External Collaboration Research Articles

Stakeholder perspectives on the barriers and facilitators of engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviours in underrepresented adolescents: a focus group study from the European SEEDS project

BackgroundObesity in adolescence has increased in the last decades. Adolescents fail to meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity (PA) and healthy diet. Adolescents with a low socioeconomic status (SES) particularly seem to have fewer healthy lifestyle behaviours. The European Science Engagement to Empower aDolescentS (SEEDS) project used an extreme citizen science approach to develop and implement healthy lifestyle behaviour interventions in high schools. As part of this project, key stakeholders were invited to reflect on the intentions of adolescents to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours. The aim of this study was to gain stakeholder insights into the barriers and facilitators to healthy lifestyle behaviours of adolescents from low SES areas and on the possible role of these stakeholders in facilitating healthy lifestyle behaviours.MethodsSix semi-structured focus groups were conducted in four European countries with 28 stakeholders from different settings (schools, community, and government), like teachers, policy advisors and youth workers. The theoretical framework of focus groups was based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The main questions of the focus groups were centred on PA and healthy diet. The focus groups were qualitatively analysed in NVivo using thematic analysis to identify topics and themes.ResultsAccording to stakeholders, adolescents have sufficient understanding of the importance of PA and a healthy diet, but nevertheless engage in unhealthy behaviour. Parents were mentioned as important facilitators for engaging adolescents in healthy lifestyle behaviours. Stakeholders listed lack of knowledge, time, and financial resources as barriers for adolescents from low SES families to engage in healthy lifestyle behaviours. The school environment was listed as an important facilitator of adolescents’ healthy lifestyle changes, but stakeholders acknowledged that current school days, curriculum and buildings are not designed to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. External support and collaboration with community and governmental stakeholders was seen as potentially beneficial to improve healthy lifestyle behaviours.ConclusionsThis study shows the variety of barriers adolescents from low SES areas face, and the need for a broader collaboration between key stakeholders to facilitate healthy lifestyle behaviours. Schools are regarded specifically as important facilitators. Currently, the school environment entails various barriers. However, when addressing those, schools can increase opportunities for healthy lifestyle behaviours of adolescents from low SES areas.Trial registrationThis study is registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 12/08/2021: NCT05002049.

Research priorities and trends in pulmonary tuberculosis in Latin America: A bibliometric analysis

Tuberculosis (TB) poses a significant global public health challenge, particularly in developing countries. Over the years, scientific research has played a pivotal role in addressing this disease. In this study, we aimed to analyze and outline the trends in scientific output on TB and identify research priorities in Latin America (LA) from 1990 to 2021. Scientific production was analyzed, and the number of publications, financing sources, and journal characteristics were evaluated. Collaboration networks and keywords were visualized using mapping analysis with VOSviewer software. Research themes were prioritized by country based on co-occurrence frequency. In total, 4399 documents were identified, a significant trend was evident in the number of publications per year (R2 = 0.981), and research substantially contributed to the reduction of TB-related mortality (R2 = −0.876). Most publications were original articles (83.8 %). The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease had the highest publication and citation rates per document. International collaboration was predominantly with the United States, France, and Canada. Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico had the highest number of publications and external collaborations. In LA, interest in researching studies related to treatment and diagnosis (32.5 %) was notably high, followed by epidemiology and screening (26.9 %). Among the 20 countries in LA, research priorities varied, with the highest emphasis on HIV/AIDS (14/20), epidemiology (9/20), anti-TB agents (6/20), and mortality (5/20). TB resistance was only considered a research priority in Brazil, Peru, and Haiti. Therefore, LA experienced significant growth in its scientific output, playing a crucial role in TB control. Strategic adaptation to the region's specific challenges was observed, particularly in HIV/AIDS coinfection, epidemiological studies, and drug resistance. This progress was achieved by outstanding international scientific collaboration. This holistic approach emphasizes the importance of research in the fight against TB in LA.

