Labor Utilization Research Articles

Engineering Innovative Clinical Resource Management By Design: A guided Emergent Search Through a Complex Adaptive System of Systems

Labor planning and allocation are critical success factors for hospitals in today's low margin, competitive healthcare environment. Unfortunately, the inability of even the most advanced automated planning systems for nursing labor to account for the within-shift and between-shift dynamic demands of patient care routinely leads to inefficiencies—and resulting cost overruns—in nurses’ actual utilization. We identify that the problem is exacerbated by typical labor measures. We use an elaborated action design science research (eADR) approach to iterate through multiple artifacts with practitioners <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">in situ</i> to address this persistent, wicked problem. We find that an understanding of complex adaptive systems behaviors is critical when filling essential nursing and support roles in real time. We use this knowledge to identify conflicting management processes that prevent system balancing feedback loops from operating efficiently. Our eADR approach led to the codesign, coevaluation, and coinstantiation of novel structures, roles, and tasks for the real-time nursing labor planning and allocation. The innovative artifact proposed incorporates the actors’ dynamic behaviors to dramatically improve labor utilization and support care standards essential to improved patient outcomes.

Sustainable aquaculture development: a review on the roles of cloud computing, internet of things and artificial intelligence (CIA)

AbstractEach year, there is a significant rise in demand for global food production due to population increase and a rise in demand for protein food sources. This puts pressure on capture fishery as fish is a preferred protein source worldwide. However, the more resources we put into the capture fisheries to obtain maximum catch, the faster the fisheries stock becomes depleted. The best option left to produce enough fish to meet demand is relying on advanced aquaculture. Unfortunately, the impact of technological advancement in the aquaculture sector is not profound compared to the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. The advent of Cloud computing, Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence (CIA) has expanded numerous possibilities for applying and integrating information technology in all works of life. This article reviews the emergence of research development on CIA and the potential to revolutionize the aquaculture industry. The use of CIA techniques and tools such as drones, nano and micro‐sensors, bionic robots, remote cameras, intelligent sorting, energy‐saving processing equipment, statistical modules, and algorithms will reduce human intervention and increase aquaculture productivity. Also, the application of CIA in the aquaculture value chain to ensure effectiveness in traceability, feeding, disease detection, growth prediction, environmental monitoring, market information, and others is key to increasing aquaculture productivity and sustainability. Therefore, the future of aquaculture operations with less human labour, effective maintenance, and resource utilization largely depend on innovative technologies. Here, we outlined the need for adopting innovative technologies and the limiting factors that hinge on CIA adoption in the aquaculture industry.

On the Basic Preconditions of Non-Neutrality of Money in Economic Theory

Based on the experimental calculations carried out with the help of the shifting mode reproduction model, as well as on the theoretical studies of Marx, Schumpeter, Keynes and his followers - representatives of the post-Keynesian direction, two conclusions were made in the article. First, that non-neutrality of money takes place in both short- and long-term periods, and second, that each of these periods has its own basic preconditions for non-neutrality. For the short term, it is a "phenomenon of nominal rigidity", and for the long term, it is a "phenomenon of capitalization of money". The thesis is justified that the "phenomenon of nominal rigidity" manifests itself mainly within the framework of the existing production, when the economic growth caused by the increase in money supply is achieved by increasing capacity utilization and engagement of idle labor. Accordingly, the "phenomenon of capitalization of money" manifests itself through the conversion of issued money into investments in fixed capital and, through the growth of this capital (and capacities), affects the GDP growth. It is shown that behind the two considered basic prerequisites there are fundamentally different theoretical approaches. Behind the short-term "phenomenon of nominal rigidity" there is an orthodox vision of economy focused on the equilibrium pricing mechanism. Behind the long-term "phenomenon of capitalization of money" there is a heterodox vision related to the mechanism of money circulation, emission and economic growth caused by it. It has been concluded that in case of probable increase of competition between these theoretical approaches it is unacceptable if short-term basic preconditions of non-neutrality of money are used in the analysis of long-term processes and long-term preconditions are used in the analysis of short-term growth cases.

