Strategy Execution Research Articles

Examining the Role of Strategy Implementation in Enhancing the Performance of Egyptian SMEs

This study examines the effect of strategy implementation—focusing on organizational structure, organizational culture, and resource allocation—on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Egypt. The relevance of this research lies in addressing how effective strategy execution can enhance operational effectiveness and market competitiveness in dynamic environments. The purpose is to analyze the impact of these components and provide actionable insights for SMEs. A quantitative methodology was employed, utilizing regression analysis to examine data collected from SMEs in Egypt. The findings reveal that organizational culture and resource allocation collectively explain 57.9% of the variance in SME performance (R² = 0.579). Organizational culture emerged as the most influential factor, demonstrating a strong positive correlation (r = 0.733, p < 0.001) and fostering innovation, collaboration, and strategic alignment. Resource allocation significantly impacts performance (β = 0.276, p < 0.001), emphasizing the strategic importance of leveraging resources. In contrast, organizational structure presented mixed results, with areas of positive perception (mean = 3.97) and misalignments (mean = 2.7) highlighting the need for adaptive and decentralized structures. These results underscore the critical roles of culture and resource allocation in successful strategy execution, providing practical recommendations for Egyptian SMEs to enhance innovation, agility, and competitiveness.

AI-Driven Strategic Insights: Enhancing Decision-Making Processes in Business Development

This research explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in strategic decision-making and business development, highlighting its capacity to enhance strategy execution, optimize operations, and foster innovation through advanced methodologies such as machine learning, predictive analytics, and natural language processing. By employing a mixed-methods approach that combines deductive and inductive research designs, crosssectional case analysis, and a review of empirical literature, the study underscores AI’s critical role in delivering datadriven insights, accurate forecasting, and robust simulations, positioning it as a cornerstone of competitive advantage in dynamic global markets. However, key challenges such as ethical concerns, data quality issues, and disparities in organizational AI readiness are identified, emphasizing the need for robust governance frameworks and interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure responsible adoption. The findings provide actionable guidance for businesses, policymakers, and researchers, advocating for the alignment of AI implementation with strategic goals and ethical standards to harness its full potential for sustainable growth and innovation

Objective Measurement Method for Assessing Plank Test Among Female Basketball Players

Trunk muscle strength plays a crucial role in the sport-specific movements of basketball players. While the plank test is widely used to assess trunk muscle endurance, its lack of standardization limits its effectiveness in high-performance environments. The study aimed to establish objective criteria for determining when the plank position was no longer maintained and introduced a new variable, postural error (PE). This study involved 23 (age = 15.22 years, weight = 66.3 kg, height = 174 cm) healthy female basketball players from the Hungarian U16 first league. Using optical motion capture, the thoracic kyphosis (TK) and lumbar lordosis (LL) were monitored during the test. The cutting point (CP) was determined based on four mathematical formulas and the estimation of two independent experts. PE was determined based on the area under the curves, which characterizes the magnitude of displacements until the endpoint. According to the difference between the expert-estimated and the calculated CP, the initial angles were calculated as the average of the first 15 seconds, and the CP was set at a ±25° deviation. Additionally, PE was introduced to assess the strategy of maintaining the plank posture, revealing differences in performance even among participants with similar CP times. The present study introduces a new method for determining the test's objective starting angle endpoint and introduces a new variable, PE, to characterize trunk stability, distinguishing between different execution strategies. The findings suggest that this approach provides a more reliable and objective way to assess trunk muscle endurance and core stability.

Effectuation, causation and CEO tenure: navigating SME performance in dynamic environments

Purpose Amidst global economic uncertainties, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are confronted with the pressing need to adapt to complex and ambiguous external landscapes. This study aims to investigate how the decision-making strategies of causation and effectuation are related to the performance of Russian SMEs and whether and how this relationship is moderated by CEO tenure. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 602 Russian SMEs, hierarchical linear modeling and its estimation using ordinary least squares is conducted. Robustness checks and post hoc analysis are performed. Findings The findings provide insights into effectuation theory by looking at and testing its basic tenets in an underexplored context and investigating the direct and moderated effects of causation and effectuation on SME performance. Moreover, the study builds upon upper-echelons theory (UET) by considering CEO tenure – an individual-level characteristic – as a moderator in the effectuation/causation and SME performance relationship. A framework for understanding how executives’ attributes shape organizational strategies and outcomes is provided. Originality/value The findings contribute to effectuation theory by testing its core principles in emerging market context, examining both direct and moderated effects of causation and effectuation on SME performance. Moreover, the study builds upon upper-echelons theory (UET) by considering CEO tenure – an individual-level characteristic – as a moderator in the effectuation/causation and SME performance relationship. This study offers a framework for understanding how executive characteristics shape organizational strategies and outcomes in emerging markets.

