External Resources Research Articles

КЛЮЧОВІ ПОНЯТТЯ МІЖНАРОДНОЇ ДОПОМОГИ У СФЕРІ БЕЗПЕКИ І ОБОРОНИ УКРАЇНИ

The article examines the content of such key concepts of international aid in the paradigm of defense capability of Ukraine as “international aid”, “international technical aid”, “military aid”, “humanitarian aid”, “charitable activity”. It was found that the system of ensuring the defense capability of the state is not limited by internal resources, but actively attracts external resources for the needs of the security and defense sphere. It is pointed out that there is no concept of “international aid” in the legislation of Ukraine, but the definition of the content of international technical aid, humanitarian aid and charitable activities. It was determined that the concept of “military aid” is also absent in national legislation, but in scientific doctrine it is considered as a type of international aid, and in conditions of armed aggression as assistance to Ukraine in ensuring the realization of its national interests. Forms of providing military aid to Ukraine by partner countries were considered. It was noted that the meaning of the concept of “military aid” is not limited to the provision of weapons and military equipment, but also includes the training and training of military personnel, the construction of infrastructure facilities, the provision of assistance in the development of battle plans, etc. It was emphasized that today military aid is provided by donor countries as international technical assistance, humanitarian aid or charity in accordance with the terms of the concluded agreement. A conclusion was drawn on the expediency of the legislative separation of military aid, as well as the development of a regulatory basis for its attraction, accounting, distribution, and use, which, taking into account the volume and importance of such aid to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities, will simplify its receipt from donor countries. Keywords: international aid, international technical aid, military aid, humanitarian aid, charitable activity.

Natural disasters and local government finance: Evidence from Typhoon Haiyan

This paper examines how natural disasters affect local public finances and their interplay with intergovernmental transfers and external resources. Exploiting the randomized nature of the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history, we document its causal effect on the local government fiscal dynamics. Combining data on local government finance with reports on the level of damages and using difference-in-differences with instrumental variable to analyze the data, we show that local public revenue and expenditures remain largely unaffected, except for debt payments. However, we find important heterogeneity in local revenue responses: poorer municipalities raised comparatively lower revenue in the aftermath of the Typhoon. We also provide evidence that external funding did not lead to lower tax collection efforts, but instead leads to higher local expenditures, suggesting that disaster aid does not cause a moral hazard problem in local governments' spending decisions.

The Role of the Social Services and Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Social Welfare Problems (PMKS) of the East Java Provincial Social Service in Psychotic Services

This research study is to analyze the role of social service and rehabilitation centers for Persons with Social Welfare Problems (PMKS) of the East Java Provincial Social Service in serving people with psychotics. The approach used in this research is a qualitative descriptive approach, by conducting interviews, documentation and observation. The results of the research obtained show that: First, the Facilitative Role in services is to meet the basic needs of PMKS by meeting the needs of facilities and infrastructure as well as clothing and food needs for PMKS. Second, the role of education in services at the PMKS Center is currently very helpful for PMKS where various programs and training have been provided to improve the welfare of people with social welfare problems (PMKS). Third, the Representational Role in PMKS center services has collaborated with various institutions and agencies to obtain external resources for training to develop the potential of each different person. Fourth, the technical role in the PMKS center is very helpful in assessing needs for developing individual, group and community potential.

Entrepreneurial Specific Factors, Support Factors and Micro enterprises Performance: The Case of Malaysian Microcredit Program