YOUNG WORKERS IN FLEXIBLE CAPITALISM

In this article, we analyse the use of young workers to promote new patterns of work utilisation, illustrating the discussion with an example from Brazilian civil aviation. Data were collected in Brazil during a PhD research. Here we are going to focus on the qualitative element of the study, which draws on 52 interviews with airline and airport workers from a legacy airline (TAM), three low fares companies (GOL, Azul and Webjet) and agencies that provide ground handling services (Swissport and Aero-Park), complemented by three focus groups with a total of 16 workers from low-cost airlines (GOL, Azul, Webjet, Trip). Participants were sampled through local trade union representatives at major airports in São Paulo (Guarulhos and Campinas) and Rio de Janeiro (Galeão and Santos Dumont). Our data shed light on a very dynamic sector that has been making intensive use of a young labour force during a moment of renovation of its competitors, including the low-cost airlines. Thus, our results dwell on the importance of young workers in the implementation of new patterns of labour utilization.

Determinants of obstetric fistula in South-western Ethiopia.

Obstetric fistula, despite improved obstetric care, remains a real threat to poor women in rural Ethiopia. This study aimed to identify the risk factors that predispose women to obstetric fistula in South-western Ethiopia. An unmatched case-control study design was employed in which 48 cases (women with obstetric fistula) and 188 controls (women without obstetric fistula) were included. Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and organized using Epidata version 3.1. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis was conducted using SPSS version 20.0. Adjusted odds ratio, 95% confidence level, and p-values were used as the main measure of association. The study revealed that age at pregnancy of < 18years (AOR = 5, 95% CI = 2-13), residing in rural areas (AOR = 4, 95% CI 1.6-11), lack of antenatal care (AOR = 5, 95% CI 2-14), no history of modern contraception utilization (AOR = 5, 95% CI = 2-13), post-term pregnancy (AOR = 8, 95% CI 3-22), and duration of labor > 24hours (AOR = 4, 95% CI 2-9) were associated with obstetric fistula. The majority of fistula survivors were teenagers who were living in rural areas. Mothers having no antenatal care, not using modern contraception, having a post-term pregnancy, and having prolonged labor were at increased risk of developing obstetric fistula. Thus, delaying the age of first pregnancy, improving access to basic obstetric care, and advocating the use of modern contraceptive methods are crucial for teenage women residing in rural areas.

Evaluation of the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index in a tertiary care labor and delivery unit

The Maternal-Fetal Triage Index is a 5-level system to facilitate the care of pregnant women seeking care in an obstetrical triage unit (priority 1 being the highest acuity and priority 5 being the lowest acuity). Although the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends implementing labor and delivery triage tools, it remains unclear whether the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index facilitates the timely evaluation of high-acuity pregnant women. We sought to examine the duration of a labor and delivery triage evaluation before and after the implementation of the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index. We also sought to examine the duration of a labor and delivery triage evaluation according to priority levels by the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index. This was a retrospective quality improvement study of all women presenting to an urban, tertiary labor and delivery triage unit at 16 weeks' gestation or later from December 2017 to February 2018 (historical cohort) and December 2018 to February 2019 (study cohort). As part of a quality improvement initiative, the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index was implemented in the labor and delivery unit in May 2018. All registered nurses who worked in the labor and delivery unit completed a formal education course and assigned the priority levels at the time of triage presentation. The primary outcome was the duration of a labor and delivery triage evaluation, which was defined as the time interval from triage presentation to the completion of history and physical examination in the electronic medical record. Secondary outcomes included the rates of labor and delivery unit admissions. There were 1305 and 1374 women in the historical cohort and study cohort, respectively. The duration of labor and delivery triage evaluation was longer for the study cohort than for the historical cohort (64 minutes vs 61 minutes; P=.02). Of the 1374 women in the study cohort, there were 28 (2%), 290 (21%), 459 (33%), 462 (34%), and 135 (10%) women with priority levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 assigned, respectively. Women with a higher priority according to the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index had a shorter labor and delivery triage evaluation (priority 1, 57 minutes; priority 2, 66 minutes; priority 3, 63 minutes; priority 4, 62 minutes; and priority 5, 83 minutes; P<.001). The rates of admission were higher in the priority 1 and 5 groups (priority 1, 89.3%; priority 2, 41.4%; priority 3, 57.3%; priority 4, 53.3%; and priority 5, 92.6%; P<.001). Compared with the historical cohort, the duration of labor and delivery triage evaluation was longer in the study cohort. However, in the study cohort, women classified as higher priority according to the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index had a shorter labor and delivery triage evaluation. Our study supports the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' recommendation on the implementation and utilization of labor and delivery triage tools such as the Maternal-Fetal Triage Index.

