Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine and identify key factors that enhance resilience of family businesses during external crises. By understanding these factors, the study seeks to provide actionable insights to help family businesses strengthen their ability to withstand and recover from disruptions. Design/methodology/approach The present study adopts a quantitative approach, employing a survey method to collect data from 436 family-owned micro-, small- and medium enterprises in Assam. The questionnaire was developed based on an extensive literature review and included 29 potential resilience factors rated on a seven-point Likert scale. Exploratory factor analysis was first conducted to identify the core dimensions of resilience. Subsequently, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on a second sample of 392 family businesses to validate the measurement model and confirm the structural grouping of the resilience factors. Findings The factor analysis revealed that the resilience of family businesses is strongly associated with support from family members and community (social capital), effective conflict management and goal alignment (organizational culture), employee commitment and adaptability (human capital) and external support from industry and government (external assistance). Social capital, particularly the involvement and financial support of family members or community, emerged as the most significant factor in fostering resilience during crises. The CFA results indicated a good model fit, confirming the robustness and validity of the identified resilience dimensions. Research limitations/implications This study is subject to certain limitations. The data collection was confined to family businesses in nine districts of Assam, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other regions. Furthermore, future studies should investigate the interactions between these factors and their collective influence on crisis resilience. Practical implications The findings provide valuable insights for family business owners and policymakers on the importance of fostering strong family ties, organizational adaptability and external partnerships to enhance business resilience. Tailored support programs focusing on these areas can help family businesses prepare for and withstand future crises. Originality/value This study adds to the relatively small body of research on family businesses resilience by identifying specific factors that help businesses survive during crises. It offers a comprehensive framework that integrates family, organizational and external factors, highlighting the unique strengths of family-owned enterprises in crisis management.

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are required to continuously adapt to dynamic market conditions and increasing competition. This study aims to analyze the internal and external environments of Bathok’s Coffe and to formulate appropriate business development strategies using an integrated SWOT analysis approach. A descriptive qualitative method was employed, with data collected through observation, interviews with the business owner, and documentation. The analysis was supported by the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix, External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix, Internal–External (IE) Matrix, and Grand Strategy Matrix. The results indicate that Bathok’s Coffe possesses internal strengths related to product quality and customer loyalty, while weaknesses are identified in marketing management and technology utilization. The integration of internal and external factors places the enterprise in a moderate strategic position, suggesting a hold-and-maintain strategy. This study concludes that strengthening internal capabilities and selectively utilizing market opportunities are essential for achieving sustainable business development.

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) face increasing competitive pressure that requires the formulation of effective and adaptive business strategies. This study aims to analyze the internal and external conditions of Kayffa Store and to formulate appropriate business development strategies using an integrated SWOT analysis approach. A descriptive qualitative method was employed, with data collected through observation, interviews with the business owner, and documentation. The analysis was supported by the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix, External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix, Internal–External (IE) Matrix, and Grand Strategy Matrix. The results indicate that Kayffa Store possesses several internal strengths related to product quality and customer trust, while weaknesses are identified in marketing management and promotional activities. The integration of internal and external factors places the enterprise in a moderate strategic position, suggesting a hold-and-maintain strategy. The study concludes that strengthening internal capabilities and selectively utilizing market opportunities are essential for sustainable business development.

Tempe Kita Bandung, which has been operating since 1988, faces challenges of fluctuating revenue and intense price competition, as well as limited distribution that is still focused on traditional markets, making it difficult to reach a wider and more modern market segment. This study aims to analyze internal and external factors, determine the strategic position of the business, and formulate the most effective marketing strategy through a SWOT Analysis approach and an Internal-External (IE) Matrix. This descriptive study uses a mixed approach (quantitative and qualitative). Primary data were obtained through in-depth interviews with the owner or manager and questionnaires to key informants, while secondary data were obtained from internal company documents. The data analysis techniques used were the IFAS and EFAS Matrices to obtain weighted scores, which were then plotted on the IE Matrix to determine strategic position, and further processed through the SWOT Matrix to generate alternative strategies. The expected analysis results indicate that Tempe Kita Bandung has strengths in product experience and quality, but is weak in digital marketing adaptation. The strategic position of the business is estimated to be in the quadrant that requires a Hold and Maintain strategy. Therefore, the recommended marketing strategies are Weakness-Opportunity (WO) and Strength-Threat (ST) strategies, which are implemented through digital market penetration to address distribution weaknesses and premium product differentiation to counter the threat of low-price competition. This strategy is expected to increase business competitiveness and expand market reach.

