Organizational Networks Research Articles

Highly Anion‐Conductive Viologen‐Based Two‐Dimensional Polymer Membranes as Nanopower Generators

AbstractTwo‐dimensional polymers (2DPs) and their layer‐stacked 2D covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) membranes hold great potential for harvesting sustainable osmotic energy. The nascent research has yet to simultaneously achieve high ionic flux and selectivity, primarily due to inefficient ion transport dynamics. This is directly related to ultrasmall pore size (<3 nm), much smaller than the duple Debye length in the diluted electrolyte (6–20 nm), as well as low charge density (<4.5 mC m−2). Here, we introduce a π‐conjugated viologen‐based 2DP (V2DP) membrane possessing a large pore size of 4.5 nm, strategically enhancing the overlapping of the electric double layer, coupled with an exceptional positive surface charge density (~6 mC m−2). These characteristics enable the membrane to facilitate high anion flux while maintaining ideal selectivity. Notably, V2DP membranes realize an impressive current density of 5.5×103 A m−2, surpassing benchmarks set by previously reported nanofluidic membranes. In the practical application scenario involving the mixing of artificial seawater and river water, the V2DP membranes exhibit a considerable ion transference number of 0.70 towards Cl−, contributing to an outstanding power density of ~55 W m−2. Theoretical calculations reveal the important role of the large quantity of anion transport sites, which act as binding sites evenly located in the positively charged N‐containing pyridine rings. These binding sites enable kinematic coupling and decoupling between anions and the V2DP skeleton, establishing a continuous Cl− ion transport pathway. This work demonstrates the great promise of large‐area ultrathin 2DP membranes featuring highly organized charged ion transport networks when applied for osmotic energy conversion.

Использование финансовой информации в сотрудничестве государств по выявлению и пресечению преступлений

The use of financial information in investigations plays the key role in crime combating. Efficient application of data on financial transactions facilitates identification and prevention of activities of transnational and organized criminal networks. However, limited opportunities of law enforcement authorities and the absence of access to centralized bank account registers can hinder such investigations. Enhancement of international cooperation and information exchange between law enforcement authorities and financial intelligence units (FIUs) can substantially increase the efficiency of investigations. Such cooperation includes training and professional development of employees (it is critically important to teach them contemporary financial data analysis methods and how to use cutting-edge technologies), development of new technologies. Innovative instruments of analysis of financial information are required for timely and accurate identification of criminal acts. Creation of flexible mechanisms of access to information requires development of international data exchange systems, which will enable law enforcement authorities to receive information on bank accounts without delay.

Expertise and specialization in organizations: a social network analysis

ABSTRACT Organizations rely on their employees’ expertise (i.e. very high domain-specific competence relative to peers) and specialization (i.e. moderate to high competence in tasks for which no direct peers are responsible) to foster innovation and knowledge-sharing processes. While previous research demonstrated the pivotal role of experts and specialists, there remains scant knowledge on their skill profiles and embeddedness in organizational networks. Employing social network analysis (N = 344), we explore the relationships between the reception of advice requests – quantified by in-degree centralities – and self-assessed skills, expertise, and specialization. The results suggest a halo effect, as proficiency in one skill bundle is related to advice requests in other skill bundles. Furthermore, we use an exponential random graph model (ERGM) to provide evidence of similarities in skills, tenure, and leadership responsibility between advice-giver and advice-seeker. Finally, we use optimal matching analyses to compare skill profiles of individuals in our sample with theoretically derived ideal types of skill profiles for experts and specialists. The study underscores the need to further investigate expertise and specialization, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between diverse knowledge carriers and skill profiles within career development, talent management, and knowledge management.

