Frame Problem Research Articles

Micropolitics in Participatory Processes: The Impact of Ablism and Other ‘Hidden’ Power Structures on Equitable Participation and Outcomes

Theoretical understandings of micropolitics and ablism provided a framework to analyze power relations and their impacts in a participatory design process. Micropolitics allowed a focus on small scale interactions and relational processes that impact outcomes of participation, and revealed the importance of problem framing and coalition building. We also found resistance to ablism through micropolitical strategies including: the sharing of experiential narratives; the use of expressive communication styles; and the development of alliances. These helped challenge norms of ablism in the deliberative process. Suggested practices for planners and facilitators who want to intervene in status quo ablest practices are identified.

Public and professional stakeholders' perceptions of alcohol advertising and availability policies: A qualitative study.

Reducing alcohol availability and restricting alcohol advertising are effective ways to reduce harm from alcohol. Implementation of public health policies involves collaboration between different stakeholders, and is influenced by public opinion. This paper explores public and professional stakeholders' perceptions of alcohol advertising and availability policies. It is the first to capture consensus and divergence in narratives of these stakeholders. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 stakeholders from third sector organisations, government, public health and alcohol licensing in Scotland. We conducted 11 online focus groups with 45 participants, living in neighbourhoods in Scotland characterised by varying levels of urbanity, deprivation and retail density change. We gave participants a list of policies and discussed their views on acceptability, feasibility and likely success. Despite general consensus that regulation of alcohol advertising is an important priority, public stakeholders were concerned about the feasibility of advertising interventions and potential unintended consequences. While professional stakeholders were in favour of regulating alcohol availability, public stakeholders had misgivings about feasibility and effectiveness. When prompted to discuss specific interventions, similar views about protecting children and achieving cultural change emerged. This study highlights the importance of policy makers and other stakeholders to consider public stakeholders' opinions on alcohol policy and understanding that their views may be influenced by competing framings of alcohol problems. Attempts to increase support for alcohol control policies need to consider people's concerns about the effectiveness and potential unintended consequences of these policies, and the wider social context of alcohol consumption.

Psychological Determinants of Investment Decisions: Analyzing Financial Behavior in Personal Investments

Understanding the psychological factors that influence investor behavior is critical in the dynamic world of financial markets. Financial conduct encompasses the decisions and behaviors individuals exhibit in managing their finances, including investments in various asset classes. Factors such as risk tolerance, cognitive biases, emotional influences, and financial knowledge significantly shape investment outcomes. Gaining long-term financial success requires mastery over these behavioral aspects. This study investigates the influence of three psychological factors—information asymmetry, problem framing, and risk propensity—on the investment decisions of 220 active investors trading on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). A quantitative research approach was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire to collect data. Statistical analyses, including regression and correlation analysis, were used to assess the relationships between these psychological variables and investment behaviors. The results reveal significant correlations between psychological factors and investment decisions. Information asymmetry, problem framing, and risk propensity were found to strongly influence individual investor choices. These findings shed light on the intricate role that cognitive biases and psychological processes play in shaping financial decision-making. The study's findings offer valuable insights into the psychological drivers behind investment behavior. By highlighting the impact of these factors, the research contributes to both academic understanding and practical applications for financial professionals. The results underscore the importance of enhancing financial literacy and investor education, enabling more informed decision-making and promoting improved financial outcomes.

Exploring undergraduate engineers’ accommodation of engineering problem typology to support their initial framing and scoping of open-ended problems

ABSTRACT This study explores students’ initial engagement with ill-structured problems before and after the introduction of engineering problem typology as a framework for problem engagement and reflection. Using problem discussions, debrief interviews, and qualitative analysis of written artifacts, we considered observed changes to students’ initial problem framing and scoping discussions before and after the introduction of engineering problem typology. Two student pairs were examined as a comparative analysis of possible extremes on a continuum of adoption. One student pair demonstrated transformational adoption, leveraging problem typology as a guide for problem framing and scoping, and as a shared metacognitive framework. The other pair demonstrated transactional adoption that had limited impact on their thinking, and no apparent impact on the nature and trajectory of their problem framing and scoping. Through exploration of these cases, we find support for the use of problem typology as a frame for facilitating ill-structured problem engagement among undergraduate engineers. We also find evidence related to challenges that must be overcome in disrupting students’ established approaches to learning. We argue that this work can serve as a starting point for developing scaffolds that support problem design and facilitation, metacognitive development, and disrupting undergraduates’ conditioned approaches to problem engagement.

