Human Competence Research Articles

Fleshing Out the Strength of Weakness: Intercorporeality in the Theological Discourse on Disability

AbstractIn the context of theological interpretations of disabilities, I am arguing for the concept of “strength in weakness.” So far, a “theology of weakness,” which portrays people with disabilities as pointedly illustrating universal human weakness, has played a very prominent role in the field. I argue that this theological interpretation of disabilities should not be the dominant one. I trace the alternative model of “strength in weakness” in discussing writings by the apostle Paul and describe how it is supported by the anthropological concept of intercorporeality. Yet first, the article discusses Stanley Hauerwas’s theology of disability, which is not only a very pointed theology of weakness but also repeatedly associates disabilities with suffering. Since at least the latter aspect is in contrast with widespread self-perceptions among people with disabilities, a theology of weakness amounts to a “narrative prosthesis” (David Mitchell and Sharon Snyder). By contrast, Paul suggests that weakness can allow for distinct strengths. To flesh out distinctive competences of people with intellectual disabilities, I then discuss Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s concept of intercorporeality. Intercorporeality denotes a human competence more generally, but I suggest that it is often partly eclipsed by social norms. However, people with intellectual disabilities often pay less attention to social norms, which helps explain a distinctive intercorporeal competence among people with intellectual disabilities. Reduced attention to social norms can imply a distinctive strength.

Mathematical argumentation of three-year-old children on a classroom experience based on two STEAM domains

In the last decades, the importance of argumentation as a human competence in general and its close relationship with mathematical comprehension in particular has been highlighted. Thus, in this paper we focus our interest on analyzing the argumentation skills shown by three-year-old children in a STEAM classroom experience. For this purpose, a qualitative study was carried out. For data collection, a STEAM task has been designed in which mathematics and science are worked together from the study of the physical properties of water. Specifically, what color and taste of water has by means of two experiments and, subsequently, photos and video-recordings have been collected during the implementation carried out in a classroom with 20 children of three-year-old. All data collect have subsequently been transcribed and categorized. The results indicate that the children, during the experiments done, mainly use arguments based on mathematical language, numerical figures, or make use of words or spelling, although with considerable imprecision in the type of language used. In addition, the experiments carried out have allowed a high percentage of children to change their previous ideas and have a more comprehensive approach to the concepts introduced, highlighting the importance of working on argumentation in early childhood education through contexts, in this case STEAM, which encourage reasoning and proof.

AI COMPETENCIES FOR INTERNAL AUDITORS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

This article examines the critical integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) competencies within the realm of internal auditing, particularly in the public sector. It addresses the existing gap in understanding the specific AI-related competencies as presented by The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and explores their practical application for internal auditors. The study begins by tracing the origins and evolution of AI, highlighting its increasing significance across various sectors, including internal auditing. It delves into the transformative impact of AI on audit practices, emphasizing the need for internal auditors to adapt and develop new competencies in response to this technological evolution. The paper underscores the importance of AI in enhancing the quality and efficiency of auditing by automating tasks like fraud detection and anomaly identification. It articulates the imperative for internal auditors to possess a comprehensive understanding of AI, its risks, and opportunities, and to apply these insights in their audit processes. The study further explores the role of continuing professional education in equipping auditors with the necessary AI competencies, reflecting on the IIA’s emphasis on education and competency development in light of AI integration. By elucidating the link between AI theoretical knowledge and its practical application in internal audits, the article aims to empower internal auditors with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the evolving landscape of audit practice in the era of AI. It concludes by emphasizing the synergy between AI sophistication and human competence as indispensable for achieving optimal audit results and maintaining the integrity and effectiveness of the audit process in the digital age.