Euclidean mirrors and dynamics in network time series

– Analyzing changes in network evolution is central to statistical network inference. We consider a dynamic network model in which each node has an associated time-varying low-dimensional latent vector of feature data, and connection probabilities are functions of these vectors. Under mild assumptions, the evolution of latent vectors exhibits low-dimensional manifold structure under a suitable distance. This distance can be approximated by a measure of separation between the observed networks themselves, and there exist Euclidean representations for underlying network structure, as characterized by this distance. These Euclidean representations, called Euclidean mirrors, permit the visualization of network dynamics and lead to methods for change point and anomaly detection in networks. We illustrate our methodology with real and synthetic data, and identify change points corresponding to massive shifts in pandemic policies in a communication network of a large organization.

Integrative role of attention networks in frequency-dependent modular organization of human brain.

Despite converging evidence of hierarchical organization in the cerebral cortex, with sensory-motor and association regions at opposite ends, the mechanism of such hierarchical interactions remains elusive. This organization was primarily investigated regarding the spatiotemporal dynamics of intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs). However, more effort is needed to investigate network dynamics in the frequency domain. We aimed to examine the integrative role of brain regions in the frequency domain with graph metrics. Phase-based connectivity estimation was performed in three frequency bands (0.011-0.038, 0.043-0.071, and 0.076-0.103Hz) in the BOLD signal during rest. We applied modularity analysis to connectivity matrices and investigated those areas, which we called integrative regions, that showed frequency-domain flexibility. Integrative regions, mostly belonging to attention networks, were densely connected to higher-order cognitive ICNs in lower frequency bands but to sensory-motor ICNs in higher frequency bands. We compared the normalized participation coefficient (Pnorm) values of integrative and core regions with respect to their relation to higher-order cognition using a permutation-based t-test for multiple linear regression. Regression parameters of integrative regions in relation to three cognitive scores in executive functions, and working memory were significantly larger than those of core regions (Pfdr < 0.05) for salience ventral attention network. Parameters of integrative regions in relation to intelligence scores were significantly larger than those with core regions (Pfdr < 0.05) in dorsal attention network. Larger parameters of neuropsychological test scores in relation to these flexible parcels further indicate their essential role at an intermediate level in behavior. Results emphasize the importance of frequency-band analysis of brain networks.

The analysis of the impact of different supply chain factors using statistical perspective

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is an essential part of modern business and involves the coordination of procurement, production, and logistics. Effective SCM allows organizations to remain competitive and reduce costs. With the growth of the global marketplace, SCM is becoming increasingly important for businesses to compete. The most important aspect of SCM is to understand the components of the supply chain, which form a network of organizations involved in value-added processes and activities. The supply chain network consists of multiple components, indicating that the success of an organization's SCM depends on the combination of multiple influencing factors. This paper utilizes the supply chain data of several well-known companies, uses a dozen variables such as inventory turnover ratio, lead time, and supplier count as independent variables, and analyzes the effects of these different supply chain influencing factors on operational efficiency, supply chain resilience, and supplier relationship through multiple linear regression models. This study finds that many different supply chain factors, like transportation cost efficiency, delivery time, and others, have the greatest impact on the above-mentioned factors. This analysis may help companies to comprehensively assess their supply chain maturity and strategically enhance their supply chain attributes to achieve their business development goals.

The history of smoking cessation support in Hungary: A narrative review.

Tobacco use remains the largest preventable cause of death worldwide, including Hungary with a smoking-related death rate in 2019 of 360/100000 (age-standardized death rate), among the highest in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Despite the well-formulated tobacco control interventions defined by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) in place, smoking prevalence in 2019 was high (27%) and has not decreased since 2014. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on addressing and treating smokers. This narrative review summarizes the progress in smoking cessation support in Hungary to identify strengths and areas for improvement. A literature search was conducted in the Hungarian Arcanum Digital Science Library. After 2012, data were derived from the National Methodology Center for Cessation Support reports. The National Korányi Institute for Pulmonology established the first organized network of cessation counselling services in 1987 in outpatient pulmonary clinics (OPCs) sponsored by a State Insurance tender. By 1999, individual behavioral counselling with medication was accessible to 130 healthcare providers, due to the support of pharmaceutical companies. Since 2005, the National Health Insurance Fund has financed smoking cessation support in OPCs, albeit at a low value. Having recognized that OPCs are overburdened by the organizational tasks of cessation support and that funding is intermittent, from 2020, the counselling service has transferred to the existing network of health promotion offices, although without specific funding for cessation programs and communication. Adequate and regular funding for established counselling services and nicotine withdrawal treatment is essential to achieve progress in tobacco control. The role of healthcare professionals is outstanding; therefore, individual responsibilities should be recognized.

