Independent Decisions Research Articles

Основи на съвременната икономика: Хайнрих фон Щакелберг за проблемите на пазарната структура

Heinrich von Stackelberg introduced several fundamental concepts to economic theory. His contributions to the analysis of market structure are the best-known ones. Since the 1930th his theory of the instability of markets is a cornerstone of theoretical economics. If firms make dependent and independent decisions in an oligopolistic market structure, the outcome is rarely a stable equilibrium. The concept of Stackelberg-leader and Stackelberg-follower is immanent in many real-world business situations. However, only after the emergence of game theory and linear programming the full potential of Stackelberg’s contributions has become apparent. In cost theory and the theory of monopoly, he provided some of the basic principles that became part of economic textbooks. First-semester students of economics and business administration are studying these theories even 80 years after Stackelberg introduced them. In this comment, we refer to his two major works on market structures and cost theory.

Factors related to autonomy among Lebanese women: a web-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundAutonomy involves making independent decisions and creating lasting and equitable power relationships within families. Many factors, dependent on both the woman and her partner, can influence self-dependence, and subsequent decision-making, exerting a protective or triggering effect on its development. Therefore, the primary objective of the study was to assess autonomy in a sample of Lebanese women. The secondary objective was to evaluate the association between socioeconomic status, psychological factors, and autonomy.MethodsA web based cross-sectional online study was conducted between June 8 and August 1, 2020. The questionnaire developed on Google Forms was distributed through social media and WhatsApp groups, using the snowball technique. The Women’s Autonomy Index (WAI) was created using three items adapted from a previous study. In addition, the Composite Abuse Scale Revised—Short Form (CASR-SF) was used to assess three domains of abuse: physical, sexual, and psychological. The Perceived stress scale short version to measure stress perception, the Lebanese Anxiety Scale to measure anxiety and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depression. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 25 was used for data analysis. Linear regressions were performed, taking the Women’s Autonomy Index as the dependent variable.ResultsThe sample consisted of 369 Lebanese women. University education level (beta = 1.263), alcohol consumption (beta = 0.586), intermediate income level (beta = 0.702), high income (beta = 0.911), employment (beta = 0.559), and older age (beta = 0.033) were significantly associated with higher WAI. Living in South Lebanon (beta = − 0.668) and being Druze (beta = − 323) were associated with lower WAI. Significantly higher mean scores of anxiety and perceived stress were found among women with low autonomy.ConclusionIn Lebanon, the autonomy of women depends on several personal and partner-related characteristics (education, socioeconomic status, age), in addition to the cultural (geographic and religious) environment. Furthermore, low autonomy is associated with higher perceived stress and anxiety and probable depression and domestic abuse.

No coordination required for resources allocation during colony fission in a social insect? An individual-based model reproduces empirical patterns.

Social insects are classic examples of cooperation and coordination. For instance, laboratory studies of colony relocation, or house-hunting, have investigated how workers coordinate their efforts to swiftly move the colony to the best nesting site available while preserving colony integrity, i.e. avoiding a split. However, several studies have shown that, in some other contexts, individuals may use private rather than social information and may act solitarily rather than in a coordinated way. Here, we study resource allocation by a mature ant colony when it reproduces by fissioning into several colonies. This is a very different task than house hunting in that colony fission seeks the split of the colony. We develop a simple individual-based model to test if colony fission and resource allocation may be carried out by workers acting solitarily with no coordination. Our model reproduces well the pattern of allocation observed in nature (number and size of new colonies). This does not show that workers do not communicate nor coordinate. Rather, it suggests that independent decision making may be an important component of the process of resource allocation.

Vaccine Hesitancy Narratives

Vaccine Hesitancy Narratives

Managing data quality of cooperative information systems: Model and algorithm

The low data quality of a cooperative information system (CIS) causes cooperative organizations to recollect data frequently rather than use the data already in the system. In this paper, a method based on source control is proposed to reduce the data quality problem of CIS. It emphasizes improving the data quality of CIS by controlling the data quality of subsystems rather than by screening data. Further, we develop two optimization models for the scenes of independent and negotiated decisions. Compared with the independent decision model, the negotiation decision model considers the impact of the game behavior between the manager of the CIS and the manager of each subsystem on the data quality optimization. The results of the models provide an optimal strategy for allocating capital to minimize the data quality problem of a CIS. To solve the models, we propose an improved artificial bee colony algorithm that enhances the exploration ability by modifying the behaviors of bees. A CIS of a government is used to illustrate the application process of the models and the superiority of the algorithm. The results show that, in all cases, the optimal strategy provided by the negotiation decision model is not worse than that offered by the independent decision model, and the result obtained by the proposed algorithm is better than other comparative algorithms.

