Management Functions Research Articles

Family Medicine Education and Training in Sub-Saharan Africa

In this article we reflect on the state of family medicine education and training in sub-Saharan Africa; in particular, we focus on these key issues: advocacy, evidence of impact, barriers and enablers, and implementation strategies. Sub-Saharan Africa is the last region of the world to embrace family medicine, and adoption varies widely among countries. Family physicians with postgraduate training are relatively few. In the public sector, primary care is mostly offered by nurses or physician assistants, while in the private sector, it is offered by general practitioners. Family physicians work in both primary care and primary hospitals, in multidisciplinary teams; as clinicians, consultants, capacity builders, clinical trainers, leaders of clinical governance and may also have some managerial functions. Advocacy for the contribution of family physicians and training programs is needed with departments of health, regulatory bodies, higher education institutions, and other health professions. Evidence of impact in the African context is limited due to the small numbers and limited research outputs. Barriers and enablers to education and training are related to the stage of development. Key issues include a lack of academic and teaching expertise, a need to develop learning environments and clinical trainers, sufficient training posts, and appropriate deployment of new graduates. Implementation strategies to overcome these barriers can be categorized into planning, educational, financial, quality management, and policy related strategies. A South-South-North approach to support and partnerships is advocated. More attention should be given to engaging the public on the contribution of family medicine.

Research on the effectiveness of utilizing social workers in building a community-based society

Local welfare capabilities in Japan have reduced and this means that social problems are increasing. For example, the 8050 problem, double care and social exclusion are all on the rise. Action is required through a community-based approach to welfare. Associate Professor Takashi Kohno, Graduate School of Integrated Human and Social Sciences, Faculty of Integrated Human Studies and Social Sciences, Fukuoka Prefectural University, is interested in the benefits of a community-based society and how this can be achieved. Although the Japanese Government has proposed the realisation of a community-based society, there hasn’t been clarification on the role of social workers and other professionals in achieving this. Kohno believes it is necessary to refine care management methods that could adjust and provide appropriate services and social resources according to people’s needs. In one project, he explored the effectiveness of utilising social workers in building a community-based society and set out to clarify how social work practice can be effectively developed to realise this kind of society. Kohno and the team analysed the results of questionnaires from comprehensive support centres and municipal social welfare councils and found that the social work functions were care management, interprofessional work and the promotion of collaboration through leadership and facilitation. In addition to the micro level function of care management, through which formal and informal services and social resources that are tailored to client needs are provided, meso-level functions build a system for distributing resources and budgets and it’s crucial to organically develop these functions.

ON THE ISSUE OF IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE SPHERE OF HIGHER EDUCATION: PHILOSOPHICAL AND WORLDVIEW ASPECT

The article examines the issues of improving the effectiveness of public administration in the field of higher education in a philosophical and ideological aspect. Education is characterized as the basis of the social, political, economic, spiritual and cultural development of the nation. The importance of modernizing management mechanisms at the state level in the field of higher education is proven. The conditions for ensuring the proper level of development of the educational market are investigated. The importance of decentralization in the field of higher education and expanding the autonomous capabilities of higher education institutions in Ukraine is substantiated. The challenges facing the national system of higher education as of today are characterized. Higher education is considered as a sphere for the activities of public administration bodies. The importance of applying the methodology of social and organizational design in reforming public administration of higher education is substantiated. It is proved that the essence of social and organizational design lies in the scientifically based determination of opportunities for the implementation of targeted organizational changes in social systems and institutions, which is used to solve specific management tasks. The fact is substantiated that with the introduction of the principles of humanism, democracy, autonomy of higher educational institutions, as well as public-private partnership and public-public management into the legislation, the main scientific research in Ukraine will be focused on the development and implementation of effective mechanisms for implementing legislative changes in the management system of higher education. The essence of public management in the field of higher education is determined, as well as the most important principles according to which it is carried out at the current stage of development of social relations, in particular in our state. The functions of public management in the field of higher education are presented.