Strategies and practices for organizational learning in integrated care

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to identify important strategies and practices supporting inter-organizational learning (IOL) in integrated care. The two research questions ask how organizational network architectures can help involved organizations overcome the barriers of IOL in integrated care (RQ1) and what design recommendations can strengthen the processes of IOL in integrated care (RQ2).Design/methodology/approachThis study applies a qualitative design to analyze an improvement initiative in a regional, integrated care service for elderly patients with multiple illnesses in Norway. An inductive thematic analysis for the triangulating of qualitative data from different sources was applied. Patterns within the data were organized into themes, categories and subcategories. No software was applied.FindingsThe identified characteristics of the organizational network architectures supporting IOL in integrated care in the case under study were: equality of the involved parties, shared goals, recognition of expertise and the abilities to coordinate, design IOL processes and make joint decisions (RQ1). The categories of practices supporting the process of IOL were: insight into complex realities, contradictions, iteration, motivation and prototypes (RQ2).Originality/valueThis study offers much-needed insight into a successful approach for IOL in integrated care. The results offer strategies to be considered when building organizational networks for the improvement of integrated care and relevant practices useful when designing IOL processes in such care services. We believe such knowledge has important implications for policymakers, frontline personnel, education, research and leaders.

Rewiring the organizational network: Corporate offsites and network tie formation

AbstractResearch SummarySocial networks are integral to collaborative work, but research on network change has shed little light on the mechanisms firms use to stimulate collaborative network ties among their employees. In this study, we examine the effects of corporate offsites on the evolution of social networks within an organization. We find that offsites lead to rewiring of intraorganizational networks, but with a surprising asymmetry: they stimulate everyone to initiate more collaboration ties, but only those who attend the offsite receive more ties. These results are consistent with a conceptualization of offsites as direct interventions that focus on social interactions for those who attend, but also as indirect interventions that signal the value of collaboration to everyone, even those who do not attend.Managerial SummaryCorporate offsites are events that convene people from across a firm to interact outside their regular work environment. Despite their popularity, this article offers the first data‐driven analysis of their effectiveness in promoting collaboration among employees. Offsites facilitate employees' awareness of who knows what, build trust, and foster interpersonal affect among employees. This study shows that offsites have a dual effect on the social network of an organization: they prompt everyone in the firm to initiate more collaborative ties following an offsite, but those who actually attend the offsite attract more of those collaborative tie requests. Therefore, offsites can be a useful tool to boost collaboration—with benefits accruing both to the individuals whose networks grow and to the firm in which they work.

Optimization of Participatory and Collaborative Planning Methods for Accelerating the Preparation of Detailed Spatial Plans

The availability of Detailed Spatial Plans (RDTR) is crucial for supporting development implementation and ease of doing business. However, there are still problems in the preparation of RDTR, necessitating acceleration. Regarding this acceleration, it is necessary to analyze how participatory and collaborative planning methods can play a role. Participatory and collaborative approaches are important because public trust and stakeholder relationships in participatory and collaborative planning influence the implementation process and planning outcomes. This study aims to identify the relationships between implementing actors and stakeholders involved in the preparation of RDTR so that they can be optimized with a participatory and collaborative approach. The research methods used are Social Network Analysis (SNA), Organizational Network Analysis (ONA), and post-review surveys. The results show that the relationships between implementing actors and stakeholders related to RDTR preparation are not yet optimal, therefore requiring remapping and rearrangement within the legal framework. Participatory and collaborative approaches will elaborate the possibility of more effective and efficient relationships with changes in roles and media of interaction. Keywords: Collaborative, Network Analysis, Participatory, RDTR, Spatial Planning

