusion of new knowledge has been emphasized. For those firms, the barriers to an effective flow of information are considered using the concepts of knowledge filters and absorptive capacities. Both concepts enable the derivation of institutional measures to penetrate knowledge filters and systematically increase absorptive capacities. We interpret the process of digitization as a central process of knowledge spillover in recent years and determine digitization-related knowledge filters for particular domains of firm decision-making. Using a consultant-based in-depth evaluation of 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) conducted in the context of a federal innovation program, structural drivers, firm clusters, and domain-specific knowledge filters for digitization are determined. We find little evidence for structural drivers of knowledge spillover effectiveness. However, as firms are clustered according to their digitization pattern, we show that firms realize high degrees of digitization in most domains or in none, leading us to argue that domain-specific knowledge filters are weak. Rather, knowledge spillover in digitization can be considered a process with initially strong general knowledge filter and—once this filter has been penetrated—weaker subsequent domain-specific knowledge filters. Policy and managerial implications for increasing digitization-related knowledge spillovers in SMEs are discussed.

Key performance indicators in a multi-dimensional performance card in the energy sector

The present article focuses on key strategic objectives and their key performance indicators in the energy sector. Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are indicators used in processes to measure the extent of completion of objectives within organizations. They focus on those key aspects of functioning of organizations that are of fundamental importance to the current and future success of organizations. By including KPI’s in multi-dimensional performance cards, one can identify the priority objectives and gain a comprehensive view of a company. KPI’s make it possible to clearly determine whether objectives are completed at all and what is the stage of their completion. Continuous monitoring of the extent of objective completion enables quick response to changing conditions in the environment and, consequently, helps companies survive in their markets, enables their growth, and gives them competitive advantage. The problems discussed in the article are very broad but immensely important to contemporary entities, including mining companies conducting their unique operations. Managers look for up-to-date management support tools that can support them in efficient and quick decision-making, effective information flow, and measurement of company performance. The article presents key performance indicators in multi-dimensional performance cards. For this purpose, research was performed to check the fraction of selection of specific options (sets of objectives) by respondents and an analysis of statistical dominance of key indicators of their completion. The results of the analysis were presented in the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) - one of the multi-dimensional performance cards.

Challenges for automatic identification systems in the supply chain

This article deals with challenges for automatic identification systems in the supply chain. In this article there are described the most often used automatic identification systems that contribute to more effective information flow between individual elements of the supply chain. This article describes a potential way of integration of technologies automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) across the supply chain. The methodology for the selection of a suitable technological solution is described in a significant part of this article. As a suitable technological solution is understood the selection of proper AIDC technology, their combination respectively, based on pre-defined criteria.

Challenges for automatic identification systems in the supply chain

This article deals with challenges for automatic identification systems in the supply chain. In this article there are described the most often used automatic identification systems that contribute to more effective information flow between individual elements of the supply chain. This article describes a potential way of integration of technologies automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) across the supply chain. The methodology for the selection of a suitable technological solution is described in a significant part of this article. As a suitable technological solution is understood the selection of proper AIDC technology, their combination respectively, based on pre-defined criteria.

Growth Potential of the Market Force of Intermediary Structures

The aim of the study is to determine the extent and prospects development of market potential of intermediary structures using an example of waterway transport enterprises. Economic liberalization, development of international economic activity, fragmentation and distantness of suppliers and buyers as preconditions for development of intermediary business structures are determined. The main factors hindering the development of intermediary activities are identified, for instance, imperfect regulatory framework, insufficient intermediary’s professionalism, insecurity from intermediaries, low level of responsibility to counterparties, general distrust. Transport companies, in particular, the waterway transport enterprises, are identified as intermediaries that have a significant influence for development of individual economic agents and economic systems. Prospects for the development of sustainable mutually beneficial economic relations or the mutual benefit, the availability of effective information flow, a clear definition of roles, rights and obligations of the involved parties, mutual coordination of behaviour of intermediary structures and clients defined as the main conditions for development of effective interaction of intermediary structures of water transport and clients. In the matter of further studies, attention should be paid to improvement of strengthening mechanism for the responsibility of intermediary structures and clients.