Bank Recovery and Resolution Measures’ Restrictive Effects on Appealing Against Them

The article is intended as a step forward from considering only the noble objectives and positive effects associated with the authorities’ bank recovery and resolution powers, for revealing also the inherent effects of these powers on the possibility of banks fighting back against the powers’ unlawful application. Specifically, while the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (BRRD) sets out the general rule that, under its regime, a bank should have the right to appeal against authorities’ actions, some of the measures established under the BRRD have a natural effect of greatly diminishing bank managers’ motivation to appeal or even completely eliminate any independent decision-making capabilities. This includes choices of whether to file an appeal. This article shows that the properties or outcomes connected with some recovery and resolution measures specified in the BRRD reduce banks’ right of appeal to a fiction and may leave possibilities for uncontrolled unlawful application of powers by the supervisory and resolution authorities.

M&A Movements: An Analysis of Patterns of Indian Trends

Indian industrial landscape had been completely redrawn by the forces of globalization, deregulation and unprecedented technological advancements for the last three decades. Corporate enterprises have responded to the competitive pressures unleashed by these forces through extensive repositioning activities involving corporate restructuring in general and mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in particular. This article has carried out a survey of Indian M&As for different industry groups by creating a database of 1990–2011 to find the presence of M&As waves in India. Empirical construct revealed the trends of Indian M&As for 24 industry groups and identified three distinct waves of M&As. The survey of Indian M&As has revealed that there was a significant reduction of Indian M&As in international deals than domestic deals during the economic recession period (2008–2009). Using VAR and VECM model, it emerged that M&As waves for different sectors of Indian industry move in the same cyclical pattern. Their behaviour, apparently independent corporate decisions, are most likely affected by the conditions of the economy, which may be changed by various macroeconomic factors which are in line with the findings of several other studies. This study contributes towards finding the answer to this question by establishing the underlying common factors that cause the cyclical behaviour in all the M&A waves. This article also establishes the basic interdependence and co-movements between the waves, and how this interdependence changed over time.

A Delphi study identifying operating room nurses' non-technical skills.

To identify the non-technical skills of operating room nurses. This is the first empirical study that includes scrub and circulating operating room nurses. A three-round modified online Delphi technique was used for this study. Eligible participants (n=106) with a minimum of 2years of operating room nursing experience were selected for the expert panel by self-recruitment from a population (N=1640) of operating room nurses. Data were collected through online surveys, based on crew recourse management theory, between April and September 2020. Descriptive statistics analysis was used for the quantitative data, and deductive thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Consensus was determined using stability between the survey rounds. A consensus was obtained to maintain the non-technical skills categories of situation awareness, leadership, decision-making, communication and teamwork. The qualitative data revealed several novel non-technical skills, including independent decision-making and leadership skills. The non-technical skills of operating room nurses are more extensive than previously identified. This study has contributed to a verbalization of the tacit knowledge and skills of the operating room nurses. In addition, a list of non-technical skills that should be included in the education of operating room nurses to ensure patient safety in the operating room has been prepared. This study addresses the lack of research on the non-technical skills of operating room nurses. When exploring the non-technical skills of scrub and circulating nurses, a diversity of novel non-technical skills was uncovered. This research will provide input for the development of a new training, supervision and assessment tool for accelerated development of the non-technical skills of operating room nurses. This contribution to the verbalization of the formerly tacit non-technical skills may facilitate clinical and formal teaching of such skills and may subsequently impact surgery-related patient safety.

Evaluation of autonomous vehicle driving systems for risk assessment based on three-dimensional uncertain linguistic variables

