Macro Level Research Articles (Page 1)

Abstract This study examines the role of normative values and stakeholder commitment in the evalua-tion and implementation process of social and organizational innovations in highly regulated systems, using the example of the four-day work week in German healthcare. Based on 26 expert interviews across micro, meso, and macro levels, the study reveals how actor-specific values and institutional contexts shape judgment about ecological, economic, social, and or-ganizational performance sustainability. The findings show that commitment to innovation is not determined solely by functional considerations but emerges in a field of tension between normative aspirations. Stakeholders align themselves differently along axes such as employee vs. patient orientation or short- vs. long-term thinking, resulting in competing innovation scenarios. The study proposes a transferable framework enabling organizations to map stakeholder values, locate areas of tension, and assess the depth and direction of commitment.

While MSW students are increasingly interested in attaining social work licenses, social work educators vary in their understanding of state licensure and regulations and how to best prepare graduate students. Opportunities exist along a pathway to licensure to honor social work’s professional commitment to social justice by teaching relevant course content that includes direct clinical practice and macro level practice, ideally bridging the knowledge to collectively work to facilitate the passing of state ASWB exams and secure professional licensure. A brief overview of the challenges that exist as social work programs strive to meet CSWE requirement and competency based course content, in the content of acknowledging the disparities noted in the ABSW licensure exams simultaneously to the growing number of students striving to seek professional licensure. Opportunities for MSW programs to identify the role and use of course content, pre-service development, marketing, and recruitment content designed to support students’ efforts to pass ASWB licensure exams and obtain credentials are presented. Finally, implications and recommendations for social work programs and faculty to enhance their recruitment, teaching, and licensure preparation endeavors to best assist students and graduates.

Street vending is a prevalent feature of the informal economy in African societies. Despite its role in generating income opportunities and fostering affordability and accessibility to goods for impoverished urban residents, street vending is considered by many governments to be antithetic to modern urban planning or development and in violation of laws pertaining to the use of public spaces. Whereas there has been an increasing academic interest in informal street vending, this scoping review seeks to identify gaps in the academic literature with respect of how street vending is understood and how conflict between street vendors and public authorities is conceptualized. This review can identify pressing research needs and inform indigenous and sustainable approaches to social work practice at micro and macro levels. This scoping review maps empirical research reported in peer-reviewed literature over a period from 1 January 2010 to 31 May 2024. It addresses street vending in sub-Saharan Africa and seeks to explicate the nature of conflict observed between street vendors and public authorities, theoretical explanations of the problem of street vending and its potential solutions. Few concrete solutions are provided in the literature and there is a clear lack of social work perspective on this topic. We argue that more research from this perspective is needed to gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of conflict faced by women street vendors.

Abstract The shipbuilding industry in Indonesia holds a vital role in realizing the country’s vision as a global maritime axis, yet it still faces many serious challenges. At the macro level, these challenges include global market fluctuations and restricted access to financing. At the micro level, shipyards struggle with limited facilities, inefficient supply chain management, and long construction cycles, which weaken competitiveness. This study uses a literature review method by analyzing academic publications, industry reports, and previous studies. The purpose is to identify the gap between management practices in advanced shipbuilding nations and current conditions in Indonesia, as well as to highlight opportunities for improvement. International experience shows that South Korea, Japan, and Singapore have successfully strengthened their shipbuilding industries by adopting digital technologies, developing green innovations, and creating supportive financial policies. In contrast, Indonesia is constrained by high loan interest rates (8%-14%), reliance on imported materials, and high financial risks. The findings highlight the need for digital-based management reform and more accessible financing schemes. Including shipbuilding as part of national infrastructure projects would also open wider financing options. With breakthrough measures and stronger collaboration across sectors, Indonesia can close existing gaps, improve competitiveness, and strengthen its role in the global shipbuilding industry.

