Knowledge Acquisitions Research Articles

Acquisitions, spatial heterogeneity and economic impacts in Central European non-metro-politan regions

ABSTRACT This paper aims to make a conceptual and empirical contribution to our understanding of the effects of extra-regional assets and knowledge inflow, through mergers and acquisitions (M&A), in different types of regions. We revealed that the M&A market is not geographically homogeneous, and regions differ in all aspects of the M&A market: relative position, local density and foreign attractiveness, the same as in the M&A intensity. This heterogeneity is not random but follows a spatial pattern and differences in economic fundamentals of regions, but at the same time, there is no linear relationship between economic performance and M&A performance. The regional M&A market characteristics can explain differences in the impacts of M&A transactions on the economy, especially in the exit rate of companies after acquisition and in the change of employment. The impacts of M&A on the regional economy generally do not differ by sector of the acquired company. However, some patterns show that the negative effects are more present after acquisitions of firms in tradeable sectors in the less developed regions, whereas in the stronger regions, the most vulnerable sectors belong to the part of the economy which offers mundane, but occasionally purchased (and thus substitutable) goods.

Operational Excellence Strategy and Firm Performance in Insurance Companies in Kenya

In Kenya, the insurance industry is one of the major sectors of the economy. The government has identified this sector as one of the components needed to stimulate and support economic growth. However, the sector faces numerous challenges. According to AIC Capital Ltd, the main challenges facing the insurance sector in Kenya are the low penetration and the high level of competition. The average level of insurance penetration in Kenya during the period 2013-2022 stood at less than 3% in an industry with approximately 56 firms. To increase penetration levels and enhance competitiveness, the insurance firms in Kenya have introduced operational excellence strategies. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of operational excellence strategy on firm performance in Insurance Companies in Kenya. Operational excellence strategy was indicated using customer-centric strategy, innovation, agility, and developmental capabilities. Firm performance was indicated using the growth of market share, growth in customer base, and penetration level. The study was anchored by the dynamic capabilities theory, the theory of economic development, and the Deming theory. The study used a descriptive research design. The target population for the study were all licensed insurance firms in Kenya. The study used a census sampling technique and sampled 44 firms. The unit of observation in the study was the managers in charge of corporate strategy and firm performance. The study sampled one hundred and sixteen managers working at the respective insurance firms. The study data was collected using closed-ended questionnaires. The study data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The study established that the firms used customer-centric strategies because the firms' activities were focused on the customers' needs and expectations. The study established that the firm was continuously innovating its products, product mix, and services to better serve the customers. The study found that the firm has measures in place that were meant to adapt it to changing circumstances, including dynamic capabilities to detect external threats, competitive, responsive techniques, continuous adjustment and adaptations, and new strategic initiatives that rapidly respond to changing circumstances. These are indicators of agility. The study established that the insurance firms had various development capabilities, including research, training programs, increasing expertise and knowledge acquisitions. The results of the inferential analysis indicated that customer-centric, innovation, agility and development capabilities strategies had positive and statistically significant effects on the performance of the insurance firms surveyed in this study.

Impact of Educational Pathways and Variables on Knowledge Acquisitions and Mobilizations: A Case Study of Fianarantsoa as 2019 Intake through the French language

Impact of Educational Pathways and Variables on Knowledge Acquisitions and Mobilizations: A Case Study of Fianarantsoa as 2019 Intake through the French language

Corporate Site Visits and Stock Price Crash Risk: The Role of Institutional Investors’ Knowledge Acquisitions

Corporate Site Visits and Stock Price Crash Risk: The Role of Institutional Investors’ Knowledge Acquisitions

Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis: "classic" knowledge and recent acquisitions.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a central nervous system (CNS) disease characterized by inflammation, axonal demyelination, and neurodegeneration, which can have a strong impact on all aspects of the life of the patient. Multiple sclerosis causes motor, sensory, cerebellar, and autonomic dysfunctions, as well as cognitive and psychoemotional impairment. The most frequently compromised cognitive domains are complex attention/information processing, memory, executive and visuospatial functions. Recently, alterations have also been evidenced in complex cognitive functions, such as social cognition, moral judgment, and decision-making. Cognitive impairment is characterized by high variability and can affect work skills, social interactions, coping strategies and more generally the quality of life of patients and their families. With the use of sensitive and easy-to-administer test batteries, an increasingly accurate and early diagnosis is feasible: this allows to determine the effectiveness of possible preventive measures, to predict the future progression of the disease and to improve the quality of life of patients. There is currently limited evidence regarding the efficacy, on cognitive impairment, of disease-modifying therapies. The most promising approach, which has received strong empirical support, is cognitive rehabilitation.

