International Research Organizations Research Articles

Influence of Communication of Team Leadership on Team Effectiveness of Collaborative Partnerships in International Research Organizations in Kenya

The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of communication by team leadership on the effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations in Kenya. The study was grounded on positivist research philosophy. The study adopted the correlational research design. The anticipated respondents from the 12 international research organizations included 164 program leaders, project managers and heads of departments. A census was conducted. Structured questionnaires were used to collect the data. SPSS version 25 was used to organize, code, and analyze information and generate the quantitative report. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The correlation results showed that communication by team leadership is positively and significantly related to team effectiveness. The regression (R2) showed that 50.1% of the variations of team effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations in Kenya were explained by the communication by team leadership R2 = .501. The regression parameter estimates showed that communication by team leadership is positively and significantly related to team effectiveness (β =.743, t (151) = 12.269, p<.05). Thus, communication of team leadership significantly influences the team effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations in Kenya. The study recommends effective communication through team leadership is crucial for international research organizations in Kenya to enhance their effectiveness, achieve success, and address various factors influencing collaborative partnerships.

Biofortification of Major Crops through Conventional and Modern Biotechnological Approaches to Fight Hidden Hunger: An Overview

Biofortification, the process of enhancing the nutritional content of crops, offers a promising strategy to combat hidden hunger—micronutrient deficiencies affecting over two billion people globally. This review article explores the biofortification of major crops, focusing on both conventional breeding techniques and modern biotechnological approaches. Conventional methods, such as selective breeding and crossbreeding, have been instrumental in increasing the levels of essential micronutrients like iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) in staple crops such as wheat, rice, and maize. For instance, wild relatives of cultivated wheat, including Triticum dicoccoides and Aegilops tauschii, have been utilized to significantly enhance Fe and Zn content in modern cultivars. Advancements in biotechnological tools, including genetic engineering, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9), have further accelerated the development of biofortified crops. These technologies enable precise modifications to increase the accumulation of micronutrients and improve nutrient bioavailability. For example, transgenic rice varieties enriched with β-carotene (Golden Rice) and enhanced Fe and Zn content through gene editing showcase the potential of biotechnology in addressing micronutrient deficiencies. The review also highlights ongoing efforts and challenges in the field, such as regulatory hurdles, public acceptance, and the need for comprehensive strategies integrating conventional and modern approaches. Furthermore, it discusses the role of international research organizations and collaborations in facilitating the development and dissemination of biofortified crops. In conclusion, combining conventional breeding with cutting-edge biotechnological innovations presents a robust approach to biofortify major crops, offering a sustainable solution to mitigate hidden hunger and improve global food security. Continued research and multi-disciplinary collaborations are essential to fully realize the potential of biofortification in enhancing human nutrition.

Factors influencing the adoption of climate smart agriculture practices among smallholder farmers in Kakamega County, Kenya

Most of Kenya’s population’s livelihoods and agri-food systems rely on rain-fed agriculture making them vulnerable to climate change. The adverse effects of climate change on agricultural production have necessitated the promotion of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) technologies help guide actions needed to transform and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support development and ensure food security by increasing farmers’ resilience to climate change. This study sought to ascertain the current state of CSA practices among Kakamega County's smallholder farmers to identify the main drivers of CSA adoption. Stratified sampling was used to select six sub-counties to represent the county's various agroecological zones and regions for the research sample. A combination of purposive and snowball sampling was used to select 428 smallholder CSA farmers of which 182 were adopters while 246 were dis-adopters. Primary data were collected using interview guides developed through the Kobo Collect Application. Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical packages were used to process and analyze the data. This study established that CSA technologies in Kakamega are mainly promoted by international development partners, non-governmental organizations and research organizations. In addition, the most adopted CSA technologies were agroforestry, composting, and soil and water conservation structures, while push-pull technology, conservation agriculture, and vermiculture were the least adopted. This study, further, established that smallholder farmers’ level of education, membership to a farmers’ group, interaction with extension officers and farming experience influenced adoption of CSA technologies. Other factors are those that increase household productive resources, such as land ownership, household income, and access to agricultural credit. The results of this study suggest that those who promote CSA technologies, policymakers, extension service providers, and other stakeholders should take smallholder farmers' socioeconomic and bio-physical factors into account when doing so. Key words: Climate-smart agriculture, CSA practices, CSA adoption, CSA dis-adoption, smallholder farmers

Approaches to the development of platform employment in the BRICS countries

The main goal of the paper is to examine the process of development and institutionalization of platform employment. Using statistical data from national sources and international research organizations, the authors study the evolution of platform employment in China, India, Brazil and South Africa in comparison with the development of this type of employment in Russia and then create socio-demographic portraits of the each country’s platform workers, classify and systematize the national platform models and define specific characteristics of their formation and functioning. This is followed by the authors’ comments and recommendations concerning further development of platform employment in Russia which largely depends on the evolution of government regulation of this sphere.