One Health collaboration is more effective than single-sector actions at mitigating SARS-CoV-2 in deer

One Health aims to achieve optimal health outcomes for people, animals, plants, and shared environments. We describe a multisector effort to understand and mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk to humans via the spread among and between captive and wild white-tailed deer. We first framed a One Health problem with three governance sectors that manage captive deer, wild deer populations, and public health. The problem framing included identifying fundamental objectives, causal chains for transmission, and management actions. We then developed a dynamic model that linked deer herds and simulated SARS-CoV-2. Next, we evaluated management alternatives for their ability to reduce SARS-CoV-2 spread in white-tailed deer. We found that single-sector alternatives reduced transmission, but that the best-performing alternative required collaborative actions among wildlife management, agricultural management, and public health agencies. Here, we show quantitative support that One Health actions outperform single-sector responses, but may depend on coordination to track changes in this evolving system.

The uphill battle for reinventing post-industrial regions: The case of Greater Manchester's ‘clean growth’ mission

In this paper we enrich the concept of place-based leadership. Building on social movement theory, our analysis of the clean growth mission development in Greater Manchester (UK) reveals the role of place-based leadership in mobilising and coordinating framing processes that linked the global climate change problem with local challenges, articulated local benefits of its resolution, and provided justification for local change efforts. We draw on theories of the policy process (i.e. Multiple Streams Framework) to shed light on how place-based leaders frame problems and solutions strategically to engender policy change. While framing processes had an impact on local policy agendas, we do not find evidence of accelerated implementation, pointing to the important distinctions between problem ownership and solution ownership in the context of wicked problems. Our findings contribute to the ongoing debate on the role of multi-level governance and localised agency in problem-based policymaking for sustainable regional development.

Analyzing knowledge integration in convergence research

A pragmatic concern guides this perspective piece: How might researchers charged with leading convergence research better plan, design, implement, and evaluate the integrative processes and products of their research? We use a self-evaluation approach to assess the integrative processes and products of the first two years of a five-year National Science Foundation Growing Convergence Research project on addressing inland freshwater salinization. To examine the linkages between integration approaches and products, we analyzed the integrative qualities of fifteen research products and the collaborative processes used to generate these products. We found that large, heterogeneous teams with a broad mix of disciplines and professional expertise produced more interdisciplinary research products, but they relied on skilled integration by the leader, more intensive forms of collaboration, and inclusive problem framing. Teams that relied on deliberation by experts and used more consultative or cooperative mechanisms for engagement produced research that was more uni- or multi-disciplinary. We consider the efficacy of the various knowledge integration approaches used in this research and share empirically derived recommendations for designing, implementing, and evaluating convergence research. Our findings and lessons provide researchers at the helm of large-scale convergence and transdisciplinary research projects that address complex socio-environmental problems guidance on: (1) the planning and designing of projects with the explicit goal of knowledge integration; (2) the selection and implementation of appropriate knowledge integration approaches and tools; and (3) how knowledge integration can be conceptualized and evaluated for socio-environmental problems.

Morality vs. Politics as a Framing Problem: How (Not) to Misunderstand the Fight Against Climate Change

Morality vs. Politics as a Framing Problem: How (Not) to Misunderstand the Fight Against Climate Change

Reframing design in education: Proposing a framework to support pre-service teachers in adopting designerly stances

ABSTRACT Background K12 teachers need a wider range of design approaches to foster feasible qualitative improvements in all students’ schooling experiences. We propose a framework for conceptualizing pre-service teachers’ stances toward designerly thinking. Methods We developed the framework following Crismond and Adams’ scholarship of integration approach combined with an inductive content analysis of 43 pre-service teachers’ conceptualizations of design across two versions of a design course. Results The resulting framework focuses on six dimensions including: (a) co-evolution of problem frames and possible solutions, (b) problem complexity and structure, (c) idea fluency and scope, (d) inquiry and stakeholder engagement, (e) conceptualization of the design process, and (f) attitude toward ambiguity. Each dimension articulates anchor points and examples based on the literature and grounded content analysis of the data. The analysis and discussion consider the conceptual accessibility of the framework’s goals for pre-service teachers and whether they considered the goals feasible to implement in the context of curricular mandates. Contribution The proposed framework provides the foundation for a hypothetical learning trajectory that can be elaborated and validated through future research to support K12 teachers in their development as informed designers who might better serve the needs of all their students.

