Innovation Capacity Building Research Articles

IbM Inovasi Pengolahan Balakka - Produk Unggulan Desa Padang Garugur di Kabupaten Padang Lawas Utara

Padang Garugur Village in North Padang Lawas Regency has significant economicpotential in agriculture and plantations, especially in processing balakka fruit. However,the problems faced include limited infrastructure, lack of product innovation, and lowcommunity skills in processing and marketing. To overcome this, communityempowerment is needed through training and mentoring that focuses on productinnovation, skills development, and digital marketing. The results of this activity show thatthe development of new products such as Balakka Coffee and Manisan Balakka is able toincrease competitiveness and community income. The implementation of effectivemarketing strategies through social media and digital platforms has successfully expandedmarket reach. In conclusion, innovation and community capacity building can improve thewelfare and economic growth of the village. With a systematic and collaborativeempowerment approach, Padang Garugur Village can become a model of sustainable localwisdom-based community empowerment

Развитие интегративной адаптивной среды обучения с использованием искусственного интеллекта для подготовки учителей в странах БРИКС

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into teacher professional development (PD) is a promising way to enhance teaching practices and foster innovation in education. However, the development and adoption of AI-based educational platforms face unique challenges in the BRICS region, including technological infrastructure and cultural diversity. This study aimed to identify key aspects of teaching in developing an integrative AI-assisted adaptive learning environment (ALE) in the region. Theoretical methods were used along with qualitative analyses of in-depth interviews and focus group discussions of 36 professors, researchers, and experts from Iranian universities. The findings of this study provided perspectives on the feasibility and effectiveness of developing a joint AI-ALE platform, emphasizing the importance of contextualizing AI initiatives and educational approaches to the needs and constraints of each country and underscoring the significance of local training programs, understanding areas of growth, clarifying values and cultures to be shared with other parties, designing educational resources compatible with collaborative platforms, and overcoming technological barriers. The study provided recommendations on capacity building and joint partnerships for educational innovation, and the development of AI-based teaching practices to open up new opportunities for PD of the next generation of educators for the digital landscape in the BRICS area.

Embedding Innovation: How School-Based Research and Development Teams, Can Systematically Cultivate 21st Century Learning Ecosystem

This theoretical article examines the crucial role school-based research and development (R&D) teams can play in systematically fostering innovation and cultivating adaptive learning environments within educational institutions. R&D teams are diverse groups of skilled professionals focused on driving complex innovation projects through an iterative, user-focused development process. They research, develop, and implement new educational strategies, tools, curricula, and practices in collaboration with educators, administrators, students, and external partners. By synthesizing literature on innovation theories like Disruptive Innovation (Christensen, 1995), Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers, 1962), Open Innovation (Chesbrough, 2003), and innovation culture in education, the article develops a comprehensive framework for embedding innovation in schools. The aim is to provide insights and actionable recommendations for educational leaders, policymakers, and researchers on leveraging these teams as catalysts for transformative change. In this vein, fostering supportive organizational structures, internal/external partnerships, capacity building for innovation and free-flow of knowledge enables these teams to drive the development and implementation of innovative pedagogies and organizational practices. Furthermore, visionary leadership nurturing an innovation-friendly climate and teacher empowerment are highlighted as vital for sustaining innovation (Fullan, 2001; Hargreaves & Shirley, 2009). Additionally, the article emphasizes the need for government policies incentivizing educational innovation. It provides a framework for harnessing R&D teams' potential in cultivating adaptive learning environments. The article concludes with a call for further research to validate and refine the proposed model, offering educational stakeholders concrete strategies to unlock the transformative capacity of R&D teams. This article will be researched as part of a doctorate work.