Big Data in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: Basic Insights.

The human genome was first sequenced in 1994. It took 10years of cooperation between numerous international research organizations to reveal a preliminary human DNA sequence. Genomics labs can now sequence an entire genome in only a few days. Here, we talk about how the advent of high-performance sequencing platforms has paved the way for Big Data in biology and contributed to the development of modern bioinformatics, which in turn has helped to expand the scope of biology and allied sciences. New technologies and methodologies for the storage, management, analysis, and visualization of big data have been shown to be necessary. Not only does modern bioinformatics have to deal with the challenge of processing massive amounts of heterogeneous data, but it also has to deal with different ways of interpreting and presenting those results, as well as the use of different software programs and file formats. Solutions to these problems are tried to present in this chapter. In order to store massive amounts of data and provide a reasonable period for completing search queries, new database management systems other than relational ones will be necessary. Emerging advance programing approaches, such as machine learning, Hadoop, and MapReduce, aim to provide the capacity to easily construct one's own scripts for data processing and address the issue of the diversity of genomic and proteomic data formats in bioinformatics.

Building twenty-first century agricultural research and extension capacity in Africa

Abstract This study explores the effectiveness of international efforts to build the capacities of national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) in Africa and proposes actions to improve the performance of these systems. Analysis draws on agricultural research expenditure data in Africa, Asia and Latin America and key informant interviews of 26 senior representatives of international and African research organisations. We conclude that donors and international partners have increased the supply of professional African scientists while contributing relatively little to the institutional capacities of African NARES. We propose a transition to what we call a twenty-first century African-led agricultural research system and identify actions to manifest it.

Influence of Collaboration of Team Leadership on Team Effectiveness of Collaborative Partnerships in International Research Organizations in Kenya

This study examines the relationship between team leadership collaboration and the effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations operating in Kenya. Drawing on Hill's (2001) theory of team leadership and employing a positivist research philosophy, the research question guiding this study is: "To what extent does team leadership collaboration influence the effectiveness of collaborative partnerships in international research organizations in Kenya?" The study adopts a correlational research design and includes 164 participants from 12 international research organizations, including program leaders, project managers, and heads of departments. Data collection involves structured questionnaires, and the data is analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS version 25. The results indicate a positive and significant relationship between team leadership collaboration and team effectiveness. The regression analysis demonstrates that team leadership collaboration explains 22.1% of the variance in team effectiveness (R2 = .221). Furthermore, the regression parameter estimates reveal a positive and significant association between team leadership collaboration and team effectiveness (β = .455, t (151) = 6.531, p < .05). These findings reject the null hypothesis and confirm that team leadership collaboration has a significant influence on team effectiveness in collaborative partnerships within international research organizations in Kenya. The study concludes that fostering team leadership collaboration is crucial for enhancing team effectiveness in these organizations. Recommendations include promoting open communication, encouraging participation from all team members, and fostering a sense of shared responsibility. Regular team meetings, clear task delegation, and establishing partnerships with other research institutions are also suggested to promote collaboration and cross-disciplinary research.

Building Research, Development, and Extension Capacity for Sustainable Fertilizer Use and Soil Health in Africa

Key findings are summarized from a study detailing how international donors and research organizations can more effectively strengthen the capacities of African national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES). International efforts are more successful in building the capacities of individuals than in strengthening the NARES institutions. Successful implementation of the Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit and similar initiatives will require stronger national, regional and continental agricultural research systems that can lead and drive these initiatives. The authors identify actions required to strengthen these African systems and effectively implement African-led agricultural initiatives.

Status of gender equality in ocean research, conservation and management institutions and organisations in Kenya

Gender equality is key to achieving the objectives of the United Nation’s Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. In patriarchal societies, men’s dominance has long overshadowed women’s participation in science-related fields, including ocean science. The lack of gender-disaggregated data in ocean science has made it difficult to establish the extent of gender bias across institutions and at all levels. Providing baseline data can help to address the difficulty of women accessing employment opportunities in managing coastal and marine resources. This study aims to fill the gap in gender data in ocean science in Kenya by presenting a case study on gender ratios of ocean science professionals in Kenyan research institutions. Data on the gender composition of staff were collected from a range of local to international ocean research, conservation and management organisations situated in Kenya. The results show fewer women were represented in government agencies than in nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and intergovernmental organisations (IGOs). There was also an underrepresentation of women in senior positions, with only two out of nine directors in government agencies being women. The majority of women occupied junior positions. Further research through in-depth interviews will be needed to establish the reasons for the disparities in representation and career advancement.