Factors influencing the development, recruitment, integration, retention and career development of advanced practice providers in hospital health care teams: a scoping review

BackgroundAdvanced practice providers (APPs), including physician assistants/associates (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs) and other non-physician roles, have been developed largely to meet changing healthcare demand and increasing workforce shortages. First introduced in primary care in the US, APPs are prevalent in secondary care across different specialty areas in different countries around the world. In this scoping review, we aimed to summarise the factors influencing the development, recruitment, integration, retention and career development of APP roles in hospital health care teams.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review and searched Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Ovid Global Health, Ovid PsycINFO and EBSCOhost CINAHL to obtain relevant articles published between Jan 2000 and Apr 2023 that focused on workforce management of APP roles in secondary care. Articles were screened by two reviewers independently. Data from included articles were charted and coded iteratively to summarise factors influencing APP development, recruitment, integration, retention and career development across different health system structural levels (macro-, meso- and micro-level).ResultsWe identified and analysed 273 articles that originated mostly from high-income countries, e.g. the US (n = 115) and the UK (n = 52), and primarily focused on NP (n = 183) and PA (n = 41). At the macro-level, broader workforce supply, national/regional workforce policies such as work-hour restrictions on physicians, APP scope of practice regulations, and views of external collaborators, stakeholders and public representation of APPs influenced organisations’ decisions on developing and managing APP roles. At the meso-level, organisational and departmental characteristics, organisational planning, strategy and policy, availability of resources, local experiences and evidence as well as views and perceptions of local organisational leaders, champions and other departments influenced all stages of APP role management. Lastly at the micro-level, individual APPs’ backgrounds and characteristics, clinical team members’ perceptions, understanding and relationship with APP roles, and patient perceptions and preferences also influenced how APPs are developed, integrated and retained.ConclusionsWe summarised a wide range of factors influencing APP role development and management in secondary care teams. We highlighted the importance for organisations to develop context-specific workforce solutions and strategies with long-term investment, significant resource input and transparent processes to tackle evolving healthcare challenges.

Enhancing Innovation Performance through Business Process Innovation: The Strategic Role of External Collaboration

Purpose: This research examines the effects of collaboration with external firms on innovation performance, with a specific focus on the mediating influence of business process innovation. The objective is to explore how external collaborations contribute to improving innovation performance by facilitating internal process innovations, enabling firms to effectively convert external knowledge into practical innovation results. Design/methodology/approach: Utilizing data from the Korean Innovation Survey (KIS), this research utilizes lo-gistic regression analysis to test the hypotheses concerning the relationships between external collaboration, business process innovation, and innovation performance. It measures innovation performance associated with product in-novation and assesses collaboration with external firms via a survey. Findings: The results demonstrate that external collaborations enhance innovation performance, emphasizing the value of external knowledge and the pivotal role of business process innovation in transforming this knowledge into tangible outcomes. This highlights the critical need to refine internal processes to maximize the benefits of external partnerships. Research limitations/implications: This study is limited by its focus on small and medium-sized enterprises in South Korea's manufacturing sector, so it may not fully represent the dynamics in other countries or sectors. Future research should explore the influence of external knowledge on firm performance across diverse contexts. Originality/value: This research contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the pivotal role of business process innovation as a key mediator in integrating external collaboration into firms' innovation strategies. By pro-viding empirical insights into the innovation practices of South Korean firms, it enriches the global discourse on innovation management. This study's integration of open innovation, firm attributes, and business process innovation into a unified analysis offers a comprehensive perspective on the factors influencing innovation success and under-scores the importance of internal processes in maximizing the benefits of collaboration with external firms.