The professional competence of faculty members from the students’ perspective at Kuwait University and Palestine Technical University Kadoorie

PurposeThe study aimed at identifying the degree of professional competence of faculty members from the students’ perspective at Kuwait and Palestine Technical University Kadoorie, and identifying the effect of the variables of gender and academic year.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers developed a 24-item questionnaire and administered it to 115 students each from Kuwait (male: 57, female: 58) and Palestine Technical University Kadoorie (male: 21, female: 94). The study used a descriptive approach to analyze the collected data.FindingsAccording to the students' perspective, the average professional competence of faculty members at Kuwait University is 2.74 for the teaching competencies, 2.29 for the technology competencies, 2.65 for the evaluation competencies and 2.71 for the human competencies. Similarly, at Palestine Technical University Kadoorie, the mean of the professional competencies of faculty members from the students' perspective is 2.31 for the teaching competencies, 1.96 for the technology competencies, 2.24 for the evaluation competencies and 2.34 for the human competencies. There were significant differences in the degree of professional competence at Kuwait and Palestine Technical University Kadoorie due to the gender of all domains in favor of females. There were significant differences in the degree of professional competence in Kuwait due to the academic year of the technology domain between the first year and second year, in favor of the second year. There were significant differences due to the variable of the academic year of the human domain between the first year and the third year, in favor of the third year. There were significant differences in the degree of professional competence at Palestine Technical University Kadoorie due to the academic year of the technology domain (second, third, fourth year and more) and second year, in favor of (the second year). There were significant differences due to the academic year of the human domain between the first and second year, in favor of second year.Originality/valueThe authors hope that their findings will inspire further research in this area and help universities to better support their faculty members and improve student outcomes.

Copyright Content Moderation in the European Union: State of the Art, Ways Forward and Policy Recommendations

This Opinion describes and summarises the results of the interdisciplinary research carried out by the authors during the course of a three-year project on intermediaries’ practices regarding copyright content moderation. This research includes the mapping of the EU legal framework and intermediaries’ practices regarding copyright content moderation, the evaluation and measuring of the impact of moderation practices and technologies on access and diversity, and a set of policy recommendations. Our recommendations touch on the following topics: the definition of “online content-sharing service provider”; the recognition and operationalisation of user rights; the complementary nature of complaint and redress safeguards; the scope of permissible preventive filtering; the clarification of the relationship between Art. 17 of the new Copyright Directive and the Digital Services Act; monetisation and restrictive content moderation actions; recommender systems and copyright content moderation; transparency and data access for researchers; trade secret protection and transparency of content moderation systems; the relationship between the copyright acquis, the Digital Services Act and the upcoming Artificial Intelligence Act; and human competences in copyright content moderation.

A Study on Professional Service Firms Exploring Human Competence Valuation as an Alternative Approach in Financial Valuation Models

A Study on Professional Service Firms Exploring Human Competence Valuation as an Alternative Approach in Financial Valuation Models

Analysis of Human Competence Influence, Entrepreneurial Characteristics, Information Technology, Management Accounting System, and Environmental Uncertainty on the Performance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Pasuruan City, Indonesia

Analysis of Human Competence Influence, Entrepreneurial Characteristics, Information Technology, Management Accounting System, and Environmental Uncertainty on the Performance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Pasuruan City, Indonesia

Assessing the Human Competence and Individual Support Level in Manual Assembly through Cognitive Assistance Systems

In today’s industrial landscape, production challenges arise from increasing demand for personalized products and demographic changes. Production facilities and employees must be agile and adaptable to changing requirements, while limited automation in multi-variant production elevates the importance of human workers. Cognitive assistance systems, such as digital instructions and pick-by-light systems, can enhance efficiency and reduce errors but should be customized to worker competence levels. This article presents a method for assessing worker competence and individual support using cognitive assistance systems in manual assembly, with an example from Fraunhofer IGCV’s "Learning factory for cyber-physical production systems" in Augsburg.

Essential or Obsolete? The Role of Human Competencies in the Tech-Driven Language Services Industry

Essential or Obsolete? The Role of Human Competencies in the Tech-Driven Language Services Industry

Смена поколений в предпринимательской среде: цифровой и технологический разрывы

The process of generational change is a rigidly determined sociobiological process. It can be argued that the generational change in entrepreneurship is taking place within the framework of the current historical period under the influence of revolutionary technological processes. The phenomenon of the «digital divide» is growing between generations, each generation has its advantages over others and the next generation has greater and deeper digital human competencies. An additional catalyst for the acceleration of the process is the state, the introduction of state standards to the economy and other spheres of human social life encourages entrepreneurs to adapt to these requirements and switch to the digital human format. Several case studies have been analyzed within the framework of this study in order to identify the features of generational change in the business environment. The obtained results show the specifics of the generational change. Generation X, who started their business in the 1990s, is being replaced by more trained and competent entrepreneurs who have a clear understanding of how to run a business and where to move using digital technologies. We observe the following pattern of changing entrepreneurial cohorts: «X»→»Y»→»Z», the bundle «X»→»Y» can be described as a phenomenon of the «digital divide» and technological transitions and the bundle «Y»→»Z» is regarded as a more evolutionary transition from one model of moving business to another more digitalized and technologically advanced model. In this regard, we do not see a deep «digital divide», generation «Y» looks like a «digital person» in relation to generation «Z», fully adapted to current digital technologies.

