Formulation Of Research Questions Research Articles

Implementing Lean 4.0: a review of case studies in pharmaceutical industry transformation

PurposeThe purpose of this systematic review is to critically analyze pharmaceutical industry case studies on the implementation of Lean 4.0 methodologies to synthesize key lessons, benefits and best practices. The goal is to inform decisions and guide investments in related technologies for enhancing quality, compliance, efficiency and responsiveness across production and supply chain processes.Design/methodology/approachThe article utilized a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology following five phases: formulating research questions, locating relevant articles, selecting and evaluating articles, analyzing and synthesizing findings and reporting results. The SLR aimed to critically analyze pharmaceutical industry case studies on Lean 4.0 implementation to synthesize key lessons, benefits and best practices.FindingsKey findings reveal recurrent efficiency gains, obstacles around legacy system integration and data governance as well as necessary operator training investments alongside technological upgrades. On average, quality assurance reliability improved by over 50%, while inventory waste declined by 57% based on quantified metrics across documented initiatives synthesizing robotics, sensors and analytics.Research limitations/implicationsAs a comprehensive literature review, findings depend on available documented implementations within the search period rather than direct case evaluations. Reporting bias may also skew toward more successful accounts.Practical implicationsSynthesized implementation patterns, performance outcomes and concealed pitfalls provide pharmaceutical leaders with an evidence-based reference guide aiding adoption strategy development, resource planning and workforce transitioning crucial for Lean 4.0 assimilation.Originality/valueThis systematic assessment of pharmaceutical Lean 4.0 adoption offers an unprecedented perspective into the real-world issues, dependencies and modifications necessary for successful integration, absent from conceptual projections or isolated case studies alone until now.

Navigating political terrain: a comprehensive review of leadership theories in political science

Political science is increasingly focusing on the study of leadership factors in its field scope. Therefore, the primary objective of this article is to systematically analyze the use of leadership theories in scholarly publications of political science. This paper also underscores the lack of leadership theories or concepts in political science, offering insights to anyone interested in examining leadership in this academic discipline. This study introduces an alternative framework for analyzing leadership, specifically emphasizing political leadership. Thus, the question addressed in this study is: What leadership theories are applied to the study of political science? This study utilizes the systematic literature review approach, except for the Appraisal Quality stage, to examine political leadership theory and the notion of utilization as discussed in political science. The ROSE protocol is employed in this study due to its suitability for mapping and qualitative studies. Furthermore, PICo is used to formulate research questions in the context of this study. The results of this study, which involved the review of 75 papers, revealed the implementation of leadership theories and concepts in 15 distinct contexts or focus areas. The analysis of leadership in political science places significant emphasis on the dimensions of transformative and transactional leadership styles. Both leadership styles are frequently used in various research contexts. Overall, the prevalence of transformative and transactional leadership theories in political science can be understood as a reflection of the constraints political scientists face in comprehending the nature of leadership within a political context from a scientific standpoint.

Residents’ Risk Perception in Developing Destinations

This paper addresses a gap in research concerning local communities’ perceptions of emerging tourism destinations through the lens of risk perception theory. Despite extensive exploration of perceived risk across disciplines, little attention has been paid to how local communities perceive the risks associated with tourism development. This article aims to propose a framework to explore the multifaceted aspects of residents’ risk perception, encompassing various types of risks, emotions, personal factors, and the role of the media. By formulating research questions that probe into these dimensions, the paper also aims to provide a background for empirical studies that validate and refine the proposed model. Ultimately, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of local community perceptions, offering insights for policymakers and practitioners to foster sustainable tourism practices and community engagement.

Integrating Indigenous women’s traditional knowledge for climate change in Canada

Traditional Ecological Knowledge has historically been appropriated by White settler societies across the globe. It has an important role to play in environmental decision-making, particularly in climate policy. Due to past colonization and continued neo-colonial pressures, Indigenous women’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge has an even less prominent position in environmental policies. Traditional Ecological Knowledge can help build local expertise, formulate research questions, and provide insights into community adaptation and monitoring. We explore the case of Canadian environmental policy, arguing that although Canadian rhetoric seems to consider Traditional Ecological Knowledge, both women’s and otherwise, it rarely does so. When included, it is only done in a superficial manner within legal requirements. We suggest that the lack of attention paid to Indigenous women’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Canadian environmental decision-making (1) ignores the disproportionate impacts that Indigenous women experience because of climate change, (2) perpetuates gender blindness, and (3) does not recognize the key insights that women’s Traditional Ecological Knowledge can offer.