Using exploratory modeling to challenge narratives of risk governance in Mexico City.

Achieving more sustainable adaptation to social-environmental change demands the transformation of the narratives that provide the rationale for risk governance. These narratives often reflect long-standing beliefs about social and political relationships, ascribe actions and responsibilities, and specify solutions to risk. When such solutions are implemented through material investments in landscapes, these narratives become embedded in physical infrastructure with long legacies. Dominant narratives can mask a range of divergent problem framings. By masking alternatives, narratives can contribute to the persistence of unsustainable governance trajectories. Decision-support tools have begun to represent narratives as drivers of system dynamics; making narratives visible can reveal opportunities for more sustainable governance. We present the results of the project "The Dynamics of Multi-Scalar Adaptation in the Megalopolis", a dynamic, exploratory model of socio-hydrological risks in Mexico City that was designed to both endogenize and simultaneously challenge the dominant narratives that characterize water-risk governance in the city. Qualitative data characterize dominant narratives at city and borough scales. An agent-based model, informed by multicriteria decision analysis and coupled with hydrological, urbanization, and climatic model inputs, permitted the development of exploratory governance scenarios designed to challenge dominant narratives. Scenarios revealed how dominant narratives may contribute to the persistence of vulnerability "hotspots" in the city, despite stated goals of equity and vulnerability alleviation. Participatory workshops with representatives of the city government illustrate how making such narratives visible through exploratory modeling can lead to a questioning of prior assumptions and causal relations, recognition of a need for intersectoral collaboration, and insights into potential management strategies.

Numerical study on the forward and inverse problems of the mobile pump truck frame

Aiming at the requirements of strong mobility and high flexibility of rescue and relief mobile pump trucks, this paper designs a new type of mobile pump truck frame based on existing mobile vehicle frame models. The materials used for the frame are 40Cr and Q235, and the finite element method is utilized to carry out static mechanical analysis and dynamic characteristic analysis. Simultaneously utilizing topology optimization and multi-objective genetic algorithm to optimize the design of the frame structure. The results show that the optimized pump truck frame can meet the strength design requirements of four typical working conditions: full load bending, full load torsion, emergency turning and emergency braking, while avoiding resonance phenomena caused by road surface and diesel engine vibration. Compared with the original frame model, the weight of the optimized frame is reduced by 87.88 kg, with a weight reduction rate of 10.89%, realizing the lightweight design requirements.

Problem solving as selective blindness

This article examines the practices associated with technical solutions to energy transitions. In particular, it considers the role of ‘problem solving’ as a partial view on the world with extraordinary influence. As the core epistemological practice of engineers, problem solving starts with selective framings of problems in which social or political conditions are taken as given. Engineering, as a form of applied science, therefore offers ethical choices that may be eclipsed by technical framings. This article highlights the reflexive practices of engineers engaged in modelling practices for energy transitions, who are addressing socio-technical problems in formally constrained ways that both enable and limit the thinkability of different future horizons.

"I arrived with just $1 in my pocket": Narratives of immigrant exceptionalism on X

Narratives of immigrant exceptionalism such as “I arrived with just $1 in my pocket” are commonly used by established immigrants in Canada to signal their personal achievement, their resilience, their claims to legitimacy on Canadian issues, or simply to counter narratives of an unwelcoming place. The convenience of the temporal and seemingly causal communicative form of the narrative, further combined with the social position of the established immigrant, the narratives of immigrant exceptionalism are highly amenable for reproduction. These narratives must be contextualized within the wider discourse of Canadian exceptionalism that allow such narratives to be further reproduced over generations and cohorts of new immigrant arrivals through the creation of the imaginary integrated immigrant. The framing of the narratives of immigrant exceptionalism tells us about the spectrum of meanings that people attach to immigrant exceptionalism, as well as what Canadian exceptionalism means to them. I collected 165 posts from X/Twitter and categorized the tweets into frames. I find that relevant problem frames such as “taking responsibility” and “threat“ stand out, as well as benefit frames such as “solidarity”.