Enhancing cognitive combat readiness: Gamers’ Behaviours concentrating on convergent learning style, tacit-latent, and kinetic-active knowledge acquisitions

This study investigates gamers’ learning styles and knowledge acquisition behavioural patterns. It argues that gamers usually have different characteristics transforming themselves to gain distinctive competencies. In other words, this study mitigates gamers’ mechanistically distinctive attitudes and behaviours, enhancing their cognitive combat readiness, that they are on convergent learning style, tacit-latent, and kinetic-active knowledge acquisitions. Methodologically, it uses a field-experimental design using the “Clash Royale” game. Then, this research measures playing performances by average decks’ score, card collection, battle deck combinations, and the usage of gold and gems. Moreover, it collects gamer respondents using a purposive sampling method by identifying them on social media and then challenging them to play. This research finds that gamers acquire new knowledge to enhance their capabilities with convergent learning styles and familiarity with the tacit-latent and kinetic-active knowledge types. Thus, it demonstrates its attitude and behavioural validities because their inner motives construct themselves always to win the game matches genuinely. Hence, it explains that gamers generally are brilliant young individuals whose impact is to create their tactically contemporary style due to the learning cycle ending in that convergent style. Likewise, these gamers simultaneously seek flexibility to enhance the game kinetically or elastically. The authors reveal that gamers’ mental models show their learning styles and knowledge acquisition behaviours explained by their strong personalities, such as curious, workaholic, prestigious, and hedonic emotions.

Design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) in architectural design meetings: from a case study to knowledge-to-action framework

PurposeDesign for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) challenges architects in managing diverse knowledge across different professional domains. Little research, if any, has documented DfMA as a knowledge-intensive activity happening in real-life cases. This research aims to investigate DfMA knowledge acquisition, sharing and implementation in real-life practice and develop DfMA knowledge-to-action framework for architects.Design/methodology/approachIt does so by (1) conducting observations in design meetings, documentary analysis and interviews, (2) thematic analysis through knowledge management (KM) perspectives and (3) based on this profound understanding, enriching the prior understanding of design as a double diamond process.FindingsThrough the lens of KM, DfMA is not merely a double but multiple diamond process, involving the iteration of making absenting interdisciplinary knowledge available, deciphering tacit knowledge explicit and embedding the knowledge in a design that well considers various criteria, the downstream manufacturing, logistics and assembly in particular. To execute multi-faceted knowledge acquisitions and implementations in DfMA, architects should balance their roles as humble learners, team coordinators, creative leaders and democratic negotiators.Originality/valueThis research reveals the DfMA implementation process, activities and dilemmas from real-world design meetings. The DfMA knowledge-to-action framework developed in this study, along with practice examples and lessons learned, can facilitate architects to play new roles. Future research is recommended to fine-tune the framework by having other stakeholders’ perspectives, refining it with additional cases and developing assistive tools for designers based on the framework.

Knowledge acquisitions and group reflexivity for innovative behaviours of SME workers: the moderating role of learning climates

ABSTRACT This study investigates explicit and tacit knowledge acquisition influences on group reflexivity and innovation behaviour in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and examines how relationships are moderated according to learning climate types, for example, structured or autonomous. This study provides a strategic view on how to link group reflexivity to innovative behaviour, according to learning climate types in SME contexts. Data were derived from participants employed in SMEs, enrolled in the Human Resource Development Council, and registered as panel informants of Korea research. In the hypotheses model, 335 responses were analysed, and group comparison analysis between structured and autonomous learning climates extracted 162 and 155 responses, respectively. The results show that tacit knowledge acquisition relates more highly than explicit knowledge to all relationships in promoting group reflexivity and innovative behaviours. Mediation effects strengthen under autonomous learning climates and disappear under structured learning climates.