Unrequited Workplace Relationships and the Emergence of Negative Ties in Organisational Networks

Unrequited Workplace Relationships and the Emergence of Negative Ties in Organisational Networks

Networks of HIV Service Organisations: Changes Over Time and Implications for HIV Elimination

Networks of HIV Service Organisations: Changes Over Time and Implications for HIV Elimination

THE IMPORTANCE OF MODELING CLUSTER COOPERATION RELATIONS IN CONTINUOUS EDUCATION

This article describes the dynamic landscape of continuous education increasingly necessitates innovative approaches to enhance collaboration and effectiveness among educational institutions and stakeholders. This paper explores the significance of modeling cluster cooperation relations as a strategy to optimize the functioning and impact of educational clusters. Clusters, defined as networks of interconnected institutions and organizations, are pivotal in fostering collaborative practices that support ongoing professional development, resource sharing, and innovative pedagogical practices. Modeling cluster cooperation relations involves the systematic analysis and design of interactions and relationships within educational clusters to promote synergy and achieve shared goals. This study highlights how structured collaboration models can address challenges such as resource allocation, curriculum alignment, and quality assurance. By employing case studies and theoretical frameworks, the paper demonstrates thateffective cluster cooperation can lead to improved educational outcomes, enhanced professional development opportunities, and greater institutional resilience.

Where ideology meets private interest: the three-part composition of climate obstruction in the United States

Abstract A network of organizations working to oppose climate action, called the climate change countermovement (CCCM), has long been a critical yet highly opaque subject of study for social scientists concerned with climate politics. We leverage a new combined dataset of boards of directors, financial contributions, and texts produced by CCCM members to characterize its sources of support and social structure. We show that foundations tend to make more frequent and larger donations to CCCM nonprofits when they are linked through a board member. We also show that CCCM nonprofits which are more distant from each other in the social network of board members produce different climate change discourses. Community detection methods robustly detect three communities within the CCCM: conservative think tanks (CTT), oil and gas trade associations, and utility, coal, and manufacturing trade associations, each with unique goals within the countermovement. The findings suggest that the climate countermovement is an interface among these communities which together ensure that climate action obstruction is achieved on different but complementary fronts, through both discursive and more concrete policy efforts. This paper also introduces a new way of understanding organized climate obstruction and makes significant methodological contributions in the study of social movements and countermovements.

ЕФЕКТИВНЕ ДЕРЖАВНЕ УПРАВЛІННЯ І НАЦІОНАЛЬНА БЕЗПЕКА В КОНТЕКСТІ DEEP STATE

The article explores the concept of the «deep state» as a key element of ensuring sustainable public administration and national security in war and peace. The author examines global and regional development trends that affect the formation of national security and analyses the mechanisms of power and governance in different countries. Particular attention is paid to the role of informal and closed networks in influencing official policy, which allows for a deeper understanding of the sources of information wars and manipulation of public opinion. The relevance of the study is driven by the need to build a transparent, fair and democratic society, as well as to strengthen democratic institutions and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens. The analysis of the deep state allows us to identify the interconnections between state institutions, the military, intelligence services and big business, which often remain outside democratic control. The author notes that the study of the deep state is important for the protection of democratic values, increasing transparency, accountability and efficiency of governance. Particular attention is paid to the influence of the deep state on the information space and the mechanisms of manipulating public opinion through the media. Understanding these processes contributes to the development of critical thinking and the protection of citizens' rights and freedoms. In the context of globalisation, the concept of the deep state is seen as an important factor influencing international relations, trade policies and economic alliances. The study of this phenomenon helps to predict changes in global politics and the economy, which is important for the development of long-term national security strategies. The term «deep state» is used to describe a network of influential individuals or organisations that can exert significant influence on public policy beyond democratic control. This concept is actively discussed in political debates, causing controversy over its role and influence on political processes.

