Effective Operation Research Articles

Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan: Characteristics, actions and battlefield operationalization

The longest war in the history of America resulted in an Afghan Taliban victory. Despite astronomical material and capacity superiority of the American-led NATO forces vis-à-vis Afghan Taliban, the latter overcame the greater forces and captured Kabul in a lightning-fast sweep across the country. Failure of the US to realize a superior military force in achieving a political victory on the field lies in the characteristics, actions, and effective operationalization of Afghan Taliban’s warfare tactics on the battleground. Tribalism, networked structures, and innovative recruiting principles, coupled with the Afghan government(s) own inefficiencies and rampant corruption led to the demise of American power in Afghanistan.

Ecological validity of neuropsychological interventions: A systematic review.

The concept of ecological validity (EV) in neuropsychological interventions (NI) has been consistently advocated, but there is a lack of reviews focused on how EV is operationalized in NI programmes. This review aims to address this gap by exploring the outcome measures more commonly used for assessing EV and to understand the main characteristics of programmes with good EV. A literature search was conducted to identify studies that examined the EV of NI programmes, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. A total of twenty-seven studies were included in this review. Among these, only three studies explicitly described the procedures used to assess EV. Additionally, almost half of the studies assumed that interventions had good EV based on the characteristics of the programmes. The inconsistent assessment of EV of NI programmes prevented the identification of specific characteristics of programmes demonstrating good EV. This systematic review reveals a significant gap in the literature concerning the operationalization of EV within the field of NI. Further research is required to establish a consistent definition of EV in the context of NI and to develop criteria for its effective operationalization.

How do we study resilience? A systematic review

Abstract The concept of resilience has gained immense popularity as a way to frame social and environmental challenges. However, its empirical operationalization and the integration of social and ecological dimensions continue to present difficulties. In this paper, we conduct a systematic review of existing empirical studies of resilience in social, ecological and social‐ecological systems (SESs) and examine how and to what extent these studies have achieved the operationalization of the concept of resilience. We evaluate the operationalization of resilience in 463 papers based on whether they define the system of interest and disturbances, whether they define resilience, whether they evaluate resilience, and for papers focusing on SESs, whether that evaluation integrates social and ecological dimensions. We find that 51% of empirical studies do not meet at least one of these operationalization criteria, and that even those that do often lack key features for effective operationalization, such as clear system boundaries and baseline state or an effective integration of social and ecological dimensions. Of the papers examining SESs and evaluating resilience, only 54% integrate social and ecological dimensions in that evaluation. Building on these findings, we propose some design guidelines for operationalizing future empirical studies of resilience. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

A Bibliometric Study About the Rural Creative Class: Proposal of a Conceptual Framework and Future Agenda

AbstractThis study aims to carry out scientific and bibliometric mapping of the rural creative class. It analyses 57 articles retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) database and resorts to bibliographic coupling using VOSviewer software to identify the main lines of research on this theme, before advancing new topics for future research. The results identify and classify the prevailing theoretical foci in this domain as follows: (i) Florida’s theory and rural areas; and (ii) Urban growth and the creative class. The main contribution of this study lies in showing the need to understand the effective operationalization of Florida’s model in rural areas, as a way to raise their sustained economic growth. In addition, network theory is necessary if used to explain the bridge between rural creativity and the place’s social capital. A conceptual framework is proposed for the development of rural or sparsely populated areas, presenting the challenge of its application by political decision-makers, as well as trend topics for a future agenda.

Economic and Social Policies for Human Development

ABSTRACT Economic and social policies of governments could improve or worsen the wellbeing of people, so that their impact on human development could be positive or negative. This article discusses the role, as well as the scope, of public policies for human development in the contemporary developing and industrialised worlds, buffeted by frequent global and local economic crises, including a health pandemic of unprecedented proportions, where mainstream economic policies have often been detrimental, rather than conducive, to advancing human wellbeing. The paper revisits the human development framework and anchors it in an interpretation of the capability approach that helps in delineating economic and social policy pathways to desirable outcomes. It argues that this is essential for an effective operationalisation of the approach to human development. Building on that, it explores the nature of economic and social policies that might constitute an appropriate policy-mix for advancing human development. In doing so, it recognises that, while human development problems in poor and rich countries are similar, the choices, sequencing and prioritisation of policies will inevitably be determined by the country-context and government-objectives. Given the context, it suggests that the framework of SDGs at the national level could enable a focus on human development objectives in the policy design and strategic response of countries.

A framework for graduate leadership education for sustainability guided by the SDGs.