Study on Medicinal Forest Plants in Ifo, Ogun State, Nigeria, and Factors Shaping Usage Patterns

The utilization of medicinal plants in Nigeria is not solely associated with availability and accessibility but also reflects cultural heritage and local knowledge regarding natural resources. This research addresses the pressing issue of the medicinal utilization of selected forest plants in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria. Commencing with a succinct presentation of the identified problem, the study aims to explore solutions to formulated research questions and test hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05 alpha. Employing a descriptive survey research design, the study involves one hundred respondents randomly selected from Ifo Local Government Area, including forest and herbal operators, civil servants, and farmers. Five communities, i.e., Alagbole, Lambe, Ibogun, Onihale, and Igbusi, were purposively sampled, with 20 randomly chosen respondents. Data collection utilized a self-structured questionnaire to gather pertinent responses on the variables central to the study. Analysis methods included simple percentages, tables, Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (PPMCC), and independent Student's T-test statistics, applied to test hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The research findings highlight, among other insights, the frequent use of forest plant-derived herbs for treating or preventing various health issues in the study area. As a recommendation, the study suggests the need for effective legislation to regulate the harvesting and trade of medicinal plants.

Toward Next Generation Quantum-Safe eIDs and eMRTDs: A Survey

Security mechanisms of Electronic Personal Documents (eCards) depend on (asymmetric) cryptography that is and always has been subject to the threat of compromise, be it from conventional attacks or quantum computers. With Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), we now have alternative building blocks at hand that can be leveraged to protect against both kind of attacks. Thus, PQC should be incorporated into eCard ecosystems, yet it is not clear how this is done best. In the work at hand, we review the state of currently used crypto-systems for eCard security, as well as their possible quantum-secure replacements. Further, we identify and categorize respective challenges that need to be addressed, present and assess existing approaches for their solution, and formulate research questions for open issues. By providing an overview of the situation, we help unraveling the issue and pave the way toward quantum-safe electronic Identity Documents and electronic Machine-Readable Travel Documents.

Exploring the Role of Wi-Fi Direct's Service Discovery Protocol in Forming Wireless Collaboration Networks: A Scoping Review

The increasing ubiquity of mobile devices and the Internet has become a hallmark of modern society, yet challenges persist in ensuring reliable communication networks during unforeseen disruptions, such as pandemics, war, or natural disasters. Despite the advancement of Wi-Fi technology, the development of a comprehensive model for temporary communication networks based on Wi-Fi interfaces during these disruptions remains inconclusive. The temporary and infrastructure-less wireless network created by mobile devices is referred to as a Wireless Collaboration Network (WCN). To assess the extent to which wireless protocols have been leveraged in forming Wireless WCN, a scoping review was conducted. This review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing literature, specifically focusing on the Service Discovery (SD) protocol of Wi-Fi Direct within the Mobile Ad Hoc Network (MANET) domain. Our investigation delved into solutions developed by researchers in this domain and the various metrics employed to evaluate the performance of these solutions. The scoping review protocol encompassed nine distinct steps, ranging from formulating research questions to synthesizing results. The review process involved examining three major databases: IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Scopus, with the assistance of Mendeley for data organization and filtering. In total, our search identified 186 records across these databases. After rigorous screening, which included removing duplicates, irrelevant articles, and inaccessible content, we selected 35 articles for comprehensive review. These reviewed articles were then summarized and presented in a table, offering valuable insights into article titles, objectives, measurement parameters, techniques employed, and the noteworthy contributions of each work. The table serves as an invaluable resource for researchers in the field, facilitating a deeper understanding of the research landscape and enabling easier access to the collective knowledge within this domain.

A Scoping Review of Food Systems Governance Frameworks and Models to Develop a Typology for Social Change Movements to Transform Food Systems for People and Planetary Health

Effective governance is essential to transform food systems and achieve the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals 2030. Different political ideologies and paradigms inhibit or drive social change movements. This study examined how food systems governance has been described. Thereafter, we reviewed graphic frameworks and models to develop a typology for civil society actors to catalyze social change movements to transform food systems for people and the planet. The scoping review involved (1) formulating research questions; (2) developing a search strategy to identify evidence from four English-language electronic databases and reports, 2010–2023; and (3–4) selecting, analyzing, and synthesizing evidence into a narrative review. Results yielded 5715 records, and 36 sources were selected that described and depicted graphic frameworks and models examined for purpose, scale, political ideology, paradigm, discourse, principles, governance, and democracy. Evidence was used to develop a graphic food systems governance typology with distinct political ideologies (i.e., neoliberal, reformist, progressive, radical); paradigms (i.e., maintain, reform, transition, transform); discourses (i.e., food enterprise, food security, food justice, food sovereignty); types of governance (i.e., multistakeholder, shared, self); and democracy (i.e., representative, participatory, deliberative). This proof-of-concept typology could be applied to examine how change agents use advocacy and activism to strengthen governance for sustainable diets, regenerative food systems, and planetary health.

