Executive Director Research Articles

Still a long way to go on patient safety.

Sam Foster, Executive Director of Professional Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, looks at the findings of a parliamentary review into progress on safety proposals and encourages nurses to be part of the culture change.

“We’re Taking Back the Narrative”. An Interview with Benetick Kabua Maddison, of the Marshallese Educational Initiative

This contribution features an interview with Benetick Kabua Maddison, the Executive Director of the Marshallese Educational Initiative (MEI), an NGO that aims to raise awareness of the effects of nuclear testing and climate change on the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI). The RMI was the site of 67 nuclear tests conducted by the United States between 1946 and 1958, which resulted in environmental degradation and health problems for the local population. The interview explores the current renegotiation of the Compact of Free Association (COFA), a treaty that governs the political and economic relationship between the RMI and the US. The interview also discusses the challenges and opportunities for the Marshallese community, the conflicting statements regarding the contamination of the RMI, and the prospects of a nuclear weapons ban and global solidarity to address the twin existential threats facing the RMI and the world.

Letter From the Executive Director Dr. John Cho.

Letter From the Executive Director Dr. John Cho.

How do gender diversity and CEO profile impact dividend policy in banking? Evidence from Islamic and conventional banks

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the determinants of the dividend distribution policy in a banking setting.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 48 Islamic banks and 94 conventional banks from 15 Islamic countries over a period spanning from 2012 to 2019, we document the effect of board gender diversity, executive director profile and governance mechanisms on dividend payment decisions. We also analyze the moderating effect of Islamic banks on the relationship between gender diversity and dividend policy.FindingsWe find new evidence on the role of women directors in determining dividend distribution policy and confirm the risk aversion hypothesis, hence contributing to the ongoing debate on gender diversity literature. Our results show that the moderating role of Islamic banks is effective only for small banks.Practical implicationsOur findings have practical implications for shareholders, managers and financial analysts as they suggest rationalizing dividend distribution strategies.Originality/valueOur study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on dividend policy, gender diversity and Islamic banks.

We Are All Afghanistan

On October 15, 2021, Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) convened an online, public conversation with former Minister for Women's Affairs in Afghanistan, Sima Samar, and former Governer of Bamyan Province, Habiba Sarabi, moderated by former UNFPA Executive Director Thoraya Obaid and WLP Founder and President Mahnaz Afkhami. Audience members were from around the world, including directors of WLP’s partner organizations in Asia, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. A question and answer session, moderated by WLP Executive Director, Allison Horowski, followed the conversation.

AI adoption rate and corporate green innovation efficiency: Evidence from Chinese energy companies

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) technology has led to transformative shifts in the human landscape. Moreover, as a potent driving force behind the evolution of energy companies, green innovation has the potential to be supported by advanced technologies such as AI. However, academic research exploring the association between the AI adoption rate and green innovation in energy companies is scarce. This study analyzes data on Chinese listed energy companies from 2010 to 2020. Our findings indicate that energy companies with extensive AI adoption exhibit higher green innovation efficiency. This finding is particularly pronounced among firms that report substantial participation in environmental, social, and governance activities. However, our findings reveal that executives who focus on short-term benefits can undermine the positive influence of AI adoption on green innovation. These main findings are notably significant for energy companies where the roles of chief executive officer and board director are unified, state-owned enterprises, and companies that do not hold bank shares. This study offers novel insights and valuable guidance for policymakers regarding the strategic development of energy companies, thereby bridging a significant gap in the literature.

The needs of newly qualified nurses.

Sam Foster, Executive Director of Professional Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, considers the importance of providing the right support to nurses who are new to the register.

ASM News for March 2024

Abstract News about ASM members, chapters, events, awards, conferences, affiliates, and other society activities. Topics include: Tirpak chairs 2024 nominating committee; affiliate societies name committee chairs for 2023-2024; updates from ASM President Pradeep Goyal and Interim Executive Director Carrie Wilson; ASM Member Spotlight on Abhijit Sengupta; Gujarat Chapter visits plant and hosts nuclear expert; Korinko receives SRNL lifetime award; In memoriam for ASM past president Jack Simon.