Eco-friendly treatment: a win-win for patients, health systems, and the planet. Rapid scoping review

Abstract Background As the fifth-largest CO2 emitter globally, the healthcare industry must act to mitigate its environmental impact. This includes de-implementing low-value care and adopting eco-friendly innovative treatment alternatives. Our study aims to explore existing research on the environmental effects of these actions and the outcome measures utilized. Methods We conducted a rapid scoping review following a pre-published protocol, searching Ovid MEDLINE® and Scopus (Elsevier) from January 2015 to June 19, 2023. Initially, dual abstract and full-text screening was performed, followed by a single review. Data extraction was cross-checked by a second reviewer. Findings were narratively described using summary statistics. Results We analyzed 182 articles, primarily life cycle assessments and modeling studies (92 out of 182), with only one study being a randomized controlled trial. The research covered various healthcare practices, including consultation methods/telemedicine (32%), surgical and medical device usage (26%), medication (25%), surgical procedures (19%), as well as diagnostic tests, screening, and imaging (13%). The main sustainability strategies mentioned were ‘Rethink’ (99%) and ‘Reduce’ (81%), with ‘Reuse’ (32%), ‘Recycle’ (19%), and ‘Refuse’ (10%) being less utilized. Environmental outcomes reported included global warming (88%), resource consumption (27%), and chemical hazards (23%). Most studies were conducted in Europe (48%), followed by the USA (37%), with 75% published after 2020. Conclusions The environmental impact of healthcare is a pivotal area for public health action and fortunately, it is also emerging as a significant research field. Utilizing methodological approaches less common in evidence-based healthcare research underscores the necessity for innovative interdisciplinary collaboration and capacity building. The most pressing research gap lies in the impact of de-implementation strategies (“refuse”) targeting low-value care practices. Key messages • Measuring the environmental impact of healthcare demands the development of novel cross-disciplinary research methods and collaborations. • De-implementing low-value care represents a future win-win scenario for patients, the financial viability of healthcare systems, and global environmental sustainability.

Foresight and the scamper technique: a combination of collective intelligence strategies for building innovation capacity

Purpose The aim of this research paper is to present a new model of innovation management under the approach of anticipatory collective intelligence strategies to improve the innovation capacity of products and business processes. The paper presents a case study of Café Galavis, one of the oldest family-owned companies in the Colombian coffee sector. Design/methodology/approach A descriptive mixed-methods research design was used. Ten experts and the general manager of the organization were interviewed using a semi-structured format. Additionally, a creativity and innovation workshop were conducted with the participation of 140 young people between the ages of 21 and 28. The traditional product of the company was evaluated using the SCAMPER technique. On the other hand, a strategic approach was taken to address the complex problem. This involved conducting a bibliometric analysis using Vosviewer software, prioritizing key variables and actors’ game through MICMAC and MACTOR software, seeking expert judgment, conducting morphological analysis, generating scenarios under the Peter Schwartz axes and designing a strategic plan. Findings The paper presents a new approach to developing innovation processes by connecting foresight and the SCAMPER technique as a strategy for anticipatory collective intelligence. Furthermore, it was found that the use of these methods enhances the innovation capacity of both products and business processes. Organizations can implement this model to create plans with disruptive and sustainable horizons. Practical implications The paper presents methods to enhance the adoption and performance of innovation in companies through collective anticipatory intelligence and the use of digital tools. Originality/value This paper proposes a novel approach to combining two future methods to promote innovation. This study makes a theoretical and practical contribution to the field of foresight.

Csr In Emerging Markets: Challenges And Opportunities For Shell Companies

This article explores the challenges and opportunities of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in emerging markets, focusing on a case study of a Shell company. Emerging markets present unique dynamics that affect the implementation and effectiveness of CSR. Shell, as one of the world's largest energy companies, has operated in various emerging markets and sought to implement effective CSR practices. Through an in-depth analysis of Shell's operations in these markets, this article identifies key factors that influence CSR success and provides recommendations for best practices. It finds that while there are significant challenges related to local regulations, infrastructure and culture, there are great opportunities to increase CSR impact through collaboration with local stakeholders, technological innovation and local capacity building. The article concludes that adaptation and flexibility are key for multinational companies like Shell to face the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities of CSR in emerging markets.