Strategic and operational issues in sustaining community-based dementia support groups: the Get Real with Meeting Centres realist evaluation part 2

Objectives Support for people with dementia in their communities is neither robust nor consistent in the UK, often bolstered by third sector/grass-roots initiatives facing formidable challenges in sustaining long-term. The Get Real with Meeting Centres project explored factors involved in sustaining one such form of community-based support. This is the second of two linked articles outlining learning from this realist evaluation of Meeting Centres (MCs) for people with dementia and carers, which focusses on findings regarding their operational and strategic running. Method Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 77 participants across three MC sites in England and Wales, including people living with dementia, informal carers, staff, volunteers, trustees, and supporting professionals/practitioners. Data were themed, then analysed using soft systems methodology and realist logic of analysis. Results Forty-two ‘context-mechanism-outcome’ statements were generated, explaining how background circumstances might trigger responses/processes to produce wanted or unwanted outcomes regarding three key areas for MC sustainability: External relationships and collaboration; Internal relationships and practices; and Finances and funding. Conclusion Collaboration is essential to sustaining community-based initiatives such as MCs, particularly between local community and regional level. MCs need to be vigilant in mitigating pressures that create ‘mission drift’, as targeting a gap in the care pathway and maintaining a person-centred ethos are central to MCs’ appeal. Stable, ongoing funding is needed for stable, ongoing community dementia support. More formal recognition of the value of social model community-based initiatives, helped by improved data collection, would encourage more robust and consistent community dementia support.

Key ambidextrous IT governance mechanisms for successful digital transformation: A case study of Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI)

Many organizations tried to accelerate their digital transformation, but some of them failed, possibly due to poor governance. Previously the influence of ambidextrous IT governance mechanisms on digital transformation and organizational performance were studied. However, there is a need to investigate what are the key ambidextrous IT governance mechanisms that lead to a successful digital transformation and how they are implemented. A case study was conducted at BRI to address the problem. BRI is an incumbent bank that recently won numerous awards. The case study was chosen to investigate one instance in detail to discover contextual understanding that might not have become apparent priorly. The data was collected by semi-structured interviews triangulated with internal documents until data saturation. Subsequently, the collected data underwent thematic analysis. The findings revealed seven key ambidextrous IT governance mechanisms, encompassing board and executive, strategy and architecture, talent and culture, data and information, development and operation, internal and external collaborations, as well as risk and audit. The study also examined how BRI digital transformation dimensions (digital transformation strategy, strategic alignment, digital and IT assets, knowledge and capability, and innovation culture) impacted organizational performance. Lastly, BRI's organizational performance achievements were examined using operational excellence, customer experience, industry presence, and financial return dimensions. This study offers valuable research insights by exploring the key ambidextrous IT governance mechanisms that influence digital transformation and organizational performance. The study also provides the practical implications on how to implement key ambidextrous mechanisms toward a successful digital transformation, including its organizational performance achievements.

IMPROVING A CIRCULAR REVERSE LOGISTICS TO HANDLE PRODUCT RETURN: INSIGHTS FROM A GLOBAL ELECTRONICS SERVICES PROVIDER

In the retail industry, consumers often return goods for various reasons, including damage, flaws, or plain dissatisfaction. The storing of returned goods can result in insufficient arrangement of the existing storage space and capacity. Such issue can cause problems like longer processing times, higher operating costs, and reduced customer satisfaction, hence necessitating prompt response. Therefore, this case study was conducted in a global electronics services provider to examine how circular reverse logistics can enhance the handling of product returns as well as developing a smart product return strategy. It is believed that creating a plan for product returns and integrating internal process improvements with external collaboration are highly important. The results showed that the organisation can establish a circular reverse logistic process to lower the cost and amount of product returns, enhance consumer service, and boost profitability. Such findings can benefit organisations wishing to establish circular reverse logistics procedures to handle product returns.

Multi-stakeholder, intentional outreach for improving representative recruitment in Pragmatica–Lung (SWOG S2302).