One hundred priority questions for advancing seagrass conservation in Europe

Societal Impact StatementSeagrass ecosystems are of fundamental importance to our planet and wellbeing. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants, which engineer ecosystems that provide a multitude of ecosystem services, for example, blue foods and carbon sequestration. Seagrass ecosystems have largely been degraded across much of their global range. There is now increasing interest in the conservation and restoration of these systems, particularly in the context of the climate emergency and the biodiversity crisis. The collation of 100 questions from experts across Europe could, if answered, improve our ability to conserve and restore these systems by facilitating a fundamental shift in the success of such work.SummarySeagrass meadows provide numerous ecosystem services including biodiversity, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. In Europe, seagrasses can be found in shallow sheltered waters along coastlines, in estuaries & lagoons, and around islands, but their distribution has declined. Factors such as poor water quality, coastal modification, mechanical damage, overfishing, land‐sea interactions, climate change and disease have reduced the coverage of Europe’s seagrasses necessitating their recovery. Research, monitoring and conservation efforts on seagrass ecosystems in Europe are mostly uncoordinated and biased towards certain species and regions, resulting in inadequate delivery of critical information for their management. Here, we aim to identify the 100 priority questions, that if addressed would strongly advance seagrass monitoring, research and conservation in Europe. Using a Delphi method, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers with seagrass experience from across Europe and with diverse seagrass expertise participated in the process that involved the formulation of research questions, a voting process and an online workshop to identify the final list of the 100 questions. The final list of questions covers areas across nine themes: Biodiversity & Ecology; Ecosystem services; Blue carbon; Fishery support; Drivers, Threats, Resilience & Response; Monitoring & Assessment; Conservation & Restoration; Governance, Policy & Management; and Communication. Answering these questions will fill current knowledge gaps and place European seagrass onto a positive trajectory of recovery.

Modelling Possible Household Uses of Grey Water in Poland using Property Fitting Analysis

One of the most important methods of optimising water consumption is grey water recycling. From a technological point of view, the treatment of grey water guarantees that it can be reused for domestic or corporate purposes, but it raises the issue of the social acceptance of the use of such water. This study aimed to assess the possibility of using grey water in households in Poland. The originality of this research study lies in the application of the PROFIT method for the separate construction of models of the benefits of grey water according to user groups. Four groups were identified, differentiated by gender and age; age and possession of an irretrievable water meter; gender and place of residence; place of residence and possession of an irretrievable water meter. To answer the formulated research questions, a diagnostic survey method was used, in which 807 randomly selected respondents from all over Poland were surveyed. The results of the survey indicate that homeowners perceive the potential use of grey water as beneficial, pointing most often to the following factors: rebuilding groundwater levels, reduced extraction of drinking water from rivers and other water bodies, and increased vegetation growth. On the other hand, they are concerned about the need to reconstruct the existing water and sewerage systems in order to produce drinking water from grey water as well as about the high cost and parameter stability of drinking water produced from grey water. Furthermore, men and older people attribute less importance to measures related to the introduction of good practices based on the reuse of recycled water in water management. Women, on the other hand, appreciate almost all opportunities to use grey water to a greater extent than men.

Feedback loops drive ecological succession: towards a unified conceptual framework.

The core principle shared by most theories and models of succession is that, following a major disturbance, plant-environment feedback dynamics drive a directional change in the plant community. The most commonly studied feedback loops are those in which the regrowth of the plant community causes changes to the abiotic (e.g. soil nutrients) or biotic (e.g. dispersers) environment, which differentially affect species availability or performance. This, in turn, leads to shifts in the species composition of the plant community. However, there are many other PE feedback loops that potentially drive succession, each of which can be considered a model of succession. While plant-environment feedback loops in principle generate predictable successional trajectories, succession is generally observed to be highly variable. Factors contributing to this variability are the stochastic processes involved in feedback dynamics, such as individual mortality and seed dispersal, and extrinsic causes of succession, which are not affected by changes in the plant community but do affect species performance or availability. Both can lead to variation in the identity of dominant species within communities. This, in turn, leads to further contingencies if these species differ in their effect on their environment (priority effects). Predictability and variability are thus intrinsically linked features of ecological succession. We present a new conceptual framework of ecological succession that integrates the propositions discussed above. This framework defines seven general causes: landscape context, disturbance and land-use, biotic factors, abiotic factors, species availability, species performance, and the plant community. When involved in a feedback loop, these general causes drive succession and when not, they are extrinsic causes that create variability in successional trajectories and dynamics. The proposed framework provides a guide for linking these general causes into causal pathways that represent specific models of succession. Our framework represents a systematic approach to identifying the main feedback processes and causes of variation at different successional stages. It can be used for systematic comparisons among study sites and along environmental gradients, to conceptualise studies, and to guide the formulation of research questions and design of field studies. Mapping an extensive field study onto our conceptual framework revealed that the pathways representing the study's empirical outcomes and conceptual model had important differences, underlining the need to move beyond the conceptual models that currently dominate in specific fields and to find ways to examine the importance of and interactions among alternative causal pathways of succession. To further this aim, we argue for integrating long-term studies across environmental and anthropogenic gradients, combined with controlled experiments and dynamic modelling.