Video-Based Person Re-Identification With Accumulative Motion Context

Video based person re-identification plays a central role in realistic security and video surveillance. In this paper we propose a novel Accumulative Motion Context (AMOC) network for addressing this important problem, which effectively exploits the long-range motion context for robustly identifying the same person under challenging conditions. Given a video sequence of the same or different persons, the proposed AMOC network jointly learns appearance representation and motion context from a collection of adjacent frames using a two-stream convolutional architecture. Then AMOC accumulates clues from motion context by recurrent aggregation, allowing effective information flow among adjacent frames and capturing dynamic gist of the persons. The architecture of AMOC is end-to-end trainable and thus motion context can be adapted to complement appearance clues under unfavorable conditions (e.g. occlusions). Extensive experiments are conduced on three public benchmark datasets, i.e., the iLIDS-VID, PRID-2011 and MARS datasets, to investigate the performance of AMOC. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed AMOC network outperforms state-of-the-arts for video-based re-identification significantly and confirm the advantage of exploiting long-range motion context for video based person re-identification, validating our motivation evidently.

THE ANALYSIS OF THE ENVIRONMENT OF COMMERCIALIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENTS AT UNIVERSITY

The subject matter of the article is the commercialization of scientific and technical developments in Ukrainian universities. The goal of the work is to develop the systematic approach to the processes of commercialization of scientific and technical developments in universities. The tasks of the study are to determine the organizational and economic mechanisms for the commercialization of scientific and technical developments in universities, which requires that the specifics of the innovative infrastructure in developed countries should be analyzed, negative factors that affect the development of the national innovation infrastructure should be specified, the relationship between the innovative infrastructure and the mechanisms for the commercialization of scientific and technological developments in universities should be determined, the system of principles for effective commercialization of scientific and technical developments at universities should be established. The following results are obtained. The paper shows that the implementation of the mechanisms of commercialization essentially depends on the development of the innovative infrastructure, its components are analyzed. The process of commercialization of scientific and technical developments depends on effective information flows, whose configuration and speed are determined by the capacity of communication channels, by the adaptability of data processed by the structural elements of organizations that participate in the process, by the impact of the external environment. The features of the development of innovative infrastructure in developed countries and in Ukraine are analyzed. The main components of the information infrastructure are considered. The main factors that characterize the effectiveness of the development of the innovation infrastructure are identified. The principles for supporting the processes of commercialization of scientific and technical developments at both macro- and micro- levels are classified. Conclusions. In general, the effectiveness of the commercialization of scientific and technological developments depends both on the development of the national innovation infrastructure and on its internal segment. The intensification of university activities enables developing the system of well-coordinated and operational links of science, education, business and government in general.

Identifying Coordination and Continuity of Care Indicators for Population-Based Cancer Screening Programs: A Delphi Study.

Continuity of care and care coordination are critical issues in virtually all healthcare systems. European guidelines for the quality of screening programs for breast and colorectal cancer describe process, structure, and outcome indicators, but none specifically evaluate coordination and continuity of care during the cancer screening process. The aim of this study was to identify indicators reflecting care coordination and continuity in population-based breast and colorectal cancer screening program. A two-round Delphi study was conducted in a sample of 30 cancer screening nurses to identify quality indicators. The final Delphi consensus resulted in six core indicators for the cancer screening program: adequacy of the referral of the target population from the screening program to other health services, waiting time for referral to other health services, understanding of the screening program by professionals involved in the process, effective information flow between professionals involved in the process, participants' perception of the screening program, and, finally, participants' understanding of information about the program. The evaluation of indicators is crucial for quality improvement and should allow a measuring system to be established that would allow a comparison of outcomes for all population-based cancer screening programs.

Information needs of and services to small-scale vegetable farmers in Wareng, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Rationale of Study – Agriculture remains the most important economic activity in Kenya. Efficient and effective provision of information is essential to the success of agriculture. The aim of this study was to investigate the provision of information to small-scale vegetable farmers in Wareng Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya with a view of establishing the challenges and proposing a model for effective and efficient information flow to the vegetable farmers in the county.Methodology – The research used a case study approach. The population of the study comprised 75 smallscale vegetable farmers and 13 agricultural and extension officers in Wareng Sub-County. Data was collected through questionnaires and structured interviews as well as from secondary sources. The data was analysed using content analysis.Findings – The study found that vegetable farmers lack timely information specific to their information needs. The existing information systems and services were inadequate in satisfying the information needs. Furthermore, the study established that access to information was hampered by inadequate information resources and services.Implications – The findings of the study may be used to encourage the government to recognise the fact that information is an essential input for an effective agricultural system and as such contributes in a positive way to agricultural development. The findings, therefore, can be used to propose improvements to the existing information services, systems and channels in disseminating information to vegetable farmers.Originality – This study was original in terms of its focus and geographical orientation. Small-scale vegetable farming in Kenya is an important socioeconomic activity which provides employment opportunities to many citizens yet very little is known about the information needs of the farmers.