The study's objective is to analyze the influence of several elements related to entrepreneurial-specific factors and support factors on the performance of micro-enterprises. The study sample consisted of a total of 756 micro-entrepreneurs who were involved in two main microcredit programs in Malaysia, namely Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) and The Venture Group Economic Fund (TEKUN). The study’s findings, obtained through multiple regression analysis, revealed that factors such as personal entrepreneurial competencies, management practice, microcredit programs and government support exert a significant influence on the performance of micro-enterprises. This finding is consistent with the Resource Base View (RBV) theory which links the importance of internal and external resources as a catalyst for competitive advantage and the performance of a business. The influence of family and commitment to religious principles is less significant. It was associated with the attitude factor of micro-entrepreneurs, who frequently disregard the fundamental principles of religion while making judgments. The impact of family influence on micro enterprises' performance was determined to be negligible. Family members make minimal contributions in terms of finances, energy, or moral support. The formulation of policies is crucial for these insights, which highlight the importance of providing entrepreneurship training and implementing excellent management practices. Additionally, financial support is necessary to promote the growth of micro-enterprises in Malaysia. The government plays a crucial role in facilitating the growth of micro companies by implementing various support programs. An efficient distribution system can minimize the leakage of programs and maximize benefits for the recipients who are intended.

A patent text-based product conceptual design decision-making approach considering the fusion of incomplete evaluation semantic and scheme beliefs

Conceptual design evaluation is a significant challenge in product development to select suitable conceptual schemes (CS). Relying on decision makers' (DMs) personal experience for design information may result in incomplete and ambiguous evaluation semantics, creating an incomplete decision matrix. Previous approaches use attributes based on candidate schemes to complete the missing information, but neglect the mining of associated design information from external resources such as patents, reducing the beliefs objectivity after missing semantic completion. Besides, non-compensatory nature between DMs’ interactivity and criteria have not been well considered. To fill these issues, a patent text-based CS decision approach considering the fusion of incomplete semantics and scheme beliefs is proposed. First, using the beneficial effects text from patents as historical design data, constructing general evaluation criteria using the Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic model, and introducing the Apriori model to extract strong association rules between criteria to complete the incomplete semantics. Second, a fuzzy measure model for DMs is constructed based on intuitionistic fuzzy cross-entropy and Shapley value method, supporting the allocation of DMs' interactive weights. Then, the fuzzy Dempster-Shafer evidence theory is used to transform the multi-criteria decision model into a belief fusion problem of CS that avoids aggregating the evaluation semantics of non-compensatory criteria and outputting the optimal CS with interval credibility. A practical case study of an in-pipe inspection robot will be employed to validate the proposed approach, sensitivity analysis and comparison results confirmed that the complement data have the reliability to avoid continuous investment in the evaluation process.

Organizational stress and resilience. The role of external resources

Theoretical background. Military gendarmes represent a professional category frequently exposed to organizational and operational stress factors. In the face of potential stressful situations, threats, adversity or change, resilience is essential. As a protective factor against the negative effects of stressors, resilience ensures the military gendarmerie's ability to remain task-focused, productive and connected to the organization's missions. Public safety workers' perceptions of organizational structure and climate can directly affect resilience (Hart & Cooper, 2001). It has been shown that transformational leadership can increase military resilience (Jayasingam et al., 2019) by positively reinterpreting stressful experiences as opportunities for personal growth and development (Bartone, 2012). Also, studies demonstrate the effectiveness of psychological training activities in the sense of increasing resilience (Arnetz et al., 2013). Methodology. The study was conducted on a number of 214 military personnel, who completed self-report questionnaires regarding organizational stress, resilience, the management style of the leader of the organization they belong to, and the perception of the effectiveness of the psychological training activity. Also, the mediating role of external resources, management style and the perception of the psychological training activity, in the relationship between organizational stress and the resilience of military gendarmes, was analyzed. Results. Organizational stress has a significant negative effect on resilience. Transformational management style, transactional management style and perceived effectiveness of psychological training activity are partial mediators of the relationship between organizational stress and resilience of military gendarmes. The results are of particular practical importance to commanders and mental health professionals working in military organizations.

