Institutional Policies Research Articles

Retraction: Randomized controlled trial of the effect of endometrial injury on implantation and clinical pregnancy rates during the first ICSI cycle.

Retraction: A. M. Maged, H. Rashwan, S. AbdelAziz, W. Ramadan, W. A. I. Mostafa, A. A. Metwally, M. Katta, "Randomized controlled trial of the effect of endometrial injury on implantation and clinical pregnancy rates during the first ICSI cycle," International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 140, no. 2 (2018): 211-216, https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12355. The above article, published online on 19 October 2017 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) has been retracted by agreement between the journal's Editor-in-Chief, Michael Geary, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics and John Wiley & Sons Ltd. The retraction has been agreed following an investigation based on concerns raised by a third party. Significant inconsistencies were found between the P-values calculated in Table3 and data provided within the paper. The original data was no longer available as this is archived after a period of five years according to institutional policies. Thus, the inconsistencies in the paper could not be resolved. Accordingly, the editors consider the conclusions of this manuscript insufficiently supported. The authors disagree with the retraction.

The silent shift: Pregnant women doing aesthetic and emotional labor at work

AbstractAlthough the U.S. Pregnancy Discrimination Act protects people from discrimination, there remain risks for individuals who become pregnant while working. Therefore, many choose to stay quiet about their pregnancies before beginning to show. Doing so, however, requires a constant management of appearance and behavior that feels necessary for employment. To investigate how pregnant people manage occupational settings while growing visibly pregnant, I draw on data from interviews with 54 women in the U.S. who were employed during their pregnancy. Findings reveal that efforts to manage the pregnant body are both aesthetic and emotional, and they constitute a form of unpaid labor that I term the “silent shift.” The silent shift encompasses two types of labor: the labor of concealing and the labor of dealing. Concealing—typically done during the first trimester—involves trying to strategically hide a pregnancy from co‐workers through alterations to work attire (i.e., aesthetic labor) or behavioral changes, such as napping in the office or discretely running to the bathroom. When concealing was no longer an option, pregnant women had to deal with awkward comments from co‐workers about their bodies. In these instances, women employed emotional labor to keep silent about how such remarks made them feel by suppressing negative emotions, rationalizing co‐workers’ comments, or by laughing them off. These findings suggest that even though laws and institutional policies have created space for pregnant workers, there remains a tension between the professional and pregnant body—a tension that women themselves feel compelled to manage.

A qualitative exploration of challenges and factors in research data management across Indonesian research institutes

This research investigates the challenges and factors that influence the implementation of research data management (RDM) in Indonesian research institutes. This study conducted in-depth interviews with six data managers from five Indonesian research institutions using a qualitative research approach. The interview data were analyzed using NVivo software, and the TOPE framework guided the identification of factors and challenges in (RDM) implementation. Critical aspects in RDM implementation are applications, hardware, culture, organizational units, institutional policies, leadership support, awareness, knowledge, education, skills, funder regulations, and government policies. Challenges in RDM implementation encompass access control, data quality, ease of use, building trust, availability of responsible staff, user understanding, researchers’ resistance, awareness, and inter-institutional relations. Research on data management, especially in developing countries like Indonesia, is limited. This study contributes by providing a high-level overview of research institutions in Indonesia, enhancing their understanding of the challenges and critical aspects involved in establishing effective RDM within their institutions.

Food Insecurity Pipeline: How Latinx Immigration-Impacted Students in Higher Education Navigate the Food Insecurity Cycle

Systemic inequities increase the risk of material hardships, including food insecurity, among immigrant households. Informed by 33 qualitative interviews with Latina/o/x undergraduate students who are undocumented or U.S. citizens with undocumented parents, we examine their experiences of food insecurity in their day-to-day lives. We find a food insecurity pipeline as students’ experiences of food insecurity begin early in childhood in their homes and continue in their adulthood on their college campuses. Food insecurity has implications for their well-being, and they rely on their strengths and networks to survive food insecurity. The study has implications for immigration policy, practice, and higher education institutions serving this vulnerable population.