11019 Background: Studies show that <10% of patients with cancer participate in clinical trials. Pragmatica – Lung (SWOG S2302) utilizes a pragmatic approach for a registrational (FDA) trial that allows less data collection and broader eligibility, thus decreasing barriers to diverse enrollment. S2302 aims to improve overall and diverse accrual by using a novel trial design and multilevel community engagement. Methods: S2302 is a real-world randomized phase III registrational study comparing pembrolizumab + ramucirumab vs investigator-chosen standard therapy in 2nd line advanced/metastatic NSCLC. A multi-stakeholder recruitment plan was developed to improve diverse accrual (with initial focus on recruiting Black patients). The plan was vetted through SWOG communications and SWOG Lung Committee’s Working Group, DEI champion, patient advocate, and community engagement subcommittee. The DEI champion identified sites in the Southeast with high minority accrual in prior trials and completed directed informational visits. An external firm created culturally and linguistically appropriate patient education material, engaged sites with historically high accrual of Black and/or LatinX patients, leveraged advocacy partners to improve community awareness, and monitored enrollment by site. A monthly accrual report with demographic summaries (including age, sex, race, ethnicity) and site enrollment information is generated from SWOG Statistics and Data Management Center to monitor accrual rate and diversity. Results: From March through December 2023 (Table), the study accrued 37% of its goal and is enrolling above its target rate of 25 pts/mo averaging 36/mo over the last 5 months. Of enrolled pts, 58% are male, 13% are Black, and 3% are LatinX; from 59 academic, 67 community (13% rural), and 2 VA sites. Comparatively, LungMAP S1800A (the phase II precursor to S2302) accrued 7% Black and 1.5% LatinX pts with an average accrual of 9.2 pts/mo. Through November, the external firm contacted 24 site PIs (63% community-based), whose sites had collectively enrolled 16 pts, for a normalized pre-call rate of 0.1340 pts/mo. After contact and through November, these sites enrolled 23 pts, a rate of 0.3835 pts/mo – a 186% increase. Conclusions: The intentional, multi-pronged recruitment plan has exceeded historical overall, Black, and LatinX patient accrual rates. The data highlight novel approaches to trial design, recruitment strategies, and increased internal and external collaboration resulting in improved diversity of clinical trial enrollment and may be a potential toolkit for future trials. Support: NIH/NCI grants U10CA180888 and U10CA180819; and in part by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, and Eli Lilly and Company. Clinical trial information: NCT05633602 . [Table: see text]

Self-Reliance in Community-Based Rural Tourism: Observing Tourism Villages (Desa Wisata) in Sleman Regency, Indonesia

Self-reliance is essential for community-based rural tourism (CBRT), ensuring effective running in the long term. However, existing studies have focused on general self-reliance conditions while overlooking details surrounding the community’s self-reliance in each activity of the CBRT value chain. This study filled this significant gap by observing community self-reliance in CBRT and considering the tourism value chain (TVC) framework. Built upon the abduction method, this study applied the systematic combining approach to observe three aspects of self-reliance, i.e., goals or objectives, rights and abilities, and owned resources, in the TVC of CBRT entities. Taking the case of CBRT in Sleman Regency, Indonesia, the data collection involved representatives of 49 community-based tourism villages (desa wisata). The results showed that observing community self-reliance in CBRT allows for the identification of multifaceted self-reliance problems in rural tourism communities. Apparently, the observed CBRT initiatives are unable to achieve complete self-sufficiency across all aspects of self-reliance. Reliance on external collaboration and support networks persists out of necessity rather than an inability to self-manage. Policy protections, capacity building, and collaborative partnerships are necessary to develop resilient and sustainable rural tourism amidst necessary dependencies. CBRT planning and policies should hence consider the abovementioned aspects of self-reliance to empower CBRT toward sustainable rural development.

In-situ construction of iron-modified nickel nanoparticles assisted by hexamethylenetetramine with the internal and external collaboration for highly selective electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction

Carbon dioxide (CO2) electroreduction provides a sustainable route for realizing carbon neutrality and energy supply. Up to now, challenges remain in employing abundant and inexpensive nickel materials as candidates for CO2 reduction due to their low activity and favorable hydrogen evolution. Here, the representative iron-modified nickel nanoparticles embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon (Ni1-Fe0.125-NC) with the porous botryoid morphology were successfully developed. Hexamethylenetetramine is used as nitrogen-doped carbon source. The collaboration of internal lattice expansion with electron effect and external confinement effect with size effect endows the significant enhancement in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction. The optimized Ni1-Fe0.125-NC exhibits broad potential ranges for continuous carbon monoxide (CO) production. A superb CO Faradaic efficiency (FECO) of 85.0 % realized at −1.1 V maintains a longtime durability over 35 h, which exceeds many state-of-the-art metal catalysts. Theoretical calculations further confirm that electron redistribution promotes the desorption of CO in the process for favorable CO production. This work opens a new avenue to design efficient nickel-based materials by considering the intrinsic structure and external confinement for CO2 reduction.