Nationwide guideline implementation: a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators from the perspective of guideline organizations

BackgroundAlthough the number of Dutch guidelines is growing, their uptake and impact in clinical practice lag behind. Dutch guideline organizations, including guideline developers, governmental agencies, health insurers and other national organizations, play a crucial role in developing, authorizing and/or supporting the use of guidelines. They influence end users' awareness, accessibility, understanding, acceptability and applicability of guidelines. In this study, we explored the barriers and facilitators that representatives of guideline organizations perceive in nationwide guideline implementation.MethodsIn this qualitative study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 35 representatives of 24 different guideline organizations. We employed framework analysis, using the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), and thematic analysis to guide our data analysis and synthesis.ResultsWe found 45 different implementation barriers and 35 implementation facilitators. We identified seven overarching themes of interrelated barriers and facilitators that extended across the stakeholders involved and domains within the updated CFIR. These included 1) healthcare demand and resource availability, 2) implementation knowledge and expertise, 3) guideline characteristics: representation, evidence base and design, 4) partnerships and collaboration, 5) characteristics of guideline implementation planning, execution and evaluation strategies, 6) characteristics of healthcare professionals: need, capability, opportunity and motivation, and 7) legal and regulatory compliance.ConclusionsWe obtained valuable insights into the complex dynamics of barriers and facilitators perceived by guideline organizations in nationwide guideline implementation. Our findings help explain why healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities may (not), slowly or inconsistently adhere to guideline recommendations in practice. The identified barriers and facilitators provide guidance for policymakers to re-evaluate and improve nationwide quality and guideline implementation policies, to eventually improve clinical practice and health outcomes for patients.

Inter-subject variability in muscle synergies during squatting movements.

This study investigated muscle synergies during squats, focusing on the individual variability in motor control strategies. Sixteen healthy young adults performed 20 squats at a consistent speed. Muscle synergies were extracted using non-negative matrix factorization, followed by k-means clustering and discriminant analysis to categorize similar muscle synergies. The analysis revealed an average of 3.3±0.4 muscle synergies per squat. Further clustering analysis identified six distinct types of muscle synergies across subjects. Among them, one synergy involving trunk, hip, and knee extensors was universal across all subjects, representing a fundamental motor strategy for successful squat execution. In contrast, the remaining synergies varied across subjects, exhibiting mutual exclusivity, where individuals systematically select one synergy type or another during the same squatting phase. These findings demonstrate inter-subject variability in muscle synergies during the squat and underscore the coexistence of universal and individualized muscle synergies in human motor control, providing practical insights for designing personalized squat training and rehabilitation strategies guided by neuromechanical principles.

SAP Cloud Migration: Strategies, Challenges, and Best Practices

This comprehensive technical article explores the strategies, challenges, and best practices for successful SAP cloud migration in today's rapidly evolving digital landscape. It examines various aspects of cloud migration, including market trends, implementation approaches, and critical success factors. The article provides detailed insights into three primary migration strategies: Greenfield, Brownfield, and Bluefield, along with their respective technical considerations and use cases. It covers cloud platform selection criteria, focusing on major providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP, while discussing their specific capabilities and differentiating features. The article delves into essential aspects of migration planning, including infrastructure requirements, data security, system integration, and performance optimization. Special attention is given to zero downtime migration techniques, outlining pre-migration assessment, execution strategies, and post-migration optimization procedures. The article emphasizes the importance of proper planning, technical preparation, and continuous monitoring throughout the migration journey.