The Erosion of Competencies in Managing Innovation Projects due to the Impact of Ubiquitous Artificial Intelligence Systems

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) systems has had a profound impact on various aspects of business and technology. One area greatly influenced by AI is innovation project management, which plays a critical role in driving organizational growth and success. The purpose of the paper examines the erosion of competencies in innovation project management as a consequence of the increasing reliance on AI systems. The object is innovation project management relying on the expertise, experience, and decision-making capabilities of human managers. However, the introduction of AI systems in project management processes has brought about significant changes. AI-powered tools and algorithms can automate tasks, analyse vast amounts of data, and provide valuable insights and recommendations. While this presents numerous benefits, it also raises concerns about the diminishing role of human competencies in managing innovation projects. AI systems require vast amounts of training data to operate effectively. In the process, they might overlook or undervalue the tacit knowledge and domain expertise possessed by human project managers. The results emphasize the need for project managers to develop new competencies, such as understanding AI capabilities, interpreting AI-generated insights, and effectively integrating AI systems into project workflows. To mitigate the erosion of competencies, organizations should invest in training programs that equip project managers with the necessary skills to work alongside AI systems. Recognizing these challenges and proactively addressing them through training, collaboration, and a balanced approach to human-AI interaction is crucial for organizations seeking to leverage AI while maintaining a high level of project management expertise.

Human Resources in the Structure of the Reintegrative Educational Environment of the University

The article examines the peculiarities of implementation of integration activities with military personnel and members of their families in the conditions of educational resources of the university. The results of a practical study implemented in the form of a survey of pedagogical workers, who are the personnel resource of the project “Retraining and social adaptation of military personnel, veterans and members of their families in Ukraine. Integration of the model of the project “Norway — Ukraine” into the state system” based on Chernihiv Polytechnic National University, are presented and the project participants themselves. In the presented results of the study, attention is focused on the general human and professional competencies of teachers involved in reintegration activities with a certain social category. The purpose of the article is to create a competency profile of educational workers as the main reintegration resource in working with former military personnel and veterans within the framework of reintegration work in the educational environment of the university. The main tasks of the research were aimed at actualizing the problem of selection of specialists involved in the process of reintegration of military personnel, veterans and their family members in the conditions of an educational environment. The conclusions confirm that work on the reintegration of servicemen in the direction of their professional retraining requires teachers to have key professional and general human competencies, the significance of these competencies is not the same and is determined by the characteristics of the social group in relation to which the reintegration program is implemented. The novelty of the research lies in the study of the possibilities of social reintegration of military personnel precisely in the plane of the educational environment of the university. The practical significance of the study lies in the creation of a competence characteristic of representatives of the university’s pedagogical community, as the main reintegration resource in working with military personnel

Evaluating an institutional response to Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI): Applying Kotter’s change model and sharing lessons learned for educational development

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, there has been a dawning understanding in the higher education sector of ways Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools can challenge the traditional roles of academic teaching staff (e.g., Chan & Tsi, 2023) and support learning by students. For example, Mike Sharples in Sabzalieva and Valentini (2023) identifies ten roles that ChatGPT can play which would all support student learners. Media and sector concern has focused on whether GenAI use by students would disrupt the integrity of degrees and awards and there is a good deal of debate on how to adapt assessment, learning outcomes and curricula to reflect and reward unique human competences associated with a discipline or subject and embrace students’ use of GenAI. Educational development colleagues have been at the vanguard of leading higher education provider reactions and responses to the widespread availability and capabilities of GenAI. This case study reflects on a year of action to lead teaching staff and students as well as institutional policy and practice through a series of steps to enable rapid, proportionate and robust change. We apply Kotter’s (1996) eight stage change model to reflect on the activities, achievements and challenges to date. We do not purport to have finished but rather can see, one year in, that increasingly activity is more embedded into structures, routines, the practice of others, and our work as educational developers. We reflect forward too on the ways we will act next to ‘make change stick’ and on our own personal, professional journeys as educational change leaders, all of whom were new appointments in the educational development centre. We chart how we have been able to innovate and to lead complex educational change at pace.

