Empirical Study Research Articles

How can firms get benefits from the innovation ecosystem? Empirical evidence from Pakistan

PurposeThis research intends to analyze the innovation ecosystem factors that play a vital role in firm performance. As a result, large-scale empirical studies on the innovation ecosystem are rare, and fewer efforts have been made to determine if and how different factors affect the ecosystem models of firms. There has yet to be a substantial empirical study on the innovation ecosystem.Design/methodology/approachData were acquired from Pakistani IT companies. The results show that factors of the innovation ecosystem significantly contribute to business performance. The essential assumption is that resource endowment, organizational culture, knowledge and competence, and technology capability are allied to the innovation ecosystem.FindingsThe findings are crucial from a managerial view because firms must focus on changing their innovation ecosystem factors model to achieve greater performance. Radical changes in the firms will only be worthwhile if they value their resource endowments. To attain superior firm performance via influential factors of the innovation ecosystem, IT administrators need to build organizational cultural capacities to adapt to changes brought on by digitization quickly and effectively. However, this must be supplemented by improving organizational knowledge, competencies and technological capabilities to enable organizations to modify their ecosystems.Originality/valueEventually, firms can better respond to changes in their settings if they combine these variables by implementing an effective innovation ecosystem model, which leads to greater sector and superior financial performance.

Identification of Passion Fruit Nutrients for Elderly People Using Network in Network Architecture: An Empirical Study in Thailand

The growing elderly population has led to a rise in health issues, particularly chronic diseases. Passion fruits contain numerous nutrients that may help in the treatment of chronic diseases. However, specific recommendations for daily passion fruit nutrient intake for the elderly are currently lacking in the literature. This research aimed to identify passion fruit groups and to suggest the appropriate daily passion fruit nutrient intake for elderly people using network in network (NiN) architecture. This research demonstrates that the NiN model can be effectively applied to identify passion fruit groups for the elderly. It is more efficient than other convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures. The results show that NiN can correctly identify passion fruit groups and suggest the appropriate amount of nutrient intake for the elderly, achieving + 96.76% accuracy in the training dataset and 95.89% accuracy in the validation dataset, surpassing 84.6% accuracy achieved by EaglAI. Sensitivity analysis of the NiN model using mean absolute error (MAE) for geometric transformations revealed consistent training image results and model robustness. This research benefits elderly people with chronic diseases by providing tailored recommendations for daily passion fruit intake, based on the analysis of sugar nutrients using the NiN model.

The effect of provincial policies on seismic disaster mitigation in China: An empirical study.

With the development of earthquake disaster reduction efforts in China, the content of earthquake disaster reduction policies has become increasingly enriched and improved. Particularly, multiple provincial governments have proposed earthquake disaster reduction planning policies. It is important to explore whether these policies can affect disaster mitigation. Therefore, this paper summarizes the earthquake disaster reduction plans and factors influencing seismic resilience. Panel data from 24 provinces between 2012 and 2021 were collected, and a difference-in-differences approach was used to construct an econometric model to evaluate the policy effects and analyze the enhancement of seismic resilience. The results show that the implementation of earthquake disaster reduction policies has a positive impact on earthquake monitoring, evacuation, and emergency relief capabilities, and the estimated policy effects are statistically significant. Moreover, a series of tests were conducted. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Earthquake disaster reduction policies have a positive impact on the improvement of seismic resilience in provinces. (2) Provinces with a higher number of earthquakes experience more significant effects from earthquake disaster reduction policies. (3) Provinces with higher seismic peak ground acceleration values exhibit more pronounced improvements in seismic resilience.

