Management Level Research Articles

Inflammatory bowel disease training assessment of gastroenterology fellows in Saudi Arabia.

Recent advancement and complexity in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has made it challenging for gastroenterology (GI) fellows to obtain competency and confidence in managing the complex IBD patient. We aimed to evaluate the confidence and training in IBD among GI fellows in Saudi Arabia. We conducted an electronic, voluntary, and anonymous multicenter survey study of GI fellows in Saudi Arabia, from 1/5/2023 to 1/9/2023. The survey evaluated the fellows' confidence level in IBD management, methods of training received, and the amount of additional training desired in 20 core IBD domains. GI fellows' preferred learning method was also evaluated. A total of 65 GI fellows responded to the survey. In the entire cohort, >50% of fellows reported low confidence in 7 out of 20 IBD management domains, which included 71% in managing j-pouch disorders, 67% in managing the elderly/frail patient with IBD, 60% in managing extraintestinal manifestations, 57% in recommending preventative health services, and 54% in counseling patients on small molecules. Receiving >4 IBD didactic sessions per year was significantly associated with high confidence in managing j-pouch disorders (44.4% vs 13.3%, P = 0.05) and managing the elderly/frail patient with IBD (86.7% vs 50.0%, P = 0.03). Doing an external rotation to expand IBD knowledge was associated with high confidence in managing the elderly/frail patient with IBD (100% vs 26.7%, P = 0.01). Many GI fellows lacked confidence and training in key domains of IBD management. Enhancing IBD exposure with didactics and external rotations improved fellows' confidence in specific domains.

Perceptions of South Africa’s higher education leaders on the realisation of sustainable development goal 4 quality education

Purpose Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a key role in facilitating increases in socio-economic growth and economic development. Sustainable development goal 4 (SDG 4): quality education is dedicated to ensuring inclusive and equitable access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. This study aims to gain leadership perspectives on the extent to which South African HEIs are meeting SDG 4 and deliver insights into whether significant variances in progress exist between public and private institutions. Design/methodology/approach Integrating the sustainable development frameworks of the United Nations and times higher education impact rankings in a positivist research design, this study surveyed 16 leaders from public South African HEIs and 59 from private South African HEIs using an online survey platform. Findings Responses indicate underperformance across institutions concerning the following: the prioritisation of SDG 4 at the highest levels of management, the effective inculcation of this agenda across the entire institution, alignment between SDG 4 strategies and staff expectations and education for sustainable development and global citizenship. Public HEIs have progressed towards the realisation of SDG 4 in aspects such as access to scholarships, inclusion of first-generation students and contributions through research output. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited literature on leaders’ perceptions of progress towards SDG 4 among HEIs in developing economies.

Disempowered by Leadership: Tales from the Middle of the Organisational Pyramid

In this article we explore middle-level managers’ stories of their experiences in which they were either empowered or disempowered by organisational leadership. An exploration of the stories reveals how leaders can, inadvertently, erode the power and the authority of middle-level managers. An unintended consequence of leadership’s involvement in decisions that are middle mangers’ domain, disempowerment at the middle management level in an organisation arising out of leadership decisions offers an alternate way to explore and understand leadership and middle-management disempowerment in organisations.

A review of flash‐floods management: From hydrological modeling to crisis management

AbstractIn a context of climate change, flash‐floods are expected to increase in frequency. Considering their devastating impacts, it is primordial to safeguard the exposed population and infrastructure. This is the responsibility of crisis managers but they face difficulties due to the rapidity of these events. The focus of this study was to characterize the extent of the link between hydrologists and crisis managers. It also aimed to determine the limiting and the fostering factors to an effective integration of forecasting in crisis management during flash‐floods. This was achieved through an extensive and methodological study of available literature in selected platforms. The models encountered were characterized on multiple levels including the physical, geographical and crisis management level. The results revealed a limited link between the two involved parties with limiting factors such as the complexity of the modeling approach, the insufficient projection in the implications of operationality of the models proposed and the financial aspect. On the other hand, acknowledging the threat of flash‐floods and conducting cost–benefit‐analysis were pinpointed as fostering factors. This study showed to reconsider the forecasting methods employed, particularly, the integration of machine learning, and the needs of end‐user in these applications in a crisis management context.