The Application of Digital Twin for Indoor Air Quality Management: A Case Study in Hong Kong

With the advocacy of the development of smart cities, buildings are also evolving to become smarter and more user-friendly. Employing cyber-physical technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twin (DT) and Building Information Modeling (BIM), can effectively monitor and control the built environment. DT is an emerging tool that connects the building to its digital replica so that the building’s situation can be monitored and presented to users effectively. This paper proposes a DT framework for building management to discover the applications of DT for indoor environment monitoring and control. A case study of a DT-driven indoor air quality (IAQ) system is completed to demonstrate the implementation of DT in the built environment. The system demonstrated the key features of DT, including monitoring, simulation, control and prediction, and showed their roles and functions in IAQ management. Finally, the difficulties and limitations, i.e. sensor selection and installation, of implementing the DT system in the built environment are presented after the case study.

ISLAMIC BOARDING SCHOOL MANAGEMENT IN IMPROVING TEACHER COMPETENCE AT MODERN BOARDING SCHOOL AL - MUSYADDAD KLATEN

Pesantren management is a series of systems, rules, and governance of educational institutions structured within the framework of values in pesantren. Activities or functions in pesantren management include planning, organizing, directing, and supervising. Teachers or ustad have a central role in pesantren. Ustad also acts as a mentor and role model for the students. There are four competencies that must be possessed by a teacher, namely pedagogical, social, professional, and personality competencies. In this study focuses on the teacher's personality competence, where ustad is expected to have attitudes and behaviors that can be emulated by the students. Pondok Modern Al-Musyaddad is a modern cottage that emphasizes Arabic and English in its daily conversation, and uses a curriculum using the term KMI (Kulliyatul Mu'alimin Al-Islamiyah) in its learning. This study aims to analyze how management at Pondok Modern Al-Musyaddad and how pesantren management in improving teacher competence at Pondok Modern Al-Musyaddad. The method used is qualitative research with data collection techniques through observation, interviews, and documentation. The results showed that pesantren management at Pondok Modern Al-Musyaddad Klaten has been running well in improving the personality competence of teachers/ustad.

МАРКЕТИНГОВІ АСПЕКТИ В СИСТЕМІ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ БІЗНЕСУ

The research focuses attention on issues and leading aspects of ensuring the economic security of economic entities, but from the point of view of marketing management of the relevant processes. That is why the purpose of the study is to substantiate the marketing aspects in the system of ensuring the economic security of business. Marketing aspects in the system of managing economic security of business naturally relate to two areas: (1) challenges, risks and threats that develop in the marketing system of the business entity; (2) measures and means that have a marketing nature and the implementation of which is aimed at strengthening the economic security of the enterprise. The key challenges facing domestic enterprises and related to the mutual influence of the processes of marketing activity and ensuring the economic security of business arise and develop at the junction of the processes of quality marketing management and the rational implementation of the leading functions of business management in general: planning, organization, analysis , motivation and control. The use of the potential of marketing in ensuring the processes of strengthening the economic security of business lies in the actions organized within the basic components of the marketing mix. Such circumstances increasingly actualize the problem of substantiating theoretical and methodological provisions and applied recommendations regarding the development and application of more progressive mechanisms and tools of marketing policy in order to strengthen not only the competitive, but also the security positions of domestic business entities. Among them, taking into account the current trends of global digitalization, the formation and development of Internet marketing systems of enterprises takes almost the leading position in importance. The tasks of the policy of strengthening the economic security of the business according to the leading components of the marketing mix are defined, namely: product - guaranteeing a high level of the marketing component of the economic security of the enterprise; prevention of trends in lowering the level of its competitiveness; guarantee of consistently high product quality; prevention of complaints; introduction of product innovations; anticipating the appearance on the market of new innovative products, changes in intellectual property; market - preventing market trends from overtaking business sustainability; constant adaptation to changing market conditions; active work on the formation of new markets; price - prevention of increase in the level of consumption; implementation of pricing exclusively on the basis of pricing strategies; prevention of miscalculations in pricing; sales promotion – prevention of miscalculations in advertising campaigns, budgeting of advertising expenses and sales promotion; application of digital methods of competition and dissemination of information about products; forming the foundations of cyber security.