Impact of linkage level on inferences from big data analyses in health and medical research: an empirical study

BackgroundLinkage errors that occur according to linkage levels can adversely affect the accuracy and reliability of analysis results. This study aimed to identify the differences in results according to personally identifiable information linkage level, sample size, and analysis methods through empirical analysis.MethodsThe difference between the results of linkage in directly identifiable information (DII) and indirectly identifiable information (III) linkage levels was set as III linkage based on name, date of birth, and sex and DII linkage based on resident registration number. The datasets linked at each level were named as databaseIII (DBIII) and databaseDII (DBDII), respectively. Considering the analysis results of the DII-linked dataset as the gold standard, descriptive statistics, group comparison, incidence estimation, treatment effect, and moderation effect analysis results were assessed.ResultsThe linkage rates for DBDII and DBIII were 71.1% and 99.7%, respectively. Regarding descriptive statistics and group comparison analysis, the difference in effect in most cases was “none” to “very little.” With respect to cervical cancer that had a relatively small sample size, analysis of DBIII resulted in an underestimation of the incidence in the control group and an overestimation of the incidence in the treatment group (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.62 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.63–4.23] in DBIII vs. 1.80 [95% CI: 1.18–2.73] in DBDII). Regarding prostate cancer, there was a conflicting tendency with the treatment effect being over or underestimated according to the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results summary staging (HR = 2.27 [95% CI: 1.91–2.70] in DBIII vs. 1.92 [95% CI: 1.70–2.17] in DBDII for the localized stage; HR = 1.80 [95% CI: 1.37–2.36] in DBIII vs. 2.05 [95% CI: 1.67–2.52] in DBDII for the regional stage).ConclusionsTo prevent distortion of the analyses results in health and medical research, it is important to check that the patient population and sample size by each factor of interest (FOI) are sufficient when different data are linked using DBDII. In cases involving a rare disease or with a small sample size for FOI, there is a high likelihood that a DII linkage is unavoidable.

An Empirical Study on Hazards Faced by Marine Organisms

Marine ecosystems and aquatic habitats face a number of threats from humans. Serious conservation attention and efforts should be drawn and directed towards restoration of fragmented marine habitats and estuarine ecosystems. Threats are manifold: i.e., primarily from overexploitation of marine resources, overfishing, climate warming, sewage disposal, industrial chemical discharge, oil spills, invasive species, and dredging. MPAs are areas of the ocean that are set aside for conservation and have strict regulations on human activities. MPAs can help to protect marine life from overfishing, pollution, and other threats. India has established a number of MPAs, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Marine National Park, which is home to a diverse range of marine life. India has also enacted a number of fishing regulations, such as the Marine Fisheries Act, which is designed to protect fish stocks. The research method followed here is empirical Research. A total of 200 samples have been taken out of which is taken through Random sampling. The sample frame taken by the research through the general public based on a questionnaire .The primary sources are taken from the general public in the form of survey method. The information was collected from secondary sources from journal articles, books and reports of presidency non governmental organisations. The independent variable taken here is age, gender, education, occupation. The dependent variables are causes of marine pollution, marine organisms cruelty, marine habitat, transport etc. The statistical tool used here in this research is graph(mean) and scaling . The main aim of this research is to study and analyze the hazards faced by marine life and resources and the steps to protect them

Determinants of Procurement Ethics Among Public Institutions in Ghana: An Empirical Study

Determinants of Procurement Ethics Among Public Institutions in Ghana: An Empirical Study

Future trends in Fintech and sustainability: Empirical study

This study delves into the potential direct impact of Fintech adoption, regulatory environment, technological infrastructure, and customer trust on the competitiveness of Fintech solutions. The study employs a questionnaire to gather data from 228 respondents in Jordan aged 18 or older, who were aware of Fintech and were selected through social media and other relevant channels. The outcomes from the Smart PLS path analysis reveal that Fintech adoption significantly impacts the competitiveness of Fintech solutions, supported by regulatory influence and technological infrastructure. Customer trust is crucial, fostering competitiveness through security, transparency, and reliability in Fintech services. Notably, the study contributes theoretical insights by underscoring the pivotal role of cultural acceptance in the dynamics of Fintech adoption and trust. From a practical standpoint, the findings suggest the formulation of tailored strategies for diverse markets, with an emphasis on trust, and an adaptation of product development to align with cultural nuances. However, the study acknowledges limitations and underscores the importance of longitudinal and comparative research to comprehensively grasp the cultural influences on Fintech.