Managing Organizational and Media Stress: The Case of Elite Norwegian Skiers

This case study focuses on how Norwegian ski jumpers performed in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and the following FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) ski flying World Championships 2022 in Vikersund, Norway, despite organizational conflict at the management level and intense and sustained media coverage the entire season. Five athletes (one third of the elite squad) were interviewed about how they coped with the stressors. The results revealed two main responses: One group avoided, as far as possible, hearing or reading about the conflicts and tried to stay in their “bubble” and focus on preparing for competition. The other group chose to follow the conflicts and was more willing to interact with the media, therefore experienced a higher degree of perceived stress, and consequently needed to employ a wider range of coping strategies. The findings highlight the importance of a consistent and effective management strategy in helping athletes to focus on training and competition preparation and insulate them from stressors generated by organizational turbulence and conflicts.

Assessing the Impact of Principal Leadership and Teacher Performance on Educational Quality: The Role of TQM as a Mediator

This research investigates the influence of the principal's leadership and teacher performance on the quality of education and the mediating role of TQM in this relationship. Random sampling techniques were used to sample 50 MA Darul Falah Sukorejo Ponorogo teachers. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire consisting of a 5-point Likert scale. PLS-SEM analysis was used to analyze data and test the conceptual model. The research results show that teacher performance significantly improves education quality but not principal leadership's influence. Apart from that, TQM mediates in increasing the influence of the principal's leadership on the quality of education (ρ=0.008) but not on the influence of teacher performance (ρ=0.703). The research implications emphasize the development of organizational culture supported by TQM and teacher professional training and development. So, building an organizational culture that supports TQM principles is essential. It involves a commitment from all levels of management, including principals and administrative staff, to prioritize educational quality and continuous improvement. Provide regular training to teachers on TQM concepts, practices, and strategies for implementing them in teaching and learning contexts.

Navigating paradoxes: building a sustainable strategy for an integrated ESG corporate governance

PurposeOrganisations are confronted with the challenge of navigating various pressures arising from activities that shape environmental and social impacts, which stakeholders find significant. This research endeavours to ascertain a process facilitating the analysis and seamless integration of sustainability into corporate strategy. The goal is to establish an “integrated” ESG governance framework adept at effectively managing institutional pressures.Design/methodology/approachThis research employs an action research approach, focusing on a leading company within the sugar industry. The investigation delves into the relationship dynamics associated with business issues through a process that engages, either directly or indirectly, board members, top managers, as well as industrial and commercial customers, along with final consumers.FindingsThe formulation of a sustainability strategy serves as a guiding framework for the Board of Directors in effectively navigating tensions arising from environmental, social and economic pressures.Research limitations/implicationsThe research contributes to bridging the realms of business governance and institutional theory (viewed under a paradoxical lens). On a managerial level, the study introduces a structured process aimed at seamlessly integrating sustainability objectives into governance, aligning with international ESG guidelines (OECD, 2023; WEF, 2020).Originality/valueThe originality of this research lies in crafting a sustainability strategy by the BoD that takes into account the impact of governance and responds to the demands of strategic stakeholders.

Stress level and stress management ability among the professionals of information technology in Chennai

Stress level and Stress management is a current issue faced by information technology (IT) professionals. In this condition, information technology (IT) professionals handle their stress level and stress management level through the emotional and intellectual commitment to a group or organization that results in conduct that will assist a company in keeping its promises to improve the workers and, in turn, business outcomes. Information technology (IT) is currently dealing with new difficulties and problems relating to employee stress level and stress management level. The software industry has a high-stress level because of the nature of the work, the goals, the successes, the night shift, and the excessive workload. However, stress frequently has a negative connotation, and this part of stress is referred to as distress. Therefore, in front of other issues, the streel level and stress management level will be playing a major role in information technology (IT) companies. For this study, the researcher determines the stress level and stress management level ability among information technology (IT) professionals. A few information technology (IT) experts in Chennai were surveyed to use a standardized questionnaire to get the primary data. Materials from primary sources, such as books, journals, articles, newspapers, etc., were used to assess secondary data. The research provides valuable insights for the companies to understand the relationship between stress level and stress management and how this level of stress management will affect the employees.