Role of artificial intelligence in the characterization of indeterminate pancreatic head mass and its usefulness in preoperative diagnosis

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been used in various fields of day-to-day life and its role in medicine is immense. Understanding of oncology has been improved with the introduction of AI which helps in diagnosis, treatment planning, management, prognosis, and follow-up. It also helps to identify high-risk groups who can be subjected to timely screening for early detection of malignant conditions. It is more important in pancreatic cancer as it is one of the major causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide and there are no specific early features (clinical and radiological) for diagnosis. With improvement in imaging modalities (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopic ultrasound), most often clinicians were being challenged with lesions that were difficult to diagnose with human competence. AI has been used in various other branches of medicine to differentiate such indeterminate lesions including the thyroid gland, breast, lungs, liver, adrenal gland, kidney, etc. In the case of pancreatic cancer, the role of AI has been explored and is still ongoing. This review article will focus on how AI can be used to diagnose pancreatic cancer early or differentiate it from benign pancreatic lesions, therefore, management can be planned at an earlier stage.

Financial Technology and Risk Management

This essay gives a general overview of how fintech has impacted the financial services sector, highlighting the significance of technologies like blockchain, Robo-Advisors, online payment, and P2P lending. The essay examines how blockchain technology affects financial transactions, including its potential to replace conventional middlemen and improve security and transparency. The rise of Robo-counselors as a disruptive technology that gives investors a cheap and practical substitute for traditional financial counselors is also covered. The article emphasizes the significance of striking a balance between technology and human competence by contrasting the benefits and drawbacks of robot advisors with those of actual advisors. Furthermore, the essay covers the expansion of online payment options, such as digital wallets and mobile payment applications, and how these may change how customers make purchases. Finally, the article explores the potential and hazards raised by the emergence of peer-to-peer lending platforms, which give borrowers an alternative to conventional bank loans. Overall, the article underlines how fintech has the potential to revolutionize the financial services sector, but it also stresses how crucial it is to strike a balance between innovation, financial stability, and regulatory compliance.

Information technology personnel competency towards organizational agility: study at Malaysia automotive

<span>Information technology and agility is a core item for organizations. With recent technology and digital transformation in Malaysia’s automotive industry, the need to understand how human competencies influence organizational agility is critical. This paper discusses the antecedent factor of information technology personnel competency toward organizational agility. Literature was reviewed and further examined upon two information systems theories, the dynamic capabilities view (DCV) and people capability model maturity (P-CMM). This study was conducted at Malaysia automotive organizations, auto A and auto B, with 151 participants. Data was collected and analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLS with the utilization of partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings highlighted that human factor significantly influence how organizations respond to internal and external parties. These findings offer insights into empowering the IT workforce towards industrial revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0).</span>

Critical-Reflective Human-AI Collaboration: Exploring Computational Tools for Art Historical Image Retrieval

Just as other disciplines, the humanities explore how computational research approaches and tools can meaningfully contribute to scholarly knowledge production. Building on related work from the areas of CSCW and HCI, we approach the design of computational tools through the analytical lens of 'human-AI collaboration.' Such work investigates how human competencies and computational capabilities can be effectively and meaningfully combined. However, there is no generalizable concept of what constitutes 'meaningful' human-AI collaboration. In terms of genuinely human competencies, we consider criticality and reflection as guiding principles of scholarly knowledge production and as deeply embedded in the methodologies and practices of the humanities. Although (designing for) reflection is a recurring topic in CSCW and HCI discourses, it has not been centered in work on human-AI collaboration. We posit that integrating both concepts is a viable approach to supporting 'meaningful' human-AI collaboration in the humanities and other qualitative, interpretivist, and hermeneutic research areas. Our research, thus, is guided by the question of how critical reflection can be enabled in human-AI collaboration. We address this question with a use case that centers on computer vision (CV) tools for art historical image retrieval. Specifically, we conducted a qualitative interview study with art historians to explore a) what potentials and affordances art historians ascribe to human-AI collaboration and CV in particular, and b) in what ways art historians conceptualize critical reflection in the context of human-AI collaboration. We extended the interviews with a think-aloud software exploration. We observed and recorded participants' interaction with a ready-to-use CV tool in a possible research scenario. We found that critical reflection, indeed, constitutes a core prerequisite for 'meaningful' human-AI collaboration in humanities research contexts. However, we observed that critical reflection was not fully realized during interaction with the CV tool. We interpret this divergence as supporting our hypothesis that computational tools need to be intentionally designed in such a way that they actively scaffold and support critical reflection during interaction. Based on our findings, we suggest four empirically grounded design implications for 'critical-reflective human-AI collaboration': supporting reflection on the basis of transparency, foregrounding epistemic presumptions, emphasizing the situatedness of data, and strengthening interpretability through contextualized explanations.