The Influence of Organizational Culture, Alliance Partners, Digital Capability on Firm Performance Mediated by Strategy Flexibility

Aims: The study examines the effects of organizational culture, alliance partners, and digital capability on firm performance, mediated by strategy flexibility in the national automotive component industry in Indonesia.
 Study Design: The data collection technique was non-probability sampling with purposive sampling method in which the number of samples that met the criteria to be analyzed were 228 companies.
 Place and Duration of Study: The population of this study were all automotive component companies located in Jakarta, Banten and West Java, totaling 237. Each sampled company is represented by one respondent, namely a manager or senior manager of an automotive component industry company.
 Methodology: Structural Equation Model (SEM).
 Results: These findings suggest the importance of flexible strategies for leveraging internal and external resources to enhance performance. Strategy flexibility partially mediates the effects of organizational culture and digital capability on firm performance, and fully mediates the effect of alliance partners.
 Conclusion: This study shows the results of the positive influence of Organizational culture, Alliance Partners, Digital Capability, and Strategy Flexibility toward Firm Performance. Strategy Flexibility as a mediating variable can mediate the effect of Organizational Culture, Alliance Partners and Digital Capability on Firm Performance. The implications of this research can be an input for the leaders of the national automotive component industry companies in making a strategic decision to face the challenges of increasingly complex business competition through the implementation of a flexible strategy in the services and processes of the manufacturing industry which has implications for improving company performance.

Mission‐based design of UAVs

AbstractOver the past decades, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have increasingly been used in a wide variety of missions that range from surveillance to delivery. Unlike aircraft that always carry goods and passengers from an airport to another, UAVs do not systematically implement the same type of mission. UAVs are indeed multi‐mission during their time in operation, and the systems engineering approaches developed for one mission aircraft must be adapted to the multi‐mission context. Therefore, UAV design requires application of mission engineering upstream systems engineering, either to assess there is a UAV system that may accomplish a new mission, or to specify a new UAV system according to a given mission. To achieve that goal, the authors of the paper support the use of Model‐Based Mission Engineering. A three‐layer architecture ‐ purpose, operation, functions or capabilities ‐ is proposed as a design framework for missions. The Goal‐Oriented Requirements Language (GRL) serves as mission description language. The paper extends GRL to better address mission‐based design of UAVs. It is proposed to distinguish between internal and external resources. A goal detailing mechanism is introduced. A degraded mode evaluation becomes possible. GRL tools make it possible to evaluate how much a UAV system ‐ at least, an operator, a ground station, and a UAV ‐ may satisfy every stakeholder in both nominal and degraded modes. The proposed approach is applied to a high voltage surveillance UAV. The case study enables the introduction of four actors—Authority, Client, UAV and MissionSupervisor—that turn out to be generic and can be reused for other missions and UAV designs.

From Intent to Impact: Enabling Transdisciplinary Research for Responsible Scientific Stewardship

Global challenges are complex and must be tackled in a holistic manner. Understanding and addressing them requires collaboration across disciplines, often uniting the humanities and social and natural sciences, to ask better questions and identify practical and revolutionary solutions. Universities can be excellent vehicles for transformational change as they educate the next generation of civically-motivated thinkers to create meaningful action and impact. Too often systemic, artificial barriers exist within these institutions that prevent meaningful transdisciplinary collaboration from succeeding. We recommend that universities identify grand challenges and foster a culture of cross-department collaboration with appropriate internal and external resources to enable broader impacts. Together, funders and institutional policymakers play a critical strategic role in fostering civic scientists and transdisciplinary researchers to solve multifaceted global problems.

Eyeing for External Resources: Wants and Ways

External resources have shaped the making and breaking of the nations. In the past, the rulers dominated the source or provider of external resources while in the present days, the rulers (political leaders) are under the domination of resource providers (be it a government, agency or company). In the period following World War II, the United States rose to prominence politically and economically. The 21st century is seeing the rise of China. This study deals with the methods and practices relating to foreign aid and investments that have evolved and looks into their hold on Nepal. The study shows that the availability of external resources started with a goodwill approach. However, over time it has moved onto the sphere of influence of the resource providers while the governance failure has made the country more and more dependent on external resources failing to adopt safeguard measures.