In this article, we outline the work of using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in graduate leadership education for sustainability (GLES). We identify how the SDGs can serve as an effective operationalization of the concept of sustainability, propose a framework of GLES, provide specific examples of the use of the SDGs in graduate education, and share recommendations for fostering GLES.

Food Insecurity: Is Leagility a Potential Remedy?

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Ukraine-Russian conflict, both significant geo-political and socio-economic shocks to the global food system and food insecurity has risen across the world. One potential remedy to reduce the level of food insecurity is to move from a lean just-in-time food system to one where there is more resilience through greater agility both in routine supply operations and also in the event of an emergency situation. The aim of this critical perspectives paper was to firstly reflect on the concepts of lean, agility, and 'leagility'. Then, this study considered the ability of individual organisations and the whole food system to be resilient, adaptive, enable the elimination of waste, reduce inefficiency, and assure the consistent delivery to market requirements in terms of both volume, safety, and quality. Promoting the concept of leagility together with advocating resilient, sustainable practices that embed buffer and adaptive capacity, this paper positions that increasing digitalisation and improving business continuity planning can ensure effective operationalisation of supply chains under both normal and crisis situations, ultimately reducing the risk of food insecurity at personal, household, and community levels.

Contemporary Challenges Facing Social Work in Turkey: Would Global Agenda Be Relevant?

The Global Agenda for Social Work and Social Development (GA) aims at strengthening the social work profession by building linkages between global challenges and local responses. Against the neoliberal conservative policy transformation in the last two decades, this article focuses on the effects of neoliberal policies on social work education and practice in Turkey and discusses the relevance and operationalisation of the Global Agenda in Turkish context. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data from focus group interviews held with social work academics and representatives of Turkish Association of Social Workers (TASW) reveal that the role of the profession has significantly been narrowed down; together with the degrading in the quality of social work education, professional values have considerably eroded and thus resulted in further deepening of the identity crisis of the social work profession in Turkey. The research findings also indicate relatively limited knowledge and recognition of the GA in Turkey so far. However, the GA was identified as potentially useful in dealing with local professional challenges. In this regard, the effective operationalisation of the GA in Turkey would be possible with the commitments of both social work educators through the curriculum and engagement of the professionals.

Understanding Multiple Accountability Logics Within Corporate Governance Policy Discourse: Resistance, Compromise, or Selective Coupling?

Conducting comparative country-based case studies of the US, the UK, and Australia over a twenty-four-year period and employing discursive and linguistic lenses, this paper scrutinizes the historical development of the founding principles of corporate governance. We aim to interpret and study the underlying meanings of public accountability within the policy discourses and hybridization patterns to explain the manifold ‘doomed to fail’ attempts in the integration of the essence of integrated thinking and reporting into the core of the business and corporate governance. Drawing on critical discourse analysis (CDA), the study reveals how the continued privileging of the isolated economic-based accountability agenda, coupled with the marginalization (or absence) of other logics of accountability, is distortedly normalized over time. The findings uncover traces of resistance to recognition, ineffective attempts to compromise, and selective coupling strategies at the macro level of corporate governance policy-setting as responses to the competing accountability logics. This study contributes toward disentangling the complex relationship between multiple and competing (dominant) logics of accountability, and classical liberalism (and neoliberalism). The study contributes to contemporary social dialogues regarding structural reforms in search of a corporate governance manifesto that enables an effective operationalization of the intended goals of integrated thinking and reporting.

AI Accountability: Approaches, Affecting Factors, and Challenges

Accountability is one of core ethical principles for artificial intelligence (AI) systems. It is often cited as a must-have property especially in high-stake applications. This survey article investigates AI accountability from different key perspectives for its effective operationalization. Major approaches for achieving accountability are reviewed and typical factors affecting accountability are identified.

Examining enablers and barriers to entrustable professional activity acquisition using the theoretical domains framework: A qualitative framework analysis study.