“Scholars in Great Need:” Responses to Refugee Staff and Students at the University of Birmingham 1933–1945

ABSTRACT This article examines the ways in which the University of Birmingham assisted refugee academics and students from Nazi Germany and other Nazi occupied countries across Europe between 1933 and 1945. It draws on the university’s rich but underused archives to explore institutional policy and to assess the influence of individual staff members in driving it. As a case study it examines and evaluates the role played by a British provincial university in supporting displaced academics before the Second World War and refugee students during the war. Analysis of the primary source material reveals the importance of personal connections and the agency of individual university staff in helping refugees. This study aids our understanding of the roles played by British universities in helping displaced scholars and identifies areas for further research.

Exploring the Interplay between Writing Practices and Identity Formation in Academic Contexts

In academic settings, the relationship between writing practices and identity formation is a cornerstone of scholarly inquiry. As individuals engage in writing, they convey information and construct and negotiate their identities within disciplinary, cultural, and linguistic frameworks. This review paper provides a comprehensive synthesis of existing scholarship on the intricate relationship between writing practices and identity formation in academic contexts. Drawing upon a systematic analysis of 30 studies, the paper illuminates the complex interplay between language, culture, and academic discourse in shaping authorial identities. Key themes explored include conceptualizing writing as an act of identity construction, the challenges faced by distinct student populations in establishing authorial voices, disciplinary variations in identity formation, and pedagogical implications for academic writing instruction. The review integrates diverse theoretical frameworks, such as sociocultural perspectives, academic literacy approaches, and integrationist models, offering a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms underlying identity construction through writing. Furthermore, this review also identifies gaps and potential avenues for future research, including the need for longitudinal studies, the exploration of individual agency in identity formation, and the examination of emerging technologies and interdisciplinary collaborations. Ultimately, this synthesis adds to ongoing conversations about how writing practices affect identity formation. It does this by informing teaching methods and institutional policies that support positive identity development among diverse academic communities.

The basis of Russia's financial sovereignty

Subject. The article investigates the policy of the largest Russian financial institutions and countering the international sanctions. Objectives. The purpose is to analyze indicators that determine the stability of the Russian financial system. Methods. The study draws on methods of statistical analysis. Results. The paper determined that the basis of Russia's financial sovereignty is made up of enterprises, the production costs of which are reimbursed at the expense of proceeds from goods and services. Conclusions. The findings can be taken into account when determining the main directions of Russia's monetary policy.

Variation in Time-to-Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy in the US Active Duty Service Members.

Beginning in July 2016, transgender service members in the US military were allowed to receive gender-affirming medical care, if so desired. This study aimed to evaluate variation in time-to-hormone therapy initiation in active duty Service members after the receipt of a diagnosis indicative of gender dysphoria in the Military Health System. This retrospective cohort study included data from those enrolled in TRICARE Prime between July 2016 and December 2021 and extracted from the Military Health System Data Repository. A population-based sample of US Service members who had an encounter with a relevant International Classification of Diseases 9/10 diagnosis code. Time-to-gender-affirming hormone initiation after diagnosis receipt. A total of 2439 Service members were included (Mage 24y; 62% white, 16% Black; 12% Latine; 65% Junior Enlisted; 37% Army, 29% Navy, 25% Air Force, 7% Marine Corps; 46% first recorded administrative assigned gender marker female). Overall, 41% and 52% initiated gender-affirming hormone therapy within 1 and 3 years of diagnosis, respectively. In the generalized additive model, time-to-gender-affirming hormone initiation was longer for Service members with a first administrative assigned gender marker of male relative to female (P<0.001), and Asian and Pacific Islander (P=0.02) and Black (P=0.047) relative to white Service members. In time-varying interactions, junior enlisted members had longer time-to-initiation, relative to senior enlisted members and junior officers, until about 2-years postinitial diagnosis. The significant variation and documented inequities indicate that institutional data-driven policy modifications are needed to ensure timely access for those desiring care.