Factors Determining Choice of Conventional Labour Among Yam Producers in Benue State of Nigeria

The present research empirically determined the factors that influenced the choice of combined labour for efficient yam marketable surplus in Benue State of Nigeria. 2016 cropping season cross-sectional data elicited by structured questionnaire complemented with interview schedule from a total of 120 farmers chosen through a multi-stage sampling technique was used. The instruments used for data analysis were descriptive and inferential statistics. The empirical evidences showed that decision for choice of efficiently combined labour that is supplemented by paid labour for efficient yam marketable surplus was affected by low yam productivity and low income which largely owed to poor proceeds from product marketing. Gender stereotype due to culture and religious barriers affected women access and control to productive access, thus hinders women active involved in yam entrepreneurship as they cannot carter for paid labour. Thus, it can be inferred that utilization of combined labour was affected by poor yield, gender stereotype and poor economic capital. Therefore, for farmers to be able to harness combined labour efficiently for a good marketable surplus, thus a better wellbeing for farmers, farmers need technical guided on potential yield; provision of buffer stocks for a remunerative price normalization; and, breaking the jinx of gender inequality through tacit sensitization in the studied area.

Non-parametric decomposition of total factor productivity growth in yam production in North-Central Nigeria

Abstract. Non-parametric analysis of total factor productivity change in yam production in North-Central Nigeria from 1992 to 2016 was carried out with the use of secondary data. The secondary production data of yam for that period were collected from Food and Agriculture Statistical (FAOSTAT) data bank. Malmquist Total Factor Productivity Index (MTFPI) based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), was used to empirically analyse the total factor productivity of the yam, while Tobit regression was used to analyse the determinants of total factor productivity in the study area. The results of the MTFPI analysis reveal that yam contributed 1.4% of technical efficiency change to productivity growth over the period studied. The technological contributions to productivity growth regressed at 1.8%. The study revealed the productivity growth of yam to be 0.2%. Tobit regression result showed credit borrowed, government policy (Agricultural Transformation Agenda – ATA), capital, and labour to have significant and positive relationships with the productivity of the crop at either p≤0.05 or p≤0.001 level of probability, which implies that increase in them led to increase in the crop’s productivity. Capital-labour was statistically significant but negatively related to yam productivity at p≤0.01, which implied that utilization of labour in a greater proportion than capital led to reduction or regress in its productivity growth. The study recommends farmers’ training on farm practices and techniques to increase yam productivity. They should be encouraged to accept improved yam varieties from research institutes, properly allocate the production resources and adopt improved technology to achieve productivity growth in the study area.

The Existence and Role of Indigenous Food Institution on Strengthening Foods Security of Rural Community

Local agricultural institutions as an important structure to support the food security system have been marginalized and replaced by formal social institutions that seem foreign to certain communities. This study aims to reveal and explain the existence and role of local agricultural institutions in strengthening the food security of rural communities on the island of Lombok. The research was designed with a qualitative research model. Data collection using several techniques, namely: in-depth interviews, direct observation and literature study. Data analysis used qualitative analysis with interactive models. Analyzes were carried out during data collection and after the end of data collection. The results showed the existence of agricultural institutions in rural areas of Lombok island based on: land control, production processes, provision / utilization of labor, irrigation, harvest and production sharing, storage and distribution of results, the roots of cultural values ​​of the Sasak ethnic community which are the spirit of institutional development of food security are: a sense of togetherness, help to help, peace and peace of life, obedience and decency (the will to build self-image), and harmony in social and spiritual life. The roles and functions of local institutions for the Sasak ethnic community are: Regulating the system of division of labor, distribution of products and income, strengthening social cohesiveness, managing resources, strengthening social participation, building social harmony, and strengthening the food security system.