Digitalization transformation and enterprise green innovation: empirical evidence from Chinese listed companies

Green innovation is an essential strategy for businesses to gain a competitive edge and attain long-term sustainable growth. It does, however, often run into money problems. The rapid advancement of digital technology provides organizations with potent tools to get external resources through digital transformation, surmount resource obstacles, and promote environmentally-friendly innovation. The impact mechanism, however, necessitates additional elucidation. This article analyzes the data of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2012 to 2022, using resource dependence theory and stakeholder theory. This study examines how digital transformation affects the ability of organizations to innovate in environmentally friendly ways by focusing on the acquisition of external resources. Research has shown that digital transformation may significantly improve the quantity and quality of green innovation in businesses. Moreover, the findings of the intermediate impact study indicate that digital transformation has the potential to enhance the green innovation capacity of businesses by improving their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. Concurrently, we noticed that the level of openness in disclosing environmental information by corporations and the quality of partnerships between the government and enterprises play a positive role in influencing the effects of digital transformation on the ability to innovate in environmentally friendly ways. Based on the findings of our research, we provide fresh perspectives and policy suggestions to assist business managers and governments in fostering environmentally-friendly innovation in enterprises.

Impact of Automated Prognostication on Traumatic Brain Injury Care: A Focus Group Study.

Prognosticating outcomes for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients is challenging due to the required specialized skills and variability among clinicians. Recent attempts to standardize TBI prognosis have leveraged machine learning (ML) methodologies. This study evaluates the necessity and influence of ML-assisted TBI prognostication through healthcare professionals' perspectives via focus group discussions. Two virtual focus groups included ten key TBI care stakeholders (one neurosurgeon, two emergency clinicians, one internist, two radiologists, one registered nurse, two researchers in ML and healthcare and one patient representative). They answered six open-ended questions about their perceptions and potential ML use in TBI prognostication. Transcribed focus group discussions were thematically analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. The study captured diverse perceptions and interests in TBI prognostication across clinical specialties. Notably, certain clinicians who currently do not prognosticate expressed an interest in doing so independently provided they had access to ML support. Concerns included ML's accuracy and the need for proficient ML researchers in clinical settings. The consensus suggested using ML as a secondary consultation tool and promoting collaboration with internal or external research resources. Participants believed ML prognostication could enhance disposition planning and standardize care regardless of clinician expertise or injury severity. There was no evidence of perceived bias or interference during the discussions. Our findings revealed an overall positive attitude toward ML-based prognostication. Despite raising multiple concerns, the focus group discussions were particularly valuable in underscoring the potential of ML in democratizing and standardizing TBI prognosis practices.

How sustainable is resilience? A mixed-methods study on the COVID-19-pandemic as a challenge to resilience resources of older adults who previously recovered from depression

Objectives Despite expanding knowledge about the internal and external resources that contribute to resilience among individuals who have experienced depression, the long-term accessibility and protectiveness of these resources across different stressors is unknown. We investigated whether and how the resilience resources of individuals who previously recovered from late-life depression remained protective during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods design. Quantitative data were derived from two psychiatric case-control cohorts and included twelve repeated measures during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 465, aged ≥ 60). Qualitative data included two sequential interviews held in 2020 (n = 25) and 2021 (n = 19). We used thematic analysis to determine the protective resources after depression and during the COVID-19 pandemic and linear mixed models to examine the effect of these resources on change in depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results While resources of ‘Taking agency’, ‘Need for rest’, ‘Managing thought processes’ and ‘Learning from depression’ remained accessible and protective during the pandemic, ‘Social support’ and ‘Engaging in activities’ did not. ‘Negotiating with lockdown measures’, ‘changing social contact’ and ‘changing activities’ were compensating strategies. Quantitative data confirmed the protectiveness of social contact, social cohesion, sense of mastery, physical activity, staying active and entertained and not following the media. Conclusion Many of the resources that previously helped to recover from depression also helped to maintain good mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Where accessibility and protectiveness declined, compensatory strategies or new resources were used. Hence, the sustainability of resilience is enabled through adaptation and compensation processes.

Networks, ownership and productivity does firm age play a moderating role?