Microplastics are widely distributed, but their potential impact on crops cannot be ig-nored. Most current studies focus on common crops such as rice and buckwheat and are mostly at the macro level. In this study, we explored for the first time the changes in agro-nomic traits of Pleurotus pulmonarius by PE-MPs with different concentrations and particle sizes and applied confocal scanning microscopy (CLSM) to observe the uptake of PE-MPs by P. pulmonarius hyphae and combined it with transcriptomics to reveal the stress mech-anism of PE-MPs at the molecular level. Results indicate that among the small-particle groups, only the A5 and A20 groups exhibited significantly lower fresh weight than the CK group. The A5 group was 33.83% lower than the control, while the A20 group was 63.21% lower than CK (p < 0.05). Both the A5 and A20 groups showed significantly lower dry weight than the CK group (p < 0.05). Cap thickness was only greater in the B5 and B10 groups, exceeding the control by 1.46 mm and 1.58 mm, respectively. Cap length was longer only in the A10 group, increasing by 7.85% compared to the control (p < 0.05). Cap width in the A5 and A20 groups was 25.44% and 6.65% lower than the control, respec-tively (p < 0.05). Transcriptomics showed that as the concentration of PE-MPs increased, P. pulmonarius responded to PE-MPs stress by up-regulating the expression of cell membrane composition and metal–ion binding-related genes, while as the particle size increased, P. pulmonarius resisted the toxic effects by up-regulating the coming carbon metabolism and amino acid metabolism. Compared with the CK group, 1706, 1378, and 792 DEGs were identified in the A5, B5, and B10 groups, respectively. A total of 1610 DEGs were identified between the A5 and B5 groups. Additionally, 295 DEGs were identified between the A5 and B10 groups, while 1424 DEGs were identified between the B5 and B10 groups. This study reveals the effects of PE-MPs on the agronomic traits of P. pulmonarius and their re-sponse mechanisms, further indicating their potential risk to edible fungi.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Swedish teachers’ descriptions of feedback processes align with the macro, meso and micro levels of teacher feedback literacy. A total of 24 Swedish teachers from primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, and vocational education answered a qualitative questionnaire. The data were analysed with theory-driven content analysis. The analysis revealed that the descriptions predominantly aligned with the macro and meso levels. The teachers employed several feedback practices in Swedish lessons, such as teacher feedback, peer feedback and self-assessment, and expressed positive perceptions of collaboration in subject groups. However, the use of artificial intelligence in feedback processes was absent, and some teachers did not teach the students what the significance of feedback is for language learning. These findings suggest that Swedish teachers would benefit from additional support to enhance their feedback literacy at all levels.

As pivotal lightweight materials for electromagnetic protection architectures, polymer composite foams mainly rely on multilayered stacking with electromagnetic-property gradients to attain broadband microwave absorption (MA). Although such structural designs enable simultaneous enhancement of electromagnetic attenuation and impedance matching, yielding satisfactory MA performance, inherent limitations, including prohibitive thickness and susceptibility to interlayer delamination, substantially compromise structural integrity and protective efficacy. Herein, magnetic field induction and component regulation are combined to manipulate foaming kinetics of the in situ chemical foaming strategy, achieving dual-gradient structure with coordinated distributions of functional particles and pore size in polyimide foam. This monolithic architecture can avoid the interface bonding defects of multi-layer foams while maximizing the reduction of impedance mismatch caused by the electromagnetic property discrepancy between layers, thereby further broadening the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 14.1GHz. The intrinsic mechanism of dual-gradient structure on the MA performance is revealed via multiscale simulation from micro and macro levels. Consequently, the dual-gradient MA foam shows exceptional compression resistance, thermal insulation, and flame retardancy, demonstrating broad applicability in extreme environments with high temperature and compression.

Biopreservation technology of sourdough co-fermented with Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis and Propionibacterium freudenreichii: Effects and mechanisms for enhancing bread quality and extending shelf life.

