Innovative Contribution Research Articles

Towards performance governance in healthcare: An analysis of Italian local health units.

Bouckaert and Halligan (2008) proposed four ideal types of performance management systems, ranging from a disconnected and input-led approach (performance administration) to a model in which performance management is fully integrated with both the internal and external context of an organisation (performance governance). This article empirically analyzes performance plans issued by Italian Local Health Units (LHUs) to provide a first nationwide snapshot of the different ideal-types of performance management that each (LHUs) have reached, in a 'performance governance'-oriented perspective. This paper employs a qualitative methodology based on document analysis. The model orienting the analysis features six dimensions capturing the ideal-types characteristics and what the Italian performance regulations prescribe. Data was derived from the performance plans adopted by the Italian LHUs on the condition that they made the documentation necessary for the analysis public on their institutional website. For a 'performance governance' oriented approach, two elements are considered relevant: familiarity with the analysis of stakeholders and context. In our sample, consisting of 63 performance plans out of 99 Italian LHUs, it was challenging to identify specific territorial clusters, due tosignificant heterogeneity. The role of strategic objectives, integration between cycles, and context analysis seems to positively influence the orientation towards a 'performance governance' approach. The application of Bouckaert and Halligan's ideal-types has only been episodically investigated in the healthcare sector, mainly at the individual health unit or Region level. This article's innovative contribution consists of conducting a qualitative analysis based on a replicable taxonomy that enables further national comparisons. Furthermore, it highlights the need for public healthcare systems to engage more with external stakeholders to improve the quality of their performance governance.

GREEN INNOVATION AND DIGITIZATION: A CATALYST FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN UZBEKISTAN

The increasing global focus on sustainable development has prompted a growing interest in understanding the roles of green innovation and digitization in fostering economic, environmental, and social sustainability, particularly within emerging economies like Uzbekistan.This study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the pivotal roles of green innovation and digitization in fostering sustainable development within the context of Uzbekistan, emblematic of challenges and opportunities for emerging economies. Through a comprehensive conceptual analysis, the research assesses the impact of these initiatives on economic growth, environmental conservation, and social equity. The findings reveal significant contributions of green innovation and digitization to sustainable development, manifested in heightened economic efficiency, reduced environmental degradation, and enhanced social well-being. Emphasizing the indispensability of institutional support, financial incentives, and stakeholder engagement, the study underscores the imperative for effective adoption and integration of sustainable practices and technologies.

Temporal Perspective of Vegetation Around the Salto Santiago Hydroelectric Plant Reservoir

Objective: The construction of hydroelectric plants brings benefits to energy supply, improving the quality of life for the population. Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) in reservoirs are essential for environmental conservation and mitigating the impacts of these structures. Given the importance of APPs, this study aimed to evaluate changes in vegetation within a 10 km radius around the Salto Santiago Hydroelectric Plant reservoir. Theoretical Framework: The research was developed using definitions governed by the new Brazilian Forest Code, established by Law Nº. 12.65, of May 25, 2012. Method: Geotechnologies were used for spatiotemporal mapping and evaluation of the APP surrounding the Salto Santiago reservoir, located in the municipality of Saudade do Iguaçu, Paraná. Results and Discussion: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights on how the results can be applied or promote studies for the environmental licensing processes of hydroelectric projects. Research Implications: The relevance and value of this research are demonstrated through applications of academic studies and methodologies as a support base for environmental professionals. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by [highlighting the originality of the research, whether through the innovative approach, new discoveries or practical contributions]. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by [explain how the results may impact the area of study or professional practice].

Aggregation operators based on Einstein averaging under q-spherical fuzzy rough sets and their applications in navigation systems for automatic cars