Autonomous vehicle driving systems (AVDSs) have independent decision structures from the users to manage and control the operations of the vehicles both in normal conditions and unexpected situations. Although there are some advantages, such as decreasing accidents reasoned by human errors and efficient energy usage, it is obvious that some risks are rooted in this technology usage. Therefore, it will be beneficial to realize a risk assessment application for autonomous vehicles (AVs) and/or driving systems (DSs) since whose risks are crucial to test and solve. In this paper, a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methodology integrating DEcision MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), Analytical Network Process (ANP), and VlseKriterijuska Optimizacija I Komoromisno Resenje (VIKOR) techniques under spherical fuzzy environment have been suggested to evaluate AVDS alternatives in terms of considered risk criteria. Spherical fuzzy sets (SFS), which are the extension of the ordinary fuzzy sets, have been used to consider the hesitancy of experts and decision-makers as well as uncertainty and impreciseness in the available data. In the application, six AVDS alternatives have been evaluated in terms of seven main criteria and forty sub-criteria. The factors “Software Specifications” and “Reliability” have been determined as the most important main and sub-criteria with the weights 0.193 and 0.066, respectively. Additionally, comparative and sensitivity analyses have been applied to present flexibility, validation and verification of the proposed methodology together with the sensitivity of the given decisions. Based on the application results and conducted analyses, possible implications by views of theoretical, managerial, and policy context have been discussed.

ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ІННОВАЦІЙНИХ МЕТОДІВ НА УРОКАХ АНГЛІЙСЬКОЇ МОВИ В СТАРШІЙ ШКОЛІ

The article considers the use of innovative methods in English lessons on the example of personality-oriented method. The tasks of modernization of education cannot be solved without the optimal introduction of modern educational technologies in all its spheres. The use of innovative methods gives impetus to the development of new forms and content of traditional activities of students, which leads to their implementation at a higher level. Work with the use of such methods should be organized in such a way that from the very beginning it becomes a powerful psychological and pedagogical means of forming a motivational plan for students, a means of supporting and further developing their interest in the subject. It is emphasized that properly organized work of students with the use of innovations can promote in particular the growth of their cognitive and communicative interest, which in turn will enhance and expand opportunities for independent work of students to master a foreign language, both in class and after school. It is emphasized that the use of innovative forms of learning in contrast to traditional methods gives the student a major role in the acquisition of knowledge, in which the teacher is an active assistant, organizes, directs and stimulates learning activities. In his work, the teacher must not only solve educational problems, but also create conditions for students to independently creatively search, encourage them to research, develop skills of orientation in a huge information space and independent decision-making. And as a necessary condition in solving the tasks is the introduction of innovative technologies in the educational process. The constantly evolving system of information support in combination with technical support ensures the quality of the educational process. Innovative methods have become an integral part of the process of teaching and learning English. They help students to acquire the necessary skills for free use of English in a short time, namely: listening, reading, writing and communication skills. Given the importance of innovative methods, it should be noted that the central place in the teaching process is the personality of the teacher, who selects, evaluates and implements new methods. Thus, innovative methods help the teacher to solve a large number of organizational issues, to make the lesson more interesting, but innovation cannot completely replace the teacher. An analysis of other innovative trends in the teaching of English may be a prospect for further research. Key words: educational process, innovation, method, knowledge, project.

Effects of Deep Neural Networks on the Perceived Creative Autonomy of a Generative Musical System

Collaborative AI agents allow for human-computer collaboration in interactive software. In creative spaces such as musical performance, they are able to exhibit creative autonomy through independent actions and decision-making. These systems, called co-creative systems, autonomously control some aspects of the creative process while a human musician manages others. When users perceive a co-creative system to be more autonomous, they may be willing to cede more creative control to it, leading to an experience that users may find more expressive and engaging. This paper describes the design and implementation of a co-creative musical system that captures gestural motion and uses that motion to filter pre-existing audio content. The system hosts two neural network architectures, enabling comparison of their use as a collaborative musical agent. This paper also presents a preliminary study in which subjects recorded short musical performances using this software while alternating between deep and shallow models. The analysis includes a comparison of users' perceptions of the two models' creative roles and the models' impact on the subjects' sense of self-expression.

533 - “Agitation and End-of-Life: Towards an Advance Directive that Prepare for Agitation and Behavioral Symptoms in Alzheimer’s Disease”