Creating Dynamic Community Resource Maps for Transition Planning

Community resource mapping (CRM) is a process for identifying community resources vital to the successful post-secondary transition to adulthood for youth with extensive support needs (ESN). By adopting the four-step process delineated in the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition’s Essential Tool: Community Resource Mapping, we present an adaptable digital CRM process that aligns with transition services as an outcome-based process. This is shown through enhancing internal and external collaboration efforts with various agencies, school staff, and families in identifying community resources in a streamlined and accessible process for youth with ESN.

THE DIGITAL LEAP: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SUCCESS IN TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIES

Digital transformation in traditional industries is an important step to remain competitive in the modern era. The application of digital technology in business operations can increase efficiency and provide a better customer experience. However, many traditional companies face challenges in adopting new technologies and developing digital skills. This research aims to explore the role of strategic management in supporting the success of digital transformation in traditional industries. This research uses a qualitative approach, with data obtained from the results of relevant research and previous studies. The collected data will be analyzed to find significant patterns and relationships. The research results show that a clear digital vision and strategy are critical to guiding transformation. Effective leadership and good change management are also crucial in overcoming internal resistance. Implementing digital technologies, such as automation and analytics, can significantly improve operational efficiency. The development of digital skills and competencies through continuous training and external collaboration is essential to support this change. With a comprehensive approach, traditional companies can overcome the challenges of digital transformation and take advantage of the opportunities offered by new technologies.

A journey in the world of craniofacial development: From 1968 to the future.

This article is based on my talk at the meeting "3rd Advances in Craniosynostosis: Basic Science to Clinical Practice", held at University College, London, on 25 August 2023. It describes my contribution, together with that of my research team and external collaborators, to the field of craniofacial development. This began with my PhD research on the effects of excess vitamin A in rat embryos, which led to a study of normal as well as abnormal formation of the cranial neural tube. Many techniques for analysing morphogenetic change became available to me over the years: whole embryo culture, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, cell division analysis, immunohistochemistry and biochemical analysis of the extracellular matrix. The molecular revolution of the 1980s, and key collaborations with international research teams, enabled functional interpretation of some of the earlier morphological observations and required a change of experimental species to the mouse. Interactions between the molecular and experimental analysis of craniofacial morphogenesis in my laboratory with specialists in molecular genetics and clinicians brought my research journey near to my original aim: to contribute to a better understanding of the causes of human congenital anomalies.

Applying collective action frameworks to analyse local-level collaboration for electric vehicle-related policies

Many of the most pernicious contemporary urban problems require local governments to organise collectively across jurisdictions and reorganise or coordinate internally across bureaucratic silos. Climate change, for example, is a complex system phenomenon impacting a range of interconnected socio-environmental systems in a region, such as water, transportation and energy infrastructures which may not be directly under the control of a single department or government. This often requires managers and policymakers to coordinate policy responses across siloed units within governments and through network-based arrangements across governments. Theories of polycentricity and collective action have long drawn attention to the barriers and opportunities of collaboration and multilevel governance in fashioning adequate responses to complex problems. However, these approaches typically fail to explicate the relationships or interactions between internal and external collaboration risks and the institutional mechanisms for ameliorating them. This article empirically explores this relationship between functional collective action (collaboration across departmental units within a single government) and intergovernmental collective action (collaboration across governments). Situated in the context of climate adaptation and electric vehicle (EV) policy efforts in cities, the article highlights the need for greater scholarly attention more broadly to the development of institutional collective action theory.