An Empirical Study on Hazards Faced by Marine Organisms

Marine ecosystems and aquatic habitats face a number of threats from humans. Serious conservation attention and efforts should be drawn and directed towards restoration of fragmented marine habitats and estuarine ecosystems. Threats are manifold: i.e., primarily from overexploitation of marine resources, overfishing, climate warming, sewage disposal, industrial chemical discharge, oil spills, invasive species, and dredging. MPAs are areas of the ocean that are set aside for conservation and have strict regulations on human activities. MPAs can help to protect marine life from overfishing, pollution, and other threats. India has established a number of MPAs, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Marine National Park, which is home to a diverse range of marine life. India has also enacted a number of fishing regulations, such as the Marine Fisheries Act, which is designed to protect fish stocks. The research method followed here is empirical Research. A total of 200 samples have been taken out of which is taken through Random sampling. The sample frame taken by the research through the general public based on a questionnaire .The primary sources are taken from the general public in the form of survey method. The information was collected from secondary sources from journal articles, books and reports of presidency non governmental organisations. The independent variable taken here is age, gender, education, occupation. The dependent variables are causes of marine pollution, marine organisms cruelty, marine habitat, transport etc. The statistical tool used here in this research is graph(mean) and scaling . The main aim of this research is to study and analyze the hazards faced by marine life and resources and the steps to protect them

On and off line hate speech and academic performance in secondary education in Cameroon

Despite the increasing scientific attention given to hate speech, there is a lack of empirical studies examining the effect of hate speech among secondary school students and its association with academic achievement. The objective of this research is to assess the associations between online and offline hate speech based on gender, religion, ethnic affiliation, and academic achievement. The results suggest that hate speech is not spread evenly across the distribution of students, but rather is concentrated primarily among students with lower academic performance, both online and offline. More specifically, hate speech based on gender and ethnicity was found to have significant and negative associations with educational outcomes when it occurred online. In contrast, hate speech based on religion also had a significant and negative associations with educational outcomes when it occurred offline. It is worth noting that a student's ability to connect to the internet from his or her own phone is positively associated with better school results, while presence on social networks is negatively associated with these results. These results may be helpful considering policies to improve healthy school environments in the future.

A scoping review on word-reading resilience in literacy: Evaluating empirical evidence for protective factors

BackgroundTo date little is known about factors that might contribute to positive literacy outcomes in children with (a risk of) reading difficulties (RD). Research into resilience in literacy is needed to understand why some children with (a risk of) RD can overcome their difficulties in the face of adversity. AimThis scoping review aims to 1) provide a framework and operationalize study designs and statistical approaches for studying academic resilience; and 2) systematically review empirical evidence for promotive, protective, and skill-enhancing factors involved in resilience in atypical literacy development of children with (a risk of) word-level RD. MethodThe systematic literature search included empirical studies with a focus on compensation in literacy development, including samples of 6- to 16-year-old children with a detectable (risk of) word-level RD. Outcome measures had to include at least one relevant literacy measure. ResultsAnalysis of the 22 included studies revealed two main findings: 1) most studies had (very) small sample sizes and thus low statistical power to find relevant effects; 2) study designs and/or statistical analyses used were often insufficient to distinguish between promotive, protective, and skill-enhancing factors. Furthermore, findings point towards underrecognition of evidence for promotive and skill-enhancing factors as well as overinterpretation of the same evidence towards protective effects. ConclusionOverall, empirical evidence for protective factors is sparse and at present based on only a few studies. Based on the current findings, we state implications for the field of educational psychology in planning and conducting research into resilience in literacy.

Stimming as Thinking: a Critical Reevaluation of Self-Stimulatory Behavior as an Epistemic Resource for Inclusive Education

Peripheral sensorimotor stimming activity, such as rocking and fidgeting, is widely considered irrelevant to and even distracting from learning. In this critical-pedagogy conceptual paper, we argue that stimming is an intrinsic part of adaptive functioning, interaction, and cognitive dynamics. We submit that when cultural resources build from students’ own sensorimotor dynamics, rather than subjugating them to hegemonic corporeal norms, learners’ intrinsic sensorimotor behaviors may be embraced and empowered as mental activity. This call for transformative inclusive pedagogy is of particular importance for neurodivergent children whose sensorimotor engagements have historically been ostracized as disruptive. Following a conceptual analysis of stimming that builds on a range of neuro-cognitive empirical studies drawing on post-cognitivist embodied cognition theory, we imagine inclusive educational futures that disrupt sedentary instructional design to elevate minoritized learners’ sensorimotor activity. As proof of concept, we present an example inclusive embodied activity, balance board math, a pedagogical tool designed to elicit stimming as thinking. We propose a set of design heuristics for realizing stimming’s pedagogical potential.