The study of situational influences on the relationships between personality traits and behavior in a professional context explores how external factors, such as the specific requirements and opportunities of a job, can modulate the impact of personality traits on professional performance. According to research, personality traits such as extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and emotional stability are more valid predictors of behavior and performance in a work context when the situation allows for individual autonomy or when there is a strong influence of cooperation or competition. Thus, the impact of personality on professional behavior is closely linked to the level of autonomy provided in the task and the nature of the context (cooperative or competitive). The study emphasizes the importance of understanding the situational context to more accurately predict how individual traits will manifest in workplace behavior.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in technical service sectors are required to continuously adapt to changing market conditions and increasing competitive pressure. Strategic planning is therefore essential to ensure business sustainability and competitiveness. This study aims to analyze the internal and external business environment of a welding services SME and to formulate appropriate development strategies using an integrated SWOT-based approach. A qualitative descriptive method was employed, with data collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The analysis utilized the Internal Factor Evaluation (IFE) Matrix, External Factor Evaluation (EFE) Matrix, Internal–External (IE) Matrix, and the Grand Strategy Matrix. The results indicate that the enterprise possesses moderate internal strength and operates within a favorable external environment. The IE Matrix places the firm in a hold-and-maintain position, while the Grand Strategy Matrix identifies the firm in Quadrant I, indicating potential for growth-oriented strategies. Based on the SWOT Matrix, several strategic alternatives are proposed to enhance competitiveness and support long-term business development. This study highlights the relevance of integrated strategic analysis as a practical decision-making tool for SMEs in technical service industries.

This study looks at how sharing information and working together in the supply chain affect the performance of small and medium herbal businesses in Batam. It also explores how innovation ability plays a middle role in this relationship. The research used a quantitative method by giving questionnaires to 198 herbal businesses in Batam and analyzing the results using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling.The results show that information sharing has a significant positive effect on both performance and innovation capability. In contrast, supply chain collaboration and innovation capability do not significantly influence performance, and innovation capability does not mediate the relationship between information sharing or supply chain collaboration and performance. These findings highlight the importance of information sharing in enhancing competitiveness, while collaboration and innovation still require further optimization. Practically, enterprises are encouraged to adopt digital platforms for information sharing and strengthen strategic cooperation with suppliers, while government support is needed through technology and innovation training. This study is limited to Batam with cross-sectional data, suggesting that future research should examine external factors such as digitalization and global market dynamics.

Introduction Museum education has become an important approach for children to acquire knowledge and engage in enjoyable learning activities. Although previous studies have examined the development of museum services, limited attention has been paid to museum education for young visitors, particularly from teachers’ perspectives. Methods This study focused on early childhood and primary school teachers in China who had organized or implemented museum education activities. Using a grounded theory approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore children’s museum education and its influencing factors. The data were analyzed from two dimensions: internal factors (including teachers’ experiences, cognitions, and emotions) and external factors (such as environmental conditions and institutional support). Results The findings revealed that both internal and external factors jointly shape teachers’ practices and perceptions of children’s museum education. Teachers’ professional experiences and emotional engagement, along with supportive environments and institutional mechanisms, were identified as key influences on the implementation of museum education activities. Discussion These results provide important implications for improving teacher intervention programs, developing supportive policy frameworks, optimizing the dissemination of museum education, and enhancing museum resources and services. Such efforts may further promote the sustainable development of children’s museum education.

Nearly 300 US municipalities have enacted policies regulating cigar pack size and price to reduce youth access to and use of inexpensive cigars. This study characterizes the policy implementation processes of these local policies and identifies associated barriers and facilitators. Between June and November 2023, we conducted 36 semi-structured qualitative interviews with professionals involved in adopting and implementing local cigar regulations. Interview transcripts were coded and thematically analyzed using a template organizing style and iterative immersion-crystallization analysis of coded segments. Themes were categorized using the Inventory of Factors Assessing Successful Implementation and Sustainment determinant framework, encompassing domains such as external factors, internal organizational factors, retailer-specific factors, and policy-specific factors. Participants described distinct education and enforcement activities post-policy adoption, often managed by separate, autonomous organizations and individuals. Key facilitators identified included state funding (external), interagency collaborations and unofficial capacity-building efforts (internal), and clear, enforceable ordinances with less retailer pushback (policy-specific). Conversely, significant barriers included state-level influences (external), lack of standardized protocols, resource disparities, and varied implementer perspectives (internal). Retailer-specific barriers included limited English proficiency and a willingness to risk violations. Policy-specific challenges involved confusing cigar definitions and insufficient deterrent penalties. Local cigar policy implementation often involves multiple autonomous organizations and individual implementers. The salience of identified barriers across various contexts may have important implications for policy impact. Understanding the facilitators and barriers to policy implementation may enable other localities to proactively develop strategies to increase success.