The Role of Sustainable Social Work in Pro-Environmental Behaviors: A Mediation and Moderation Model

ABSTRACT Purpose This study seeks to investigate the effectiveness of psychological interventions in promoting pro-environmental behaviors by fostering resilience and self-efficacy in Iranian youth. Additionally, based on social cognitive theory, the research examines the role of sustainable youth social work in moderating these relationships. Materials and methods A cross-sectional design was employed to collect data via a survey from 384 Iranian participants, using validated scales. Structural equation modeling was utilized to examine the relationships among the variables. Results The results demonstrate a notable and substantial impact of psychological interventions on pro-environmental behaviors. Additionally, the findings indicate the mediating role of resilience and self-efficacy in the relationships between psychological interventions and pro-environmental behaviors. Ultimately, sustainable youth social work has emerged as significant moderators, enhancing the impact of psychological interventions on pro-environmental behaviors. Discussion The findings from this study carry significant implications for the design and execution of psychological strategies focused on changing environmental behaviors. The study underscores the importance of psychological factors in shaping environmental behavior, thereby enhancing the overall understanding of sustainable behavior development in youth.

Early childhood teachers’ understanding of executive functions and strategies employed to facilitate them

Early childhood teachers’ understanding of executive functions and strategies employed to facilitate them

Dynamic Task Planning for Multi-Arm Harvesting Robots Under Multiple Constraints Using Deep Reinforcement Learning

Global fruit production costs are increasing amid intensified labor shortages, driving heightened interest in robotic harvesting technologies. Although multi-arm coordination in harvesting robots is considered a highly promising solution to this issue, it introduces technical challenges in achieving effective coordination. These challenges include mutual interference among multi-arm mechanical structures, task allocation across multiple arms, and dynamic operating conditions. This imposes higher demands on task coordination for multi-arm harvesting robots, requiring collision-free collaboration, optimization of task sequences, and dynamic re-planning. In this work, we propose a framework that models the task planning problem of multi-arm operation as a Markov game. First, considering multi-arm cooperative movement and picking sequence optimization, we employ a two-agent Markov game framework to model the multi-arm harvesting robot task planning problem. Second, we introduce a self-attention mechanism and a centralized training and execution strategy in the design and training of our deep reinforcement learning (DRL) model, thereby enhancing the model’s adaptability in dynamic and uncertain environments and improving decision accuracy. Finally, we conduct extensive numerical simulations in static environments; when the harvesting targets are set to 25 and 50, the execution time is reduced by 10.7% and 3.1%, respectively, compared to traditional methods. Additionally, in dynamic environments, both operational efficiency and robustness are superior to traditional approaches. The results underscore the potential of our approach to revolutionize multi-arm harvesting robotics by providing a more adaptive and efficient task planning solution. We will research improving the positioning accuracy of fruits in the future, which will make it possible to apply this framework to real robots.

Exploring the functional benefits and barriers of deep squats: Strategies for optimal execution and overcoming limitations

Exploring the functional benefits and barriers of deep squats: Strategies for optimal execution and overcoming limitations

Catalyzing strategy: guidelines for better strategy and strategic thinking

PurposeVUCA times are pressuring senior executives more than ever to find pathways to growth, reinvention, and innovation. Strategy continues to be a primary tool in the toolkit, and yet execution is regularly rated as poor, and strategy is often misunderstood and misaligned. The article identifies patterns and symptoms of poor strategy processes and structures, and highlights successful approaches to activating strategy by breaking down barriers, communicating strategy more effectively, and creating the conditions for strategic thinking to permeate the organization.Design/methodology/approachThis article usefully highlights trends in approaches to the strategy process and strategic practices, drawn from a range of recent robust surveys of thousands of senior strategists, CEOs, and senior executive teams across industries, sectors, continents. It also integrates examples and insights gleaned from applied strategy consulting engagements across industries, and curates contemporary examples from an array of sectors.FindingsMost strategy execution is ineffective, slow, and misunderstood. Many strategy processes and structures do not overcome bureaucracy and misalignment, and many organizations lose sight of the links between mission, purpose, and strategy. Higher performing organizations invest in communicating strategy and purpose extensively, deploy dedicated strategy teams at multiple altitudes, and make strategy and strategic thinking a routine practice that informs decision-making (not a static, annual exercise).Originality/valueThrough succinct examples drawn from an array of industries and the distillation of a range of survey results of strategists and senior executives/CEOs, this paper identifies patterns and symptoms of poor strategy and poor strategic thinking, highlights examples of good strategic thinking and processes, and proposes practical guidelines for improvement to catalyze strategy and strategic thinking throughout an organization. The insights are relevant to an array of organizations, large, medium and small, across industries and sectors.