Assessment of Occupational Hazards Related Factors among Tobacco Workers

Introduction: The occupational health of workers is the most valued social issue in the society and plays an important role in achieving successful human competence. The current descriptive study aimed to assess the factors related to occupational hazards among tobacco workers in Lattakia in Syria. Methods: The data was collected from an available sample that included 283 workers in Al-Raija factory, using a questionnaire that consisted of three parts (demographic and health data, 19 questions about occupational hazards and diseases, 15 questions about factors related to the work environment, 9 questions about factors related to the nature of work, and 10 questions about factors relating to occupational health services for workers). Results: The results showed that more than half of the workers had respiratory and musculoskeletal problems, in addition to fatigue and stress. The factors related to the work environment and occupational health services were at low level, while the factors related to the nature of work were at medium level. Conclusions: The study recommends the periodic examination of workers, expanding the role of the occupational safety department, and paying attention to the provision and commitment of workers to personal protection means.

The Effects of E-leadership and TIC Competence on Motivation and Performance in Teachers: Case Study in Sukasari District, Sumedang Regency

The world of education in the era of 4.0 is experiencing very rapid development wherethe role of education actors also continues to be updated. Rapid technological advances requireeducation actors to adjust. Advances in all-digital technology provide various conveniences incarrying out activities and can be carried out without being hindered by distance. Education actorsincluding principals and teachers who are the spearhead of education must make reforms in order toadapt to the era of globalization. Traditional leadership styles are felt to need to be updated withappropriate leadership styles, namely e-leadership that can improve teacher performance. However,the limited ability of the principal in mastering Technology, Information and Communication is anobstacle even though this is the basis for e-leadership. The government program was launched ondigitalization of education where the government will prepare schools and education actors toorganize digital-based learning to welcome the digital era. The problem lies in the competence ofhuman resources who are incompetent in facing the digitalization of education and also otherobstacles. The objective of this study should be to determine the extent to which e-leadershipinfluences teacher performance quality. This is quantitative descriptive study, and the instrument isin the form of a questionnaire. Techniques for data analysis include descriptive quantitative dataanalysis. The data's validity is determined by its dependability and validity. The findings revealedthat e-leadership had a beneficial impact on teacher performance. Path analysis reveals that thefactors of technology, information, and communication skill have a considerable impact on teacherperformance, with a positive connection direction.

Social Support for Training Effectiveness: Mediating Training Transfer Motivation and Moderating Transfer Design

Organizations invest in training and development to enhance their productivity. But, evidence proved the low effectiveness of the training because of the poor training transfer. Thus, training effectiveness is a permanent issue in developing human competencies and organizational performance. This study examined the effect of social support, that is, supervisor and peer support on training effectiveness, that is, training transfer, training maintenance, and training generalization with the moderated mediation effect of training transfer design and training transfer motivation. This study followed positivist epistemology on cross-section survey data collected from banking employees using multi-stage sampling. Hayes’s approach was used to test hypotheses. The findings of the study revealed a significant positive effect of social support on training effectiveness. Results revealed that peer support is vital in comparison to supervisory support to enhance training effectiveness. Training transfer motivation mediated the effect of peer support and transfer motivation predicting training effectiveness. The study concluded that optimal positive support from peers and supervisors is essential to enhance training effectiveness; the higher training transfer motivation of trainees further supports the relationship. This study emphasizes the significance of workplace factors to increase training transfer effectiveness, providing practical and theoretical implications.