In this work, we present an initial attempt to study the S-T0 nuclear spin conversion in the pair of p-H2-derived protons within the hydrogenation intermediates under heterogeneous conditions. The results differ significantly from those obtained under homogeneous conditions, where the S-T0 conversion demonstrated significant sensitivity to external factors, including temperature, solvent, and catalyst. The singlet character of the p-H2-derived protons transferred to the product molecule is also increased if strong continuous-wave (CW) irradiation is applied at the anticipated chemical shift of the hydrogenation intermediates during p-H2 bubbling. In contrast, under heterogeneous hydrogenation conditions, there is no or only a subtle dependence of the apparent S-T0 conversion in the hydrogenation intermediates on temperature and other external factors for all the catalysts tested. We have used the reaction of hydrogenation of 2-butyne with p-H2 to study the S-T0 conversion at the intermediates both in the gas phase and in the liquid phase. The three types of heterogeneous catalysts, monometallic (Rh/TiO2), bimetallic (Rh-In/SiO2), and immobilized complex (IrCl-P-TiO2), have demonstrated different results in terms of S-T0 conversion. At the same time, the three immobilized complexes (IrL'-L″-support) with different supports (SiO2/TiO2), as well as linkers (L″ = -P/-S) and coordination spheres (L' = OMe or Cl), demonstrated the same results. This indicates that the S-T0 conversion depends mainly on the type of active species of the catalyst.

The debate over CEO compensation persists despite extensive efforts by academics and technocrats to understand its determinants. Most research has focused on how firm-specific characteristics and CEO-specific traits influence CEO compensation. However, the results have been contradictory, indicating that other factors may also play a role. This study examines the impact of macroeconomic factors on the compensation of CEOs. It examines how price variables such as interest rates, inflation, and exchange rates affect the fixed salaries and total compensation of CEOs at six South African banks listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Conducted over a 15-year period, this quantitative longitudinal study utilized secondary data from annual reports and the IRESS database. Panel data regression analysis was employed to interpret the data. The findings reveal a positive relationship between interest rates and fixed salaries, as well as between exchange rates and fixed salaries. Additionally, interest rates and total compensation are positively related, and exchange rates also have a positive relationship with fixed salaries. Understanding how macroeconomic conditions influence CEO pay helps Compensation Committees contextualize performance. It allows them to differentiate between achievement driven by a CEO’s abilities and that resulting from external factors, ensuring fair compensation and minimizing excessive rewards for “luck”. This knowledge supports the adjustment of incentive plans based on relative performance and economic-adjusted metrics, reducing the cyclical influence of macroeconomic variables on firm performance and, ultimately, CEO compensation.

Introduction: Ayurveda promotes health through daily and seasonal routines that may trigger beneficial epigenetic changes.DNA defines an individual’s genotype, which is stable, while the phenotype, physical traits and behaviour is shaped by external factors. Epigenetics studies how environment, stress, and lifestyle can alter gene expression without changing DNA. These changes can be inherited, with factors like pollution and trauma affecting future generations. Materials and Methods: Current studies and literature are thoroughly analysed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying ritucharya. Results: Circadian rhythms regulate sleep, metabolism, hormones, and immunity. Disruptions can lead to inflammation, metabolic disorders, and weakened immunity. Ayurvedic practices like Ritucharya support natural rhythms by aligning lifestyle with seasonal changes, helping regulate hormones (e.g., Melatonin, Cortisol, Vitamin D) and immune function. Seasonal routines enhance metabolism, reduce inflammation, and support gut health. The gut microbiome and circadian clock interact closely, influencing each other and overall health. Ritucharya routines and therapies like Nasya, Abhyanga, and fasting - reduce oxidative stress and improve immune response at the molecular level. Discussion: Ritucharya, Ayurveda’s seasonal regimen, aligns diet and lifestyle with environmental changes to balance doshas, digestion, and immunity. These practices closely mirror modern circadian and seasonal biology, where light, hormones, and feeding rhythms regulate metabolism and immune function. Seasonal shifts affect hormones like melatonin and cortisol, gut microbiota, and inflammation levels. Ayurvedic practices such as massage, nasal therapy, and seasonal detox help reduce stress, support circadian balance, and enhance overall health.