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals with Blue and NIR Dual Bandgaps for Light Protection.

Planar 1D photonic crystals (1DPhCs), owing to their photonic bandgaps (PBGs) formed by unique structural interference, are widely utilized in light protection applications. Multifunctional coatings that integrate various light management functions are highly desired. In this study, we present the fabrication of dual-PBG 1DPhCs with high reflectance in both the blue and near-infrared (NIR) regions. The 1DPhCs were constructed through the alternating stacking of hollow SiO2 (HS) nanoparticles hybridized with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), referred to as PHS, and TiO2 layers. The 1DPhC with 7 bilayers demonstrated remarkable reflectance of 98.2% and 93.4% in the blue and NIR spectra, respectively, with shielding efficiencies of 93.9% and 85.6%. Compared to bare PC, the temperature was observed to be 10.6 °C lower, achieving a thermal insulation efficiency of 44.8% in the 900 nm near-infrared range. Additionally, spectral fitting using the transfer matrix method (TMM) and optimization of process parameters, including PHS concentration and spin-coating speed, enabled the fabrication of 1DPhCs with tunable optical thickness ratios. The fabricated films demonstrated a smooth surface morphology with flat and uniform interfaces, as well as excellent environmental stability. These features make the 1DPhCs highly promising for applications in light protection and thermal management. This study provides a novel approach for the development of dual-PBG 1DPhCs with enhanced protective capabilities.

Relating digitalization and quality management in health care organizations: A systematic review.

Quality management has been established in health care organizations as an important management function for internal quality measurement and external quality reporting. Digitalization processes have recently gained momentum with uncertain outcomes for health care organizations, quality, and the role of quality management. We conduct a systematic review to answer the questions of how the introduction of digital technologies affects quality management as a management function, how quality management is affecting digitalization, which quality management topics are addressed, and which competencies are needed during digitalization. Four databases were searched from 2000 to January 2022. Both empirical and conceptual articles reporting on digital technologies and quality management as a management function, quality reporting, or risk management were included. The studies included were analyzed based on the PICOS and PRISMA approaches. A total of 20 out of 662 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results show that both quality management as a management function as well as the digitalization of quality managements' own work processes are barely visible in the existing research. Only parts of the core tasks of quality management are discussed in connection with digitalization. Core competencies relevant for digitalization processes and quality management are identified. Quality managers require knowledge of digital technologies in order to develop and implement them to support their own work processes and the work processes of health care organizations in general. Currently, research is not guiding this process, which makes it important for quality managers to be able to access local knowledge. In addition, professional associations should develop skill catalogs for quality management education.

Exploring Virtual Reality and Exercise Simulator Interventions in Patients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Comprehensive Literature Review.

This review explores virtual reality (VR) and exercise simulator-based interventions for individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Past research indicates that both VR and simulator-based interventions enhance cognitive functions, such as executive function and memory, though their impacts on attention vary. This study aimed to contribute to the ongoing scientific discourse on integrating technology-driven interventions into the management and evaluation of ADHD. It specifically seeks to consolidate findings on how VR and exercise simulators may support individuals with ADHD, acknowledging associated challenges and implications inherent in both technological approaches. This research looks at existing literature to examine the potential efficacy of VR and exercise simulator-based interventions for individuals with ADHD. It evaluates the capacity of these interventions to address specific challenges along with an emphasis on the adjustments for accommodating unique user behaviors. Additionally, it underscores the limited exploration of user perceptions of exercise simulator-based interventions and the undervalued role of motor function in both ADHD assessment and symptom management. The findings of this scoping review reveal that, while these interventions enhance user motivation and enjoyment, certain challenges resist modification through technology. Furthermore, this study explores the intricate complexities involved in customizing these technologies to accommodate the diverse aspects of user behavior and highlights the potential limitations in the use of VR. This scoping review contributes to the ongoing research on enhancing interventions to support individuals with ADHD. It advocates for participant-centric approaches that aim to optimize both cognitive and motor outcomes while prioritizing the enhancement of user experiences. This study emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to interventions, recognizing the relationship between cognitive and motor abilities, and calls for improving technological interventions to address the varied needs of individuals with ADHD.