Parental Innovation Imprinting on CEO and Firm Knowledge Acquisition

In this paper we theorize that a firm’s knowledge acquisition will be shaped by its CEO’s experiences during his/her developmental years. Drawing on imprinting theory, we posit that CEOs whose parents had occupations requiring more innovation skills, will be more likely to engage in knowledge acquisitions compared to other CEOs. They acquire knowledge both externally - by acquiring other firms and internally - by investing more in research and development (R&D). Surprisingly, we find that these CEOs prefer incremental knowledge acquisition that is closely related to their firm’s existing knowledge. We also expect the main effects to be stronger following better firm performance and to weaken with CEO age. We find support for our hypotheses within a dataset of Fortune 100 firms between 2000 and 2016.

How Smart Firms Power Global Knowledge Acquisitions Through Socialization Mechanisms: Evidence from Malaysian Foreign Subsidiaries

This concept paper extends research on knowledge transfer based on the network and resource base. It claims smart firms can accelerate their stock of strategic knowledge by employing an efficient socialization process and gaining competitive advantages. Nonetheless, exploiting the knowledge in the corporate network is not straightforward. The transition of substantial strategic resources within a business must be acquired and used efficiently. Using the socialization process thus significantly reduces the barriers to best practices or strategic knowledge transfer. This paper presents a theoretical model explaining acquiring knowledge through socialization. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates that without socialization mechanisms, subsidiary-headquarters embeddedness could adversely affect.

Knowledge Acquisition System for Sentiment Analysis

Human has aptitude to understand the knowledge from different life circumstances, experiences for acquire from these experiences and use itself for the erudition of Common Sense acquaintance for making the imperative conclusions in life. That is principal alteration between Out-dated Artificial Intelligence (AI), Expert Systems (ES) and Humans. Due to this capability, human could directly handle conclusion circumstances but in systems they have deficiency of generality, rules state of mind and Sentiments skills. Human circumstantial experiences communicate about how to live in social cultures where the common-sense knowledge is very vigorous. Subsequently Opinion Mining become very substantial method in now days. Two core categories for the system how to grow Sentimental Knowledge Acquisitions with the help of these two. Analyses around diverse methods used for Opinion Mining and forthcoming work might be ensue in approaching years for Sentimental Knowledge Acquisition.

Views, knowledge, and practices of hospital pharmacists about using clinical pharmacokinetics to optimize pharmaceutical care services: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPharmacokinetics (PK) is often used to optimize individualized dosing regimens of some drugs. This study was conducted to determine views, knowledge, and practices of hospital pharmacists in Palestine about using clinical PK to optimize pharmaceutical care services.MethodThis study was conducted in a cross-sectional design using a questionnaire. The questionnaire collected information about the nature of PK courses taught to hospital pharmacists, importance, relevance, effectiveness, adequacy, and depth of these courses, adequacy of PK skills, implementing PK knowledge/skills in current practice, and barriers limiting the implementation of PK to optimize pharmaceutical care services for hospitalized patients. The hospital pharmacists were visited in their places of work and were asked to complete the questionnaire in privacy. Categorical data were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test or Mann-Whitney U tests.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 145 hospital pharmacists. Of the pharmacists, 84 (57.9%) received basic PK courses, 79 (54.5%) were taught integrated PK courses, and 94 (64.8%) agreed that the PK courses were important to their current practice. Similarly, 85 (57.9%) of the pharmacists were not satisfied with the teaching methods and contents of the PK courses. Pharmacists who obtained their degrees from Palestine were less satisfied with the methods of teaching compared to those who obtained their degrees from foreign countries (p-value = 0.006). Only 25 (17.2%) pharmacists reported frequent use of PK knowledge in their current practice. Lack of practical knowledge and continuing education, poor understanding of PK by pharmacists and other healthcare professionals were identified as barriers limiting the implementation of PK in optimizing pharmaceutical care services to hospitalized patients.ConclusionThe hospital pharmacists were generally not satisfied with the way PK courses were taught and expressed difficulty in implementing PK knowledge and skills to improve pharmaceutical care services to hospitalized patients. Integrating PK topics within other relevant courses and adopting more clinically oriented learning methods could improve understanding and implementing PK knowledge and skills in optimizing pharmaceutical services to hospitalized patients. Further studies are still needed to determine the optimal teaching/learning methods that can improve knowledge and skill acquisitions of pharmacists in the area of PK.