Health records contain rich sources of mental health data that can be used to evaluate disability and health care outcomes. However, a lack of behavioral health ontologies focused on daily life activity functioning has impeded development of clinical informatic tools to extract mental functioning information. We aim to present the theoretical foundation and conceptual model upon which the Ecological Mental Functioning Ontology (EMFO) was built to facilitate natural language processing (NLP) to extract mental functioning information in free-text clinical records. Subject matter experts operationally defined mental functioning, and a related theoretical perspective was established. Face validity of a proposed model was obtained using an iterative grounded theory approach. An annotation schema based on the model was constructed and tested using manual annotation and consensus on datasets of real and synthetic clinical notes. An annotation schema, based on the Ecological Model of Mental Functioning (EMMF), was shown to be robust when using NLP methods to identify and extract mental functioning information in real and synthetic behavioral health clinical notes. Mental functioning is a complex phenomenon that is fully conceptualized within an ecological milieu encompassing the dynamic transactive relationship between the person, the nature and demands of activities the person participates in, and the external contextual and environmental factors within which the activities take place. By operationalizing mental functioning, the EMMF provided a conceptual roadmap to develop the EMFO and NLP methods that identify and extract mental functioning activity information in clinical records.

The ageing of the population calls for closer evaluations of gerontechnologies as potential resources to aid in the care of older persons. Despite the wealth of theoretical and empirical works in this area, there exists a dearth of quantitative studies to address this population trend. This paper uses a large weighted sample in Switzerland to understand the factors associated with the acceptance of smart monitoring technologies to care for older persons. We designed a telephone survey to address the purposes of this study, collecting data on self-rated acceptance of monitoring technologies (wearables and ambient sensors with and without camera), their care situations, perceived relief of caregiving stress through technology use, and the perceived impact of external factors in technology adoption. Statistical analyses included descriptive analysis, multilevel modelling approach, and sequential multiple regression. A total of 1211 valid responses were obtained for this cross-sectional survey study. Over 80% of participants were willing to accept wearables for locating older persons with dementia as well as for fall detection purposes. Among the respondents, almost 60% were open to using sensors at home to detect changes in the older person, and roughly 35% accepted the use of cameras to recognize fall or pain. Acceptance towards cameras increased significantly with risk of falling, and even in relatively private areas of the home when fall risk was perceived. The care situation and technologies' perceived usefulness in addressing caregiver stress explained the most variance related to acceptance of the smart monitoring technologies. Higher acceptance was found for smart wearable devices for elder care purposes compared to the sensors and cameras at home. Presence of actual need such as risk of falling, practical care situations, as well as an overall emphasis on ensuring the safety of older persons, were observed to positively impact the acceptance of technologies. Our findings also impart significance of the role of caregiving stress as a driver to incorporating technical tools in elder care. Further research is necessary to ensure implementation of monitoring technologies address, first and foremost, the needs of the older care recipient.

Sharia banks act as financial institutions that perform financial intermediary functions, connecting parties with excess funds with parties in need of funds. The pandemic era in early 2020 is one of the most striking examples that shows the serious impact of macroeconomic changes on Islamic banking in Indonesia. This study focuses on the performance of Islamic banking. It aims to analyze changes in four variables: number of branches, number of human resources, outstanding financing, and Non-Forming Finance in Islamic banks, both before and during the pandemic. The method used is a statistical approach sourced from secondary data published by the OJK, which includes a sample of 12 Islamic commercial banks and 21 Islamic business units. The analysis technique used is a descriptive comparative analysis of the results of the Mann-Whitney statistical test. The results of this study, based on the analysis using the Mann-Whitney test, indicate significant differences in these variables between the periods before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Islamic banking sector. Therefore, a strategic response is needed from the Islamic banking sector in addressing changes in the economic situation and customer behavior influenced by external factors such as the pandemic. The importance of adaptation by the Islamic banking sector in facing a pandemic, as well as the importance of better risk management in managing business growth and credit risk.

Dissecting novel object exploration in a fully automated homecage-based novel object recognition test.