СЕТЕВОЕ ВЗАИМОДЕЙСТВИЕ ПРИ РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ ПРОЕКТОВ ПРОИЗВОДСТВА ВЫСОКОТЕХНОЛОГИЧНОЙ ГРАЖДАНСКОЙ ПРОДУКЦИИ: СУЩНОСТЬ, ИДЕНТИФИКАЦИОННЫЕ ПРИЗНАКИ

Solving the task set by the state for defense industry enterprises to increase the share of high-tech civilian products to 50 % by 2030 requires accelerating the process of increasing innovative potential. To a large extent, the implementation of this plan is seen through the creation of network interaction between the defense industry and subjects of innovative activity that have the necessary potential. The purpose of the study is to determine the characteristics of the network, its identification characteristics, which make it possible to identify types of networks for the implementation of projects for the production of high-tech civilian products. Objectives of the study: to substantiate the relevance of using the network approach in organizing the integration interaction of various levels of government and defense industry enterprises; to explore the concept of a network, highlighting scientific approaches that form different ideas about the essence and structure of the network; to identify the main identification features of networks; to justify the need to carry out a typology of networks within the framework of the identified types of ongoing projects for the production of high-tech civilian products with the participation of the innovative potential of defense industry enterprises. The methodological basis of the study is the methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization. Research is based on the study of conceptual ideas about the functioning of networks, their systematization and generalization. The result of the study is an analysis of existing approaches to defining the content of the concept of a network; highlighting the main identification features; determination of the types of ongoing projects for the production of high-tech civilian products. The use of a network approach allows for strategic interaction and integration of the state, regions, and defense industry enterprises; building innovation capacity to accelerate market entry and expansion; attracting foreign partners as participants in network interaction. The revealed identification features are implemented to varying degrees when organizing network interaction within the framework of selected types of projects for the production of high-tech civilian products. In this regard, it was concluded that it is necessary to develop a typology of networks for the implementation of these types of projects.

Interdisciplinary teaching strategy of multimodal data fusion in college aesthetic education curriculum using intelligence methods

In China, aesthetic education at the college level is essential for students’ quality because it improves their understanding of art, helps them progress in their professional career development, and helps them comprehend more fully the attractiveness of creative creations. As a result, it needs to prioritize aesthetic education at the institution and endeavor to nurture students’ feelings progressively and improve their aesthetic abilities at different levels. Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in this project to create a novel, interdisciplinary teaching technique that will maximize students’ artistic and intellectual potential and help them make more, better art. In this research, the Osprey Optimization method improves the interdisciplinary teaching technique for aesthetic education based on a light Exclusive gradient-boosting mechanism (OOM-LEGBM). The exploration-exploitation dynamics of the OOM are incorporated into LEGBM, providing the students with a tangible and relatable technique to understand complex-solving processes. This research develops an enhanced quality framework for college aesthetic education based on the multi-model data fusion system about the implication and necessity of aesthetic education. The influence of college aesthetic education on students’ creative capacity and artistic literacy was investigated to inform instructional activities better to develop students’ aesthetic skills. The experimental findings suggest that the proposed approach achieved an improved accuracy of 99.90%, higher precision of 99.88%, and greater recall of 99.91%. Moreover, it obtained a minimum Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 0.26% and a lower Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 0.34%, showing that the suggested model greatly improved preference learning accuracy while keeping overall accuracy at an identical level. Innovation capacity building in college aesthetic education can help students become more self-aware, improve their study habits, visually literate, and more comprehensive.