Using sustainability pillar indicators to evaluate the management effectiveness of three protected areas in the state of Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia

The existing methodologies to measure management effectiveness of protected area have often been focus on identifying weaknesses and strengths to set priorities in terms of policy intervention, resource distribution and adaptive management. It is not adequately captured the extent of protected area sustainability as a conservation site even though management effectiveness is influenced by the interaction of environment, socioeconomics and governance, which are pillars of sustainability. Thus, the objective of this study was to propose a methodology based on sustainability pillar indicators to evaluate management effectiveness, using three protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia as case studies: Sungai Dusun, Bukit Kutu and Klang Gate wildlife reserves. In this study, a questionnaire survey was used to evaluate the management effectiveness of the study sites. The evaluation framework of the questionnaire was based on six components of management effectiveness and indicators from three sustainability pillars or aspects: environment, socioeconomics and governance. Respondents of the survey consisted of local residents in each study site and management staff involved in the management of the protected areas. Each indicator from different aspects of evaluation was assigned a selected parameter to be rated by the respondents from ‘1’ (strongly disagree) to ‘5’ (strongly agree). Based on the rating values the percentage of optimum value was calculated to determine the overall management rating for each study site which interpreted according to five management levels from ‘unsatisfactory’ to ‘very satisfactory’. The percentage of optimum values revealed that the environment and governance aspects of all study sites had moderately satisfactory while for socioeconomic only Klang Gate had moderately satisfactory but satisfactory for Bukit Kutu and Sungai Dusun. The overall percentage of optimum revealed that the management effectiveness level of all reserves was moderately satisfactory. However, Sungai Dusun had the highest percentage of optimum (71.3%), followed by Bukit Kutu (67.7%) and Klang Gate (66.5%). In conclusion, the sustainability level of the reserves is still functioning as intended despite deficiencies especially in governance aspect. Thus, the proposed methodology is simple and has adoptable way to measure both management effectiveness and capture the sustainability of the protected areas.

The Importance of Digital Marketing Integration in Strategic Management Planning

This study discusses the importance of digital marketing integration in the company's strategic management plan. Digital marketing has become a key factor in achieving business goals in the increasingly interconnected digital era. The formulated problems include understanding of digital marketing and its integration benefits, challenges in adopting digital marketing, and the role of technology and data analysis in supporting digital marketing integration and accurately measuring campaign effectiveness. In the context of understanding digital marketing, this research outlines the definition and role of digital marketing in the overall marketing strategy. Digital marketing integration opens opportunities to target markets more precisely, enhance customer engagement, and optimize customer experiences. Challenges include technical constraints, changes in organizational culture, and a lack of understanding of digital technology. To overcome these challenges, companies need to invest in resources, gain support from top management levels, and prioritize a data-driven approach in decision-making. The role of technology and data analysis is pivotal in supporting digital marketing integration. Companies should leverage data analytics technology and marketing automation to understand customer behavior, identify market trends, and deliver relevant messages automatically. Data analysis also aids in measuring campaign performance and calculating ROI, enabling companies to allocate marketing budgets effectively. In conclusion, digital marketing integration is not just a choice but a necessity for companies to remain relevant and competitive in an increasingly digital business era. By confronting challenges and optimizing the role of technology, companies can achieve competitive advantage, enhance marketing efficiency, and attain long-term success. A data-driven approach and the utilization of data analysis technology will be key for companies to achieve desired business goals.