The Rhetoric and the Reality of the New Southern Strategy: Courtland Cox, Nsé Ufot, and Charles V. Taylor Jr. in Conversation

Abstract: This article is an edited intergenerational conversation among Courtland Cox, a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960s; Nsé Ufot, former executive director of the New Georgia Project; and Charles V. Taylor Jr., executive director of the Mississippi State NAACP, on April 7, 2023. This discussion explores key issues in today's national politics, especially the role of southern Black and Brown voters and strategists, and calls for the emergence of a New Southern Strategy. Cox drew on his work with SNCC in Lowndes County, Alabama, in the 1960s, which focused on voter registration and the development of the Lowndes County Freedom Party, while Ufot discussed her work leading the New Georgia Project as they transformed Georgia's electorate, and Taylor highlighted his work on the 2015 Better Schools, Better Jobs Ballot Initiative 42 in Mississippi.

ConV2X Ignition Pitch Competition

The 4th Annual ConV2X 2023 Ignition Pitch Competition spotlighted advancements in frontier technologies in telehealth, artificial intelligence, platform approaches, and blockchain technology in healthcare. The pioneering minds behind these startups are poised to reshape the future of healthcare in areas such as genomics, bio NFTs, decentralized research, AI IQ, and personalized care pathways. We wish to thank competitors, and wish them luck and success on their market journeys. A sincere thank you is extended to fellow judges for their outstanding expertise, and time in evaluating contestants. We hope viewers will find the video of high interest, as it provides a glimpse into what funders look for when evaluating startups in healthcare. For details on the ConV2X 2024 Pitch Event, please email info@partnersindigitalhealth.com. Finalists Bronwyn Bridges, Founder, PragmaClin Research Inc Daniel Uribe, CEO, Genobank.io Paniz Jasbi, Founder, Theriome Inc Rama Rao, CEO, BloqCube Ryan Wright, Founder, Nvelope LLC Seth Dobrin, PhD, Founder & CEO, Qantm AI Tanvi Vattikuti Abbhi, Co-Founder, Veta Health Winners Bloqcube Inc, for Blockchain Tech in Healthcare Veta Health, for AI & Tech in Telehealth Judges William Taranto, President, Merck Global Health Innovation Fund Nisa Amolis, Managing Partner, A100x Ventures Dr. Shayan Vyas, Executive Physician and Medical Leader, Health Systems Dr. Sweta Sneha, Executive Director of Healthcare Management Informatics. Professor of Information Systems, Coles College of Business, Kennesaw University Ruby Gadelrab Tudor, CEO, MDsrupt Dr. Fernando De La Peña Llaca, CEO & President, Aexa Shwen Gwee, Former VP and Head of Global Digital Strategy, Bristol Myers Squibb – MODERATOR

A blueprint for the NHS.

Sam Foster, Executive Director of Professional Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, considers the report of the Times Health Commission, which looked at all aspects of the NHS.

The more things change in higher education, the more they stay the same

Richard Chaite, Executive Director of the National Center for Postsecondary Governance and Finance at the University of Maryland, wrote the following in September 1989:

The Orlando Fringe: An Overview

This paper provides a brief overview of the Orlando Fringe, which started in 1992 with the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, which is considered the longest-running Fringe theatre festival in the United States. The paper opens with a discussion of the origins and structure of Fringe festivals and then focuses on the history and organization of the Orlando Fringe, using a variety of sources, including an interview with former Executive Director George A. Wallace.

BUILDING INTELLIGENCE REVIEW INTO NATIONAL SECURITY - THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

On November 17, 2023, John Davies, Executive Director, National Security Intelligence Review Agency (NSIRA), presented Building Intelligence Review into National Security: The Canadian Experience for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The key points discussed were the structure and responsibilities of NSIRA, the challenges and experiences of NSIRA in the last four years, and NSIRA’s plans for the future.
  
 Received: 01-20-2024
 Revised: 01-29-2024

BALANCING NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS WITH PRIVACY, THE CHARTER AND RULE OF LAW: BUILDING CHECKLISTS INTO OPERATION PLANNING

On November 17, 2023, Justin Dubois, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Office of the Intelligence Commissioner, presented Balancing National Security Interests with Privacy, the Charter and Rule of Law: Building Checklists into Operation Planning for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the Intelligence Commissioner Act, the role of the Intelligence Commissioner in providing quasi-judicial review of certain activities of intelligence agencies, and the Intelligence Commissioner’s use of the principles of necessity, proportionality, and reasonableness to guide its decision-making process.
  