Analysis of the Relationship between the Implementation of Circular Economy Principles and Financial Inclusion to Poverty Alleviation in Indonesia

This qualitative study explores the relationship between circular economy principles, financial inclusion, and poverty alleviation in Indonesia. Through semi-structured interviews with key informants representing various stakeholders, the research investigates the integration of circular economy initiatives into financial inclusion strategies, the impact of circular economy practices on poverty alleviation, and the challenges and opportunities for sustainable development. The findings reveal potential synergies between circular economy and financial inclusion, highlighting the role of innovative financing mechanisms, capacity building, and policy reforms in promoting inclusive growth and environmental sustainability. However, significant barriers, including risk perception, collateral requirements, and regulatory constraints, pose challenges to accessing finance for circular businesses and entrepreneurs. Addressing these barriers requires collaborative efforts from policymakers, financial institutions, and other stakeholders to create an enabling environment for circular economy investments and foster inclusive development. The study underscores the importance of holistic and integrated approaches to sustainable development, where circular economy principles and financial inclusion strategies are mutually reinforcing, contributing to shared prosperity and well-being for all Indonesians.

Implementing Smart Grid Technology in Developing Countries: Challenges, Opportunities, and Pathways to Sustainable Energy Solutions

The integration of smart grid technology is becoming crucial for developing countries to address the increasing energy demands and to transition towards sustainable and reliable electricity systems. This paper discusses the significant challenges these nations face, such as outdated infrastructure, high transmission and distribution losses, and limited access to electricity. With electricity consumption projected to grow by over 50% by 2030 in emerging markets and developing economies, smart grids offer benefits including enhanced reliability, reduced losses, and better integration of renewable energy sources. However, high upfront costs, lack of skilled personnel, inadequate regulatory frameworks, and resistance to change pose substantial barriers. This study explores the potential of smart grids to transform energy systems, presenting case studies of successful implementations and highlighting strategies for overcoming barriers. Emphasis is placed on innovative financing models, capacity building, technology leveraging, and stakeholder engagement as pathways to sustainable smart grid deployment.

Farmer’s understanding and adoption of agricultural practices in southern part of India

India is fulfilling the consumption requirement of its pulses and oilseeds largely through importing. Andhra Pradesh is a leading state in the country, significantly contributes to the production of these crops. Low yield of pulses and groundnuts in India should be addressed through adoption of proven technological interventions along with enhancing farmers knowledge. The present study aimed to determine the differences in knowledge of Sustainable Agricultural Practices (SAPs) and adoption of improved agricultural practices (IAPs) among farmers at the baseline and endline phase of the study. The association of possible factors such as age, gender, education, farm experience, mass media, social participation, risk orientation, innovativeness with knowledge and adoption of Sustainable agricultural practices was evaluated. The study also examined the result of the technological intervention on crop yield at pre and post intervention. The study included 240 farmers with poor pulse and groundnut yield from villages of Andhra Pradesh with inadequate technological developments. At biotech intervention phase, farmers received training, field demonstration etc. The results revealed that at endline, 80% of farmers had knowledge of SAPs (compared to 48% at baseline) and the adoption rate of IAPs was 50% (compared to 3% at baseline). Factors such as mass media, social participation, risk orientation showed significant reduced risk on farmers with high knowledge of SAPs and with complete adoption of IAPs. The average yield per hectare of pulses during baseline was found to be 403.5 kg/ha ± 128.4 while during endline it was 601.25 kg/ha ± 206.8 (p-value = 0.001). The average yield per hectare of groundnut during baseline was found to be 983.75 kg/ha ± 444.9 and during endline it was 1216.78 kg/ha ± 473.9 (p-value = 0.000). Innovative technological interventions and capacity building of farmers increased yield of crops in Andhra Pradesh.