Without a clear understanding of the factors contributing to the effective acquisition of high-quality entrustable professional activity (EPA) assessments, trainees, supervising faculty, and training programs may lack appropriate strategies for successful EPA implementation and utilization. The purpose of this study was to identify barriers and facilitators to acquiring high-quality EPA assessments in Canadian emergency medicine (EM) training programs. We conducted a qualitative framework analysis study utilizing the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Semistructured interviews of EM resident and faculty participants underwent audio recording, deidentification, and line-by-line coding by two authors, being coded to extract themes and subthemes across the domains of the TDF. From 14 interviews (eight faculty and six residents) we identified, within the 14 TDF domains, major themes and subthemes for barriers and facilitators to EPA acquisition for both faculty and residents. The two most cited domains (and their frequencies) among residents and faculty were environmental context and resources (56) and behavioral regulation (48). Example strategies to improving EPA acquisition include orienting residents to the competency-based medical education (CBME) paradigm, recalibrating expectations relating to "low ratings" on EPAs, engaging in continuous faculty development to ensure familiarity and fluency with EPAs, and implementing longitudinal coaching programs between residents and faculty to encourage repetitive longitudinal interactions and high-quality specific feedback. We identified key strategies to support residents, faculty, programs, and institutions in overcoming barriers and improving EPA assessment processes. This is an important step toward ensuring the successful implementation of CBME and the effective operationalization of EPAs within EM training programs.

Strengthening the One Health Approach in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

One Health aims to use a multidisciplinary approach to combat health threats at animal, human, and environmental health interfaces. Among its broad focus areas are issues related to food safety, the control of zoonoses, laboratory services, neglected tropical diseases, environmental health, biosafety and biosecurity, and combatting antimicrobial resistance. A roundtable session was conducted on November 18, 2021, as part of the Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network's (EMPHNET) seventh regional conference to highlight what role Global Health Development (GHD)|EMPHNET can play to strengthen the One Health approach. This viewpoint summarizes the findings of the roundtable discussion to highlight the experts' viewpoints on strengthening the One Health approach, including the extent of zoonotic diseases and the dynamics of pathogens and emerging diseases; the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens as a silent pandemic; issues surrounding the globalization of trade and food safety; the importance of integrated solutions as a new norm; issues around the institutionalization and governance toward effective operationalization of the One Health approach in the region; and how the One Health approach can be operationalized at global, regional, and local levels. The panel concluded that One Health is an integrated unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems, and provided recommendations to strengthen the One Health approach. It also discussed how GHD|EMPHNET can play its role in transferring the concept of One Health from theory to practice via a solid operationalization road map guide at the Eastern Mediterranean region level. The five broad priority areas of this operational guide include (1) establishing and strengthening a governance architecture, legal framework, and policy and advocacy structure for One Health operationalization in the region; (2) fostering coordination, communication, and collaboration for One Health actions across the region and beyond; (3) building the workforce capacity for effective One Health operationalization in the region; (4) supporting regional platforms for timely, effective, and efficient data sharing and exchange on all One Health-related issues; and (5) supporting risk communication, behavior change communication, and community engagement efforts in the region.

Protecting great apes from disease: Compliance with measures to reduce anthroponotic disease transmission

AbstractThe emergence of infectious diseases, such as COVID‐19, impacts livelihood strategies and conservation tools reliant on human‐wildlife interactions, such as wildlife‐based tourism and research. This is particularly relevant to great ape conservation, as humans and great apes are susceptible to being infected by similar pathogens.Evidence‐based strategies are required to prevent infectious disease transmission to great apes and people involved in, or living close to, tourism sites. The development of disease‐safe recommendations and their effective operationalisation require an understanding of what affects visitor compliance.Based on an international sample of past (N = 420) and potential future visitors (N = 569) to wild great ape tourism sites in Africa, we used an online questionnaire to characterise visitors' practices, assess expectations (e.g. about proximity to great apes) and identify key factors related to potential compliance with disease mitigation measures. This was implemented adapting a framework from health literature (the Health Belief Model; HBM), particularly focused on reducing COVID‐19 transmission at an early stage of the pandemic.Visitors expressed less willingness to being vaccinated against COVID‐19 (which, at the time our survey was conducted, had only just started being administered to very high‐risk groups), wearing a facemask during trekking (although willing when viewing the apes) and quarantine after international travel before visiting great apes. Region of nationality, expectations about the visitor experience and perceived effectiveness of specific measures were important factors explaining variation in potential compliance across multiple behaviours.By gaining a better understanding of what fosters compliance with disease mitigation measures, we obtained insights that are essential for assessing feasibility, facilitating effective communication, and guiding implementation at great ape tourism sites with importance not only for COVID‐19 but also for other infectious diseases more broadly, particularly at early stages of future pandemics. While requiring adaptive management as situations evolve (e.g. vaccination becoming more widely accessible), these will contribute towards a more sustainable visitor experience that can effectively deliver positive outcomes for people and biodiversity.Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.