The impacts of agricultural support on enhancing the efficiency, competitiveness and sustainability of sheep breeding: The case of Niğde and Aksaray provinces, Turkey

Aim of the study: The sheep breeding sector in Turkey has lost its potential to become a highly competitive and efficient sector despite a number of policies being implemented over the years. Therefore, the objective of the study was to empirically evaluate the competitiveness of sheep breeding and the determinants of the technical efficiency of the sector as well as the current impacts of agricultural policies on the performance of the sector.Area of study: Niğde and Aksaray provinces of TR71 region in Turkey.Material and methods: The required primary data were obtained through a face-to-face survey from 110 sheep breeders. Two methodological approaches, namely Stochastic Frontier Analysis and Policy Analysis Matrix, were used.Main results: The support policies caused an inefficiency in allocation of already scarce resources in sheep breeding, but not ensure to increase the competitiveness at both national and international levels. Sheep farms could increase their income by up to 50% without changing the level of input by taking into account the factors that caused inefficiency in sheep breeding. The major determinants that decreased efficiency were current subsidies for sheep breeding, herd size and the excessive utilization of family labour, while the factors that increased the efficiency were sheep race, access to extension services, grazing period and location. Besides, Domestic Resource Cost (DRC) value in the efficient farms decreased to 0.88, implying that they had a comparative advantage.Research highlights: Implementation of structural support policies with long term would enhance efficiency of sheep farms and ensure the sustainability and competitiveness of the sector.

Design aspects, consideration for modularization layout and piping design for optimization of modularization project

In chemical, petrochemical and Oil and Gas industry, few decades back Modularization concept was executed for remote site location, extreme climatic conditions but now a days Modularization concept is becoming popular and extensively utilized irrespective to site location and climatic conditions because of its potential to reduce schedule, minimizing cost, effective utilization of skilled labor, for better quality with maximum safe environment, reduction in space requirements for plant layouts and reduction in installation cost. This paper will discuss Modularization design approaches, Consideration for Modularization layouts, consideration of piping design for optimization of modularization project. During modularization, size, weight and the center of Gravity (COG) of the module play’s important role for finalizing layouts and piping with in module, still constructability, Equipment sizing, equipment layout and piping design are critical factors in modularization. Successful execution of modularization highly depends on the modularization design approach hence the factor stated in paper will help EPC contractors for optimization of construction by eliminating later changes in design which will be further reduction in cost and schedule impact. In general construction schedule is largely impacted by piping installation and the cost is increased by rework, which reduces certainty on cost and schedule, the piping design and layout consideration stated in this paper will help construction to minimize on schedule and cost, by eliminating the rework done on the field.

Foreign Labour Migration and Utilization of Remittance in Nepal

Migration in general refers to geographical or spatial mobility from one geographical unit to another which involves a change of place from the place of origin to the place of destination. Foreign labour as the form of the relationship of an employee on an employer outside the territory of the country where the employee pursues activity according to employer’s instructions for the remuneration agreed upon in advance. A remittance is a transfer of money by a foreign labour to an individual in his or her home country. Remittance to Nepal has a strong hold in the national economy and they have also transformed the lives of a large number of rural people. The objectives of the study are: to find the social background of the foreign labor migrants and to explore the utilization of remittance. This study overall uses quantitative method as core methodological analysis to substantiate its argument. The research method is survey with interview schedule as the tool. The study shows that there are different background of foreign labour migrants and most of the remittance is utilized to fulfill the livelihood, education and health. The implication of the study is to strengthen the foreign labour migration through the proper utilization of remittance in Nepal.