Cocoa, Palm Tree, and Cassava Plantations among Smallholder Farmers: Toward Policy and Technological Efficiencies for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in Southern Nigeria

This study is basically and centrally focused on the review of the extant literature in exploring the challenge of the under-utilization of natural fertile land for the cultivation and farming of different crops such as cocoa, palm tree, and cassava, which remain an important sector of the economy for sustainable socio-economic development in the southern part of Nigeria. The review of the cursory literature is necessary to bridge the gap in the existing body of knowledge, especially by addressing the less attention paid to exploring the non-oil sector of the economy such as cocoa, palm tree, and cassava as well as connecting policy and agro-technology to maximize agricultural productivity for the purpose of sustainable socio-economic development. The primary objective of this study is to explore cocoa, palm tree, and cassava plantations among smallholder farmers in order to enhance sustainable socio-economic development in the country. The methodology used in this study is a systematic literature review (SLR) cum content analysis (CA) of secondary sources or relevant literature whereby six themes were generated and analyzed. A consistent approach was used in order to establish exhaustive searching strategies and single-line search strategies such as using field codes and parentheses as part of a systematic literature review. The results indicated that smallholder farmers have been actively partaking in cocoa plantation, and the government has been supportive of them in this regard in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic development. In addition, agricultural transformation contributes to economic diversification through innovative policy and capacity building among cocoa, palm tree, and cassava farmers in the country, which culminates in improving the overall welfare of the smallholder farmers in attaining sustainable socio-economic development. In conclusion, it is noteworthy to say that giving support, especially cocoa, palm tree, and cassava seedlings, to smallholder farmers can be instrumental in bridging the vacuum created by poverty and unemployment which could be regarded as mechanisms for attaining sustainable development. The importance of the study was manifested in the practical aspect of giving concrete support to the smallholder farmers, and the innovativeness of the study is reflected in the advocacy for the efficiencies and effectiveness of agricultural policy and technology integration into the sector. It is therefore suggested that interventions of individual philanthropists, government, and international communities will boost the morale and resilience of the farmers toward enhancing cocoa, palm tree, and cassava production in order to enhance sustainable socio-economic development among smallholder farmers in particular and to maximize national economy growth in general.

Modelling a Consultant Workforce for the United Kingdom: needs-based planning for Dental Public Health.

To develop a needs-based workforce planning model to explore specialist workforce capacity and capability for the effective, efficient, and safe provision of services in the United Kingdom (UK); and test the model using Dental Public Health (DPH). Data from a national workforce survey, national audit, and specialty workshops in 2020 and 2021 set the parameters for a safe effective DPH workforce. A working group drawing on external expertise, developed a conceptual workforce model which informed the mathematical modelling, taking a Markovian approach. The latter enabled the consideration of possible scenarios relating to workforce development. It involved exploration of capacity within each career stage in DPH across a time horizon of 15 years. Workforce capacity requirements were calculated, informed by past principles. Currently an estimated 100 whole time equivalent (WTE) specialists are required to provide a realistic basic capacity nationally for DPH across the UK given the range of organisations, population growth, complexity and diversity of specialty roles. In February 2022 the specialty had 53.55 WTE academic/service consultants, thus a significant gap. The modelling evidence suggests a reduction in DPH specialist capacity towards a steady state in line with the current rate of training, recruitment and retention. The scenario involving increasing training numbers and drawing on other sources of public health trained dentists whilst retaining expertise within DPH has the potential to build workforce capacity. Current capacity is below basic requirements and approaching 'steady state'. Retention and innovative capacity building are required to secure and safeguard the provision of specialist DPH services to meet the needs of the UK health and care systems.

2489. An Innovative Capacity-Building Approach to Enhance Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance During a Wild Poliovirus Type 1 Outbreak in Malawi, October 2022 - March 2023