ABSTRACT Robust governance structures are crucial for effective Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) follow-up, a critical component of best practice. EIA follow-up, with its five elements of monitoring, evaluation, management, participation and governance involves understanding project outcomes to inform ongoing management, enhance decision-making, and improve future EIA applications. EIA follow-up governance incorporates all the processes, mechanisms and arrangements required to enable the implementation of EIA follow-up. Despite its importance, implementation of EIA follow-up is still overlooked. The paper proposes best practice principles and evaluation criteria for EIA follow-up governance with a jurisdictional (macro) level focus, building upon existing EIA follow-up best practice literature. It outlines 10 core principles derived from key texts, covering: (1) legislative provisions, (2) clear identification of responsibilities, (3) compliance and enforcement provisions, (4) reporting of EIA follow-up outcomes for adaptive management and continuous learning, (5) establishment of performance criteria, (6) understanding the purpose and importance of EIA follow-up, (7) adequate resource allocation, (8) efficient and effective governance arrangements, (9) transparency and accessibility, and (10) legitimacy. Each principle is accompanied by detailed criteria, allowing for in-depth evaluation within EIA follow-up procedures. This evaluative framework provides a comprehensive guide for implementing and improving EIA follow-up practices and enhancing capacity building.

Aging in Sub-Saharan Africa: A qualitative synthesis of older people's perceptions and experiences using the ecological systems theory.

ABSTRACTThis article explores the practices of person‐centred care in physiotherapy by adopting a complexity‐seeking approach. We acknowledge that person‐centred care is contextual and produced through relationships, sociomaterial practices and institutional and organisational settings, thus recognising the agency of more‐than‐human actors. We draw on the concept of practicings, which refers to a constellation of what is said, materialised, routinised and practised. This framework enables us to explore the complex interplay and interrelatedness of factors that constitute person‐centred care across various contexts, transcending micro and macro levels. By conducting a secondary analysis of texts from three qualitative studies from Denmark and Aotearoa New Zealand on person‐centred care in physiotherapy, we argue that seemingly disciplinary and governing practices can also be understood as practices of person‐centred care. Through the application of the practicings concept, we aim to advance sociological constructs of person‐centred care. Focusing on the complex network of co‐constituting forces allows for a more nuanced analysis of practices of person‐centredness in physiotherapy, with applicability to other similar healthcare settings.

This qualitative study examines the effective coping strategies developed by older adults receiving institution-based care in response to role losses and investigates how these strategies support group members in coping with role loss. Data were collected through a focus group conducted with eight participants at Darülaceze, a residential care institution located in Istanbul, Türkiye, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three main themes emerged: current roles, self-selected roles, and structured roles. The findings indicated that, in order to compensate for role losses, participants adopted meaningful roles and organized their role-related behaviors in ways that aligned their individuality with their social environment. This restructuring of social roles had a positive impact on participants’ social functioning and their adaptation to institutional life. In conclusion, the study underscores the significance of assuming meaningful roles in coping with role losses and demonstrates that the empowerment approach in social work practice, together with the life wisdom shared in focus group discussions, can inform the design of interventions at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.

ABSTRACT Research on social capital dynamics within football environments is limited. This study critically explored social capital within the Iranian football ecosystem. Thirty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted via in-person, telephone, and online modalities. Abductive thematic analysis was utilized to analyse the data. The results revealed three global themes consistent with theoretical expectations: micro-level, meso-level, and macro-level social capital, characterized by their intricate nature. Micro-level social capital varies individually among participants, sometimes forming closed micro-communities. Meso-level social capital is necessary for the operation of the football ecosystem; however, power imbalances can undermine this level of capital, leading to marginalization. At the macro level, there is government support, but extra-legal interference and control erode institutional and public trust and foster inequality.