Le rôle infirmier auprès de personnes aînées en milieux d’hébergement depuis la pandémie de COVID-19 : protocole d’une revue de la portée

<p>Introduction: The nursing role in elderly care has received increased attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore essential to better understand the enactment of the nursing practice through professional activities carried out in long-term care facilities since the pandemic.</p><p>Objective: To identify and synthesize the activities performed by nurses caring for elderly persons in long-term care facilities since the COVID-19 pandemic through a scoping review of literature from 2020-2023. A framework combining the Nursing Role Effectiveness Model by Irvine et al. (1998) and the Cadre de référence sur l’exercice infirmier auprès des personnes hébergées en centre d’hébergement et de soins de longue durée from the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (2018) will allow for the identification of independent, dependent and interdependent nursing activities in these settings.</p><p>Method: The review will follow the scoping review method of the Joanna Briggs Institute (Peters et al., 2020). We will query CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases to identify empirical studies published in English and French from 2020 to 2023. The selection of relevant studies will be carried out independently by 2 reviewers. Data on nursing activities will be extracted, categorized, and analyzed in line with the scoping review framework.</p><p>Discussion and Research Spin-offs: This research will identify nursing activities since the COVID-19 pandemic through recent studies that have addressed this topic in the context of long-term care facilities. Recommendations will be made concerning activities that are infrequently or not at all carried out by nurses, as well as factors that influence these activities.</p>

L’accès aux services de fertilité pour les femmes lesbiennes, bisexuelles ou pansexuelles et les personnes queer, trans ou non-binaires : une revue rapide des écrits scientifiques

<p>Introduction: Lesbian, bisexual, and pansexual (LBP) women as well as transgender, queer, and non-binary individuals (TQNB) often rely on medically assisted reproduction (MAR) to build their families, but do not always have access to these services. Currently, there appears to be no literature that comprehensively reviews, from an ecosystemic perspective, the main factors determining LBP women's and TQNB people's access to MAR.</p><p>Objective: This rapid review aims to identify, from an ecosystemic perspective, the factors described in the scientific literature as influencing LBP women's and TQNB people's access to MAR.</p><p>Methods: A literature search using 11 search engines identified 22 articles presenting results of recent empirical studies (2018-2023) using various methodologies. Relevant results were subjected to thematic analysis, and identified factors were classified within an ecosystemic model.</p><p>Results: The identified factors are (1) at the microsystemic level, support from the social network and healthcare personnel; (2) at the exosystemic level, healthcare personnel's awareness of sexual and gender diversity, adequacy of information and documentation, organizational logic of fertility services, cost of services, legislation; (3) at the macrosystemic level, heterocisnormativity as a cross-cutting influence.</p><p>Discussion and conclusion: To ensure access to MAR for LBP women and TQNB people, a comprehensive and multi-level approach is necessary. Suggestions for health practices and public policies are proposed.</p>

Estimation of the Hazardous Chemical Leakage Scale Inside Buildings Using CFD

Increased industrialization and aging infrastructure have resulted in leaks of hazardous chemicals, such as CO. Leak modeling is crucial to developing emergency response strategies. Therefore, we simulated the time to criticality (TTC), which is the time to reach the threshold limit for occupational exposure, of a CO leak. The basis of the study is a fire dynamics simulator, a computational fluid dynamics model that was used to investigate the movement of CO in various scenarios, including using different building layouts and areas, temperatures, and leak diameters. Multiple regression analysis was performed to obtain regression equations for the TTC as a function of the independent variables. Ultimately, we found that the type of dispersion varies with respect to the temperature-dependent density of CO, and, among the independent variables, the leak diameter had the strongest effect on the TTC. The regression equations with logarithmic conversion were validated and found to have higher accuracy than those without logarithmic conversion. The findings provide useful information for developing emergency response plans regarding leak size in the case of hazardous chemical leakage. However, empirical studies of different gas types and leakage scenarios are required.