Deep Learning in Computational Design Synthesis: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract A paradigm shift in the computational design synthesis (CDS) domain is being witnessed by the onset of the innovative usage of machine learning techniques. The rapidly evolving paradigmatic shift calls for systematic and comprehensive assimilation of extant knowledge at the intersection of machine learning and computational design synthesis. Understanding nuances, identifying research gaps, and outlining the future direction for cutting-edge research is imperative. This article outlines a hybrid literature review consisting of a thematic and framework synthesis survey to enable conceptual synthesis of information at the convergence of computational design, machine learning, and big data models. The thematic literature survey aims at conducting an in-depth descriptive survey along the lines of a broader theme of machine learning in computational design. The framework synthesis-based survey tries to encapsulate the research findings in a conceptual framework to understand the domain better. The framework is based on the CDS process, which consists of four submodules: representation, generation, evaluation, and guidance. Each submodule has undergone an analysis to identify potential research gaps and formulate research questions. In addition, we consider the limitations of our study and pinpoint the realms where the research can be extended in the future.

Guidelines for conducting quantitative systematic review studies

Research processes are built at different levels, from the exploratory or descriptive to the explanatory level. In the exploratory and descriptive scope, quantitative systematic review studies arise, which allow the identification of characteristics of a line of research through the analysis of previous publications. This article proposes a guide for the elaboration of this type of work, in which we propose important aspects such as the formulation of research questions, the search for information in scientific databases, the statistical analysis of data, the formulation of research questions, among other important topics. The work closes by highlighting the importance of quantitative systematic review research and its contribution to the identification and description of the elements that can encompass a line of research.

Nurses' experiences and perspectives regarding evidence-based practice implementation in healthcare context: A qualitative study.

To explore nurses' experiences and perspectives about evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation in the healthcare context. A qualitative descriptive study design using focus group discussions (FGDs). Sixty-four nurses who purposefully selected and worked at various healthcare organizations in Bisha Governorate, Saudi Arabia, were included. Eight FGDs were used to obtain data using open-ended questions. The collected data underwent inductive qualitative content analysis. Two main categories were extracted: experiences and perspectives towards EBP. The experiences category emerged into four sub-categories: familiarity with concepts and benefits, steps, dissemination sources of EBP and sources of EBP knowledge, while perspectives towards the EBP category included four sub-categories: application of EBP in clinical practice, barriers, facilitators and EBP application methods. The participants experienced being in a non-supportive and non-encouraging atmosphere which results from a lack of organizational commitment to EBP implementation and illuminates the complexities involved in the integration process. The nurses' experience with EBP indicated that there was limited support for the implementation of this approach. Furthermore, they experienced varying barriers to EBP implementation. They viewed EBP as a complex technique as they lacked knowledge and skills related to the formulation of research questions, and retrieving, applying and disseminating of EBP in clinical practice decision-making. That is due to barriers pertinent to the individual, organizational and patient factors. The key to successfully implementing an EBP in nursing practice is to promote professional development, comprehensive and continuous training, a culture of change, organizational support and motivation. Through the construction and provision of ongoing educational interventions and mentoring programmes about EBP, healthcare organizations and nursing leadership may develop a comprehensive strategy to encourage staff nurses' participation in the EBP process. This is to enhance nurses' experiences and perspectives towards the EBP approach and overcome the barriers to effective implementation. Patients or the general public were not involved in the design, analysis or interpretation of the data in this study.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT ON GOVERNMENT FINANCES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT ON GOVERNMENT FINANCES BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

The Challenges and Strategies of Instructional Coaching Implementation in Schools: A Systematic Literature Review