Flight crew evaluation of the flight time limitations regulation

Fatigue has been a long-standing concern in modern aviation. The duty hours of those who operate (cabin crew and pilots) have increased significantly. In order to combat the effects of fatigue, operators must adhere to Flight Time Limitations (FTLs) strictly set by regulatory bodies. With advances in the science of fatigue, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in February 2016 altered the duty limits and rest periods. A quantitative self-report survey design using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests of association and probit regressions with marginal effect calculations gathered the crew perceptions about the impact of the FTL regulation change to fatigue levels, reporting and safety/just culture. Participants (n = 794) were commercial cabin crew and pilots operating under European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations. 73.2% said they have not reported fatigue to their airline and 81.7% having operated fatigued. Scales on Fatigue Knowledge and Just/Safety Culture were constructed. Each point increase on the 6-item Just/Safety Culture scale shows that respondents are 8.6 percentage points less likely to operate fatigued. This study signifies that fatigue is under-reported and is a real risk to safety in the aviation industry. A substantial change to the existing safety culture should be encouraged and the fatigue’s safety implications should not be underestimated and safety be compromised for maximum aircraft and labour utilisation.

GHG Emissions Mitigation in the European Union Based on Labor Market Changes

The effects of the labor market on environmental issues are an actual problem at the global level, and recommendations are required to achieve equilibrium between labor productivity and environmental protection. Considering the ecological limits of work and the necessity of reducing the working time to mitigate GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, this paper aims to assess the impact of the labor market on GHG emissions in the EU-28 countries. Using panel data models for 2007–2019, a positive effect of working time for employed persons on GHG emissions was detected. Labor productivity has a positive impact on emissions for most of the developed countries in the EU (old member states), while the effect is negative in the case of most of the new member states, which suggests that more efforts should be made by old member states to correlate labor productivity with a sustainable level of GHG emissions. As a novelty for research in the field, we assessed also the effect of targeted labor utilization on GHG emissions in order to describe the context of a sustainable economy that is an objective for each country in the EU. These results suggest that progress in GHG emissions mitigation might be achieved by reducing the working time for employed persons, which will also improve well-being. These recommendations could be useful also for other developed countries outside the EU that encounter the same difficulties.

Smart, Embedded &amp; Effective Solution for Conventional, Small-Scale Poultry Farming System

In Sri Lanka, most poultry industries are still managing poultry houses using conventional methods. Thus, the manpower utilization is drastically increased due to this issue, hence, utilized manpower and efficiency is very limited. However, the consumer demand towards the poultry outcome is enhancing day-by-day. Therefore, farmers are looking for advanced technologies to maximize efficiency, productivity, and profitability while reducing the operating costs. Thus, the project is focused on developing a smart and embedded poultry farming system to monitor and control small-scale farming conditions. The integrations of the sensor network and GSM/ GPRS network is implemented to control and remotely monitor environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, and light intensity), watering system, and an egg incubator. If there are undesired variations in the above factors, the system will automatically initiate necessary actions to prevent the bad effect. Also, a warning message is sent through the GSM module to the registered mobile number. Thus, the farmer is able to notify internal changes as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the farmer is able to monitor the status via web applications and mobile applications, and owner can update threshold levels through the mobile application. The automated incubator with an egg moving mechanism is effective for small-scale farmers who are incubating a low quantity of eggs. Thus, the system will help for enhancing animal welfare, food safety, efficiency, hatchability, productivity, and profitability while reducing labor utilization and operating costs.

Marketing Behavior of Agripreneurs in Tamil Nadu - A Gender Perspective

Marketing behavior refers to the capacity or tendency of the entrepreneur to identify the market trend to sell the produce for greater returns. The present study aimed on the marketing behavior of male and female agripreneurs in Tamil Nadu. The ex-post facto research design was used in this study. A sample of 204 respondents was selected using Proportionate Random Sampling Technique. The marketing behavior of agripreneurs was analyzed in the thirteen identified components viz., raw material, utilization of labor, price-fixing criteria, consumer segmentation, means of transport, expenditure incurred on transport, consumers of the product, place to sale, mode of payment, collection of money, value addition in the product, existing market facility, opinion about prevailing market price. The scoring procedure developed by Sakthivel (2011) was followed, and percentage analysis was used to interpret the results. The study inferred that majority of the male (62.75%) and female (66.67%) agripreneurs had medium levels of marketing behavior followed by the high and low levels of marketing behavior.