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate whether and how inter-firm cooperation and firm age moderate the relationship between family ownership and productivity.Design/methodology/approachWe first estimate the total factor productivity (TFP) of a large sample of Italian firms observed over the period 2010–2018 and then apply a Poisson random effects model.FindingsTFP is, on average, higher for non-family firms (non-FFs) than for FF. Furthermore, inter-organizational cooperation and firm age mitigate the negative effect of family ownership. In detail, it is found that belonging to a network acts as a moderator in different ways according to firm age. Indeed, young FFs underperform non-FF peers, although the TFP gap decreases with age. In contrast, the benefits of a formal network are high for older FFs, suggesting that an age-related learning process is at work.Practical implicationsThe study provides evidence that FFs can outperform non-FFs when they move away from Socio-Emotional Wealth-centered reference points and exploit knowledge flows arising from high levels of social capital. In the case of mature FFs, networking is a driver of TFP, allowing them to acquire external resources. Since FFs often do not have sufficient in-house knowledge and resources, they must be aware of the value of business cooperation. While preserving the familiar identity of small companies, networks grant FFs the competitive and scale advantages of being large.Originality/valueDespite the wide but ambiguous body of research on the performance gap between FFs and non-FFs, little is known about the role of FFs’ heterogeneity. This study has proven successful in detecting age as a factor in heterogeneity, specifically to explain the network effect on the link between ownership and TFP. Based on a representative sample, the study provides a solid framework for FFs, policymakers and academic research on family-owned companies.

Analysis of factors influencing Extreme cycling behaviour change: Integrating the theories of self-determination and planned behaviour

<p>目的：本研究以自我決定理論與計畫行為理論為基礎，探究自行車極限挑戰活動參與者行為之影響因素及各變項間因果關係。方法：本研究以自行車騎乘里程數一天至少達200公里之自行車參與者為研究對象。研究工具為基本心理需求、計畫行為理論及其騎乘行為問卷。有效樣本共計 463位，所得資料以路徑分析進行分析，檢視本研究模式適配度與影響效果，本研究使用 IBM SPSS AMOS 22.0 統計套裝軟體進行資料分析，並以.05作為統計顯著水準。結果：本研究之測量分析模式與實際資料整體適配度尚佳，自行車極限挑戰參與者之基本心理需求對態度、主觀規範與知覺行為控制存在顯著正向的影響；基本心理需求、態度、知覺行為控制對意圖有顯著正向的影響；知覺行為控制、意圖對行為有顯著正向的影響；最後，態度與知覺行為控制在基本心理需求與意圖間扮演中介角色。結論：自行車極限挑戰選手基本心理需求滿足可提昇意圖；正向積極態度、知覺行為控制，以及內、外在資源掌控程度愈高可增進行為涉入。建議考量提昇選手身、心理、技能之訓練策略，設置友善優質的訓練環境、設施以強化選手對於內、外在資源之掌控力。</p> <p> </p><p>Purpose: On the basis of the self-determination theory and theory of planned behavior, this study explored the factors influencing participant’s behavior in extreme bicycle challenges as well as the relationships between these factors. Methods: Participants who engaged in extreme bicycle challenges and covered a minimum distance of 200 km per day were recruited. A questionnaire that focused on basic psychological needs, the theory of planned behavior, and cycling behavior was employed as the research instrument. In total, 463 valid samples were retrieved, and a path analysis of the collected data was conducted to assess the fit and effect of the research model. Data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS Amos 22.0 statistical software, with the significance level set at .05. Results: The measurement analysis model exhibited a favorable overall fit with the actual data. The basic psychological needs of participants in extreme bicycle challenges had significant and positive effects on their attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Basic psychological needs, attitude, and perceived behavioral control had significant and positive effects on intention. In addition, perceived behavioral control and intention had significant and positive effects on behavior. Finally, attitude and perceived behavioral control mediated the relationship between basic psychological needs and intention. Conclusion: Meeting the basic psychological needs of extreme cycling athletes may enhance their intention to participate. A positive and proactive attitude, perceived behavioral control, and higher levels of internal and external resource control can promote behavioral involvement. Therefore, we recommend training strategies that enhance the physical, psychological, and skill-related dimensions of athletes; the establishment of a friendly and high-quality training environment; and the use of facilities that help athletes to strengthen their control over their internal and external resources.</p> <p> </p>

Psychological adjustment to death anxiety: a qualitative study of Chinese patients with advanced cancer

ObjectivesDeath anxiety (DA) refers to the negative emotions experienced when a person reflects on the inevitability of their own death, which is common among patients with cancer. It is crucial...