TAXONOMY OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS NEEDED BY THE SCHOOL MANAGER

The article reflects a broad analysis of the professional skills needed by the school manager. It is well known that professional skills are the skills related to the selection, combination and proper use of knowledge, skills and other acquisitions consisting of values and attitudes, for the successful resolution of a certain category of professional situations specific to a particular field of professional activity, in our case it is about educational management, which is focused on the formation / development of the human personality, of the free man to make an option / to decide for a certain state and social construction that will protect and protect him. encourage.

Impact of government’s motorcycle subsidy on job performance of agriculture extension officers in Southern province in Sri Lanka

Agricultural Extension is an ongoing, non-formal educational process that takes place over a period of time to transfer knowledge to rural farmers. In Sri Lanka, the ratio of farmers to extension officers is 800:1, and therefore, one extension officer has to extensively work with a larger group of farmers with a limited resource capacity. Considering these facts, the Sri Lankan government decided to provide motorcycle subsidy under National Budget Circular 2/2014 to increase the job performance and well-being of the Agricultural Inspectors. Even though the foresaid objective of this subsidy scheme is to improve the performances, there were no follow-up monitoring and evaluation system for this scheme. Therefore, this research is aimed at evaluating the impact of the government’s motorcycle subsidy on job performance and well-being of Agricultural Inspectors in the southern province of Sri Lanka. The sample of 48 Agricultural Inspectors was randomly selected from 70 Agricultural Inspectors in the Galle district. Descriptive and inferential statistics tests were mainly used to analyze the data. Among the general constraints faced by the Agricultural Inspectors, the distance to be traveled, a higher number of farmers and area to be covered per day and less infrastructural facilities were major constraints. Importantly, the study revealed that the motorcycle subsidy has significantly affected the job performance of the Agricultural Inspectors directly by facilitating to perform their job roles and saving more time for Agricultural Inspectors to enhance their personal and career development through knowledge acquisitions.

Use of simulation to teach in the operating room – Don't let the COVID-19 pandemic interrupt education:an observational clinical trial

BackgroundSimulation-based education has become the most important part of resident training in anesthesiology, especially during the pandemic. It allows learning the skills and the management of different situations without putting residents in risk of contamination, considering COVID-19 is highly contagious. The hypothesis was that simulation is still associated with improvement of knowledge acquisitions despite the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsResidents of anesthesiology and intensive care subjected to an anaphylaxis simulation scenario. Their knowledge levels were assessed by true/false questions before and one month after the simulation session. The STAI test was used to measure anxiety levels before and after the scenario. Data were analyzed statistically using Wilcoxon and McNemar tests. ResultsJunior residents (< 2 years) received significantly higher scores in post-training theoretical tests compared to their pre-training scores (79.2 ± 9.6, 84.5 ± 8.2, p = 0.002, n = 21). There was no difference between pre- and post-test scores of seniors (80.2 ± 9, 81.8 ± 10.4, p = 0.3). Pre- and post-anxiety inventory scores were nearly the same and both were in the moderate group (39.8 ± 10.1, 39.3 ± 12.1, p = 0.8). ConclusionSimulation-based education improved the knowledge levels of the residents without raising anxiety levels. Thus, simulation-based training showed its value as an important tool of education during the pandemic, which needs to be further popularized for training at all institutions. Enlightening medical educators about this accomplished teaching method may lead to improved quality of medical education in developing countries and reshape how tomorrow's doctors are trained during pandemics.

Effect of poultry absorptive capacity on the farms' economic and commercial performance

PurposeCorporate organizations could enhance their economic and commercial values through knowledge acquisitions and exploitations. The purpose of this study is to analyze the economic and commercial performance effect of poultry management absorptive capacity in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approachStructural equation modeling was used in the analysis of a random sample of 300 poultry managers and owners surveyed within the South-Eastern Nigeria. The scales that quantified the latent variables of the factors were tested for reliability and consistency using confirmatory factor analysis.FindingsThe study found evidence that the difference between economically and commercially viable poultry businesses and failing ones depends on the level of absorptive capacity. Absorptive capacity advanced innovations that resulted in higher economic and commercial performance of poultry farm. Poultry firms' profitability, sales growth and market shares were positively increased by absorptive capacity dimensions of acquisition, assimilation, transformation and exploitation.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was carried out within a region in Nigeria and thus could be limited by generalization to the developed country.Originality/valueThis study is the first to link four dimensions of absorptive capacity to the economic and commercial performance of poultry businesses in Nigeria. As such, it originally breaks new frontier of poultry farming from dynamic capabilities and absorptive capacity perspectives.