 Received: 01-04-2024
 Revised: 01-29-2024

ROLE AND PURPOSE OF NSICOP IN CANADIAN NATIONAL SECURITY

On November 17, 2023, Lisa-Marie Inman, Executive Director, Secretariat, and Jennifer Kleniewski, Senior Review Analyst and Team Lead, at the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP), presented the Role and Purpose of NSICOP in Canadian National Security for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period with questions from the audience and CASIS Vancouver executives. The key points discussed were the committee's mandate to provide increased parliamentary oversight over the activities of Canadian intelligence agencies, the content and release of its annual and special reports, and the nonpartisan and representative nature of the committee's composition.
  
 Received: 01-04-2024
 Revised: 01-26-2024

The Development of an Ergonomic-Based Roadmap for Improving Passenger Mobility Onboard Intercity Trains in Indonesia

Today in Indonesia, intercity railway service has become an essential part of human mobility and can carry more than 298 million passengers in 2022. It is a reliable service since it can carry many passengers and is a form of time-efficient mode of transport. More and more people are using this service including disabled passengers. They are using the railway to travel between the cities. The railway industry has changed a lot in recent years. If we look at the 90s and before, traveling by train was almost entirely used by non-disabled people and very few of the passengers are people with disabilities. It has now changed while some disabled passengers used the rail, and it created some issues for the industry. This service for disabled passengers is a part of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and the Author found a mismatch between what the disabled passenger wanted and what the industry responded to. This research will try to understand what is happening in the Indonesian railway industry, compare it with the same issue in another country like the United Kingdom (UK), and what or how to get the ideal design and service for intercity onboard service for disabled passengers. This research uses the triangulation ergonomic principle which consists of measurement, observation, and consultation to combine a literature study and interviews with representatives of 4 stakeholders in the Indonesian railway: 1) A regular user of disabled passenger; 2) Executive Director of one of the Indonesian disability passengers Organization; 3) Traffic coordinator of the Directorate General of Railway (DGR) in the Indonesian Ministry of Transport; 4) A Vice President of the Passenger Division from PT. Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero)/KAI, an intercity railway operator. This interview is then combined with the data from the literature study then analyzed with several methods like Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to get the ideal coach design, Communication-Persuasion Matrix theory to address the communication gap between the parties and make an ideal roadmap solution with phasing approach.

Policy Dialogue: The Meaning and Purpose of Public Education

AbstractPublic education, at least as it has been known for the past several generations in the US, is under threat. Conservative state legislatures from Arizona to Florida have enacted sweeping voucher legislation, channeling taxpayer dollars to private schools. At the same time, a vicious culture war has engulfed the public education system in controversy, creating new political opportunities for ideologues and opponents. In this context, the editorial team at HEQ felt it important to reflect on why we have public schools in the first place. What are they good for and what should be taught? Whom should they serve, and who should govern them?For this policy dialogue, we asked Carol Burris and Johann Neem to discuss the past, present, and future of open-enrollment, taxpayer-supported public schools. Carol Burris is the executive director of the Network for Public Education Foundation and the author of several books. Prior to that role, Dr. Burris was a classroom teacher and a high school principal, earning educator of the year and principal of the year awards. Johann Neem is a professor at Western Washington University and a historian of the early American republic. The author of several books, including Democracy’s Schools: The Rise of Public Education in America, Dr. Neem is also a member of HEQ’s editorial board.HEQ policy dialogues are, by design, intended to promote an informal, free exchange of ideas between scholars. At the end of the exchange, we offer a list of references for readers who wish to follow up on sources relevant to the discussion.

What do we mean by accountability?

Sam Foster, Executive Director of Professional Practice, Nursing and Midwifery Council, considers the concepts and principles of professional accountability.

Letter From the Executive Director Dr. John Cho.

Letter From the Executive Director Dr. John Cho.