Abstract Background After 30 years without a poliovirus case, a wild poliovirus type 1 outbreak was declared in Malawi on 16th February 2022. To improve detection of poliovirus transmission, the country implemented enhanced AFP surveillance by deploying Frontline Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) graduates who had received a three-month general epidemiology training. We describe the results from October 2022 to March 2023. Methods Ten districts with increased risk of polio transmission and suboptimal AFP surveillance performance indicators were identified for enhanced AFP surveillance. One FETP graduate already working in each priority district was selected to be trained on poliovirus epidemiology and AFP surveillance. FETP graduates conducted active case finding for AFP cases in 100 priority health facilities (defined by epidemiologic risk and population size), provided on-the-job training for health care workers, and sensitized community volunteers and traditional healers on AFP recognition and reporting. A senior technical coordinator provided supportive supervision to FETP graduates in all 10 districts. Results During the observation period, FETP graduates completed 811 (44%) of 1839 visits to priority health facilities and reported 84% (59/83) of all AFP cases in the priority districts. Eleven additional AFP cases were retrospectively identified during FETP graduates’ health facility register reviews. FETP graduates trained 5,047 health care workers and educated 2,093 community volunteers.Figure 2.Number of health care workers and community members that were educated by FETP graduates on AFP case detection and notification in the priority districts by visiting month, October 2022 - March 2023. Conclusion The enhanced surveillance contributed to almost half of all active case search visits, detected most AFP cases in the identified priority districts, and educated the community to improve poliovirus identification and reporting. Including FETP graduates to train the local public health workforce is an innovative approach in Malawi to build capacity, rapidly mobilize in-country staff, optimize the available resources, and strengthen surveillance during a novel disease outbreak. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Nexus Between Knowledge Management Capacity Building and Organization Productivity of Sugar Companies in Kenya

Performance of manufacturing firms has been highly influenced by macro environmental factors ranging from political instability and socio-economic factors. As a result, knowledge management has increasingly become crucial in reducing the impact on both internal and external factors. The study aimed to determine the relationship between knowledge management capacity building and productivity of sugar companies in Kenya. The study assessed the moderating effect of transformational leadership on the relationship between capacity building and the productivity of sugar companies. This was anchored on the theory of change which explains the need for knowledge management in managing business dynamic external environment. The study adopted a positivist research philosophy and correlational research designs. Questionnaires were administered in a census survey to 218 managers working in 8 sugar companies in Kenya. Mean and standard deviation was utilized with frequencies as descriptive statistics. A simple regression was adopted to establish the relationship between knowledge management capacity building and productivity of firms. The finding revealed that the sugar firms shared knowledge, however, there was need to improve knowledge management system, knowledge retrieval and knowledge acquisition. There was significant relationship between innovative capacity building and productivity. The study concludes that there was statistically significant relationship between knowledge management capacity building and organization productivity. It is recommended that there is a need to improve the knowledge management system and policies to enhance productivity of organizations

Building management and innovation capabilities for global health: a senior executive program.

Accurately approaching the major challenges associated with global health management has become a mandatory key point in the training of medical leaders around the world. The Senior Executive Program in Global Health Innovation Management (SEPGHIM) seeks to provide an answer to the need for innovation and managerial capacity building in Global Health and to address the current detachment between Public Health Organizations and Business Schools. In 2019, SEPGHIM's first edition was led by five prestigious academic institutions on three continents. The first cohort included a total of 27 high-level health professionals and executives from 16 countries with 7-10 years of working experience who participated during the 11 months of the course. The program sought to fill an often-found knowledge gap among health professionals in terms of health innovation, leadership, and management. SEPGHIM relied on multiple pedagogical methods conveyed through a robust theoretical and applied syllabus that included case studies, simulations, guest speakers, debates, site visits, and an executive challenge. The program achieved various results. First, it recruited high-level health professionals that ensured diversity of backgrounds, allowing an exchange of experiences and different ways of addressing global health challenges. Second, it created a network of health professionals for possible future collaborations that can anticipate new trends and opportunities in global health and work together with stakeholders from other sectors. This networking was one of the most highly rated benefits by the students. Finally, the participants expressed great eagerness to recommend the program (4.9 out of 5) to other decision-makers and leaders in the global health field. These results provide positive insights regarding the value of such a training program for senior health professionals.