Strategic Management Practices and Performance of Nepalese Commercial Banks

The adoption of good strategic management strategies is crucial for banks to attain long-term success and maintain their competitiveness. Examining strategic management practices in Nepalese commercial banks is aim of this study. Four independent variables i.e., environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy execution, and strategy assessment control, as well as one dependent variable i.e., performance of Nepalese commercial banks, were primary focus of this study. This study is quantitative in nature. For the study, a causal comparative research design was chosen. To gather primary data on the factors and investigate their relationship, a survey was conducted. Simple random sampling was used to distribute self-administered questionnaires for this investigation. Data was collected from 216 respondents from among 10 commercial banks of Nepal. In the analytical section, both descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. Data analysis was made using SPSS. With an R2 value of 0.685, the inferential analysis demonstrates that every aspect of strategic management techniques under investigation has a favourable and statistically significant effect on the operations of Nepal's commercial banks. Among the four dimensions of strategic management practices strategy formulation have the most influential role on performance of commercial banks in Nepal in financial and non-financial terms. Managers of Nepalese commercial banks should take steps to continuously apply the approaches of strategic management for long-term competitive advantage.

Is It Worth Imitating Other Investors’ Determinants of Effective Investment Strategies Among Students

Purpose: This study examines the investment strategies of Generation Z, focusing on how they define and implement these strategies. It explores the factors influencing their decisionmaking, such as risk aversion and time horizon, and investigates the impact of social interactions on their investment choices. Design/ methodology/approach: The research involved a total of 626 participants across two academic years (218 in 2022 and 408 in 2023), who developed and executed virtual investment strategies over a seven-week period using GPWtrader, an educational platform by the Warsaw Stock Exchange Foundation. Weekly meetings were held where participants presented their strategies, market observations, and results. After the investment period, a quantitative study was conducted with 314 students from the total sample (106 in 2021/22 and 208 in 2022/23), collecting data on their investment goals, instrument selection, and strategy adaptation methods. Findings: The main finding is that any strategy turned out to bring a better return rate than a strategy that was constantly shifting. Also, different strategies were adopted and many students were imitating the strategies of their peers, suggesting that the social aspect of the investment decision-making process should not be underestimated. Research limitations/implications: The study’s main limitations are its focus on a single, homogeneous group and its sample size, which limited the use of advanced statistical analyses. The authors plan to extend the research to compare the students’ returns with market portfolio returns, analyze correlations between strategies and outcomes, and include other sub-populations of Generation Z. Originality/value: This paper extends the perspective on the investment behaviors of Generation Z, emphasizing the importance of consistency in strategy execution and the influence of social interactions. It makes a significant contribution to understanding generational differences in financial decision-making, offering practical implications for financial education and investment training.

Berrylush: scaling for growth

Learning outcomes Working through the case and the questions that follow will allow students to evaluate: critically assess the effectiveness and feasibility of Berrylush’s business model through the lens of the Business Model Canvas; understand: explain the strategies used by the organisation to gain and sustain a competitive advantage; apply: use the principles of judo strategy to develop tactics for competing effectively against well-established brands; analyse: examine how environmental changes affect the organisation; and create: formulate a growth strategy for Berrylush. Case overview/synopsis Two young MBA graduates from a top Indian management institution dreamed of running a large-scale business, providing women all over India with high-quality western clothing. In 2017, Berrylush was born with an initial business model where they designed and manufactured all their products in-house. While at one point, their maximum production capacity was only 900 units a month, within a handful of years, the brand saw its highest selling week of 2022 with sales of over 50,000 orders on India’s largest apparel and fashion website. Co-founder Alok Paul is spearheading the company’s channel expansion, taking it from only direct-to-consumer online sales to offline sales, creating an omnichannel experience for shoppers. Complexity academic level The case can be used for an undergraduate or MBA program teaching a strategic management course after the fundamentals of strategic management have been taught but before strategy execution and implementation have been discussed. Supplementary material Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Critical edge: shaping the future of skills management for organizational success