Seven years of embracing the sustainable development goals: perspectives from University of South Africa’s academic staff

As this article was being finalised, the world was left with less than 7 of the 15 years of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) implementation to 2030. There were still huge gaps in the attainment of the SDGs in institutions of higher learning globally, especially that COVID-19 brought a barrier leading to a known pushback. However, the pandemic did not imply there was no work done prior, during and after COVID-19. This article investigates the extent to which the University of South Africa’s academic staff activated and mainstreamed the SDGs in their core mandates between 2016 and 2022. Data was generated through a survey (n = 121), participatory action research, and document analysis. It emerged there is a greater degree of awareness of the SDGs, with 78% of academic respondents confirming this. However, the percentages drop across the four core mandate areas when it comes to SDGs implementation. About 52.6% of academics indicated they were promoting SDGs in their teaching, research (63.3%), community engagement (55.5%) and academic citizenship (54.5%). Findings further reveal key enabling institutional policies like the SDGS Localisation Declaration, and the Africa-Nuanced SDGs Research Support Programme. Large gaps remain on the publication front, where over 60% of the responding academics had not published an article explicitly on SDGs. There is also bias in publications towards certain SDGs. The work recommends that University of South Africa management continue raising awareness on the SDGs and systematically address barriers identified in the main article to enhance the mainstreaming of the SDGs across all core mandate areas.

OER based capacity building to overcome staff equity and access issues in higher education

Open educational resources (OER) have already impacted educational systems around the world. In higher education more specifically, it has benefited learners, and has influenced institutional strategic plans and policies. Additionally, the benefits of OER also extend to staff in higher education, such as academic staff. For this group, OER can provide opportunities for collaboration, promote curriculum innovation and student led content development, as well as contribute to university teachers’ much needed continuing professional development. In this paper, we examine the potential of OER to build capacity of academic staff in higher education, in particular to overcome some equity and access issues that they may face. It also examines some existing activities and strategies for professional development in higher educational institutions and provides some recommendations for academics, academic developers, institutions, and the sector in general.

‘I Am a Broken Policy’: A Critical Reflection on Whiteness and Gender Anti-Black Racism in Institutions of Higher Education and Social Services

This personal narrative is a critical reflection and affirmation letter to Black women. Throughout this commentary, at the end of each section, I have included what I call “gems”. I hope they serve as a manifesto for our collective healing from working in institutions that center on the ideologies and practices of dominance. This piece particularly focuses on the dominant ideology and practice of “whiteness” within institutions as a surveillance tool through policy that directly impacts Black women’s wellbeing through gender anti-black racism. Through storytelling and drawing on Black feminist scholarship, this narrative exposes the challenges I faced with institutional policies and practices as I pursued my career in both academia and social service work. Throughout this narrative, I highlight how the undercurrent of whiteness is embedded in the foundation of institutional policy and practices. This narrative serves as a demand for institutional accountability and reckoning with the coloniality of epistemology and ontology. There is a great emotional toll for Black women who are confronting and resisting gendered anti-black racism with deep internal struggles and triumphs. The violent institutional practices seek to eclipse Black women’s ability to dream, imagine and create. Whiteness is centered in institutional infrastructure, serves as a distraction, and impedes our ability to conceptualize the world we desire. We deserve to have imagination in our work. This narrative is a reflection of the harm of whiteness, a guide for Black women academics, a manifesto for change, and a testament to our humanity.

Ideologies of teachers and students towards meso-level English-medium instruction policy and translanguaging in the STEM classroom at a Malaysian university

Abstract English medium instruction (EMI) as a language policy in higher education is based on monolingual conceptions and limits the use of the full linguistic repertoire of bilinguals/multilinguals in the university classroom. Informed by the constructs of language ideology (Spolsky, Bernard. 2009. Language management. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press), translanguaging (Li, Wei. 2018. Translanguaging as a practical theory of language. Applied Linguistics 39(1). 9–30) and pedagogical translanguaging (Creese, Angela &amp; Adrian Blackledge. 2010. Translanguaging in the bilingual classroom: A pedagogy for learning and teaching? The Modern Language Journal 94(1). 103–115), this case study aimed to examine the ideologies held by micro-level stakeholders (i.e., teachers and students) towards institutional English-only EMI policy, translanguaging, and the significance and scope of pedagogical translanguaging in EMI classrooms. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers and 10 students at a public research university in Malaysia. Also collected were a variety of publicly accessible institutional documents, including the focal university’s programme brochures, promotional materials and policy statements on its website. Analyses of the interviews and documents revealed that although EMI was officially adopted in the programmes, both teachers and students advocated for translanguaging and underscored its important role in the transmission of new information, effective communication, and scientific meaning-making. In light of these findings, the study concludes that an inclusive language policy is required that allows teachers and students to access all their linguistic resources.