AbstractAdvance Directives provide legal documentation of a person’s wishes regarding medical treatment and care, allowing people and their families to decide in advance how care and treatment should be provided at end-of-life when a person is no longer capable of making independent decisions. For people living with advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, Advance Directives give specific, life-altering instructions to ensure a person’s will is being met. Yet Advance Directives that anticipate for the eventualities of Alzheimer’s Disease often fail to specifically prepare for the care and treatment decisions prompted by agitation and other behavioral aspects of the disease. This is a major oversight.“Agitation and End-of-Life: Towards an Advance Directive that Prepare for Agitation and Behavioral Symptoms in Alzheimer’s Disease” proposes a framework for how Advance Directives can prepare for the unique decisions that arise as a person experiences agitation and other behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s.The framework proposed in this project draws from the recent development of Psychiatric Advance Directives led in part by the American Psychiatric Association, which have pioneered the use of Advance Directives for anticipated behavioral challenges. Specifically, Psychiatric Advance Directives allow individuals to specify in advance which treatments may be administered in response to acute episodes of psychiatric illness at a time when someone is unable or unwilling to provide consent. Our project contends that the mechanisms underlying Psychiatric Advance Directives be modeled but modified to help people, families, and providers prepare for agitation and the behavioral aspects of Alzheimer’s.Specifically, we propose a four-part framework for Advance Directives to prepare for agitation and other behavioral aspects of Alzheimer’s: 1.Psychiatric medications. What treatments may – or may not – be used to manage agitation or other behavioral disturbances?2.Agitation prevention and de-escalation. What strategies and techniques can caregivers employ to mollify agitated behaviors? How should caregivers respond to episodes of agitation?3.Lifestyle preferences and values. What values – religious or otherwise – should guide care and treatment?4.Information sharing and access. When and how should caregivers, medical professionals, and family members be notified – or share information about – behavioral disturbances?It is well established in the scientific and medical literature that agitation and behavioral aspects of Alzheimer’s can cause severe difficulty for families as the disease progresses. Advance Directives that prepare for agitation can help to create a plan and ease the challenges prompted by agitation and other behavioral aspects of Alzheimer’s.

250 Clinical Pharmacist Screening and Intervention on Penicillin Use in the Emergency Department Among Patients With a Stated History of Penicillin Allergy

The reported prevalence of penicillin allergy in the US adult population ranges between 10-20%. However, when evaluated, fewer than 1% of the population has a true allergy. The objective of this study is to determine the impact on physician prescribing patterns, after patients presenting to the emergency department with a stated history of penicillin allergy undergo allergy risk stratification following a structured interview by a clinical pharmacist. This is a prospective, pilot study of all patients over the age of 18 with a stated allergy to penicillin presenting to the emergency department during the hours a clinical pharmacist is on-duty (N = 44). The study site is a suburban, academic, tertiary-care center with an annual volume of 80, 000 visits. Patients identified as penicillin allergic were interviewed by a clinical pharmacist using a nine-question, structured interview to determine allergy risk stratification (low, medium, high). The questionnaire results and risk stratification were entered into the electronic medical record for physician reference. Physicians then made an independent decision to use a beta-lactam versus a non-beta-lactam alternative if the patient required antibiotic treatment during their course of care. The overall sample demographic characteristics consisted of 68.2% females and 31.8% males, 15.9% African American, 15.9% Other/Multiracial, 68.2% White, age range 28-90 (M = 56.4, SD = 13.4). With regard to their allergy, 77.3% reported it occurred greater than 10 years ago, with 52.3% reporting rash only, and 31.8% having additional medication allergies. Risk stratification of the entire group yielded 56.8% low risk, 25.0% medium risk, and 18.2% high risk. A total of 52.3% (n = 23) of the interviewed patients required antibiotic treatment for infections (26.1% genitourinary, 26.1% sepsis, 21.7% respiratory, 13.0% skin, 13.0% gastrointestinal). Risk stratification of the treatment group yielded 60.9% low risk, 17.4% medium risk, and 21.7% high risk. Physicians prescribed a beta-lactam to 87.0% of the patients in the treatment group (n = 20) without any adverse outcomes (low-risk: n = 14, medium-risk: n = 2, high-risk: n = 4). Penicillin allergy labeling may incorrectly follow a patient creating downstream negative impacts including exposure to broad spectrum antibiotics, increased rates of antibiotic resistance, and prolonged hospital stays. The results of this study suggest using a pharmacy-driven, structured interview format to risk stratify patients, increases the likelihood that they will receive a beta-lactam during their treatment. Future studies with larger samples are needed in order to capture the potential outcomes and better understand the number of individuals who are truly allergic to penicillin and whether the structured interview is a more accurate screening tool than self-report.