Kegiatan Adaptasi Teknologi pada Penugasan Program Kampus Mengajar 4 di SMP N 2 Kalabahi

Technology is an inseparable part of society in the 4.0 era, the enthusiasm to create a technology literate generation is contained in various policies in the world of education. The Teaching Campus Program is one of the flagship programs of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology (Kemendikbudristek) policy. The Teaching Campus Program is a program that provides opportunities for students to learn outside the classroom by becoming teacher partners in the learning process at the basic education level. By participating in Campus Teaching activities, students will have the opportunity to hone their soft skills and character, as well as gain teaching experience that can be recognized in the form of semester credit units (credits). The Teaching Campus Program is a collaboration whose beneficiaries are university students and students at the elementary and junior high school education levels. This program focuses on two outputs, namely competency development for program participant students through capacity building for leadership, creativity and innovation, problem solving, communication, team management, and improvement of analytical thinking, as well as increased literacy and numeracy for students in target schools. This context is getting stronger considering the condition of literacy and numeracy in Indonesia which is still low along with efforts to increase literacy and numeracy as one of the national priority agendas

Building innovative capacity in regional entrepreneurship and innovation (eco)systems: Startups versus incumbent firms

AbstractThis article studies how three sets of regional factors—knowledge, agglomeration, and openness—impact and interact differently with startups and incumbent firms in their innovative capacity building. Based on a large dataset of Chinese high‐tech firms, regression analysis shows that the speed of growing startup innovative capacity relies positively on regional knowledge stock and localization economies. In addition to regional knowledge stock, incumbent innovative capacity building benefits from urbanization economies and regional openness. Favorable regional factors, including the presence of universities and the clustering of knowledge‐intensive peers, also enable startups (but not incumbents) to leverage internal knowledge assets into their innovative capacity. The results suggest that it is not only the access to the external knowledge environment but also proactive endeavors to cross‐fertilize between internal and external knowledge that underlie the eco‐systemic nature of startup innovative capacity building.

Econometric estimation of the Influence of Innovative environment on the sustainable development in the Volga Federal District

In conditions of the emerging economy of a new type, the process of innovation becomes a crucial factor that ensures competitiveness and sustainable development in a wide range of fields. The latter includes scientific and technological sectors as well as the spheres of management and social transformation. Sustainable economic development sets sharp growth as its objective alongside the innovative capacity building and its later realization, bringing local and national economies in line with the market standards, and the improvement of performance through the introduction of innovations. The paper identifies and quantifies the most important factors of an innovative environment that affect sustainable development in the regions of the Volga Federal District [VFD]. We used the research methods of correlation and regression analysis. The established concept of the positive effects of innovative factors on the development of regions receives further confirmation and complementation from regression models for separate regions and the VFD in general compiled by us. Upon assessing the influence of innovations on the gross regional product in the regions of the VFD, we identified the introduction of advanced industrial technologies to the subjects of the VFD as the most influential factor. The research results can be implemented into the development of regional strategies for innovative development and its prognosis.

Building Innovation Capacity and Acumen: Re-thinking How to Converge Engineering and Clinical Medicine

The benefits of collaborative medical innovation generated by engineers and clinicians are clearly palpable in institutional transdisciplinary programs. The majority of these programs, however, focus on exposing and training engineers within medical settings or were originally built and designed for this purpose. A clear lack of opportunity exists for clinicians to be equally trained in engineering. Specifically, enhanced access, support, and guidance are needed to immerse clinicians in engineering disciplines to develop technical skills through curated programs. New programming should focus on bidirectional immersion, ultimately reimagining the traditional collaboration of transdisciplinary programs. As a result of these initiatives, vocabulary, acumen, and approaches will be shared and adopted. Furthermore, institutions should prioritize mandates to drive a collaborative culture to foster innovation for successful, lasting implementation. This brief report discusses existing programs, identifies current gaps, and proposes potential solutions to promote engineering immersion for clinicians. A bidirectional clinical and engineering immersion paradigm is outlined as a model, and key themes within the process of research and development are defined. The impact that bidirectional programs will have on health care is highlighted as gaps are bridged between science, engineering, and medicine. Finally, recommendations for engineering and medical schools are offered to build innovation capacity and acumen.