A competência em informação no enfrentamento ao plágio no ambiente acadêmico

This article discusses information literacy in the face of plagiarism in academia. It reflects on the causes of plagiarism, such as the little incentive for students to produce authorial content and the absence of institutional policies that guide such productions. As a response to this context, the article suggests an education for authorship based on information literacy. Information literacy, among others, promotes a healthy relationship between people and the information universe. Thus, the objective is to discuss how promoting information literacy contributes to combating academic plagiarism and establishing authorship. The method involves bibliographical research in databases in the area of Information Science and argumentative construction in which the concepts of plagiarism and information literacy are related. The results include a demonstrative guide on how information literacy can be used in the production of academic work and guidelines for teachers to recognize and avoid plagiarism. The work concludes that the skills generated within the relationship between individuals and information can benefit the construction of authorship and be an effective element in combating plagiarism.

Impact of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Technology Acquisition on Technology Startups

Since the advent of the fourth industrial revolution, the global economy has been led by big tech companies based on technology startups. In this situation, it is very timely to investigate the antecedent factors for the performance enhancement of technology startups that can play a big role in driving economic growth. We investigate the effect of entrepreneurial orientation and technology acquisition on the financial and non-financial performance of technology startups. In order to achieve these research goals, we collected data from 121 Korean technology startups to examine the effects. Our results support that both entrepreneurial orientation and technology acquisition improve the performance (financial and non-financial) of technology startups. In addition, the entrepreneurial orientation of technology startups has a significant indirect effect on performance (financial and non-financial) through technology acquisition. Overall, our study contributes to improving the understanding of the antecedent factors for the achievement of the performance of technology startups in the field of entrepreneurship research by presenting a new research model of the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation, technology acquisition and the performance of technology startups. In addition, this study provides the basis for the need for technology acquisition support policies for technology startup support institutions to nurture technology startups.

Euro area banks' asset‐liability dependency and unconventional monetary policy over the years 2013–2021: Does size matter?

AbstractFocusing on a sample of euro area commercial banks, we investigate the evolution of the asset‐liability dependency over the years 2013–2021, characterized by the introduction of monetary, supervisory and institutional policy measures that shaped a business environment never experienced before. We find that large banks show a stronger asset‐liability dependency than small banks, and that the linkages between the two sides of the balance sheet experience a general upward trend over time for both groups of intermediaries. We report evidence of the presence of two transmission channels of the unconventional monetary policy, namely, the direct pass‐through and the portfolio rebalancing.

Workers united: a non-assimilatory approach to Indigenous leadership in higher education

Indigenous leaders in higher education are restive, disaffected, and dissatisfied with the slow gyrations of change. Using Interest Convergence Theory, this paper will unravel the constraints inherent in institutional reform that delimit the influence of Indigenous senior leaders in the sector. Positioned amidst the burgeoning impact of neoliberalism, an architecture of colonial governance models, and systemic resistance to change, Indigenous leaders are affecting reform. By providing examples of reform-driven agential actions shouldered by senior Indigenous leaders across Canada, Aotearoa, America and Australia, this paper, underpinned by relationality, details how Indigenous leaders are engaging with Indigenous Institutional work and Entrepreneurship, speaking back to interest-driven institutional policies and practices in the sector with a pronounced focus on nation building. Drawn from an international, comprehensive qualitative study, we investigate how Indigenous leaders in higher education are disrupting systemic racism to promote equity and justice within higher education amid macro-level resistance to change.

Language teacher candidates’ representation of Türkiye's East and West: A critical discourse analysis of online discussions in a telecollaboration

This study explores data collected from a telecollaboration project between two universities in Türkiye and the US. We draw upon the notion that how language teacher candidates from Türkiye (LTCTs) situate themselves contextually pertain to their professional learning and practices and future language teacher identity. Focusing on their telecollaboration discourse, we specifically examine these LTCTs’ construction of Türkiye's multiculturalism through an oversimplistic and stereotypical East-West binary. We analyzed the data using Fairclough's three-dimensional CDA model. We found that when discussing multiculturalism, the LTCTs socio-politically constructed framing of Türkiye's East and West has been influenced by meso level institutional policies and macro level nation-state ideologies. Next, our findings showed that the LTCTs avoided controversial sociopolitical issues when talking specifically about the East refraining from any connotations of separatist discourses. We suggest teachers educators foster critical analysis within teacher education programs to help understand and prepare teacher candidates for their future practice.