Government innovation management: challenges and opportunities

PurposeThis paper aims to identifying challenges faced by innovation in the public sector of Jordan.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative method was adopted for achieving the study objective with the undertaking of thematic analysis upon the answers of respondents in relation to the challenges for innovation within the public sector of Jordan. There were 25 semi-structured interviews conducted with organizational development managers, innovation assessors working within the public sector and other experts.FindingsThe aspect of the government innovation concept that is most important is the creation of added value, and also that innovation is a process that is individual rather than one that is institutional. Leaders or managers and the employees are considered as primary sources for the innovation in government. On the basis of the analysis of the data within the study, it was concluded that the challenges faced by innovation management within the public sector of Jordan can be considered as being a lack of a culture that is supportive of innovation, a lack of vision for innovation, a lack of institutionalization, a lack of an innovation plan at the national level, a general lack of awareness, the bureaucracy and the rigidity of the organizational structures, the excessive routine, the lack of rewards and incentives, the lack of training, the lack of financial resources and, finally, the silo effect. Several recommendations are provided by the study for improving the reality for government innovation including the building of organizational culture for supporting innovation, the activation of open communication, the development and training of employees and the provision of proper incentives for them.Originality/valueA conceptual model has been put forward by the study that may be employed in the assessment of challenges faced by managers when seeking to implement innovation management within institutions in the public sector. The study can also benefit both decision makers and practitioners and the makers of public policy within the public administration of Jordan, especially in relation to government innovation through the identification of all the challenges faced by innovation management in Jordanian public sector, and the provision of useful strategies and mechanisms that can help in the mitigation of those challenges and the improvement of innovation management levels in Jordanian government. Further, the study results can act as a catalyst for the issuing of annual innovation reports within the government sector of Jordan.

3 - The Impact of Structural Violence on Women’s Capacity to Fully Participate at Candidate and Electoral Management Levels in Zimbabwe

This article focuses on ‘hidden’ institutional violence, also known as structural violence, and gender divisions in electoral processes in Zimbabwe. Structural violence occurs when one category of people is accorded an unequal status in relation to other categories of people. The main argument presented in the paper is that, in Zimbabwe, structural violence renders the implementation of gender equality in electoral governance nugatory. Political party structures and systems are designed and conveniently used to exclude women from political participation. The article analyses selected cases involving women’s involvement at the candidate and electoral management level. The study made use of interviews, particularly key informant interviews, and semi- structured interviews, as its main data-gathering methods. Focus group discussions were also utilised. The findings revealed that a myriad of structural and institutionalised constraints prevent women in Zimbabwe from fully participating in political and electoral processes. These institutionalised structures have a disproportionately negative impact on women’s political ambitions compared to men’s. The article concludes that promoting gender equality in the area of politics and decision-making as well as in society as a whole is a long and complex process. Any initiatives to remedy these inequalities must be strategic and long-term oriented.

"Finding my voice again" - women's experiences of psychological therapy in perinatal secondary care settings: a qualitative study.

Although women often experience mental health comorbidities in the perinatal period, the evidence-base for psychological therapy across diagnostic boundaries in the perinatal period remains limited. As there is a need to understand experiences of therapy, irrespective of diagnosis, to inform intervention provision, the aims of this study were to explore women's experiences of psychological therapy for perinatal mental health difficulties and to identify the mechanisms that women attributed to the most significant therapeutic change for themselves and/or the mother-infant relationship. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 women who received therapy within specialist perinatal community mental health settings in the Northwest of England, the UK. Interview data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. One overarching theme entitled participant life stories were at the heart of therapy was identified alongside three other main themes: 1.) We're in this together - therapeutic bond and establishing a coherent sense of self, 2.) Surfing the urge to 'fix' feelings - Sitting with emotions improved regulation and 3.) Seeing myself in a new light - Shifting self-blame to self-compassion enhanced self-efficacy. Theme 1 consisted of three subthemes. Participants described the quality of the therapeutic relationship as the fundamental foundation to (re)connecting with their needs, values and boundaries, which improved their sense of agency, self-esteem, therapeutic engagement and self-understanding. Shifting emotional avoidance to emotional engagement improved their self-regulation. Considering alternative factors that could have contributed to their experiences helped them to defuse self-blame and enhance self-compassion. Finally, changes in their mental health led to positive relational changes in their relationship with their infant and improved communication with partners. Sensitivity, engagement and responsivity experienced in the therapist-woman relationship was reported to be mirrored in the mother-infant relationship. Developing a coherent sense of self and self-regulation skills both appeared to heighten women's self-compassion and empathy for their infants, which also seemed to improve their ability to tolerate uncertainty and mixed emotions within themselves and their infants. The mechanisms of change in the perinatal period are important to consider at a stakeholder, therapist and service management level to parsimoniously and best meet the needs of women and the mother-infant relationship.