Influence of Empowerment of Team Leadership on Team Effectiveness of Collaborative Partnerships in International Research Organizations in Kenya

Influence of Empowerment of Team Leadership on Team Effectiveness of Collaborative Partnerships in International Research Organizations in Kenya

European Research Infrastructure Consortium: The Organizational and Legal Form of Research Infrastructures in the European Union

Problems setting. The scientific work is devoted to the legal form of research infrastructures in the European Union the European Research Infrastructure Consortium. The ERIC Regulation facilitates the quicker establishment of European Research Infrastructures by saving time in avoiding the repetition of negotiations, project by project, to analyse and discuss the best legal form for such international research organisations, with related advantages and disadvantages and the time saved in avoiding discussions in each national parliament related to the approval of a needed international agreement in case the ERIC Regulation would not have existed. Analysis of recent researches and publications. The issue of the functioning of research infrastructures in the EU in the form of ERIC has been relevant in European scientific literature for the last decade. In particular, it is worth noting studies by Maria Moskovko, Arnljotur Astvaldsson and Olof Hallonsten, Carlo Rizzutto. In Ukraine, some issues of legal regulation and information support of research infrastructures were studied by Golovashchenko O.S., Lyubchych A.M., Mamayev I.O. There are no thorough studies of the legal status of research infrastructures in the national jurisprudence, which is due to the novelty of this topic in the law of Ukraine. Target of the research is to provide an overview of the dominant legal form of functioning of research infrastructures in the European Union, the history of its implementation, legal regulation, features of activity. Article’s main body. The European Research Infrastructure Consortium is a legal entity established by a decision of the European Commission. It has legal personality and full legal capacity recognized in all EU Member States. The internal structure of the European Research Infrastructures Consortium is defined in the statute by its founding countries. The ERIC legal framework can be used for new or existing research infrastructures, locally located or distributed research infrastructures. The European Research Infrastructures Consortium has been granted the status of an international organization within the EU legal system, but it is not an international organization according to the international law, as the decision to establish ERIC is taken by the European Commission. Much attention is paid to the EU legal framework that allowed the introduction of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium – Council Regulation (EC) No 723/2009 on the Community legal framework for the European Research Infrastructures Consortium. The article specifies the law that applies to the European Research Infrastructures Consortium. The activities of the European Research Infrastructures Consortium are governed by EU law, additionally by the national law of the Member State where it’s located, and the statute, internal documents of ERIC. The legislation of the host state is to be applied in resolving issues related to the implementation of the statutory tasks of ERIC. Conclusions and prospects for development. The implementation of the legal framework of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium has resulted in removing legislative obstacles that hindered the development of cooperation of EU Member States with partners from other countries in the field of science. It has also led to the establishment a common European legal framework for scientific activities and thus has resulted in the development of the European Research Area. Despite the fact that more than ten years have passed since the implementation of the legal regulation of the functioning of research infrastructures in the form of ERIC, it is still in its infancy and questions arise in the process of its application. However, the rapid establishment of research infrastructures in the form of ERIC shows that it is effective for the development of research infrastructures in Europe and the establishment of the European Research Area.

The foundations of big data sharing: A CGIAR international research organization perspective

The potential of big data capabilities to transform and understand global agricultural and biological systems often relies on data from different sources that must be considered together or aggregated to provide insights. The value of data is however not only in its collection and storage, but largely in its re-use. Big data storage repositories are not enough when we consider a world brimming with escalating volumes of data, here we need to consider innovative systems and tools which address data harmonization and standardization and importantly, ones that can bridge the gap between science and end users. In this paper, we will demonstrate how CGIAR (including the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT) develops a culture of co-operation and collaboration among custodians of agrobiodiversity data, as well as new directions for big data. CGIAR first launched the Platform for Big Data in Agriculture to enhance the development and maintenance of its data. This helped establish workflows of cross-platform synthesis, annotate and apply the lessons learnt. The Platform then built GARDIAN (Global Agricultural Research Data Innovation and Acceleration Network)—a digital tool that harvests from ∼40 separate open data and publication repositories that 15 CGIAR centres have used for data synthesis. While there have been significant advances in big data management and storage, we also identify the gaps to improve use, and the re-use of data in order to reveal its added value in decision making.