One rotten apple or a rotten tree: football leaders’ perceptions of racism in European football

ABSTRACT Despite efforts by key stakeholders to address racial discrimination in international football, racially charged behaviour persists, particularly in the European context. To explore this phenomenon, our paper employs Critical Race Theory as a central framework and links empirical research to racism and inclusion while keeping institutional football and policy concerns at the forefront of its investigation. Primary questions underlining the study concern practices and actors that enable or sustain exclusionary practices in the football industry. To better understand the nature of racial discourse among football leaders and how it potentially facilitates or acts as a barrier to inclusion in football, qualitative interviews were conducted with leaders from eight European countries. The interviews revealed conflicting tensions in the football industry. Tensions between corporatized football practices and equality policymaking, discrepancies in views on discriminatory actions and their connections to larger structural issues and resistance to change from predominantly White, male leadership.

Investigation of Related Factors of Operating Room Nurses' Attitudes and Awareness Towards Surgery-Related Pressure Injury Prevention in Turkey, Croatia, and Italy

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to examine related factors of operating room nurses' attitudes and awareness towards surgery-related pressure injury prevention in Turkey, Croatia, and Italy. MethodsA descriptive and cross-sectional design was used. The study was conducted between March and September 2023. Data were collected with an online questionnaire created on Google Forms, consisting of a Nurse Information Form, a Surgery-related Pressure Injury Awareness Form, and the Attitude towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument. ResultsThe sample of the study consisted of 258 operating room nurses working in Turkey, Croatia, and Italy. It was found that the majority of the participants (70.90%) did not use a risk scale, had not received education on pressure injury prevention and treatment (58.10%) but wanted to receive it (86%). Mean attitude scores of operating room nurses by country were at an adequate level in Turkey (42.48±4.30) but not at the desired level in Croatia (37.48±3.44) and Italy (36.20±4.02). While there was a significant positive relationship between the awareness and attitudes of operating room nurses in Turkey (p = 0.002) and Croatia (p < 0.001), no relationship was found between these variables of nurses in Italy (p = 0.109). A statistically significant difference was found between nurses' consideration of themselves sufficient and their attitudes and awareness in all three countries (p<0.05). It was also determined that reading articles affected nurses’ awareness in all countries. ConclusionsWhile operating room nurses’ attitudes towards preventing pressure injuries were adequate in Turkey, it was determined that those of the nurses in Croatia and Italy were not at the desired level. Nurses should receive regular training on surgical pressure injuries to increase their awareness and to support them in implementing the recommendations of pressure injury guidelines in accordance with institutional policy.

The mediating effect of health behaviors on the association between job strain and mental health outcome: a national survey of police officers.

Police officers often face emotionally challenging interpersonal situations and numerous studies have demonstrated that policing is a stressful occupation. A study revealed a significant positive correlation between emotional demands among police officers and emotional dissonance, as well as burnout. Health-promoting behaviors can contribute to better overall health outcomes and reduce the risk of developing health problems, but there is limited research evaluating the association of job strain and health behaviors with mental health outcomes in police officers. The objective of this study was to assess the job strain associated with mental health mediated by health behaviors in Taiwanese police officers. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study conducted in Oct 2016. A total of 41,871 police officers (response rate was 79.7%) participated questionnaire that consisted of demographic information, job characteristics, health behaviors, and mental component summary (MCS) scores of the Short-Form Health Survey. Independent t-tests and one-way analysis of variance (One-way ANOVA) were conducted to assess the differences in mean MCS scores across various demographics, health behavior, and job characteristics. Multivariate regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between job strain and health behaviors with mental health outcomes. MCS scores were associated with job characteristics and health behaviors among police officers except for gender. After adjusting for covariates, multivariate analysis indicated that police officers with high job demands and high job strain index exhibited poor MCS scores. Job strain was significantly associated with MCS mediated by health behaviors (consumption of fruits and vegetables, and physical activity) in Taiwanese police officers. Since regular physical activity and increased vegetable and fruit consumption might alleviate the effects of job strain on mental health status, it is recommended that institutional policies be established to promote health-enhancing behaviors among police officers.