Manajemen Majelis Taklim Ulul Albab Universitas Islam Negeri Sumatera Utara

This journal discusses the role of the Ulul Albab Taklim Council at the State Islamic University of North Sumatra (UINSU) as a means of fostering religious knowledge and spiritual guidance for students. Through a routine study program held three times a week, this assembly discusses various religious topics such as fiqh, akhlaq, Sufism, and tafsir, which aims to increase the spiritual intelligence of participants. In addition, collaboration with various campus organizations such as IMM, HMI, and KAHMI is a strategy to expand the reach of da'wah and increase organizational productivity. The implementation of good management functions, including planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling (POAC), is expected to achieve effective da'wah goals and be well received by the audience. This study uses a qualitative case study method, with data collection through in-depth interviews and participatory observations, to understand the dynamics of the management of the taklim council and the challenges faced. The results of the study show that the Ulul Albab Taklim Council has great potential in shaping students' character and religious understanding, as well as making a positive contribution to the academic environment at UINSU.

Manajemen Pondok Pesantren dalam Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Manusia terhadap Peningkatan Kemampuan Santri (Studi pada Pondok Pesantren Darul Qur'an Kota Malang)

Human resources in pesantren management are very necessary in order to achieve good goals and also be able to face all future challenges, especially for students. The purpose of this writing is to discuss the management of Islamic boarding schools in human resource management to improve the ability of students. The research used used a qualitative type with a descriptive approach for three months. The results of the study show that, in the management of the Darul Quran Islamic Boarding School Malang human resources can be divided into two things management. The first is the management of managerial functions, namely planning related to pesantren and improving student human resources with Visions, Missions and goals, organizing that folds all administrators and community leaders, movements related to activities commanded by caregivers so that one direction of goals, and control or evaluation. The second of the operational functions is the procurement of things needed by students, development in all aspects of facilities, programs, assessments that focus on students' abilities, integration between religious and real-life aspects, discipline of all administrators and students, and dismissal of administrators who do not carry out their activities to improve students' human resources. The form of activities such as: level-based book recitation, trainings on religious skills and the science of world life, cooperation in various aspects of additional activities to scientific visits.

Systematic review of the needs and health-related quality of life domains relevant to people surviving cancer in Europe.

To systematically review qualitative studies on outcomes, needs, experiences, preferences, concerns and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of people surviving cancer in Europe in the last decade. Protocol registered ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO , ID575065). studies with qualitative methods, constructs related to HRQoL, andadults surviving cancer in Europe. The search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus since 2013. Abstracts and full text were revised, data extracted and study risk of bias assessed independently by two researchers. The primary outcomes were the themes arising from each study. A thematic analysis stratified according to the study objective was undertaken by grouping themes into categories. Of 18,256 articles identified, 43 fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 16 studies with a generic objective and 27 with specific objectives. Seven categories (57 themes) emerged from the studies with a generic focus: Clinical Management (n = 16), Symptoms and Physical Function (n = 5), Psychological Function (n = 21), Social Function (n = 18), HRQoL (n = 3), Life Disruption (n = 6), and Individual Factors (n = 1). The 12 studies focused on treatment and care experiences stand out among those with specific objectives, with most themes fitting into the same seven categories. Results clearly showed the predominance of the social and psychological function domains over physical domains among people surviving cancer, additionally identifying specific needs in clinical management, such as information and communication, and relationship with and support from professionals. Therefore, these aspects should be incorporated into the evaluation of patient-centred initiatives for people surviving cancer. only two databases were searched, and most European countries were not represented.