Research findings and application in aquaculture and fisheries: bridge-building measures among lecturers of agricultural education in Nigeria

The reduction in the capture of wild fishes and other important aquatic organisms has created a wide gap between the quantity of aquatic products supplied by farmers and the quantity demanded by consumers in Nigeria. Meanwhile, agricultural educators are being encouraged to use their knowledge of aquaculture and fisheries to improve supply for sustainable food security. However, there are challenges in accessing and communicating such innovative research findings to the end users- farmers and prospective farmers- especially in the classroom. Hence, the study identified constraints and bridge-building measures among agricultural educators in accessing and applying research findings to teaching aquaculture and fisheries in Nigeria. The study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed method and a thematic approach. Sixty-three agricultural educators who are experienced specialists in aquaculture and fisheries were purposefully sampled. A validated online semi-structured interview guide and structured questionnaire were used to elicit qualitative and quantitative data, respectively, from respondents. A Cronbach’s alpha reliability index of 0.93 was obtained. A t-test was used to test the null hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. The study, among others, identified 13 thematic constraints to accessing research findings, 14 thematic constraints to applying research findings, and 5 thematic and 7 thematic bridge-building measures for accessing and applying research findings, respectively, to educate farmers and prospective farmers in aquaculture and fisheries in Nigeria. There should be collaborative efforts by the government, scientists, research institutes, international research organisations, producers, and agricultural education lecturers in accessing and applying research findings for updated and globalised aquaculture and fisheries education in Nigerian universities.

საქართველოსა და ამერიკის შეერთებული შტატების ბიზნესგარემოს PESTEL - ანალიზი

საქართველოსა და ამერიკის შეერთებული შტატების ბიზნესგარემოს PESTEL - ანალიზი

International Collaboration and Research Organization Performance: Evidence from China

Abstract International collaboration is considered to exert a positive effect on research performance. However, the impact of international collaboration on the performance of research institutions is under-documented. This paper fills the void in the literature by utilizing InCites data of 1,067 Chinese research organizations. The main results show that international collaboration promotes the performance of research organizations in general, but the effect varies according to the types of institutions. The organizations in less-developed regions are more affected by international collaborations than those in developed regions. The empirical results also demonstrate that the United States is the most important scientific collaborator of China.

Value Insider Season 1 Episode 2: How to Measure Quality of Life and Utility? (QoL) [Podcast

How do we measure quality of life and utility of interventions? In this episode of the Value Insider podcast, host Mike Chambers speaks with Prof. Nancy Devlin about incorporating quality of life in value assessment. Prof. Devlin is professor of health economics at the University of Melbourne. Her past roles include Director of Research at the Office of Health Economics (OHE) London, Professor of Health Economics at City University of London, and she has been director of the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). She is the Chair of the Board of the EuroQol Research Foundation, the international research organization which has developed and maintains the EQ-5D patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument. Prof Devlin explains the value of the patient voice and how it can be measured and taken into account when considering the value of healthcare interventions.

Cardiopulmonary protection against nicotine‐induced pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular remodeling in mice is not mediated by ovarian hormones

