Policy Research Articles

How have social enterprises dealt with recent crises? Findings from Slovakia and the Czech Republic

By combining desk research and qualitative interviews, we examine how social enterprises in the Czech Republic and Slovakia responded to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian refugee crisis. Our findings reveal a predominance of cost-cutting measures, with limited evidence of innovative, collaborative strategies. To enhance resilience, social enterprises should prioritise strategic partnerships, innovation and capacity building. Policy makers are encouraged to foster cross-sector collaboration and create supportive environments for social enterprises.

The Dangers of AI Nationalism and Beggar-Thy-Neighbour Policies

As they attempt to nurture and govern AI, some nations are acting in ways that – with or without direct intent – discriminate among foreign market actors. For example, some governments are excluding foreign firms from access to incentives for high-speed computing, or requiring local content in the AI supply chain, or adopting export controls for the advanced chips that power many types of AI. If policy makers in country X can limit access to the building blocks of AI – whether funds, data or high-speed computing power – it might slow down or limit the AI prowess of its competitors in country Y and/or Z. At the same time, however, such policies could violate international trade norms of non-discrimination. Moreover, if policy makers can shape regulations in ways that benefit local AI competitors, they may also impede the competitiveness of other nations’ AI developers. Such regulatory policies could be discriminatory and breach international trade rules as well as long-standing rules about how nations and firms compete – which, over time, could reduce trust among nations. In this article, the author attempts to illuminate AI nationalism and its consequences by answering four questions: – What are nations doing to nurture AI capacity within their borders? – Are some of these actions trade distorting? – Are some nations adopting twenty-first century beggar thy neighbour policies? – What are the implications of such trade-distorting actions? The author finds that AI nationalist policies appear to help countries with the largest and most established technology firms across multiple levels of the AI value chain. Hence, policy makers’ efforts to dominate these sectors, as example through large investment sums or beggar thy neighbour policies are not a good way to build trust.

Defining next steps in the clinical implementation of polygenic scores: A landscape analysis of professional groups' perspectives.

Defining next steps in the clinical implementation of polygenic scores: A landscape analysis of professional groups' perspectives.

When policy makers want to protect investors in equity crowdfunding: Does it have regional implications?

When policy makers want to protect investors in equity crowdfunding: Does it have regional implications?

Mapping anemia prevalence across Indonesia.

Anemia is a major health problem worldwide, with complex etiologies and significantly affecting the quality of life and health outcomes. In Indonesia, anemia is a public health concern with a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and infectious disease factors. The prevalence tends to increase in Indonesia from 2007 to 2018. This study aims to explore factors contributing to anemia in Indonesia. We used archived data from various population studies collected between 1995 and 2023. A total of 5,486 subjects from 17 study populations in Indonesia were included in the analyses. The proportions of anemic women are higher than anemic men (p<0.001), and the anemia prevalence in Indonesia is diverse in various populations. More than 50% of this study subjects were microcytic hypochromic anemia with 35% indicative of iron deficiency and 13% of thalassemia based on Mentzer Index and RDW index cut-off. Hb analysis showed that HbA2 and HbF proportions above normal were significantly higher in the anemic group (p<0.001). We also found beta thalassemia proportions were higher in the anemic group (p<0.001) indicating genetic disorders are prevalent in Indonesia. The anemia prevalence in Indonesia is high, and the etiology is very complex, with nutritional and non-nutritional factors. Therefore, anemia mitigation in the Indonesian population should consider nutritional and non-nutritional factors. Policy makers should consider intervention programs beyond nutrient-specific strate-gies such as genetic background of the individuals.

A dataset of yearly probabilistic crop type maps for the EU from 1990 to 2018.

A dataset of yearly probabilistic crop type maps for the EU from 1990 to 2018.

Prevalence and correlates of positive and negative psychological effects of bereavement due to COVID-19: A systematic review.

Prevalence and correlates of positive and negative psychological effects of bereavement due to COVID-19: A systematic review.