In the teaching profession, instructional coaching is a part of Professional Development (PD) programs. Detailed systematic reviews of instructional coaching strategies are scarce, complicating the current research. Consequently, this study aims to conduct a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) regarding challenges and strategies in instructional coaching implementation to find the most effective coaching practises. The review processes include five key methodological steps, as outlined in the systematic review: formulation of Research Questions (RQs); systematic searching strategies based on 'identification', 'screening', 'eligibility', and finally 'data extraction' and 'data analysis'. Overall, eight themes were discovered based on two RQs. Under challenges, four themes stood out: (C1) organisation; (C2) teacher learning; (C3) the coaching process; and (C4) relationships. Note that the strategies of the other four themes were as follows: (S1) coaching support; (S2) roles; (S3) capacity building; and (S4) social. This review enables scholars to understand the implementation challenges and strategies better and improve the quality and effectiveness of instructional coaching.

Formulating research questions for evidence-based studies

Formulating a research question is a crucial step in directing any scientific study. The classical evidence-based approach to formulating a question uses the PICO framework, consisting of population, intervention, comparison, and outcome. However, the PICO framework is not suitable for formulating research questions in some types of evidence and studies. This paper reviews and summarizes different frameworks introduced for formulating research questions over time. For this purpose, we explore the complete application of the PICO framework, clarifying its flexibility and subtleties for various research designs. Also, this review navigates the complexities of creating research questions, clarifying the minor variations needed within the PICO framework for various study designs through a thorough analysis and synthesis of the existing literature. Clarifying these customized strategies is intended to assist researchers, physicians, and scholars in appropriately formulating questions, improving the strength and relevance of research findings throughout the scientific investigation spectrum.

Artificial Neural Network for Classification Task in Tabular Datasets and Image Processing: A Systematic Literature Review

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is one of the machine learning algorithms that is widely used for classification cases. Some examples of classification cases that can be handled with ANN include classifications in the health sector, banking, and classification in image processing. This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of the ANN algorithm to find a research gap that can be used in future research. There are 3 phases used in preparing the SLR. Those are planning, conducting, and reporting. Formulation of research questions and establishing a review protocol is carried out in the planning phase. The second phase is conducted. In this phase, searching for relevant articles is carried out, determining the quality of the literature found and selecting particles according to what has been formulated in the planning phase. The selected literature is then carried out by the process of extracting data and information and then synthesizing the data. Writing SLR articles based on existing findings is carried out in the last phase, namely reporting. The results of data and information extraction from the 13 reviewed articles show that the ANN algorithm is powerful enough with satisfactory results to handle classification cases that use tabular datasets or image datasets. The challenges faced are the need for extensive training data so that ANN performance can be better, the use of appropriate evaluation measures based on the cases studied does not only rely on accuracy scores, and the determination of the correct hyperparameters to get better performance in the case of image processing.

Bolstering the willingness to uptake covid-19 vaccination through multidisciplinary health communication intervention: a cue for reaching herd immunity in Nigeria

Background: The prevailing unwillingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination among the eligible population has been a serious setback in Nigeria’s bid to reach herd immunity against the pandemic.Objective: We assessed the impact of a multidisciplinary health communication intervention (MHCI) on willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination among eligible unvaccinated community dwellers (EUCD) in Nsukka Urban, Enugu State, Nigeria.Methods: Through a quasi-experiment that adopted a pre-test, post-test, non-control group design, we studied a total of 85 eligibleunvaccinated adults. A researcher-designed "Willingness to Accept COVID-19 Vaccination Questionnaire" was the instrument used for data collection. The data gathered was analysed by means of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Specifically, descriptive and inferential statistics were used to test the formulated research questions and the hypothesis at 0.05 level of significance.Results: We found that the mean scores of willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination increased significantly after the treatment.There was no significant interaction effect of gender, level of education, and age on the mean of willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination scores of EUCD after MHCI.Conclusion: The study established that MHCI is impactful in bolstering the willingness to accept COVID-19 vaccination. The Nigerian government should adopt and implement this intervention in schools, communities, and other institutions in order to attain herd immunity in Nigeria.

Efektivitas Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) dalam Mengatasi Depresi dan Kecemasan Serta Meningkatkan Kualitas Hidup

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the quality of life in patients with depression and anxiety. The research method used is a systematic review through searching for articles adapted to the formulation of research questions using the PICO formula in online databases (PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect). The articles reviewed met the inclusion criteria and the articles were published between 2010 and 2023. The search results found 8 articles with research showing that acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an effective intervention for reducing symptoms of depression, both face-to-face and Web-based. In conclusion, to improve the quality of life of depressed patients with anxiety, therapy can be carried out on these individuals by carrying out acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
 
 Keywords: Depression, Anxiety, Quality of Life, ACT therapy