Study on the Optimal Allocation of Supercapacitor Capacity for Oil Drilling Winch Energy Recovery Microgrid System

The application of supercapacitor energy storage device in the microgrid system of ultra-deep well oil drilling rig can effectively recover the regenerative energy generated when the winch lowers the drilling tools. Firstly, a microgrid system model of super capacitor energy recovery for ultra-deep well oil drilling rigs was established; the theoretical recoverable energy during a complete operation of ultra-deep well drilling rigs was calculated; the economic efficiency of energy recovery was calculated by taking into consideration of a variety of economic factors, such as storage cost, pollutant emission reduction benefit, and storage loss, etc. was taken into account as the objective function of energy management and capacity allocation optimisation of super capacitor energy storage devices. Using genetic algorithm to solve the supercapacitor capacity configuration, when the well depth is 9000 m, the economic efficiency can reach 26.4% by using 5×377 supercapacitor combination; when the well depth is 12000 m, the economic efficiency can reach 32.7% by using 5×650 supercapacitor combination. It provides a corresponding reference to help improve the economic efficiency of the microgrid system for energy recovery of oil drilling rigs in ultra-deep wells.

N Praise Of Botho, Leadership And Kindness At Work

This paper examises the concept of Botho-Ubuntu, which loosely means humanness, compassion, or kindness, its applicability in leadership and business management is considered to mitigate the crisis of capitalism and motivation of people at work. This is assessed in the context of the nature of capitalism, how the system uses the management function as an instrument of work organization and mechanism of control over the labour process to secure surplus value___ profitability. Through management capitalism not only exploits and underpays workers. It presides over deplorable working conditions, which alienates and dehumanizes a worker. The resultant effect is poor morale, disengagement and resistance which are expressed and released at the point of interface of customer service and occasionally via strikes.

Manajemen Lembaga Dakwah FKUB dalam Mewujudkan Moderasi Beragama di Kota Medan

This study examines the management strategies of the Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama (FKUB) in promoting religious moderation in the multicultural society of Medan City. As a key institution fostering interfaith harmony, FKUB utilizes managerial functions—planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating—to design and execute programs such as interfaith seminars, conflict mediation, and capacity building for religious leaders. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, the research explores the challenges and impacts of these strategies through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and document analysis. Results indicate that while FKUB's programs significantly enhance interfaith communication and reduce religious tensions, challenges such as societal resistance to moderation concepts, limited funding, and low community participation hinder broader implementation. This study underscores the importance of enhancing FKUB’s resource capacity and outreach strategies to strengthen social harmony. The findings provide practical recommendations for FKUB and similar institutions to effectively implement religious moderation programs within diverse communities.

Nanogrids in Modern Power Systems: A Comprehensive Review

Nanogrids are becoming an essential part of modern home power systems, offering sustainable solutions for residential areas. These medium-to-low voltage, small-scale grids, operating at medium-to-low voltage, enable the integration of distributed energy resources such as wind turbines, solar photovoltaics, and battery energy storage systems. However, ensuring power quality, stability, and effective energy management remains a challenge due to the variability of renewable energy sources and evolving customer demands, including the increasing charging load of electric vehicles. This paper reviews the current research on nanogrid architecture, functionality in low-voltage distribution systems, energy management, and control systems. It also explores power-sharing strategies among nanogrids within a microgrid framework, focusing on their potential for supplying off-grid areas. Additionally, the application of blockchain technology in providing secure and decentralized energy trading transactions is explored. Potential challenges in future developments of nanogrids are also discussed.