Priority Setting and Resource Allocation in Coastal Local Government Marine Regulatory Reform: Application of Machine Learning in Resource Optimization

This study investigates the prioritization and resource allocation strategies adopted by the coastal local governments of Qingdao, Dalian, and Xiamen in the context of marine regulatory reform aimed at enhancing regulatory efficiency. Data on relevant opinions, departmental requirements, and existing resource allocations were collected through a questionnaire survey. A backpropagation (BP) neural network was then applied to analyze the survey data, prioritize regulatory tasks, and propose resource allocation schemes. The findings demonstrate that integrating machine learning into marine regulation can significantly improve resource utilization efficiency, optimize task execution sequences, and enhance the scientific and refined nature of regulatory work. The BP neural network model exhibited strong predictive capabilities on the training set and demonstrated good generalization abilities on the test set. The performance of the BP neural network model varied slightly across different management levels. For the management level, the accuracy, precision, and recall rates were 85%, 88%, and 82%, respectively. For the supervisory level, these metrics were 81%, 83%, and 78%, respectively. At the employee level, the accuracy, precision, and recall rates were 79%, 81%, and 76%, respectively. These results indicate that the BP neural network model can provide differentiated resource allocation recommendations based on the needs of different management levels. Additionally, the model’s performance was assessed based on the employees’ years of experience. For employees with 0–5 years of experience, the accuracy, precision, and recall rates were 82%, 84%, and 79%, respectively. For those with 5–10 years of experience, the metrics were 83%, 86%, and 80%, respectively. For employees with over 10 years of experience, the accuracy, precision, and recall rates were 85%, 88%, and 82%, respectively. These data further confirm the applicability and effectiveness of the BP neural network model across different experience groups. Thus, the adoption of machine learning technologies for optimizing marine regulatory resources holds significant practical value, aiding in the enhancement of regulatory capacity and effectiveness within coastal local governments.

A STUDY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF HR POLICIES AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION OF DELTA WEAR TECH ENGINEER’S

Human resource management is concerned with people element in management. Since every organization is made up of people, acquiring their services, developing their skills/ motivating to high level of performances and ensuring that they continue to maintain their commitments to the organization which are essential to achieve organizational objectives. This project is meant to know the Human Resource Policies in the organization. The HR Policies are a tool to achieve employee satisfaction and thus highly motivated employees. The main objective of various HR Policies is to increase efficiency by increasing motivation and thus fulfill organizational goals and objectives. The objective is to provide the reader with a framework of the HR Policy Manual and the various objectives that the different policies aim to achieve. The main focus was on the managerial levels of employees in Keywords: HR policies, Employee Relationship, Organization.

Analyst coverage and real earnings management: Does IFRS adoption matter? UK evidence

This study examines the impact of analysts coverage on real earnings management (REM) decisions. The study further investigates the effect of mandatory IFRS adoption on the relationship between analyst coverage and REM. We constructed a sample of UK non-financial listed firms for the period 1997–2021. The results demonstrate that firms followed by a large number of financial analysts record higher levels of earnings management. This result supports the contention that high intensity of analyst coverage imposes extra pressure on firms' managers to meet analysts' earnings per share (EPS) expectations, motivating a higher level of earnings management. Contrary to expectations, the introduction of IFRS fails to strengthen the monitoring role of security analysts on firms' management: rather, managers utilize the inherent flexibility and available discretion in the principles-based IFRS to meet analysts’ benchmarks by means of REM activities. These results are robust after controlling endogeneity.