Purpose This study investigates the role of customer value-creating practices in (re)formation of service ecosystem well-being within e-commerce platforms, focusing on the platform co-creation processes facilitated by the DART (Dialogue, Access, Risk Assessment, Transparency) framework. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered from major e-commerce platforms in Vietnam, with a cross-sectional design. The whole of 260 customer surveys was used to validate a research model using PLS-SEM. Findings Results highlights that the DART dimensions significantly enhance customer role readiness, which positively affects task support practices (both direct and vicarious), and subsequently, perceived service climate. A supportive service climate further promotes governance well-being and customer learning desire, underscoring the role of DART as the platform readiness for system-wide co-created values. Originality/value Grounded in service-dominant logic and structuration theory, this study is one of the first to posit that both platform readiness and customer role readiness act as important determinants for customer co-creation practices. Moreover, this is among the first to quantitatively investigate the well-being outcomes across the three levels of service ecosystems, which are customer learning (micro-), service climate (meso-) and governance well-being (macro level). Finally, the paper may be a pioneering work to validate the full interplay among structures (e.g. DART), actions (i.e. task support) and structures (i.e. service climate) within e-commerce platforms.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes enable the validation of design variants, and the manufacturing of low volume specialty components. Slow fabrication times are an issue for larger production volumes, but for the directed energy deposition (DED) and hybrid manufacturing (where additive and machining operations are interwoven), new process planning scenarios can be explored for both low and medium volume production levels, which aligns well with addressing on-demand service and out of production components. DED AM is a material deposition based process. Wire filament or powder is melted by a heat source, and multi-axis tool paths can be employed to deposit the material. Large freeform components can be fabricated without support material; however, production volume scalability is an issue. Prior to exploring multi-function or reconfigurable machines and dynamic layouts, a framework for defining nomenclature for DED AM precedence diagrams and value stream maps, and insights for systematically decomposing components for macro and micro level process planning needs to be developed. The goal of this research is to provide a foundation for DED and hybrid manufacturing for low volume production (100 – 2000 pcs) for short planning horizons (1 week to 1 month) which would align to ‘medium volume’ production levels. This specific paper will present research performed to date on addressing these challenges.

This study investigates freight transportation process in the railroad network, which is formalized in the form of a train formation plan (TFP) as a complex dynamic system. To assess the dynamic properties of a freight transportation model at the macro level of railroad system functioning, a method has been devised for analyzing the speed of transferring railroad car flows in the network. The proposed method reflects coordination dynamics not through the time of physical passage of trains in the network but through the ability of the system that organizes car flows into trains to quickly form a coherent state. The Kuramoto model was used to determine the speed of coordination. That has made it possible to distinguish TFP networks. The application of the devised method and the simulation made it possible to compare the structural and dynamic properties of existing transportation system over the period from 2013 to 2019. The limited ability of TFP networks to global phase integration has been proven. It has been established that the TFP network in 2019 demonstrated a loss of systemic coherence, which is typical of decentralized point-to-point transportation networks. That was confirmed by calculating λ22013 ≈ 19.913342 and λ22019 ≈ 0.497646, where the difference between spectral gaps reached two orders of magnitude, while the time to reach the maximum of the order parameter rmax in 2019 was 4.07 times greater at comparable values of the order and KC = 6. This indicates the transformation of the operating model from a centralized hub-and-spoke in 2013 to a more decentralized point-to-point model in 2019. A special feature of the results based on the study is that the proposed method makes it possible to improve the quality of macroanalysis of changes in the structural and dynamic efficiency of the TFP network. The scope of results practical application is the railroad industry. Conditions for the practical implementation of the findings are the importance of taking into account the results when analyzing operating TFPs

BackgroundExergaming, which combines physical exercise with video gaming, has shown benefits for individuals with chronic conditions. Implementation occurs at different levels and phases and influenced by various factors. To address the factors that influence the implementation of exergaming in healthcare, we aimed to explore stakeholder’s experiences of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the implementation of exergaming (in preparation, execution and continuation) for individuals with chronic conditions, in healthcare at the micro, meso and macro level.MethodsA qualitative study with deductive content analysis was performed to explore stakeholder’s experiences regarding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOTs) of implementing exergaming in healthcare. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 24 stakeholders, including patient representatives, researchers, healthcare professionals, game developers and individuals involved in healthcare regulations.ResultsAt the micro level assessing patient’s needs and involving stakeholders in the development and evaluation phases were described as strengths in implementing exergaming in healthcare. Weaknesses included patient’s lack of digital literacy and healthcare professional’s concerns about the safety and quality of exergames. The involvement of healthcare professionals and family support were described as opportunities, whereas threats included the challenge of tailoring exergames to patient’s needs and healthcare professional’s fear of losing control over the technology. At the meso level, strengths involved collaboration between healthcare professionals and technicians, whereas weaknesses included the high cost and time required for designing exergames. Opportunities were found the use of existing exergames, and threats involved competition for research grants and staff turnover. At the macro level, strengths included supportive regulations and collaboration among policy-makers, whereas weaknesses involved defining intended use and fragmented responsibilities. Opportunities were identified in governmental funding programs and international collaborations, whereas threats included challenges in data storage and sharing.ConclusionsThe effective implementation of exergaming in healthcare requires coordinated efforts. Stakeholder’s involvement, supportive leadership and digital readiness are crucial for successful implementation, while inconsistent implementation of the policies and limited evidence on patient safety pose significant barriers. These insights can inform future strategies for integrating exergaming into healthcare settings.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12961-025-01416-7.