Introduction The Parties Self-Assessment Annual Reporting (SPAR) and Joint External Evaluations (JEE) enable countries to assess their capabilities in handling public health threats and addressing gaps through the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). This study evaluates NAPHS implementation, along with JEE and SPAR capability assessments. Methods We conducted a two-time-point programmatic review of Sierra Leone’s first NAPHS, at mid-term (2021) and end-term (2024) for 19 Technical Areas (TAs). The implementation status of the activities was rated as “Completed”, “In-progress” and “Not-started”. JEE and SPAR reviews were conducted to compare progress. Results The overall implementation rate increased from 56% (2021) to 65% (2024). Only 39 activities (23%) were completed, while 22 (13.3%) were never started. Most activities (105, 63%) remained in progress, and completion rates improved across all TAs (except Food Safety), with six high-performing and five low-performing TAs. SPAR scores rose from 51% to 55%, but declined for Health Emergency Management and Risk Communication. JEE scores remained low (46%), with Prevent and Detect pillars showing limited advancement. Of the $291.13 million NAPHS’s budget, 103/166 (62%) activities were funded ($107.82 million), revealing a minimum funding gap of 55.1%. Conclusion The NAPHS implementation has faced slower-than-expected progress, especially in its latter years, with uncompleted activities and uneven performance across TAs. The NAPHS achievement measures lack consistency compared to JEE and SPAR scores, with funding disparities. External and internal factors were hindrances that require a holistic approach in NAPHS 2.0, focusing on prevention and detection to enhance public health protection against future emergencies.

Uneven translation rates resulting from mRNA context, tRNA abundance, nascent amino acid sequence or various external factors play a key role in controlling the expression level and folding of the proteome. Inverse toeprinting coupled to next-generation sequencing (iTP-seq) is a scalable in vitro method for characterizing bacterial translation landscapes, complementary to ribosome profiling (Ribo-seq), a widely used method for determining transcriptome-wide protein synthesis rates in vivo. In iTP-seq, ribosome-protected mRNA fragments known as inverse toeprints are generated by using RNase R, a highly processive 3' to 5' RNA exonuclease. Deep sequencing of these fragments reveals the position of the leading ribosome on each mRNA with codon resolution, as well as the full upstream coding regions translated by these ribosomes. Consequently, the method requires no a priori knowledge of the translated sequences, enabling work with fully customizable transcript libraries rather than previously sequenced genomes. As a standardized framework for inverse toeprint generation, amplification and sequencing, iTP-seq can be used in combination with different types of libraries, in vitro translation conditions and data-analysis pipelines tailored to address a range of biological questions. Here, we present a robust protocol for iTP-seq and show how it can be integrated into a broader workflow to enable the study of context-dependent translation inhibitors, such as antibiotics. The time required to complete this workflow is ~10 d, and the workflow can be carried out by an experienced molecular biologist, with data analysis also requiring a working knowledge of command-line tools and Python scripts.

This study aims to analyze the village government policy in providing health services for the community in Rato'ombu Village, Lage District, Poso Regency, and identify the factors that influence it. The method used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through interviews, observations, and documentation of eight informants. The results of the study indicate that the coverage of health services provided has reached most of the community, although it is still necessary to increase the capacity of human resources, especially health workers. Internal factors that influence the policy include communication, complaint facilities, and the availability of health workers. External factors include inconsistencies in registration data, incomplete treatment requirements, and obstacles to paying BPJS contributions. This study is important because it provides input for the village government in formulating more effective and inclusive health service policies. The main contribution of this study lies in policy recommendations that can strengthen the village health service system, in line with the direction of national policy in strengthening basic services at the local level.

Interreligious dialogue is an important tool for building a peaceful multireligious society. Scholars have been debating about what makes it effective. This study contributes to this knowledge from a Buddhist perspective. It draws from the Buddha’s dialogues with people of other faiths in the Buddhist Pali Canon, the Sutta Pitaka through a qualitative content analysis of the three collections: Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, and Anguttara Niakaya. Particularly, the study addresses two questions: How effective is the Buddha’s dialogue as described in the Sutta Pitaka? What are the factors contributing to its effectiveness? The study found four levels of effectiveness: (1) negative responses; (2) clarification of each other’s view; (3) transformation of attitudes; and (4) conversion which has three types: (i) converting and remaining in one’s old religion, (ii) smooth conversion, and (iii) dramatic conversion. The study finds that both internal and external factors contribute to these levels of effectiveness. The Buddhist insights suggest that positive effects of dialogue require, among other factors, knowledge, virtue, communication skills, openness to truth, capacity to discuss truth rationally, and an environment conducive to dialogue. Submitted: 03 June 2025 Accepted: 01 October 2025