Facial Feature-Based Attention Tracking System for Enhanced Online Learning Engagement

Recognizing and enhancing student engagement is crucial for improving learning outcomes, particularly in the context of online classes where monitoring can be challenging. Traditional methods of attendance tracking, such as calling out names, are impractical and susceptible to manipulation in the virtual environment. Students might appear 'online' without actively participating, and the absence of video feeds makes it difficult for teachers to verify attendance and attention. In order to realize a highly efficient and robust attendance management and engagement level prediction system for online learning, In the proposed System, the learner’s face is monitored by a video camera while attending a video lecture. Facial features were analyzed to predict reaction time (RT) to a task-irrelevant stimulus, which was assumed to be an index of the level of attention. Then apply a machine learning method, light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), to estimate RTs from facial features extracted as action units (AUs) corresponding to facial muscle movements by an open-source software (OpenFace). This project is to develops a user-friendly system integrated with private online learning and attendance recording system for teachers that can automatically record students ‘engagement state and attendance then generate attendance reports for online classrooms. It encompasses a novel design using the AI based FFCNN (Face Fiducial Convolution Neural Network) model to capture face biometric randomly from students’ video stream and record their attendance automatically. This integrated solution not only streamlines attendance management but also provides valuable insights into students' engagement levels through facial feature analysis.

Time Management Practices: Its Impact on Student Athletes' Performance

This study determined the time management practices and the performance of student-athletes. Focusing on key aspects such as student-athlete profiles, the level of time management practices, the impact of these practices, factors influencing student-athletes, and the significant relationship between profiles and time management levels, this research utilized a quantitative descriptive design. Employing a purposive random sampling method, the study encompassed 200 student-athlete respondents from the six prestigious GensanPRISAA colleges in General Santos City. Results showed that respondents were predominantly male, aged 21-23, engaged in basketball and team sports, and enrolled as first-year Criminology students with notable academic performance and local competition achievements. Results revealed a high level of time management skills demonstrated by student-athletes in managing both training sessions and academic schedules. These skills significantly influenced academic performance, athletic achievements, social relationships, and personal well-being. Additionally, the study identified various factors affecting time management, including school and teacher demands, athletic commitments, personal priorities, and social relationships. Surprisingly, there was no significant relationship between demographic profiles and time management practices, indicating other influential factors. To address these findings, the study suggested Enhancing the Student-Athlete Development Program to comprehensively support student-athletes in improving time management skills across different domains. In conclusion, the study emphasized the importance of time management skills among student-athletes and advocated for tailored support programs to foster their holistic development, regardless of demographic characteristics.

Management of New Automatic Ticket Vending Machine System in Urban Rail Transit

The technology of automatic fare collection system for urban rail transit is an important technology for achieving automatic fare collection for public transportation facilities such as urban subways. This article studies the relevant characteristics of the AFC system. Through introducing queuing models, simulation comparative experiments, and neural network debugging, it is found that the automatic fare collection system for urban rail transit not only effectively helps station staff to allocate tickets in a timely and reasonable manner, adjust station ticket supply, but also facilitates station passengers to query tickets, and passengers can freely choose whether to take the train according to their actual needs. The experiment shows that the AFC system can effectively help passengers avoid traffic congestion during peak hours, greatly improve management level, and reduce labor intensity.

Inertia, Progress, or Regress? Observing and Explaining Heterogenous Tech Firm Demographic Diversity Trajectories

Tech firms are under strong pressure to increase their demographic diversity. While activists and scholars have tended to treat the sector as homogenously hostile to women and racialized minorities, recent theory on organizational inequalities stresses heterogeneity in firm-level inequality regimes. Beginning with an inductive exploration of variation in executive, managerial, and professional workforce trajectories, we find that between 2008 and 2016 most Tech firms show little change, but that there are also significant clusters of firms that were becoming either much more or much less diverse for all three occupational levels. We model these trajectories as a function of firm visibility, the regulation of federal contractors by the U.S. Department of Labor, and leadership composition. Multinomial logistic regression models show that firms with an increasing (decreasing) diversity pattern in managerial and executive positions are also more likely to become more (less) diverse in their much more numerous professional jobs. Managers are more influential than executive in this regard. Regulatory pressure is associated with increased executive diversity trajectories, but not with managerial or professional trajectories. We conclude that increased Tech diversity is possible but requires leadership, particularly at the middle manager level. In addition, regulatory and visibility pressures primarily produce symbolic shuffles in top jobs.