Trimester-specific rate of gestational weight loss or gain and birth size: differences by prepregnancy BMI.

The objective of this study was to estimate the effects of trimester-specific gestational weight gain (GWG) on small and large (compared with appropriate) for gestational age (i.e., SGA, LGA, and AGA) by prepregnancy BMI classifications. We conducted a cohort study of pregnancies in a national network of community health care organizations, stratifying by prepregnancy BMI (n = 20,676 with normal weight; 19,156 with overweight; 11,647 with obesity class I; 5124 with obesity class II; and 3197 with obesity class III). SGA and LGA (vs. AGA) were modeled as a function of trimester 1, 2, or 3 GWG rate, previous trimester(s) GWG rate, and maternal characteristics using modified Poisson regression. GWG rates ranged from weight loss to substantial gains. GWG-LGA associations were strongest in trimester 1 (risk ratio [RR] range for 10th vs. 50th percentile GWG, across BMI categories: 0.60-0.73). GWG-SGA associations were strongest in lower BMI categories and in trimester 2; RRs were 1.62, 1.40, and 1.17 for prepregnancy normal weight, obesity class I, and obesity class III, respectively, with curvilinear associations for class II and III. Among people with prepregnancy obesity class II or III, GWG rate is associated with higher LGA risk in a dose-dependent manner, including understudied ranges of weight loss, but with weak associations with SGA.

Analyzing Threat Level of the Backdoor Attack Method for an Organization’s Operation

Backdoor attacks played a critical part in the catastrophe, as well as the overall impact of cyberattacks. Backdoor assaults are additionally influencing the landscape of malware and threats, forcing companies to concentrate more on detecting and establishing vulnerability tactics in order to avoid hostile backdoor threats. Despite advances in cybersecurity systems, backdoor assaults remain a source of concern because of their propensity to remain undetected long after the attack vector has been started. This research is aimed to examine the threats of backdoor attack methods in an organization's operational network, provide a full-scale review, and serve as direction for training and defensive measures. The fundamental inspiration was drawn from the alarming and involving threat in cybersecurity, which necessitates a better awareness of the level of risk and the concurrent requirement for increased security measures. Most traditional security solutions usually fail to detect harmful backdoors due to the stealthy nature of backdoor code within the system, necessitating a unique approach to full-scale threat analysis. A multi-phase approach that begins with considerable reading and examination of existing literature to get insight into typical backdoor attack methodologies and application methods. Following analysis, testing was carried out in a virtual lab in a controlled environment because thorough malware analysis testing must adhere to ethical and legal cyber testing laws to avoid any penalties or foolish breaches. This methodology also included testing on numerous attack channels combined with backdoor attacks, such as detecting software vulnerabilities, phishing emails, and direct payload injection, to determine the complexity of the different attack vectors. Each of the collected data is utilized to create a threat model that predicts the amount of risk associated with the backdoor attack approach. The finding contributes to the development of more resilient defence mechanisms, while also strengthening the overall organization's security architecture and protocols.

THE CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL SECURITY ANALYTICS: «ORDINARY» APPROACHES TO THE FORMATION OF PUBLIC EXPERT CONTENT