Modelling supply chain risks and their impacts on the performance of the sago starch agro-industry

PurposeSupply chain risks (SCRs) have uncertainty and interdependency characteristics that must be incorporated into the risk assessment stage of the SCR management framework. This study aims to develop SCR networks and determine the major risk drivers that impact the performance of the sago starch agro-industry (SSA).Design/methodology/approachThe risk and performance variables were collected from the relevant literature and expert consultations. The Bayesian network (BN) approach was used to model the uncertain and interdependent SCRs. A hybrid method was used to develop the BN structure through the expert’s knowledge acquisitions and the learning algorithm application. Sensitivity analyses were performed to examine the significant risk driver and their related paths.FindingsThe analyses of model indicated several significant risk drivers that could affect the performance of the SSA. These SCR including both operational and disruption risks across sourcing, processing and delivery stage.Research limitations/implicationsThe implementation of the methodology was only applied to the Indonesian small-medium size sago starch agro-industry. The generalization of findings is limited to industry characteristics. The modelled system is restricted to inbound, processing and outbound logistics with the risk perspective from the industry point of view.Practical implicationsThe results of this study assist the related actors of the sago starch agro-industry in recognizing the major risk drivers and their related paths in impacting the performance measures.Originality/valueThis study proposes the use of a hybrid method in developing SCR networks. This study found the significant risk drivers that impact the performance of the sago starch agro-industry.

Adoption of Technology Acceptance Model in Technical Universities Libraries: Implication to Higher Education in Ghana

The research is on the adoption of Technology acceptance model in technical universities libraries: Implication to higher institutions education in Ghana. It revealed the concept of the Technology acceptance model theory that related to the study. Descriptive research was used for the research with a sample of 20 librarians within the technical universities landscape. Findings showed that 90percent of the respondents revealed that their students do not have access to online digital resources like open public access catalogues (OPAC), e-books, e- journals and other electronic databases. Network problems; Server slowness and frequent breakdown of digital resources. The implications to technical higher education are that students that utilize less of Technology in knowledge acquisitions will lag in their research, learning and assignment process in this digital age. The research recommends that GTEC should enforce the implementation of the ten to fifteen percent of each Technical University's expenditure on Library’s Technology infrastructure.

Challenges and Opportunities for Climate Change Education (CCE) in East Africa: A Critical Review

It is undoubtedly clear that climate change is happening, and its adverse impacts could reverse the progress made toward meeting sustainable development goals. The global crisis poses one of the most severe challenges to reducing poverty and existing inequalities, especially in developing countries that are projected to be highly vulnerable to climate variability. However, the education sector provides an untapped opportunity for successful climate change adaptation and mitigation through knowledge and skill acquisitions, and consequently, positive behavioral change. Specifically, education can capacitate individuals and communities to make informed decisions and take practical actions for climate-resilient sustainable development. This study is focused on East Africa, a region whose economy heavily relies on climate-dependent activities. At present, East African governments are already embedding climate change in their school curriculum. However, they lack coherent approaches to leverage climate change education as a tool in their adaptation and mitigation strategies. Therefore, this review explores some of the critical barriers to climate change education and possible opportunities for leveraging learning to promote sustainable development in East Africa.

Analysis and challenges of robust E-exams performance under COVID-19

Nowadays under COVID 2019, e-learning has become a potential prop approach of technology in education that provides contemporary learners with authentic knowledge acquisitions. As a practical contribution, electronic examination (e-exam) is a novel approach in e-learning designed to solve traditional examination issues. It is a combination of assorted questions designed by specialized software to detect an individual’s performance. Despite intensive research in this area, the performance of e-exams faces challenges such as authentication of the examinee’s identity and answered papers. This paper aims to present the experiences of educational organizations in e-exam and e-evaluation as an essential tool of e-learning in various countries. The paper recommends that under the global pandemic COVID 2019 evaluating students using intensive continuous evaluation, including e-exam supported by authentication methods, which may help detect and reduce or even prevent student violations. The results show that the most used LMS tools were the Moodle and proprietary solutions which were 75% both among many other LMS tools i.e., Blackboard and eFront. The least develop countries are prefer to use open source and proprietary due to the zero cost of these solutions. The internet speed, cost and authenticity were the most challenges faced e-exams centers, which were 99%, 82%, and 68%, respectively.