Environmental Management and Public Budget: An Analysis of Public Expenditure Budgeted and Executed to Achieve Environmental Protection

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the implementation of the right to an ecologically balanced environment with a focus on environmental management and the public budget. Methodology: The bibliographic and documentary methodological approach allowed the comparison of budget values ​​by function and the descriptive analysis based on data collected from the official website of the state government. Results: The study of budget execution for the environmental function demonstrated that its procedures appear to be aligned, in general, with its planning. However, when compared to the participation of the environmental function in the general budget of the State, the amounts do not exceed 1% in any of the years of this study, and expenditures on general administration occupied a large portion of the budget planned and executed in the period. Therefore, the implementation of the right to an ecologically balanced environment is not considered a priority of public policies in Amazonas. Contributions: The analysis of the budgeted and executed values ​​in relation to the environmental management function in the State of Amazonas, which has the largest hydrographic basin and the largest coverage of humid tropical forest, in the period from 2020 to 2023, contributes to the academic discussion by identifying how state investments behave in relation to spending on environmental preservation and management.

Streamlining Human Resources through Blockchain HR Technology: A Critical Perspective

Technology changes at a fast pace, attracting global attention across industries, including human resource management. One of the innovations that can revolutionize human resources (HR) is blockchain technology, which uses smart contracts in recruitment, payroll management, employee administration, and more. This article aims to evaluate the influence of blockchain HR technology in the performance of HR management functions by examining earlier studies and documentary evidence. It highlights the challenges faced in the use of this recent technology for sustainability through qualitative research methods. Through document analysis, 45 papers were examined from Scopus, Web of Science, and reports from various credible sources, based on set criteria. Findings showed that blockchain technology significantly affects HR management functions. However, challenges were identified in implementing HR technology. Further studies should be conducted across more industries with quantitative validation of their results.

Customer Relationship Management System with Decision Support

This paper studied customer relationship management system with decision support. At present, the fitness studio management system has accumulated a large amount of customer data, but the studio still has problems in customer management such as inaccurate customer target positioning and imperfect customer relationship management functions. It is still unable to conduct intelligent analysis, resulting in a decline in the overall management ability of customer groups. As such, customer turnover is high, and customer loyalty is reduced. To solve such problems, this research constructed a customer relationship management system with decision support, which can be used to identify customers with high studio and high platform loyalty, and with repeated purchase of GT fitness studio. With the purpose of helping the studio achieve accurate customer relationship management and business decision management, this study built an intelligent customer cluster analysis system through K-means clustering algorithm, which can automatically cluster customers into four (4) categories, indicate the characteristics of consumer behavior under each category, and screen out high-quality fitness customers with large consumption amount, high consumption frequency, high platform evaluation, high loyalty, and heavy consumption. At the same time, it also screens out general customers. Moreover, the intelligent group display of the clustered customers is visualized in the form of reports, and the visual display of each group is also carried out, so that decision makers can conveniently implement accurate group management of different groups of customers.

Design for Additive Manufacturing of Lattice Structures for Functional Integration of Thermal Management and Shock Absorption

Design optimization through the integration of multiple functions into a single part is a highly effective strategy to reduce costs, simplify assembly, improve performance, and reduce weight. Additive manufacturing facilitates the production of complex structures by allowing parts consolidation, resulting in optimized designs, where multiple functions are integrated into a single component. This study presents a design for additive manufacturing method for integrating multiple lattice structures to achieve thermal management and shock absorption functions. The method follows modeling and simulation phases for dimensioning and optimizing solutions to deliver the design functions at different macro- and mesoscale levels. Hierarchical complexity was leveraged to design the two-levels structure in a single part, each delivering a specific function. Specifically, the external layer addresses energy absorption and thermal insulation, while the internal layer acts as a thermal battery by incorporating a phase change material. The design of a container carried by an unmanned aerial vehicle for the transport of healthcare and biological materials is presented. The container is shock-resistant and can maintain the content at 4 ± 2 °C for at least 1 h. As it operates passively without the need for additional energy-consuming devices, it is easy to operate and contributes to increased flight autonomy. A flight mission experiment for urgent transport of blood bags confirmed the capability of the container to preserve blood integrity. This case study demonstrates that the two-layer lattice structure design represents a highly efficient approach to multifunctional design optimization.