Beyond tithes and offerings: Revolutionising the economics of Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean economic crisis has exposed the unsustainability of traditional sources of Church finances. Churches that depend on tithes, freewill offerings and donations have been facing incapacitation, a disturbing predicament that has been further worsened by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the context of abject poverty and perennial price hikes of basic commodities. While attention has been given to the exploitative commercialisation of the gospel by charismatic churches, scholarship on the economics of classical Pentecostal churches is scanty. Observing fluctuating, unsustainable and unreliable incomes, this study explored the vulnerability of operating without diversified revenue and fundamentality of economising ecclesiology. Applying a theonomic reciprocity concept and using a literature-based approach, this article overviewed the nexus between ecclesiology and economics, reviewed and problematised traditional sources of ecclesial finances. Resultantly, it proposed diversification of revenue through business, interrogated problems and panaceas of doing business as churches. Conclusively, the study argued that when churches establish investments, they will not only sustain themselves, but also missionise their businesses and advance the gospel in the marketplace, hence the rationality of revolutionising their economics.Contribution: This article debunks the interplay of ecclesiology and economics by reviewing contextual realities and financial sources of classical Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe. It calls for scholarly and clerical attention to a theology of stewardship and investment towards economic sustainability, effective operationalisation and realisation of missio Ecclesiae in volatile contexts.

Exploring micro-foundations of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities in social purpose organizations

PurposeThis study aims to explore the micro-foundations of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities (KBDCs) in social purpose organizations (SPOs). The KBDCs facilitate SPOs to successfully manage the acquisition, creation and combination of knowledge to sustain their pursuit of socioeconomic value creation by effectively recognizing and addressing opportunities.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a multiple-case study research design based on the semi-structured interviews of the founders and top managers of case SPOs. The semi-structured interviews were then compared with the theoretical framework of KBDCs following an abductive research approach.FindingsThis study identifies that certain capabilities are required to recognize and leverage the opportunities by SPOs. The authors found ten micro-foundations of KBDCs that sustain successful operationalization and overall development in SPOs. By using an abductive reasoning approach, the authors noted that certain KBDCs are essentially required for the operationalization and overall development of SPOs.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors conducted “semi-structured interviews” of founders and top managers that are retrospective in nature. From the implication viewpoint, this study provides insights for practitioners and researchers as it deepens the comprehension and contribution of knowledge and knowledge-related activities and procedures in SPOs.Practical implicationsKBDCs and their specific micro-foundations can help social entrepreneurs to delineate their idea, strategic processes and actions to achieve effective operationalization and overall sustainable development.Originality/valueThis study improves the understanding of Teece et al. (1997) theoretical construct of dynamic capabilities (DCs) and extends the framework of Zheng et al. (2011) simultaneously by exploring KBDCs that develop in the context of SPOs. The authors used an abductive reasoning approach that is vital for exploring dynamic capabilities; consequently, this study contributes to the approach of DCs and proffers a methodological advancement that can facilitate future research in this direction.

A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement on the Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in North and Southern Africa

COVID-19 has forced many governments to take emergency health measures which are undermining productive capacities and disrupting global supply chains. Southern and Northern Africa have been heavily impacted by such measures. According to UNCTAD statistics (2021), the average annual growth rate of exports in Northern and Southern Africa fell by 27.61% and 6.96%, respectively in 2020. Yet, the effective operationalization of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) could have limited some of the pandemic’s economic impacts. Using a computable general equilibrium model, this paper first analyzes the pandemic’s economic impact and then assesses the ability of the AfCFTA to mitigate the economic impacts of COVID-19. The simulation results show that the AfCFTA would mitigate the economic impact in Southern and Northern Africa. It reduces the decline in intra-regional exports by 7.87 percentage points in 2021. The study emphasizes the need to remove non-tariff barriers to amplify potential positive effects.

Exploring the implementation of evidence-based optimisation strategies: A qualitative study of the experience of diagnostic radiographers

IntroductionRadiographers are responsible for ensuring safe and effective use of ionising radiation. Through evidence-based practice (EBP), valuable optimisation strategies can be implemented to fulfil these responsibilities. This study aimed to explore radiographers' attitudes, perceptions, and experience of using evidence-based optimisation strategies. MethodsA Grounded Theory approach using in-depth interviews. UK-based radiographers were recruited. Discussions focused on (1) the role of evidence-based optimisation strategies in daily practice, (2) assistance in implementing evidence-based optimisation strategies, and (3) the role of EBP and optimisation strategies in the future. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using open and axial coding. ResultsParticipants (n = 13) stated that EBP is not frequently used to implement optimisation strategies. Participants relied on the knowledge taught in education settings and their professional skills to optimise in daily practice, alongside departmental protocols. Barriers identified as affecting the implementation of optimisation strategies related to reluctance to change, a lack of support from superiors, and a lack of resources to engage with EBP. Some participants expected the use of optimisation strategies to become unnecessary due to technology advancements. ConclusionThe results indicate that effective operationalisation of EBP is not part of daily practice among radiographers to implement valuable optimisation strategies in daily practice. Implications for practiceThe potential barriers to implementing evidence-based optimisation strategies highlighted in this study suggest that improving access to resources and empowerment of individual radiographers is required to enable radiographers to implement optimisation strategies.