Personal Characteristics and Social Well-Being of Entrepreneurs as a Resource for Adaptation to Changes

The methodological basis of the study is a sociological approach that considers entrepreneurship as a socially significant activity, and the entrepreneur as a subject of this activity. The authors relate the analysis of the data of the all-Russian selective monitoring study with the understanding of the connection between the focus and nature of adaptation and the personality characteristics of adapters. The object of direct study is the respondents of the target population, the main criterion for the formation of which was the self-identification of the respondent, self-determination, and correlation with the status of an entrepreneur. The aim of the study was to analyze and evaluate a number of personality traits specific to an entrepreneur in terms of their resource capacity for productive adaptation to the accelerating pace of changes in the conditions of everyday and social life. The monitoring research toolkit contained questions that made it possible to get an idea of the presence of certain attitudes and personal qualities in the surveyed contingent of respondents that distinguished entrepreneurs as active adapters. The indicators were grouped into several blocks: sociodemographic characteristics of respondents, industry profile and characteristics of enterprises; personal characteristics of entrepreneurs; social self-identification and social well-being of entrepreneurs. The analysis showed that a powerful resource for adapting to constant changes in the environment for entrepreneurs are their personal qualities: the subjective value of freedom of actions and decisions, focus on self-realization, personal growth and development, responsibility and attitude towards independent decision-making in problematic situations. High self-esteem of professionalism is also a significant resource for adaptation to uncertainty, transformations, changes and risks that form in the course of the development of these processes. The social well-being of entrepreneurs is unsatisfactory in terms of a number of important indicators, which significantly reduces their adaptive potential. In particular, material wealth, status (respect) in the society, legal protection and security, confidence in the stability of employment and welfare are rated by entrepreneurs as low.

Effectiveness of Self-differentiation Training Based on Bowen’s Approach on Positive Feeling Towards Spouse in Married Women in Isfahan in 2019

Introduction: As self-differentiation is a process that reflects one’s independence in the emotional and rational dimension, in which one learns to make independent decisions and to have a rational love, affection, and intimacy. This research aimed to study the effectiveness of self-differentiation training based on Bowen’s approach on positive feelings toward spouse in Married women in Isfahan. Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental with a pretest-posttest design conducted on the control group. The statistical population consisted of counseling applicant women in the city of Isfahan in 2019. Sampling was voluntary. The announcement was installed at counseling centers, and 30 women were randomly placed into control and experiment groups. All participants filled out demographic and Positive Feeling (PFQ) questionnaires. Then, participants of the experiment group were trained in Bowen’s self-differentiation in eight sessions. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive (Mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistical methods (analysis of covariance) at the error level of 0.05 and SPSS-24 software. Results: The results indicated that teaching Bowen’s self-differentiation significantly affected women’s positive feelings towards the spouse (p<0.05), which means that the differentiation training increases the positive feeling towards the spouse. Conclusion: According to the results, teaching Bowen’s self-differentiation can increase positive feelings towards spouses in women. Therefore, this technique can be considered a marital problem.

Creating space for wind energy in a polycentric governance setting

With the progression of the climate crisis, countries aim to achieve energy transitions by increasing their renewable energy shares. Onshore wind power plays a central role in facilitating this transition, especially in Germany, one of the pioneers of transitioning the electricity sector. Achieving transition targets and securing the supply are inextricably linked to the availability of land for and installation of renewable energy infrastructure. Challenges have increased to create space for wind power in Germany, i.e., allocate land for wind turbines.Bottlenecks could be attributed to mismatches in the underlying polycentric governance framework. Polycentric governance is a complex governance form with multiple yet independent decision-making centres. This article contributes to the question of how appropriate space for wind power can be identified. It analyses how governance processes evolve in a polycentric setting and with what consequences.In applying polycentricity, it assesses why it has become complex to create space for onshore wind power. Methods include a single-case study design and the polycentric lens as an analytical frame. Results demonstrate that wind power governance is a complex, multi-element endeavour with strengths and weaknesses. These can be attributed to six systemic issues in polycentric governance: structural inequities, incremental bias, high complexity, deep structural fissures, coordination failures, and lack of normative clarity. The analysis shows how polycentric governance can substantially support finding locations for wind power, yet this needs to be addressed deliberately. This covers relevant access points, e.g. from private, institutionalised or public actors and other channels of mobilisation.

Residential Photovoltaics Adopters Versus Considerers in the United States

Despite rising interest in residential photovoltaics (PV), the percentage of homeowners who have installed them remains low. This study seeks to understand systematic behavioral differences between PV adopters and PV considerers. PV considerers have talked to an installer but have not yet installed PV. Our results suggest that, compared to adopters, considerers have a lower degree of risk aversion, higher scores in terms of pro-environmental norms, and higher levels of novelty seeking and independent decision making.