Exploring the relationship between personality traits and sexual harassment in Indonesian university students

Sexual harassment in educational institutions has long been a global concern. Various studies on sexual violence have been carried out, but research on personality, power, and moral disengagement, which are associated with sexual harassment behavior among students in higher education, was still limited. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the influence of personality, power, and moral disengagement on sexual harassment behavior among students in higher education. This research involved 403 students from 5 universities in Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) analysis to test the influence of each variable. According to the research's findings, moral disengagement, and personality both have a direct impact on sexual harassment. In addition, moral disengagement has been proven to be able to mediate between power and sexual harassment. The results of this research provide important implications for public policy makers in higher education, practitioners, researchers, and the public in identifying factors of sexual harassment among students in higher education.

Ageing in place or stuck in place: A critical qualitative study on older adults' independence across six municipalities in Norway.

The concept of ageing in place (AIP) has garnered substantial international attention, especially with the global rise in the ageing population. Despite extensive research and policy support, the practical complexities of implementing AIP policy, particularly in diverse living situations, places, social contexts and evolving family structures, remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to critically examine the key factors influencing experiences of AIP among older individuals, family caregivers and municipal health and social care employees across six diverse Norwegian municipalities. This qualitative study utilised an explorative interpretative design, involving focus group interviews with municipal employees (N=36) and semi-structured individual interviews with older persons (N=17) and family caregivers (N=18). The municipalities varied in several key dimensions, including population size, geographic extent, centrality, demographics and the economy. The reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes: i) Ageing-Related Preparation: Balancing Personal and Municipal Responsibility, ii) Access to Proper Services: Aligning the Person-Environment Fit, iii) Family Caregiving: Bridging the Gap between Services and Actual Needs, and iv) Transitional Housing: Supporting Aging in Place with Dignity. Together, these themes highlight the need to promote 'independence literacy' for older adults, ensuring they have the necessary knowledge, access, and support to live independently and maintain their quality of life while AIP. The findings urge a re-evaluation of local factors shaping safe and proper person-environment fit, emphasising access to proper services, caregiver support, housing options, resource allocation and the enhancement of skilled healthcare staff to optimise safe AIP. The findings may be relevant for policy makers, municipal leaders and health service employees in developing equitable AIP policies tailored to the local context.

Demand starter data kit: Selected socio-economic and technical energy system demand modelling data for all 47 counties in Kenya.

Demand starter data kit: Selected socio-economic and technical energy system demand modelling data for all 47 counties in Kenya.

The occurrence of cervicogenic headache: A mapping review.

The occurrence of cervicogenic headache: A mapping review.

Data fitting and optimal control strategies for HBV acute patient cases in the United States.

Data fitting and optimal control strategies for HBV acute patient cases in the United States.

Debt Collection, Strategic Alliance as Business Strategic Initiatives and Organizational Performance: Empirical Evidence in Kenya

Kenya largely depends on import pharmaceuticals for its healthcare needs with imported medicines accounting for 70% total market valuation in Kenya. Success and profitability of import pharmaceutical companies is therefore important for the sustainability of Kenyan health sector and well-being of its citizens. Import pharmaceutical companies face challenges in organizational performance which include Profit, market share, customer retention and inventory turnover. The objective was to establish the effect of debt collection initiative and strategic alliances initiative on organizational performance of import pharmaceutical companies in Kenya. Balanced Scorecard model was used to anchor organizational performance. Descriptive research design was utilized. The taget population under study was 6356 key employees in 125 registered import pharmaceutical companies. Data was collected using open and closed ended questionnaire from 376 employees selected using stratified random sampling. The pilot study involved 38 respondents from the target population. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha and the computed coefficient was 0.808. Content validity was determined using content validity index. (CVI) of 0.8. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated that debt collection and strategic alliance initiatives had a meaningful positive correlation with organizational performance of import pharmaceutical companies in Kenya, with strategic alliance initiatives showing the strongest relationship (r = 0.790, p &lt; 0.001). Debt collection initiatives also had a strong correlation (r = 0.748, p &lt; 0.001). Regression analysis showed that strategic alliances and debt collection initiatives had significant effect on organizational performance. In conclusion debt collection processes should be strengthened through proactive monitoring and digital payment. Organizations should strengthen strategic alliances with suppliers, healthcare institutions, and regulators in order to enhance market expansion and compliance. Research ethics was upheld throughout the study. Findings are relevant to policy makers, industry stakeholders and in designing procedures and guidelines that aid the success and resilience of the import pharmaceutical sector, ultimately benefiting the health industry in Kenya. The research findings lay a foundation for future studies aimed at identifying and implementing effective business strategic initiatives tailored to the needs of import pharmaceutical companies.