Implementing an Adaptive Climate Control Strategy: Collection Monitoring and Sustainability Outcomes

ABSTRACT In 2022, the authors presented the first stage of implementing a revised climate control strategy at the National Gallery of Victoria, monitoring collection object response in collaboration with the Getty Conservation Institute using acoustic emissions (AE) monitoring. The research and education, motivating factors, and interdepartmental alignment required for adopting the Bizot Green Protocol (BGP) were discussed, as well as the experimental design and set-up of the AE system on a large Flemish altarpiece in an active gallery. This second and concluding paper presents the results of the AE monitoring study along with energy used by the HVAC system for the gallery housing the AE monitoring study, during the transition from traditional environmental parameters through to broadened parameters as defined in the BGP. The project highlights the importance of understanding individual gallery and building behaviour as well as the HVAC system in place. In the case of the gallery housing the AE study, the implementation of BGP parameters resulted in smaller environmental fluctuations than expected. That HVAC energy efficiency could be improved with a relatively low impact on the gallery environment was an unexpected but welcome outcome. This case study describes some common challenges faced when considering such a change operationally, including resourcing and communication needs. Identifying points of resistance, framing problems clearly, and identifying common goals were essential to making progress. In this case, sustainability has compelled many stakeholders into alignment and enabled a shift in institutional culture.

Shape-shifting versions of class in Australia and the pursuit of equity in public health.

The COVID-19 pandemic and current cost of living crisis have highlighted socioeconomically patterned health disparities, bringing renewed focus on equity in public health. Despite political rhetoric invoking cultural narratives of egalitarianism and opportunities for class mobility, social class remains a significant factor in health outcomes in the Australian context. For social scientists, class (despite robust critiques) is a key analytical concept that has been theoretically broadened to encompass social and cultural practices (habitus). In public health, however, concepts of social disadvantage have expanded toward frames such as health equity and socioeconomic status in ways that can obscure 'class' and habitus. Understandings and operationalization of concepts of class and equity not only impact collaborative and interdisciplinary relationships, but also the framing of public health problems and health promotion interventions and policies. In this article, we draw on our experiences as anthropologists conducting ethnography in and of Australian health promotion programs to map and re-evaluate the intersection of concepts of social class and equity. We trace how representations of class emerged in these programs, and the versions of class and equity that materialized across different public health contexts. We argue for a conceptual repositioning of class that recognizes its shape-shifting qualities and of its materializations in different politics, disciplines and everyday contexts. In doing so, we highlight 'class' as a salient dimension of the design, implementation and evaluation of health promotion programs.

Heuristics for Problem Framing: Collaborative Scaffolding in Design Thinking Education

Heuristics for Problem Framing: Collaborative Scaffolding in Design Thinking Education

The α-generalized implicit method associated with Potra–Pták iteration for solving non-linear dynamic problems

Generally, direct time integration procedures are used for solving the equations of motion in transient analysis of structures with large displacements. In this context, we propose an algorithm that combines the α-Generalized implicit integration method with the Potra–Pták two-step iterative scheme. The free Scilab program develops a computer code for the non-linear dynamic analysis of plane frames with large displacements and rotations. The FEM corotational formulation discretizes the structures considering the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The null-length connection element described by the axial, translational and rotational stiffnesses simulate the behavior of the beam-column connection. Jacobi’s method and the Scilab’s spec function determine the natural frequencies. The developed program is used for modal and transient dynamic analyses of frame problems available in the literature. The numerical results show that the Potra-Pták scheme obtains approximate solutions with fewer cumulative iterations until convergence and shorter processing time compared to the standard Newton-Raphson scheme. Further-more, the results show that the type of beam-column connection affects the vibratory behavior of the structure as well as the values of its natural frequencies.