L’accès aux services de fertilité pour les femmes lesbiennes, bisexuelles ou pansexuelles et les personnes queer, trans ou non-binaires : une revue rapide des écrits scientifiques

<p>Introduction: Lesbian, bisexual, and pansexual (LBP) women as well as transgender, queer, and non-binary individuals (TQNB) often rely on medically assisted reproduction (MAR) to build their families, but do not always have access to these services. Currently, there appears to be no literature that comprehensively reviews, from an ecosystemic perspective, the main factors determining LBP women's and TQNB people's access to MAR.</p><p>Objective: This rapid review aims to identify, from an ecosystemic perspective, the factors described in the scientific literature as influencing LBP women's and TQNB people's access to MAR.</p><p>Methods: A literature search using 11 search engines identified 22 articles presenting results of recent empirical studies (2018-2023) using various methodologies. Relevant results were subjected to thematic analysis, and identified factors were classified within an ecosystemic model.</p><p>Results: The identified factors are (1) at the microsystemic level, support from the social network and healthcare personnel; (2) at the exosystemic level, healthcare personnel's awareness of sexual and gender diversity, adequacy of information and documentation, organizational logic of fertility services, cost of services, legislation; (3) at the macrosystemic level, heterocisnormativity as a cross-cutting influence.</p><p>Discussion and conclusion: To ensure access to MAR for LBP women and TQNB people, a comprehensive and multi-level approach is necessary. Suggestions for health practices and public policies are proposed.</p>

Job rotation and its impact on health care marketing An empirical study of the opinions of a sample of employees in a number of hospitals / Erbil

The research aimed to find out the impact of job rotation on health care marketing in (hospitals in Erbil), by studying the medical services provided by the surveyed hospitals. The research problem was expressed by many questions, including: What is the effect of job rotation on health care marketing? What is the reality of job rotation and health care marketing in the surveyed hospitals? For this reason, the researcher surveyed the opinions of the study population, which numbered (75) individuals, distributed among four hospitals in the city of Erbil, namely (Zanko-Al-Ahly Hospital, Rizkari Hospital-Governmental, Erbil Teaching Hospital-Governmental, and the College of Dentistry Consultant), (71) questionnaire were returned and (66) questionnaires, were valid for analysis, and the empirical results showed that there is a significant effect and importance of job rotation and health care marketing, and the research reached a set of conclusions and suggestions .

Ethical discourse of ethical (Islamic) finance: a systematic literature review (1988–2022) and the way forward

Purpose This paper aims to portray the publication pattern, key themes, study trends and future directions for the studies on ethics in Islamic finance. A total of 194 published documents that includes journal articles, books and book chapters and conference proceedings were screened for the period 1988 to August 2022 and categorized based on designated sectors of the Islamic finance industry. This paper also highlights the change in research trends in all three sectors of Islamic finance and suggests possible areas for future research. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted using the “advanced search” function of “google scholar” by using the option “find articles” with the keywords “Ethic (s/al)”, “Islamic banks”, “Islamic banking”, “Islamic finance”, “Islamic capital markets” Takaful, Islamic insurance without restricting the time frame, author list and the platform. Furthermore, the search for relevant articles was conducted on other mainstream index databases such as “Web of Science” and “Scopus”. Findings Among the highlights of the findings were an increase in publications on ethical issues after the global financial crisis and an increase in publications in high-impact mainstream business and finance journals. A higher number of studies were documented in the area of Islamic banking and finance followed by Islamic capital markets and Islamic insurance/Takaful. Although a greater number of empirical studies were published than conceptual studies, dominance was resulted due to the replication of the studies in various jurisdictions based on the same concepts or models rather than applying diversified concepts in various jurisdictions. Originality/value This study contributes to the growing literature on ethical and/or Islamic finance as a guide for researchers to identify research gaps and provides a systematic direction for future studies in the area of ethics in Islamic finance.