Patterns and trends of university-industry research collaboration in Ghana between 2011 and 2020

Purpose The ranking of universities and other research-intensive institutions in global ranking systems is based on numerous indicators, including number of articles with external collaboration, number of articles with international collaboration, number of articles with industry collaboration as well as co-patents with industry. The purpose of this paper is to examine university–industry research collaboration in Ghana, with the aim of exploring the relationship between the research output collaborations in the top four universities in Ghana and industry across different geographical scales. Design/methodology/approach This study’s data was obtained from the SciVal database, which drawn its data from the Scopus bibliographic and citation database. The bibliographic and citation data were extracted using a search of the publications affiliated to the University of Ghana, for the period 2011–2020. Findings Key findings demonstrate a constant rise in the number of research publications by the selected universities over time. Research collaboration intensity in the selected universities in terms of co-authored publications was higher as compared to single-authored publications. University–industry research co-authorships were, however, lower when compared to university–university research co-authorships. The university–industry research co-authorships occurred mostly with Europe, Asia-Pacific and North American-based institutions as opposed to African-based institutions. In Ghana, four industry-based institutions were engaged in intensive research with the selected universities. Originality/value This study demonstrates that, for each selected university, it is possible to measure the performance of individual universities in both intra-regional and international collaboration. Such results may be useful in informing policy as well as merit-based public funding of universities in Ghana.

A Comprehensive Approach to Graduate Education in the Biomedical Sciences

There are roughly 130 biomedical sciences-related PhD training programs in the U.S. with about half of the graduates remaining in academia post-graduation. Biomedical sciences PhD programs emphasize rigorous training in research to prepare students to enter academia but may lack training in other areas that contribute to career success. Trainees face many challenges in graduate school, including meeting the basic scientific knowledge and research milestones, developing strong communication skills, and enriching their skillset through professional and career development opportunities to best position themselves for future success. To accomplish all of this while maintaining a healthy sense of self can be daunting. The Graduate School (TGS) at Augusta University (AU) aims to facilitate ground-breaking research alongside outstanding education by providing a holistic and comprehensive graduate experience. TGS is currently undergoing review and revision of three of the four arms of graduate education: academics, research, student well-being, and professional development. We use data collected from an external review and 52 currently enrolled and previously graduated (within 3 years) biomedical sciences PhD students to identify opportunities for improving the first-year core curriculum at AU. In response, TGS developed a first-year core curriculum committee tasked with reviewing, revising, and addressing gaps in the first-year core curriculum. Furthermore, TGS has developed and launched GradWell, a health and wellness initiative, and has also partnered with external collaborators to offer strategic professional development opportunities to biomedical sciences students, prioritizing holistic growth to enhance the student experience. Continuous programmatic evaluation related to curriculum, student well-being, and professional development is critical to ensure programs are meeting the evolving needs of students while incorporating innovative pedagogy to maximize training opportunities and the development of well-rounded research scientists. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Exploring actors' collaborations and involvement in the Namibian learner pregnancy policy

IntroductionThe Namibia Education Sector Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy (ESPPMLP) aims to reduce the cases of learners falling pregnant and increase learner-parent completion of education. The ESPPMLP addresses the fact that learner pregnancy and school drop-out are collaborative efforts between parents, the community, schools, and non-governmental organizations. However, Namibia continues to have had a problem with the high rate of learner pregnancy and school drop-out for many years. Previous studies reported the absences and limitations of both internal and external actors' collaboration in its implementation. This paper aims to clarify the lack of stakeholder involvement and cooperation in the ESPPMLP activities within selected rural schools in Namibia.MethodsUsing the qualitative approach mixed with phenomenological and content data analysis, the study conducted 19 individual interviews with schoolteachers, one school board member, one NGO representative, and six focus group discussions with 27 parents.Results and findingsAmong others, results show the limited life skills of teachers in schools, the attitude of the community toward schoolteachers, making them feel devoid of influence in collaborations, and the lack of sexual reproductive activities programs in school settings. The findings reveal the reliance of the activities of prevention and management of learner pregnancy on donor-driven initiatives, the lack of task forces at the community level, the shortage of knowledge and understanding about the ESPPMLP and the lack of policy implementation guidelines. Establish learner pregnancy leadership structures at the community level for coordination, introduce community parenting, and execute partnership of monitoring activities to boost stakeholder collaborations.