The phenomenon of the 'Anak Senja' identity in Indonesia characterized by the consumption of melancholic aesthetics (dusk, coffee) and validated through indie song lyrics (e.g., Fiersa Besari, Hindia) on social media constitutes this study's research problem. The objective is to "deconstruct" how the 'Anak Senja' identity is symbolically constructed through the discourse of popular song lyrics within the Spotify ecosystem. This study utilizes a qualitative approach within the critical paradigm. The primary theories employed are the Social Construction of Reality (Berger & Luckmann, 2011) and Representation (Hall, 1997). The applied methodology is Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) using Norman Fairclough's (1995) three-dimensional model, with data comprising lyric texts and digital observation (netnography) of Spotify playlists. The findings indicate that the construction occurs on three levels: (1) The Micro Level (Text) revealed a "melancholic lexicon" (dusk, coffee, wounds), metaphors of aestheticized sadness, and passive lyrical subjects as symbolic raw material. (2) The Meso Level (Discursive Practice) uncovered Spotify's active role as a curator that "packages" emotions through playlists (e.g., "Senja & Kopi"), creating a melancholic "echo chamber." (3) The Macro Level (Sociocultural Practice) concludes that lyrics function as a "performative script" promoting the "romantization of sadness," transforming alienation into a monetized emotional niche market.

ABSTRACT This study examines how social networks and intersecting micro- and macro-level factors shape the recruitment of human trafficking victims in Bangladesh. Based on 40 semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, it explores how traffickers strategically exploit trust embedded in familial and community relationships to present trafficking as safe, legitimate migration. Grounded in social network theory and feminist perspectives on migration, the study conceptualizes recruitment as a socially embedded and gender-structured process rather than an act of overt coercion or deception. The findings reflect critical gendered variations in the factors influencing irregular migration. For men, micro-level factors include insolvency, family pressure, and personal strain, while limited opportunities, social expectations, and environmental disasters have emerged as macro-level factors in their recruitment. Conversely, women are primarily influenced by familial crises, gender inequality, and pervasive patriarchal norms, both at the micro and macro levels, limiting their agency and leading to risky migration decisions. These dynamics challenge dominant anti-trafficking frameworks that focus solely on overt coercion or deception, underscoring the need for community-embedded, gender-sensitive strategies. Overall, this research contributes to human trafficking literature by offering nuanced gendered insights into recruitment dynamics and providing several actionable policy implications.

ABSTRACT Household debt risk has become a key issue affecting financial stability. This paper presents a systematic review of 161 important publications on household debt risk from 2000 to 2025, covering measurement methods, data and models, risk causes, consequences, and control policies. We find that the authors studying household debt risk mainly come from China and the United States, and the research topics are strongly related to macro policies. Second, household debt risk data cover major countries and international institutions around the world, and the debt‐to‐income ratio is the main indicator for measuring household debt risk. Third, the causes of household debt risk involve multiple driving mechanisms, such as income inequality, rising house prices, financial liberalization, population aging, and the development of digital finance. Fourth, the consequences of household debt risk have multidimensional diffusibility. At the micro level, household debt risk suppresses consumption and damages physical and mental health and family relationships. At the macro level, it amplifies economic fluctuations and exacerbates income inequality. Fifth, the existing research is marked by insufficient data coverage, ambiguous causal mechanisms, and limited policy universality. Future research should therefore deepen the exploration of the topic through interdisciplinary integration.