PECULIARITIES OF THE PRACTICAL COMPONENT OF PROFESSIONAL FUTURE SPECIALIST TRAINING IN MODERN CONDITIONS OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATION

The article reveals the features of the practical component of future specialist training in modern university education and actualizes the issue of practical future specialist training, which combines the principles of both knowledge and practice-oriented paradigm. Their combination allows to preserve the fundamentals of higher education based on the accumulation of practical experience and to form a professionally mobile specialist.
 Students’ practice is described as an integral part of the process of training specialists in universities, which is carried out on appropriately equipped bases of educational institutions, as well as in modern enterprises and organizations of various sectors of the economy, education, health, culture, service, public administration. The purpose of practice is to master modern methods, forms of organization, and tools in the field of students’ future profession, to acquire professional skills and algorithms of independent decision-making during specific work in real market and production conditions on the basis of their knowledge, and bring up the need to systematically update knowledge and apply it in practice creatively.
 Emphasis is placed on the need to make changes to the system of existing practices at the organizational, content, and methodological levels, which allow, on the one hand, to preserve fundamental, traditional, scientifically proven approaches to the organization of practical training, and on the other hand to improve and update modern approaches to professional-mobile specialist training. It has been found that the modernization of industrial practice is associated with the widespread use of innovative technologies (contextual and dual learning) in combination with well-established traditional forms and methods of learning. The content of the practical component of vocational training is focused on fulfilling a set of needs aimed at solving the problems of professional mobility. It is also focused on mastering the necessary competencies when future professionals by means of the transition from one basic form of activity to another, gain more advanced practical skills of educational and scientific information according to the functions of educational, quasi-professional, and educational-professional activities, master the real professional experience by gaining opportunities for natural entry into the profession.

Trends In The Development Of The Competencies Of The Modern X-Ray Laboratory Assistant According To The European Practice

Advances in technology and the requirements for continuous professional development have an impact on the education of X-ray technicians and the competencies they must acquire to practice the profession successfully. The trends in the development of competencies are in the following directions: continuous improvement of the quality of X-ray education in accordance with the needs of the society, bringing the training and the certification of specialists in line with European and world healthcare standards, priority development of competencies related to the specific workplace, and meeting the growing needs for personal and professional development. The professional competencies of X-ray technicians in Bulgaria are developed in accordance with the European Qualifications Framework and are aimed at acquiring professional knowledge, skills and competencies that are appropriate for the achievements of modern medical science and practice, mastering organizational and managerial culture in accordance with ethical and legal norms, building skills for independent decision-making in the interest of the patient, and developing teamwork skills, high-level digital skills and foreign language competences. For a competent, highly skilled X-ray technician today, it is no longer enough to have the knowledge and skills directly and specifically related to the profession. It requires a wide range of knowledge in other areas, such as ethics, psychology, law, economics, and IT. Therefore, the application of the multidisciplinary approach in the education of future X-ray technician has an important role in the development of highly competent healthcare professionals.

Мобильный телефон (smartphone) как инструмент агрария в системе цифрового земледелия

Remote sensing in agriculture is one of the rapidly developing areas of observation of agricultural biological objects. Combining the latest sensor technologies with smartphones allows us to develop powerful platforms for solving various tasks in agriculture. (Research purpose) The research purpose is in analyzing and evaluating the usage of mobile phones and smartphones to monitor the state of the field and agricultural crops in order to obtain information necessary for making optimal management decisions. (Materials and methods) The article presents the results of scientific research and reviews on the use of mobile phones and smartphones to obtain information about agricultural crops in the precision farming system. (Results and discussion) The software for smartphones in agriculture is considered as a subdivision of precise agricultural technologies for monitoring and protecting crops. Smartphones with the required software enable farmers to receive information from various sensors. Authors reviewed the existing simplest mobile applications for smartphones that allow detecting and identifying biotic stresses by comparing photos of plants taken with images from the library, and applications whose work is based on photographing biological objects and sending them to an expert. It has been revealed that mobile applications created on the basis of convolutional neural networks of deep learning, capable of making independent decisions, are gaining popularity. (Conclusions) The use of smartphones equipped with various sensors and additional software opens up new opportunities for farmers, providing data collection, storage, transmission and processing for making management decisions. The article presents the disadvantages of mobile applications. Further expansion of the scope of smartphones for crop monitoring is possible when developing new software using convolutional neural networks of deep learning.