IX Forum of Pediatric Surgeons of Russia

The traditional IX Forum of Pediatric Surgeons of Russia took place on November 9–11, 2023, at the Izmailovo Hotel, Moscow. The plenary session of the forum included the presentation of the S.D. Ternovsky Prize, “for his great contribution to the development of domestic pediatric surgery”, wherein Professor L.I. Budkevich gave an assembly speech “Combustiology of childhood — a first-person view” (online). Professor A.Yu. Razumovsky presented a report and historical documentary film dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of Yuri F. Isakov during the plenary session. The report “Pediatric surgery of the Russian Federation. Figures and Facts” was delivered by Professor D.A. Morozov. The plenary session ended with a message from Professors E.V. Yudina and O.G. Mokrushina, “Antenatal diagnosis of congenital defects”. The video session “How I Do It” included 17 presentations with original medical technologies. The working meeting of the main freelance pediatric surgeons of the constituent entities of Russia and department heads of pediatric surgery was combined with a meeting of the specialized commission “Pediatric surgery” of the Ministry of Health of Russia and was chaired by D.A. Morozov and A.Yu. Razumovsky. The scientific program of the forum included symposia (14), round tables (4), a seminar, and a workshop. Overall, the scientific program included 169 reports, and 645 specialists participated in the forum in person. In total, 1,674 participants were registered at the forum. The total broadcast duration of the forum on the Internet was 49.5 hours. On the final day of the forum, a traditional competition of scientific research works of young scientists transpired. The IX Forum of Pediatric Surgeons of Russia was a scientific and practical event of a federal scale, showing, in an interactive format, the evolution and time frame of current problems of our specialty. The content of the reports and discussion results determined the vector of further scientific development and ways of introducing new organizational solutions and advanced medical technologies into clinical practice.

An intersectional analysis of contestations within women’s movements: the case of Scottish domestic abuse policymaking

While policy scholars have elaborated on the ways in which social movements operate within discursive struggles over meaning-making to generate policy change, less attention has been paid to contestations within movements. This oversight is remarkable given that the process of shaping shared understandings and framings of policy problems is political and, thus, a site of epistemic power struggles. This article offers sharpened analytical tools to study internal framing politics, advancing an integrated feminist institutionalist approach. It empirically demonstrates the merits of this approach by applying it to a so-called ‘feminist policy success’ case: Scottish domestic abuse policymaking. Domestic abuse experts often hail Scottish domestic abuse policies as ‘world-leading’ due to their gendered and feminist policy constructions, which can be credited to successful feminist mobilisation around devolution. However, this article disrupts the dominant narrative by teasing out for whom the framing of policy has been a success within the movement, uncovering points of contention. Drawing on policy analysis and elite interviews, the study identifies and traces an enduring intramovement contestation around the dominance of gendered frames and subsequent marginalisation of intersectionality. It argues that while the women’s movement has made considerable gains in integrating feminist concerns in policy, framing opportunities have not been equally shared, marginalising some actors and their frames. The Scottish case demonstrates how and why we should not underestimate the real and (un)intended consequences of intramovement contestations. Beyond the Scottish context, this article calls for scholars to account for diversities in identity, agency and claims-making within movements.

Optimization Design Method for Vibration Reduction of Frame Structure of Cable-Driven Parallel Robot

This paper proposes a comprehensive optimization algorithm for the crossbeam cross-section size to solve the vibration problem of the flexible cable-driven parallel robot frame. The goal is to achieve an innovative design of the cross-sectional structure. By using a differential evolution algorithm, a comprehensive scale analysis of the cross-section size of the beam is carried out. This optimization method effectively improves the cross-section moment of inertia and the bending stiffness of the beam. Additionally, based on the variable density penalty method, the topological optimization design of the cross-section is carried out under the condition of minimum flexibility, the optimization objective function is established, and the objective function is solved by the moving asymptote method. The optimization results show that the beam stiffness is maximized while meeting the minimum flexibility required by the project. Through comparative analysis with various aluminum profile structures and their constructed frames, it is verified that the cross-sectional shape obtained through the optimized design method can significantly improve the anti-vibration stability of the frame.