The article is devoted to the basics of public perception of the political security of the state in the conditions of a full-scale invasion of modern Russia into Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to establish the specifics of the analysis of communication threats to modern political security in the public sphere. The significance of “ordinary” or “everyday” approaches to political-security analysis and production of political-security content is characterized. It was emphasized that the “retrospective approach” or “method of historical analogies” in the situational dimension involves comparing the security message or the security crisis situation as a whole with certain historical events of the past. The behavior of the subjects (actors) of the retrospective analysis, who risk drawing the wrong conclusion and incorrectly reflecting the real world, is analyzed. The principles of commenting on the political and security situation based on taking into account a relatively narrow range of facts and circumstances are revealed. The factors of preparation for various outcomes of the development of events and increased preparedness for unexpected situations have been clarified. The guidelines for fostering a culture of “experimentation” and continuous improvement, which is especially important in the context of expert protection of business processes from potential political threats, are revealed. Security analytics ecosystems and the integration of open data observations have been proven to improve the effectiveness of security analysis. Networked horizontal communication and data sharing “ecosystems” between related non-governmental expert-analytical structures have been found to focus on understanding and using social and organizational networks to identify potential threats and opportunities for cooperation. It is substantiated that in the production of secure analytical content it is important to apply the principles of flexible project management. It was established that the possibilities of increasing the effectiveness of retrospective analytics appear on the basis of the selection of historical analogies according to the parameters of the functional conditions. It was found that analysts try to assess security events from the side of a “distant observer” based on a “backward” approach. It was concluded that an important means of discrediting informational “throws” of the enemy is an asymmetric communication action (action) based on the formation of the agenda.

Study on the evolution of multi-level collaborative innovation networks in China’s cloud manufacturing industry

ABSTRACT CMfg is a new service-oriented manufacturing mode integrating new-generation information technologies, and its development promotes the digital transformation of China’s manufacturing industry. Exploring the evolution trend of CMfg's co-innovation networks is essential to the development of manufacturing digitalisation. The research is carried out from three levels: The evolutionary characteristics of the organisational co-innovation network in the CMfg industry are identified through SNA and THA; the evolution of technological co-innovation network is analysed by using FP-Growth and the textual analysis, to recognise the technology convergence trends; the evolution of the factors affecting regional collaborations are discovered by using QAP model to analyse the regional co-innovation network. Following conclusions are achieved: CMfg co-innovation is centred on state-owned enterprises in the power and telecommunication industries, with University–Industry collaboration as the main form; the current hot spots of CMfg technologies are the Resource Perception-and-Access, the Resource Virtualisation-and-Service; the regional collaboration in China's CMfg industry tends to be partnership-led and multi-polar. It suggests that: In the CMfg industry, more enterprises-supporting policy should be made, while the Virtualisation-and-Service technologies need more attention, and the partnerships among regions should be further enhanced.

Clean innovation ecosystems: Lifting distressed communities in Appalachia with clean energy

The U.S. government has invested in distressed communities in the 21st century but with minimal effect. Regarding income, poverty, joblessness, and vacancy rates, the average distressed zip code in 2018 showed no improvement compared to its standing relative to the average prosperous zip code in 2000. We have discovered the formation of unique business clusters funded by public-private partnerships have the potential to make a difference in lifting distressed communities. Our research of literature and artifacts (photographs, videos, documents, digital media - websites or social media posts) suggests the discovery of a Clean Innovation Ecosystem (CIE). CIE refers to the network of social entrepreneurs, organizations, institutions, and individuals that work together to promote sustainable technologies and practices. As of the 4th quarter of 2023, manufacturing annual run rate construction spending has skyrocketed to over $200 billion. There are another $600 billion of Voltage Valley projects announced that have not yet been built. Over the past two decades, private investment has been between $20 billion and $100 billion annually in U.S. manufacturing infrastructure. Governments are making unprecedented investments in clean energy - which include approximately $400 billion in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), $8 billion to establish 6–10 regional Hydrogen Hubs in the U.S., investments in carbon capture, renewable energy technologies, and other investments in clean energy sectors and technologies. All these investments come with the condition that the investment lifts distressed communities. This article explains why investing in Appalachia and geographic regions with similar characteristics will maximize the social benefit of public investment in a Clean Innovation Ecosystem. Our case study covers the Greater Central Appalachian Voltage Valley (GCAVV) – the states of Kentucky, West Virginia, Ohio, Upstate New York, and Michigan, as well as the Central Appalachian region as defined by 56 of the 85 distressed communities of Appalachia.