Impact of research activity on performance of general practices: a qualitative study.

There is evidence that engaging in research is directly associated with better performance. If this relationship is to be strengthened, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms that might underlie that relationship. To explore the perspectives of staff and wider stakeholders about mechanisms by which research activity may impact on the performance of general practices. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with general practice professionals and wider stakeholders in England. Individual interviews with 41 purposively sampled staff in 'research-ready' or 'research-active' general practices, and 21 other stakeholders. Interviews were independently coded by three researchers using a framework approach. Participants described potential 'direct' and 'indirect' impacts on their work. 'Direct' impacts included improved knowledge and skills that could change practice work (for example, additional records searches for particular conditions); bringing in additional resources (for example, access to investigations or staff); and improving relationships with patients. 'Indirect' impacts included job satisfaction (for example, perception of practice as a centre of excellence and innovation, and the variety afforded by research activity reducing burnout); and staff recruitment (increasing the attractiveness of the practice as a place to work). Responders identified few negative impacts. Staff and stakeholders identified a range of potential impacts of research activity on practice performance, with impacts on their working lives most salient. Negative impacts were not generally raised. Nevertheless, responders generally discussed potential impacts rather than providing specific examples of those impacts. This may reflect the type of research activity conducted in general practice, often led by external collaborators.

Challenges as catalysts: how Waymo’s Open Dataset Challenges shape AI development

AbstractArtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are becoming increasingly significant areas of research for scholars in science and technology studies (STS) and media studies. In March 2020, Waymo, Google/Alphabet’s autonomous vehicle project, introduced the ‘Open Dataset Virtual Challenge’, an annual competition leveraging their Waymo Open Dataset. This freely accessible dataset comprises annotated autonomous vehicle data from their own Waymo vehicles. Yearly, Waymo has continued to host iterations of this challenge, inviting teams of computer scientists to tackle evolving machine learning and vision problems using Google's data and tools. This article analyses these challenges, situating them within the context of the ‘Grand Challenges’ of artificial intelligence (AI), which aimed to foster accountable and commercially viable advancements in the late 1980s. Through two exploratory workshops, we adopted a ‘technographic’ approach to examine the pivotal role of challenges in the development and political economy of AI. Serving as an organising principle for the AI innovation ecosystem, the challenge connects companies and external collaborators, driving advancements in specific machine vision domains. By exploring six key themes—interface methods, incrementalism, metrics, AI vernacular, applied domains, and competitive advantages—the article illustrates the role of these challenges in shaping AI research and development. By unpacking the dynamic interaction between data, computation, and labour, these challenges serve as catalysts propelling advancements towards self-driving technologies. The study reveals how challenges have historically and presently shaped the evolving landscape of self-driving and AI technologies.

Implementasi Budaya Sekolah dalam Membentuk Profesionalisme Guru

The percentage of teachers teaching outside their field is 22.1%, with an average UKG test score of only 40.71, indicating a significant lack of professionalism. This is attributed to inadequate education, motivation, and dedication to their work. This research aims to explain the school culture at SD Islam Al-Azhar 14 Semarang used to shape professional teachers. The study employs qualitative methods with a case study approach, gathering data through interviews with principals, teachers, staff, and students. Data processing involves condensation, data presentation, and conclusions. Data validity is ensured through triangulation of techniques and sources. Results show that the communication culture at SD Islam Al-Azhar 14 Semarang emphasizes teacher professionalism through a unique system to build solids working relationships and maintain a strong culture. Integrated management aligned with the school's vision and mission, along with continuously updated structured planning, reflects discipline in adherence to regulations. External collaboration, including foundation oversight of principals and support from parents, strengthens synergy among teachers, principals, and staff. Conclusion: The implemented school culture helps in shaping teacher professionalism.