This study introduces innovative operational laws, Einstein operations, and novel aggregation algorithms tailored for handling q-spherical fuzzy rough data. The research article presents three newly designed arithmetic averaging operators: q-spherical fuzzy rough Einstein weighted averaging, q-spherical fuzzy rough Einstein ordered weighted averaging, and q-spherical fuzzy rough Einstein hybrid weighted averaging. These operators are meticulously crafted to enhance precision and accuracy in arithmetic averaging. By thoroughly examining their characteristics and interrelations with existing aggregate operators, the article uncovers their distinct advantages and innovative contributions to the field. Furthermore, the study illustrates the actual implementation of these newly constructed operators in a variety of attribute decision-making scenarios employing q-SFR data, yielding useful insights. Our suite of decision-making tools, including these operators, is specifically designed to address complex and uncertain data. To validate our approach, this study offers a numerical example showcasing the real-world applicability of the proposed operators. The results not only corroborate the efficacy of the proposed method but also underscore its potential significance in practical decision-making processes dealing with intricate and ambiguous data. Additionally, comparative and sensitivity analyses are presented to assess the effectiveness and robustness of our proposed work relative to other approaches. The acquired knowledge enriches the current understanding and opens new avenues for future research.

A Neurotechnological Study to Quantify Differences in Brain Activity Using Game-Based Learning

This research delves into the comparative analysis of brain activity using gamification in the classroom versus traditional teaching. This study aims to employ neurotechnology to record and analyse the impact of active gamification methodology on relevant variables in the learning process within a traditional university education setting, presenting an innovative contribution to the existing literature. Neuroscience technology has been utilized to gauge cognitive processing of stimuli tailored for an academic experience in a university master's class. By scrutinizing brain recordings related to attention, interest, long term excitement, stress, relaxation, and engagement, the findings provide a quantitative assessment of key learning variables through brain signals. Gamification is the active methodology employed, and the application of neuroscience technologies facilitates an understanding of the variations in levels of brain activation among students, shedding light on the contributions of this active teaching methodology to the learning process.

The Contribution of Technological Innovations to Enhance Education for Sustainable Development

Technological innovations have revolutionized numerous sectors, including education, by providing new tools and methodologies that enhance learning experiences and outcomes. Governments worldwide made teaching and learning educational technology compulsory during the COVID-19 pandemic in all educational fields. Despite the numerous advantages, integrating technological innovations into the educational process is challenging. There remains a significant gap between the potential of these technologies and their actual implementation in classrooms and educational fields. Issues such as inadequate infrastructure, lack of teacher training, and resistance to change hinder the effective use of technology in education. Moreover, the rapid movement of technological advancements often exceeds the ability of educational institutions to adapt, leading to underutilization of available resources and missed opportunities for enhancing the educational process. While there is a growing body of literature on the subject, much of the existing research is fragmented and lacks a comprehensive framework that connects theory with practice. This study employs qualitative analysis to obtain information about the experiences, benefits, and discusses the challenges that may arise using educational advancements and techniques in language learning. It aims to provide teachers and educators with a better understanding of the impacts of using technology in the educational process and the development of language learning. In the paper, the researcher defines technology, in addition to Information Communication Technology (ICT), and reviews previous studies on the effective use of technological tools across educational settings. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the role of using modern technological innovations that can be effectively utilized and integrated into education, not only for learners but also for their instructors who need to achieve professional development, by increasing the engagement of using technology in educational settings, motivation, as well as improving accessibility and convenience.

Harnessing technology for infectious disease response in conflict zones: Challenges, innovations, and policy implications.

Epidemic outbreaks of infectious diseases in conflict zones are complex threats to public health and humanitarian activities that require creativity approaches of reducing their damage. This narrative review focuses on the technology intersection with infectious disease response in conflict zones, and complexity of healthcare infrastructure, population displacement, and security risks. This narrative review explores how conflict-related destruction is harmful towards healthcare systems and the impediments to disease surveillance and response activities. In this regards, the review also considered the contributions of technological innovations, such as the improvement of epidemiological surveillance, mobile health (mHealth) technologies, genomic sequencing, and surveillance technologies, in strengthening infectious disease management in conflict settings. Ethical issues related to data privacy, security and fairness are also covered. By advisement on policy that focuses on investment in surveillance systems, diagnostic capacity, capacity building, collaboration, and even ethical governance, stakeholders can leverage technology to enhance the response to infectious disease in conflict settings and, thus, protect the global health security. This review is full of information for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who are dealing with the issues of infectious disease outbreaks in conflicts worn areas.