Online Labour Index 2020: New ways to measure the world’s remote freelancing market

The Online Labour Index (OLI) was launched in 2016 to measure the global utilisation of online freelance work at scale. Five years after its creation, the OLI has become a point of reference for scholars and policy experts investigating the online gig economy. As the market for online freelancing work matures, a high volume of data and new analytical tools allow us to revisit half a decade of online freelance monitoring and extend the index’s scope to more dimensions of the global online freelancing market. In addition to measuring the utilisation of online labour across countries and occupations by tracking the number of projects and tasks posted on major English-language platforms, the new Online Labour Index 2020 (OLI 2020) also tracks Spanish- and Russian-language platforms, reveals changes over time in the geography of labour supply, and estimates female participation in the online gig economy. The rising popularity of software and tech work and the concentration of freelancers on the Indian subcontinent are examples of the insights that the OLI 2020 provides. The OLI 2020 delivers a more detailed picture of the world of online freelancing via an interactive online visualisation updated daily. It provides easy access to downloadable open data for policymakers, labour market researchers, and the general public (www.onlinelabourobservatory.org).

A study of aggregate planning in logistics

These days, supply chain management is concerned with the movement of raw resources, goods, and information. Supply chain management includes the effective use of assets and information to meet customer needs, transfer products, services, and assets. Comprehensive planning refers to a medium-term evaluation of demand, inventories, skills, and labor utilization level. The traditional mathematical programming formulae are typically used to decrease the total operational budget. This phrasing, on the other hand, is purely commercial and ignores sustainability. This research examines traditional aggregate planning to include extra environmental and social elements to combine three fundamental characteristics of sustainability. To improve aggregate preparation efficiency, we combine these additional requirements with conventional expenses. Finally, we evaluate the models and understand the outcomes of a real-life study.

Internet Platform Employment in China : Legal Challenges and Implications for Gig Workers through the Lens of Court Decisions

Research Objective and QuestionsWe aimed to examine court rulings on disputes between network platforms and labour providers in order to understand the nature of the employment relations and the broader consequences for society as a whole. We addressed two questions :MethodologyWe primarily used secondary data, namely 102 publicly available Court decisions from 2014 to 2019. The case decision reports were downloaded from the Supreme People’s Court “Network of Court Decision Papers.”ResultsDisputes occurred mainly in cities that have the most developed platforms and an independent worker model of employment. They mainly involved network platforms that provide such services as driving, food delivery and courier services. All of the disputes involved road accidents, and over half occurred in Beijing and Shanghai—two leading cities in China that have dense populations. Dispute cases rose sharply, peaked in 2017, started to drop in 2018 and fell even more in 2019. The disputes seem to have educated people on both sides, with the result that more precautions are being taken.ContributionsOur study makes three contributions. First, we identified three types of platform employment in China, the motives of the platforms in their choice of labour utilization and the legal implications in terms of labour and third-party protection. Second, we examined the attitude and role of the courts in judging disputes between network platforms and labour providers within legal constraints. Third, we propose that socialization of contract service should be central to platform employment.

A Dynamic Labor Utilization Framework: Setting the Under-employment Threshold

Based on the Labor Utilisation Framework from the ILO (International Labor Organization), the vast majority of official statistics and empirical researches on under-employment use the same threshold as part-time employment or an arbitrary number of hours per week. This study demonstrates that no single threshold can capture the real level of labor underutilization which was the original intent of ILO's Labor Utilization framework. Therefore, it proposes a Dynamic Labor Utilisation Framework (DLUF) that includes a systematic method for setting the under-employment threshold. Application of these methods using data from the United States Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) of the Current Population Survey (CPS) suggests that the threshold for under-employment varies widely across socio-demographic statuses. For instance, while adult men aged 25-54 would be willing to work about 40 hours per week, women of the same age group, on the other hand, would only be available for about 35 hours per week, and young (both men and women) aged 15-24 could work only for 24 hours.