Machine learning-based causal inference for evaluating intervention in travel behaviour research: A difference-in-differences framework

Causal inference with the difference-in-differences (DID) framework is popular in identifying causal effects with observational data and has started to be applied in recent travel behaviour studies. Most relevant transportation research adopts the conventional linear parametric DID model, which is known to be inflexible and restrictive. This study applies non-parametric DID estimators facilitated by machine learning (ML) models for causal inference in a variety of data scenarios. Semi-parametric and doubly robust estimators are established and integrated with the ML-based cross-fitting pipeline. Simulation studies and empirical case studies are conducted to showcase the ability of ML-based DID to detect causal effects from both simulated and real-world datasets. Results suggest that the proposed methods outperform conventional DID models in all data scenarios. Light working models are generally preferred over hyperparameter-dependent ones for their comparable performance, lower computational burden, and higher levels of compatibility to real-world empirical analysis. Empirical case studies also demonstrate how the proposed DID method could be applied to evaluate the impacts of various interventions on travel behaviour in different contexts. The present study adds to the existing travel behaviour literature by leveraging machine learning algorithms and non-parametric estimators to the impact evaluation of external interventions on travel characteristics and expanding the application of causal inference approaches in transportation research.

Goal orientations and typology of women entrepreneurs: an empirical study in Gampaha district

Despite making up more than half of the population in Sri Lanka, women's economic engagement is very low. Encouragement of their entrepreneurial endeavours would raise both their level of living and the economy. Knowing their goals, typologies, determinants of the typologies is useful in real-world situations given the growing significance of women entrepreneurs. The majority of studies on entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, however, focus on men with little attention paid to women. This study examines goal orientations, typologies and determinants of the typologies of women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Goal orientations were examined by using push and pull factors. Typologies were recognized based on Goffee and Scase model. Factors affecting on typologies were examined using multinomial logit model. The sample is 150 registered women entrepreneurs in Gampaha district. A simple random sampling method was adopt for the study. Primary data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. It was done by direct interviews and telephone interviews. Result of the survey shows that insufficient family income is the main push factor for venturing into business. From pull factors, its hobby. There weren’t any radical women entrepreneurs in the sample. New typology was identified and named as “Conventional – Innovative”. Majority of the women entrepreneurs are conventional followed by domestic. Least number of respondents belong to new typology. Education is significant with the Innovative typology and Conventional – Innovative typology. Age of the current business is significant with the domestic typology and Innovative typology. Marital status, Number of children, previous employment status is significant with none of the typologies. By conducting a similar study in other districts, we can find out whether there are radical women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka or not. These findings may have immense value for promoting women's entrepreneurship in impoverished nations like Sri Lanka because there is no any similar research in Sri Lanka.

Goal orientations and typology of women entrepreneurs: an empirical study in Gampaha district

Despite making up more than half of the population in Sri Lanka, women's economic engagement is very low. Encouragement of their entrepreneurial endeavours would raise both their level of living and the economy. Knowing their goals, typologies, determinants of the typologies is useful in real-world situations given the growing significance of women entrepreneurs. The majority of studies on entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, however, focus on men with little attention paid to women. This study examines goal orientations, typologies and determinants of the typologies of women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Goal orientations were examined by using push and pull factors. Typologies were recognized based on Goffee and Scase model. Factors affecting on typologies were examined using multinomial logit model. The sample is 150 registered women entrepreneurs in Gampaha district. A simple random sampling method was adopt for the study. Primary data were collected using an interviewer administered questionnaire. It was done by direct interviews and telephone interviews. Result of the survey shows that insufficient family income is the main push factor for venturing into business. From pull factors, its hobby. There weren’t any radical women entrepreneurs in the sample. New typology was identified and named as “Conventional – Innovative”. Majority of the women entrepreneurs are conventional followed by domestic. Least number of respondents belong to new typology. Education is significant with the Innovative typology and Conventional – Innovative typology. Age of the current business is significant with the domestic typology and Innovative typology. Marital status, Number of children, previous employment status is significant with none of the typologies. By conducting a similar study in other districts, we can find out whether there are radical women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka or not. These findings may have immense value for promoting women's entrepreneurship in impoverished nations like Sri Lanka because there is no any similar research in Sri Lanka.