Factors of innovative development of socio-economic system

Aim. To identify and systematize the factors of innovative development of modern socio- economic system.Objectives. To characterize the contribution of innovation in modern socio-economic development, including the need to achieve technological sovereignty; to analyze the approaches to identifying the factors of innovative development of modern socio-economic system; to propose the author’s systematization of factors of innovative development.Methods. The article is based on the application of mainly monographic method of research; using this method the author has studied approaches to innovative development, which are reflected in the modern economic literature. General scientific and specialized methods of scientific research were also used: analysis and synthesis, grouping method, system analysis, etc.Results. Innovations are recognized as one of the key tools of socio-economic development. Their importance has especially increased in modern conditions, when Russia was under the influence of sanctions of the collective West, limiting its technological development, which actualized the problem of achieving technological sovereignty and reducing the risks of import dependence. The problem of stimulating innovation activity has arisen and actualized, which requires an understanding of the factors influencing it. The study shows that these factors are diverse, there is no single approach to their identification and classification. This requires a combination of the available results of factor analysis in order to identify not only the composition and mechanisms of influence on innovative development of selected factors, but also to determine their mutual influence, which can act both as a stimulant and inhibitor of innovative development of socio-economic system.Conclusions. The formation of innovation potential is one of the key factors of economic growth, a necessary condition for the quantitative and qualitative development of socio-economic system. The research on identification and systematization of factors of innovative development of modern socio-economic system is a necessary prerequisite for this kind of development. The direction of further author’s research is the development of a methodology for assessing innovation potential, taking into account the impact and mutual influence of the identified factors of innovative development.

Sistem Informasi Manajemen E-Budidaya CV.Tarkiz Paz Banua

The development of information technology has had a significant impact on various sectors,including animal husbandry. Livestock sustainability requires effective and inexpensive solutions.This research was born in response to a request from livestock sector operators to the softwarehouse company CV.Tarkiz Paz Banua to develop an E-Budidaya management information system.The aim of the close collaboration between software companies and livestock sector operators isto increase the affordability of livestock operations, with a focus on providing food and medicineto livestock. This research involves designing and developing an E-Budidaya management systemthat facilitates product sales, and ensures quick access to product information. By utilizing digitaltechnology, it is hoped that the ordering, payment and product delivery processes can be carriedout efficiently, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and strengthening business relationshipsbetween partners and operators in the livestock sector. The E-Budidaya management informationmanagement system also provides the latest information on livestock products, includinginstructions for use, nutritional composition and dosage recommendations, thereby increasingagricultural knowledge and providing added value to the company's products. This study reflectsthe contribution of positive collaborative innovation between software companies and livestock companies through effective digital solutions that improve operational efficiency, customerservice and product added value in narrow markets.

Efficient voltage regulation: An RW-ARO optimized cascaded controller approach

This work introduces novel advancements in automatic voltage regulator (AVR) control, addressing key challenges and delivering innovative contributions. The primary motivation lies in enhancing AVR performance to ensure stable and reliable voltage output. A crucial innovation in this work is the introduction of the random walk aided artificial rabbits optimizer (RW-ARO). This novel optimization strategy incorporates a random walk approach, enhancing the efficiency of AVR control schemes. The proposed cascaded RPIDD2-PI controller, fine-tuned using the RW-ARO, stands out as a pioneering approach in the AVR domain. It demonstrates superior stability, faster response times, enhanced robustness, and improved efficiency compared to existing methods. Comparative analyses with established controller approaches reaffirm the exceptional performance of the proposed method. The new approach results in shorter rise times, quicker settling times, and minimal overshoot, highlighting its effectiveness and speed in achieving desired system responses. Moreover, the novel approach attains higher phase and gain margins, showcasing its superior performance in the frequency domain. The disturbance rejection and harmonic analysis are performed in order to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach for potential real-world applications. The latter analyses further cement the superior capability of the proposed approach for the automatic voltage regulation.