IntroductionElectronic cigarette use has increased globally prompting a joint committee of international cardiovascular research organizations to call for improved understanding of the health effects of nicotine. Our group has previously demonstrated that chronic, inhaled nicotine induces pulmonary hypertension (PH) and right ventricular (RV) remodeling in male but not female mice, suggesting sex differences in nicotine‐related pathology. Clinically, biological females develop PH more often, but have less severe disease than biological males, likely due to the cardiopulmonary protective effects of estrogen. Nicotine is also metabolized more rapidly in biological females due to sex hormone‐mediated differences in cytochrome P450 activity. These findings led us to hypothesize that female mice are protected against nicotine‐induced PH by a sex hormone‐dependent mechanism. Here, we assessed the role of ovarian hormones in a murine model of nicotine‐induced PH.MethodsFemale C57BL/6J mice were ovariectomized (OVX) one week prior to nicotine exposure. Intact and OVX mice were exposed to nicotine vapor or room air for 12 hours per day for 8 weeks. Nicotine exposure was measured using serum cotinine, which was comparable to human electronic cigarette users, and was not significantly different between intact (421 ± 101 ng/mL) and OVX (314 ± 61 ng/mL) mice. Cardiac structure and function were assessed using echocardiography and RV catheterization.ResultsIn contrast to previous findings in male mice, inhaled nicotine does not cause PH (measured by RV systolic pressure, RVSP) in intact female mice (24.0 ± 0.5 mmHg, n=7 in air vs. 22.7 ± 0.4 mmHg, n=9 in nicotine). RVSP was also unaffected by OVX (24.4 ± 0.9 mmHg, n=9 in air vs. 23.6 ± 0.6 mmHg, n=10 in nicotine). RV free wall thickness during diastole (RV FWT;d) was not significantly different between air‐exposed intact mice (0.328 ± 0.023 mm, n=8), nicotine‐exposed intact mice (0.292 ± 0.015 mm, n=10), air‐exposed OVX mice (0.315 ± 0.021 mm, n=8), and nicotine‐exposed OVX mice (0.293 ± 0.013 mm, n=10). RV internal diameter during diastole (RVID;d) was, likewise, not significantly different between air‐exposed intact mice (1.30 ± 0.03 mm, n=8), nicotine‐exposed intact mice (1.34 ± 0.04 mm, n=10), air‐exposed OVX mice (1.23 ± 0.05 mm, n=8), and nicotine‐exposed OVX mice (1.24 ± 0.05 mm, n=10).ConclusionIn this study, we found no differences in serum cotinine, RVSP, RV FWT;d, or RVID;d between intact and OVX females, leading us to conclude that ovarian hormones do not mediate cardiopulmonary protection against nicotine‐induced PH. Due to profound sex differences in clinical PH pathogenesis and nicotine metabolism, further studies (including exploration of androgen‐driven RV remodeling) are necessary to illuminate mechanisms underlying protection from nicotine‐induced pathology in female mice.

JBI series paper 1: Introducing JBI and the JBI Model of EHBC

Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) is an international research organization and collaborative network hosted in the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University Of Adelaide, South Australia. Now in its 25th year of activity, JBI is concerned with improving health outcomes in communities globally by promoting and supporting the use of the best available evidence to inform decision making in health policy and practice. The JBI Model of Evidence Based Healthcare, developed in the early 2000s, represents an articulation of the evidence ecosystem and the pragmatic approach required to navigate the complexity of health systems globally to improve health outcomes. The programs of JBI are aligned with the JBI Model and are representative of the supportive structures that facilitate the pragmatic realization of each of the elements of evidence based healthcare.

Scaling Climate Smart Agriculture in East Africa: Experiences and Lessons

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) responds in order to sustain agriculture under a changing environment, and is a major priority in the development sphere. However, to achieve impact at scale, CSA innovations must address agricultural systems’ context-specific and multi-dimensional nature and be purveyed through feasible scaling processes. Unfortunately, knowledge on the scaling of CSA innovations under smallholder farming systems and in the context of developing countries remains scant. Understanding scaling processes is essential to the design of a sustainable scaling strategy. This study aimed to draw lessons on scaling from 25 cases of scaling CSA, and related projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania implemented by public institutions, local and international research organisations, Non-Govermental Orginsations(NGOs), and community-based organisations. Generally, scaling follows a linear pathway comprising technology testing and scaling. Most cases promoted technologies and models geared towards climate change adaptation in crop-based value chains, and only a few cases incorporated mitigation measures. Efforts to engage the private sector involved building business models as a potential scaling pathway. The cases were very strong on capacity building and institutionalisation from local, national, and even regional levels. However, four critical areas of concern about the sustainability of scaling emerged from the study: (i) There is little understanding and capture of the dynamics of smallholder farming systems in scaling strategies; (ii) climate data, projections, and impact models are rarely applied to support the decision of scaling; (iii) considerations for the biophysical and spatial-temporal impacts and trade-offs analysis in scaling is minimal and just starting to emerge; and (iv) there are still challenges effecting systemic change to enable sustainable scaling. In response to these concerns, we propose investment in understanding and considering the dynamics of the smallholder farming system and how it affects adoption, and subsequently scaling. Programme design should incorporate climate change scenarios. Scaling programmes can maximise synergies and leverage resources by adopting a robust partnerships model. Furthermore, understanding the spatio-temporal impact of scaling CSA on ecological functioning deserves more attention. Lastly, scaling takes time, which needs to be factored into the design of programmes.

FROM NAPCRG: NAPCRG 50TH ANNIVERSARY - A YEAR-LONG CELEBRATION.

In 2022 NAPCRG is celebrating its 50th anniversary of researchers coming together to share their questions and solutions! Since 1972, when Maurice Wood first envisioned NAPCRG, we have become a premier international primary care research organization with research representation continuing to grow