Purpose Organizations face increasing pressure to optimize their human capital management strategies in today’s competitive business environment. As the nature of work evolves, the ability to identify, develop and leverage critical thinking skills has become paramount for organizational success. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Critical Edge Skills Framework (CESF), a novel approach to skills management that focuses on the cognitive demands of various roles within an organization. Design/methodology/approach The CESF provides a structured method for categorizing skills based on the level of critical thinking required and the nature of the work involved. By adopting this framework, organizations can better align their talent acquisition, development and succession planning strategies with the cognitive demands of different roles, ultimately driving strategy execution, innovation and competitive advantage. Findings The CESF represents a significant advancement in how organizations approach talent acquisition, development and succession planning. By adopting this framework, organizations can better understand the cognitive demands of various roles, align talent with the appropriate level of critical thinking and ensure that employees are well-suited to the nature of their work, whether it involves designing or executing tasks. Originality/value This paper’s skills taxonomy: provides a clear progression of cognitive abilities, from foundational skills to leadership and transformational thinking, allowing organizations to better understand critical thinking development; helps organizations identify the cognitive abilities required for different job roles, enabling more targeted and cost-effective talent acquisition, training and development; emphasizes the importance of higher-order thinking skills, which are crucial for driving innovation and organizational success; aligns with common educational frameworks, ensuring that graduates possess the critical thinking skills required by the modern workforce; and clarifies skill requirements, making it more manageable to determine the most suitable production resource for specific tasks. This optimizes the use of organizational resources and enhances productivity.

Enhancing operation effectiveness by maximizing daily EBITDA as a turnaround strategy execution system to enhance operation performance and profitability

Many companies struggle with strategy implementation due to the complex nature of execution. Some strategy execution systems depend on numerous indicators, making it challenging for managers to oversee effectively. Additionally, during times of financial difficulty, companies require a straightforward turnaround strategy execution system featuring clearly defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). This system should empower employees at all levels, fostering a shared sense of alignment and unity as the organization pursues common goals. The researchers aim to provide a simplified system for implementing turnaround strategies that ensures the company's profitability. To achieve this, they recommend utilizing daily Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) as the primary KPI, as it is entirely under operational control. Moreover, EBITDA can be integrated into business processes and remains solely within the purview of operations leaders and employees, thereby cultivating a sense of ownership and accountability. Once the company reaches a certain level of profitability, it can then incorporate additional KPIs. The researchers developed hypotheses based on deductive reasoning following a comprehensive literature review. They analyzed qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data from surveys. After implementing their program in a ferry company, they observed an approximate 33 % increase in revenue, a staggering 300 % surge in EBITDA, and an expansion of the EBITDA margin by over 250 %. The researchers validated their hypotheses through multiple case studies across ferry, shipbuilding, and aircraft manufacturing companies. This research contributes to the development of a straightforward turnaround strategy execution system by translating strategic programs and EBITDA targets into actionable plans for business processes daily. This approach assists leaders and employees in enhancing company culture and systems to achieve improved performance and profitability. The researchers focus on executing turnaround strategies effectively within company operations.

Understanding the Knowledge Concealment Predictors: A Proposed Framework for Knowledge Practitioners in Malaysia

This paper explores the knowledge concealment (KC) predictors among knowledge practitioners in Malaysia. It highlights that knowledge concealment (KC) is widely recognized as having a detrimental impact on individuals and organizations. Moreover, KC poses a significant challenge for organizations that are striving to enhance their knowledge management initiatives due to the difficulty in recognizing the existence of the information and the uncertain nature of its impacts. In addition, the prevalence of employees concealing their knowledge and expertise despite the organization's efforts to cultivate a culture of knowledge sharing. Thus, the act of concealing knowledge in an organization has an impact on the Sustainable Development Plan 9 (SDGs), which focuses on industry, innovation, and infrastructure, the Sustainable Development Plan 8 (SDGs), which targets decent work and economic growth to accelerate human capital development for an advanced nation, and the Twelfth Malaysia Plan (2021–2025), which emphasizes human capital through training and education. Therefore, it is crucial to study these predictors as they facilitate the prompt execution of proactive strategies to mitigate KC among knowledge practitioners. This study additionally proposes a novel conceptual framework that explores the relationship among variables, namely the lack of rewards in knowledge sharing, moral disengagement, internal competition, and psychological entitlement with a specific focus on knowledge concealment (KC). This framework presents significant potential for facilitating future research endeavors undertaken by other scholars.

UNDERSTANDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF MILITARY STRATEGY

Strategy is the most sophisticated form of military art, encompassing the theory and practice of organizing a nation's armed forces for war and managing large-scale military operations (known as strategic operations). Strategy is derived from and follows political policy, serving as a unified plan for all branches of the military. Military strategy involves diminishing an adversary’s physical capacity and willingness to fight, continuing this effort until one’s objectives are met. It occurs in both wartime and peacetime and may involve the use of force, either directly or indirectly, as a threat. Military strategy is typically divided into four components: ends (objectives), ways (courses of action), means (resources), and risk. The practice of military strategy is described alongside military power, which is enhanced by nine “principles of war”: objective, maneuver, surprise, mass, economy of force, offensive, security, simplicity, and unity of command. A general will likely employ combinations of military strategies, integrating them into a series of operations or campaigns. The term "strategy" originates from the ancient Greek "Strategos," meaning military leader. It is derived from the words "Stratos" (soldier, army) and "Ago" (management, leadership). The practice of military strategy involves the planning and execution of operations aimed at achieving specific objectives in warfare. Military power is bolstered by nine key principles of war: First of all, focus efforts on a clearly defined goal and position forces effectively to gain a tactical advantage. Also, strike the enemy unexpectedly to disrupt their plans and concentrate combat power at the decisive point to overwhelm the enemy. Furthermore, allocate resources efficiently to maximize effectiveness and take the initiative to seize and maintain the advantage. Next principles are the protection one's own forces and information from enemy actions and ensure plans and orders are straightforward and clear. Finally, maintain a centralized command structure for coherent strategy execution. These principles guide military leaders in crafting strategies that effectively utilize available resources and achieve desired outcomes in conflict scenarios.

Enhancing the Energy Density and Cycle Life of Li/Sulfurized Polyacrylonitrile (SPAN) Batteries

Li/sulfurized polyacrylonitrile (Li/SPAN) batteries are garnering attention for their potential in sustainable energy storage with notable advantages such as a high theoretical energy density exceeding 1000 Wh kg-1, surpassing the 750 Wh kg-1 of Li/NMC811, and being free of transition metals. The absence of transition metals addresses concerns related to their cost, scarcity, uneven distribution, and potential toxicity. However, current Li/SPAN batteries have yet to realize their full potential in terms of energy density and cycle life. This shortfall can be attributed to a lack of comprehensive understanding across various system levels, resulting in a dearth of well-directed research efforts.In this work, we conduct a thorough study of the energy density and cycle life of practical Li/SPAN cells using internally developed models. Our analysis revealed refreshed perspectives from the common consensus among the Li/SPAN battery community. Concerning energy density, we find that this output is notably influenced by SPAN voltage, electrolyte weight, and inactive weights. In addition to the conventional method of enhancing SPAN specific capacity, these parameters present fresh opportunities to boost the energy density of Li/SPAN batteries. Details about potential executive strategies and practical viability regarding each parameter are also discussed.Regarding cycle life, while the Coulombic efficiency of Li plating/stripping (Li CE) is widely recognized as a critical factor, our analysis reveals that its impact primarily lies in regulating the consumption of the electrolyte rather than that of Li metal. Therefore, controlling the chemistry of side reactions, represented by the average equivalent molecular weight (i.e., molecular weight over number of exchanged electron) and electrolyte density, emerges as a complementary approach to improve cycle life. Overall, our findings suggest that transitioning from heavy hydrofluoroether-based localized high-concentration electrolytes (LHCEs) to lightweight alkyl ether-based weakly-solvating electrolytes is beneficial for advancing Li/SPAN batteries, both in terms of energy density and cycle life.