Carbon pricing policies and renewable energy development: Analysis based on cross-country panel data

While studies have theoretically discussed the impact of carbon pricing on renewable energy, the practical implementation and effectiveness of these policies remain uncertain. This study empirically examines the role of carbon emissions trading and carbon tax in global renewable energy development using panel data from 196 countries and regions and employing the staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model and Bacon decomposition method. The results suggest that: (1) From the perspective of policy shocks, carbon trading has increased non-hydro renewable electricity generation by 73.32%, while carbon tax has increased it by 31.79%. This indicates that the overall impact of carbon trading on renewable energy is greater than that of carbon tax. However, the elasticity coefficients of renewable energy to carbon trading prices and carbon tax rates are 0.1801 and 0.1845, respectively, suggesting a slightly greater marginal effect of carbon tax on renewable energy compared to carbon trading. (2) Both carbon tax and carbon trading have mitigated the growth of fossil electricity and encouraged public investment in renewable energy, thereby fostering its development. (3) The influence of carbon pricing on renewable energy varies by income level; notably, the implementation of these policies in high-income countries has diminished their promotional effect on renewable energy. (4) The contribution of technological innovation to renewable energy development is smaller than that of policies including carbon trading and carbon tax, indicating that renewable energy development during the sample period was predominantly driven by policy measures. The findings indicate that the application of carbon pricing policies should be further promoted to accelerate the energy mix transition.

Walk the walk, slowly and carefully when centering women and survivors in the Perpetrator Work of Coercive Control: In conversation with Jo Todd

With decades of knowledge within the domestic abuse sector, Jo Todd is the leader of one of the UK’s most respected organisations in the Work With Perpetrators sector: Respect. Established as a membership organisation, Respect sums more than 23 years of promoting “safe, effective work with perpetrators, male victims and young people who use violence” with the aim of tackling domestic abuse and centering the victim-survivor experience.Recently, Jo Todd was awarded with the “Commander of the British Empire” (CBE) medal for her highly-distinguished, innovative contribution around services to victims of domestic abuse. The award though, has not removed any humility from Jo. In early September, I happily engaged in a rich conversation with a strong, grounded woman that I am sure more than one can find inspiration from. For this special issue, our discussion delved into the role and actuality of work with perpetrators and coercive control, highlighting the significance for the victims-survivors, the meanings of justice regarding coercive control and the implications of its criminalisation. Finally, we ended our conversation imagining the dreamt, but also the real, future of the issue.Mónica Sánchez Hernández:Thank you very much Jo for joining me today to talk about your experience and your thoughts about coercive control. You must be really proud of your recent award. Regardless of any colonial/imperial connotations that the CBE medal might have, it must be good to have your work acknowledged — especially in the current times.Well, I’d like to begin the interview by asking you what triggered your interest to move from supporting survivors to the “dark side” of working with perpetrators. Is there any particular moment, any experience that you remember?

Can the UK Deliver Zero Carbon Ready Homes by 2050?

Climate change presents one of the most significant challenges facing the world in the 21st century. In 2019, the UK became the first major economy to pass laws to end its contribution to the world’s greenhouse gas emissions; parliament passed legislation requiring the UK government to achieve its carbon neutrality commitment by 2050. This will require all industries, including the housing sector, which currently contributes around 14% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, to reduce their carbon emission contribution. One of the ways in which the housing sector plans to accomplish this is through delivering new zero carbon ready homes by 2050, at the latest. This study makes an innovative contribution to advancing the field of carbon neutral construction through its identification of the barriers to the UK in regards to their ability to deliver zero carbon homes (ZCH) and the provision of potential recommendations to overcome these barriers. To achieve this, a mixed-review method is used, combining a qualitative systematic analysis and a quantitative bibliometric approach. Several key barriers were identified and assigned to following key themes: legislative, socio-cultural, economic, financial, skills and knowledge, technical, industrial, environmental, and procurement factors. Legislative obstacles were found to be a primary barrier due to a lack of certainty, clarity, and clear definitions, as well as the removal and excess of government policies. Significantly, the findings reveal the under-researched impact of recent disruptive events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Brexit, and economic factors in the UK, opening up novel avenues for exploring their implications. Overall, this study advances industry understanding and highlights innovative directions necessary to propel the sector towards realizing the UK’s legally-binding 2050 net zero target through the development of zero carbon ready homes.