Implementing transitional justice in post-transition Central African Republic: What viable options?

The Central African Republic currently is in search of the most suitable approach to adopt in order to address serious crimes and human rights violations committed in the country in recent years. This article is a contribution to the ongoing debate relating to transitional justice options in post-transition CAR. It suggests a three-pronged policy; focusing on the perpetrators, the victims and on society generally. The proposed policy in respect of perpetrators refers to the International Criminal Court, the Special Criminal Court and the national judiciary. Amnesty could be granted to suspected perpetrators willing to cooperate fully with transitional justice institutions. Such individuals equally could be subjected to diverse forms of lustration in exchange for forgiveness. As far as victims are concerned reparation programmes should be adopted and the necessary skills provided in order to enable them, their relatives and communities to earn a living. Lastly, society-focused transitional justice initiatives could involve the effective operationalisation of the Truth, Justice, Reparation and Reconciliation Commission, the establishment of a permanent national peace and dialogue commission and the involvement of community-based mechanisms and religious leadership. Yet, in order to increase the likelihood of success for the proposed transitional justice policy, the overall capacity of the CAR state ought to be significantly improved. Furthermore, external polities will have to refrain from interfering in the country's internal affairs and, at the same time, the international community should increase its support of the CAR.

Visualizing Person-centered Long-term Care: An Exploratory Scoping Review and Evidence Mapping

Despite decades of professional, academic, and policy interest in person-centered long-term care (LTC), the field continues to be challenged by the absence of a comprehensive depiction of the concept and a lack of consistency reflected across studies and measures. In response, a participatory action, research-focused, partnership between an institution of higher education and an LTC community (the University of Maine Center on Aging and The Cedars), with funding from The Mayer-Rothschild Foundation, is identifying and mapping the landscape of person-centered LTC in nursing homes and assisted living communities. A collaborative, ongoing, exploratory scoping literature review and evidence mapping has compiled a database of 663 academic and 115 grey literature articles through 65 systematic searches reviewing over 4,296 articles. An iterative process from both the resident and organizational perspectives revealed nine core domains (e.g. dining, resident care, environment, quality improvement, identity and personhood, etc.) and two substantive research gaps (the intersection of person-centered long term care with diversity, equity, and inclusion issues, and pandemic considerations). For mapping purposes, domain content was analyzed categorically based on concept, information revealed about resident, family, and staff experience, and operations applicability. The identified person-centered LTC domains, categorical analysis, identified gaps, and visual representation via mapping will contribute to generating research ideas, supporting the development of effective operationalization for LTC settings, and contributing to an understanding of the theoretical scope and concrete elements of a person-centered care model that aims to improve the wellbeing and quality of life of older adults in long-term residential settings.

Ketamine-Assisted and Culturally Attuned Trauma Informed Psychotherapy as Adjunct to Traditional Indigenous Healing: Effecting Cultural Collaboration in Canadian Mental Health Care.

Ketamine therapy with culturally attuned trauma-informed psychotherapy in a collaborative cross-cultural partnership may provide a critical step in the operationalization and optimization of treatment effectiveness in diverse populations and may provide a foundation for an improved quality of life for Indigenous people. Decolonizing Indigenous health and wellbeing is long overdue, requiring an equal partnership between government and Indigenous communities, built upon an aboriginal culture holistic foundation of balance of mind, body, social and spiritual realms, and within the context of historical and lived experiences of colonialism. Culturally attuned trauma-informed psychotherapy paired with ketamine—a fast-acting antidepressant that typically takes effect within 4 hours, even in cases of acute suicidality—may be uniquely qualified to integrate into an Indigenous based health system, since ketamine’s therapeutic effects engage multiple neuropsychological, physiological, biological, and behavioral systems damaged by intergenerational complex developmental trauma. Ketamine holds the potential to serve as a core treatment modality around which culturally engaged treatment approaches might be organized since its brief alteration of normal waking consciousness is already a familiar and intrinsic element of healing culture in many Indigenous societies. There is great need and desire in Indigenous communities for respectful and sacred partnership in fostering more effective mental health outcomes and improved quality of life.