Navigating uncharted skies: The role of pilot CEO in FinTech adoption

Employing the pilot credentials of chief executive officers (CEOs) as a proxy of the proclivity for venturing into uncharted territories and pursuing novel experiences, this study finds that pilot CEOs are associated with higher intensity of FinTech adoption. This positive association is more pronounced in firms with a powerful CEO and less significant in financially constrained firms, suggesting that the impact of pilot CEOs on FinTech adoption is affected by the CEO's power and the firm's access to external financial resources. Overall, our evidence advances the understanding of the role of CEO characteristics in driving FinTech adoption.

OpenCitations Meta

Abstract OpenCitations Meta is a new database for open bibliographic metadata of scholarly publications involved in the citations indexed by the OpenCitations infrastructure, adhering to Open Science principles and published under a CC0 license to promote maximum reuse. It presently incorporates bibliographic metadata for publications recorded in Crossref, DataCite, and PubMed, making it the largest bibliographic metadata source using Semantic Web technologies. It assigns new globally persistent identifiers (PIDs), known as OpenCitations Meta Identifiers (OMIDs) to all bibliographic resources, enabling it both to disambiguate publications described using different external PIDS (e.g., a DOI in Crossref and a PMID in PubMed) and to handle citations involving publications lacking external PIDs. By hosting bibliographic metadata internally, OpenCitations Meta eliminates its former reliance on API calls to external resources and thus enhances performance in response to user queries. Its automated data curation, following the OpenCitations Data Model, includes deduplication, error correction, metadata enrichment, and full provenance tracking, ensuring transparency and traceability of data and bolstering confidence in data integrity, a feature unparalleled in other bibliographic databases. Its commitment to Semantic Web standards ensures superior interoperability compared to other machine-readable formats, with availability via a SPARQL endpoint, REST APIs, and data dumps.

Enhancing euthanasia protocols in practice: a compassionate approach for companion animals

This article focuses on the complex aspects of veterinary euthanasia and aims to highlight the emotional, ethical and logistical challenges of euthanasia in veterinary practice. It advocates for compassionate and consistent euthanasia protocols to improve experiences for pets, owners and veterinary teams, and stresses the importance of understanding and respecting the diverse views within veterinary teams regarding euthanasia. This article also details the considerations in selecting and administering euthanasia protocols for a stress‐free and painless procedure and addresses the need for aftercare and support for both pet owners and veterinary teams after euthanasia, including external grief support resources.

CHEAT DETECTION IN ONLINE EXAMINATIONS USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

With increasing use of ICT and technical advancements in the education sector, distant and online education as well as examinations are being carried out frequently. However, online examination, as a method of assessment offers the risk of an unmonitored setting where students have full access to external resources. Online-proctored exams are the most efficient way for educational institutions to ensure academic honesty and ethics to counteract this. Typically, proctoring requires human assistance in the form of online proctors who remotely monitor students' performance. Yet, due to the rising demand for personnel and the intrusive nature of human proctoring, it is imperative to explore other areas. To tackle this pressing issue, this research work aims to devise a novel architecture that, through the development of a robust and automated Artificial Intelligence system, enables students to take exams remotely and reduces proctor involvement. The method overcomes the shortcomings of the previous automated proctoring system by combining important components of online exam cheating detection with cost-effective and efficient hardware. By proposing a Hybrid of FaceNet Model, Lucas Kanade Algorithm, and Active Appearance Model for Face Detection and Activity Monitoring of the student, the proposed system extracts semantic indicators to evaluate whether an applicant is cheating in an online examination. The proposed Cheat Detection system's experimental results measured via an F-score of 0.94 demonstrate its efficacy, and promising performance compared to the standard baseline techniques.