An Analysis of Innovative Contributions to the Important Discourse on the Development of New Quality Productivity

The discourse on developing high-quality productivity marks a significant theoretical innovation, which is conducive to the modernization and sinicization of Marxism. It refines our understanding of “new quality productivity,” defining it as an advanced form driven by innovation, embodying “high technology, efficiency, and quality,” with the aim of comprehensively enhancing productivity. It elucidates the necessity of cultivating such forces, asserting that they are crucial for achieving high-quality development, securing a leading position in global technology, and fulfilling the aspirations for a better life. Moreover, it outlines a new implementation route, emphasizing strategies such as fostering technological autonomy, nurturing emerging industries, integrating education and talent in technology, adopting a “build through challenges” approach, adjusting solutions locally, and providing categorized guidance, all of which are based on the ongoing comprehensive reforms.

Performance Analysis of Buildings Subjected to Foundation Reinforcement

Theoretical Framework: Soil uncertainty poses a challenge for engineers when designing foundation projects, potentially leading to errors and subsequent problems in building construction. These problems include excessive settlements, which can aesthetically, functionally, and structurally impact buildings, resulting in discomfort, high costs, and safety risks for people. This study aims to evaluate the model proposed by Gusmão in 2006 to predict the settlement of buildings before, during, and after foundation reinforcement. Method: The methodology adopted for this research involves applying the model to building A, which underwent foundation reinforcement using self-drilling injected micropiles. The measured settlements were analyzed and compared with the results obtained through the application of the model. Results and Discussion: The model matched the settlement curve measured on-site. It was observed that during the pile driving process, the settlement rate increased. This was found through the ratio between the velocities after the start of pile driving and before the start of reinforcement, which showed values greater than 0 in approximately 95.2% of the applied pillars. Building A stabilized slowly. The calculated λ value for building A was 0.0005. Research Implications: The use of the model is an important tool for selecting the type of foundation reinforcement to be adopted. The parameters found help in choosing the type of pile and the construction process, reducing the number of errors and attempts until the most appropriate reinforcement solution is found, consequently lowering the cost. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature, as the application of this model to real cases of reinforcement had not yet been published, making it an innovative contribution to one of the main phases of the process, the design. The relevance and value of this research are evidenced by the parameters found and the model's fit to the measurements taken throughout the reinforcement process, proving that the model is satisfactory.

Transcultural Analysis of the Digital Environment for Managing Learning in University Students

Objective: This study strategically focuses on the cross-cultural analysis of digital environments mediated by the use of ICT for learning management in students from the University of La Guajira - Colombia (Uniguajira) and the Autonomous University of Nuevo León - Mexico (UANL). Method: Methodologically, a non-experimental comparative research design was adopted, with a probabilistic sample of (n: 399) participants. The results show differences in the use and appropriation of digital environments, with a greater tendency for communication and collaboration at Uniguajira and for learning management at UANL. Results and Discussion: Based on the students perceptions, an integrative SWOT analysis was generated, highlighting the innovative and didactic contributions of digital environments, as well as the gaps and challenges associated with accessibility, adaptability, relevance, flexibility, comprehensiveness, autonomy, and appropriation for the improvement of the teaching-learning process in the context of higher education. Research Implications: This study contributes to understanding the digital divide in learning scenarios and the processes of incorporating ICT in higher education in two Latin American countries. Originality/Value: The relevance of this research lies in presenting the differential impact of digital divides in terms of accessibility, connectivity, and the use of digital technology in learning environments.

Lean and industry 4.0 principles toward industry 5.0: a conceptual framework and empirical insights from fashion industry

PurposeExamining synergies between Lean, Industry 4.0, and Industry 5.0 principles, the aim is to showcase how Lean's focus on people enhances Industry 5.0 implementations, leading to the development of the Lean 5.0 paradigm. In addition, insights from artisanal industries, like the fashion one, are specifically collected.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a literature review was conducted to define a comprehensive framework to understand how Lean fits into the Human-Centric (HC) paradigm of Industry 5.0. Second, a case study was employed to give empirical insights and identify practical initiatives that brands can pursue, involving two best-in-class leather goods brands located in Italy.FindingsA conceptual framework to pave the way for new paradigm Lean 5.0 was defined and validated through a case study. To path the way for a case study in the fashion industry, the Lean HC paradigm is detailed into domains and related categories to group practices. The empirical insights demonstrate that Lean HC actions can be effectively supported by Industry 4.0 technologies in traditional sectors like the fashion industry, shifting towards Industry 5.0.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework and related practices can be used by companies to facilitate their transition towards Industry 5.0, leveraging on Lean Manufacturing.Originality/valueThe innovative contribution of the present work mainly refers to the proposed conceptual framework, encompassing Lean, HC and Industry 4.0 and introducing Lean 5.0 paradigm. The case study enriches the empirical contributions in the fashion industry.

Pemetaan Riset Akuntansi Zakat (PSAK 109) Berbasis Analisis Blibiometrik Dan Vosviewer

The purpose of this study is to map and analyze the development of zakat accounting research and identify the latest trends developing in this field. This research uses bibliometric approach to achieve the objective, which is by analyzing research publications related to zakat accounting. This approach allows researchers to understand the development of knowledge in the field of zakat accounting and identify future research opportunities. The data source of this research is metadata collected using Google Scholar, covering publications from 2019 to 2024. The metadata was then exported into RIS format and analyzed using VOSviewer software. This study found that the newest topic in zakat accounting research is "Infaq". In addition, "PSAK" and "Research" were identified as emerging themes and predicted to be the focus of research in 2024 and beyond. The bibliometric approach used in this study offers an effective and accessible way for researchers to understand zakat accounting issues and identify potential future research topics. This approach allows the study to gain a better understanding of zakat accounting and paves the way for innovative new contributions in this research.

Optimizing Crowd Counting in Dense Environments Through Curriculum Learning Training Strategy

Counting individuals in highly crowded environments, characterized by thousands of people, has garnered significant attention in recent years, due to the high number of vertical markets wherein such algorithms can prove beneficial, ranging from smart city and transportation to retail sectors, among others. Within this context, in this paper we introduce a novel training methodology tailored for estimating the number of people, ensuring precise counting accuracy in both moderately and highly crowded scenarios. The proposed approach exploits a formulation of the problem based on point detection, where each point represents an individual’s head. Our innovative contributions center around the designing of a novel training strategy employing Curriculum Learning (CL), which aims to replicate the gradual learning process observed in human cognition, training on simpler tasks at the beginning and tackling more complex tasks as the training evolves. In order to evaluate the complexity of each sample image, we propose a novel indicator taking into account both the number of people and their distribution within the image. The experimentation phase encompassed 18 publicly available datasets; the obtained results validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, surpassing the baseline state-of-the-art point detection by 71% and 70% in terms of Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Mean Squared Error (MSE), respectively

Unleashing innovation through employee voice behavior in the hotel industry: the impact of ambidextrous leadership on innovative work behavior

PurposeIn today's dynamic and competitive business environment, organizations strive to foster innovation as a key driver of success. To achieve this, leaders play a critical role in promoting innovative work behavior among employees. This study is based on finding the effect of ambidextrous leadership on innovative work behavior with employee voice behavior as a mediator and employee moral identity as a moderator.Design/methodology/approachThis study is conducted on Pakistan's hotel and restaurant industry. Drawing upon a sample of 410 valid responses from employees from various hotels, data is collected using self-report questionnaires.FindingsThe study revealed that ambidextrous leadership is positively related to innovative work behavior, and employee voice behavior mediated their relationship very well. However, ambidextrous leadership generates more positive and creative outcomes for the organization if it accompanies employee voice. Moreover, employees with a stronger moral identity are more likely to engage in voice behavior when they perceive ambidextrous leadership practices.Practical implicationsIn Pakistan's hotel industry, developing leadership programs that focus on ambidextrous leadership, encouraging employee voice, and aligning with employees' moral values are key to fostering innovation. Organizations should cultivate a culture of openness, trust, and recognition, alongside implementing systems that reward innovative contributions. It's crucial to provide opportunities for skill development, decision-making participation, and a sense of ownership among employees. Moreover, providing necessary resources and supporting a culture that embraces experimentation and learning from failures are fundamental for sustained innovation.Originality/valueBy adopting ambidextrous leadership practices, leaders can stimulate employee voice behavior, which, in turn, contributes to the development of innovative work behavior. Furthermore, understanding the importance of employee moral identity can help leaders tailor their leadership approaches to create an ethical work environment that promotes employee engagement and innovation.