Implementation of best-evidence rehabilitation for hip, knee and hand osteoarthritis in Africa: A cause for concern.

Implementation of best-evidence rehabilitation for hip, knee and hand osteoarthritis in Africa: A cause for concern.

Survival disparities in Asian Americans with epithelial ovarian cancer.

e17578 Background: Ovarian cancer represents a leading cancer-related cause of death among women in the United States, with approximately 20,890 new cases expected to be diagnosed in 2025. Studies have demonstrated that by race, White women are more likely than Black women to develop ovarian cancer, with incidence of Asian women falling in between the two groups. Historically, the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) populations have often been studied together as a homogeneous cohort, masking heterogeneity in health behaviors and socioeconomic status. Our goal is to compare disaggregated survival among AANHPI women with non-Hispanic White (NHW) women with ovarian cancer in the United States. Methods: The National Cancer Database was queried between 2004-2022 for patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. AANHPI patients were further disaggregated into subgroups, and non-Hispanic White patients were included as reference. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier estimates, and multivariate analyses were conducted using Cox regression models. Results: A total of 7,803 AANHPI patients were included along with 212,441 NHW patients. AANHPI patients were then categorized into subgroups consisting of 2,909 East Asian (EA), 1,901 South Asian (SA), 2,455 Southeast Asian (SEA), and 538 Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander (NHPI). Compared with NHW, AANHPI experienced longer survival times (128.46 months vs. 95.17 months, p &lt; 0.001). Upon disaggregation, EA patients experienced better survival (128.94 months) than both SEA (121.67 months, p &lt; 0.032) and NHPI (114.77 months, p &lt; 0.047) groups. SA patients were also noted to have better survival (131.75 months) than both their SEA (121.67 months, p-value) and NHPI patients (114.77 months, p-value). Additionally, Cox regression demonstrated SEA and NHPI had higher risk of death compared to EA (HR 1.137, 95% CI 1.036-1.248 and HR 1.334, 95% CI 1.135-1.568.) Conclusions: AANHPI women with epithelial ovarian cancer experienced better survival as a cohort relative to NHW women. However, when disaggregated, there were notable disparities among different subgroups. Patterns of survival rate were heterogeneous, with SEA and NHPI subgroups at highest risk of ovarian cancer death. AANHPI represents a diverse group of individuals, and it is imperative for physicians, researchers, and policy makers to appreciate the true heterogeneity of this population. This understanding will lend to greater overall equity as we aim to target disparities across ethnic cohorts.

Climate sensitive designs for policy makers: How LES model resolution affects accuracy in capturing urban micro-scale weather during heatwaves

Climate sensitive designs for policy makers: How LES model resolution affects accuracy in capturing urban micro-scale weather during heatwaves

A multi-stakeholder perspective on the use of digital technologies in European organic and agroecological farming systems

A multi-stakeholder perspective on the use of digital technologies in European organic and agroecological farming systems

Uncertainty Kills the Cake: Economy and Society After Brexit and Beyond

This article discussed the key political issue limiting a genuine assessment of Brexit, in particular the divergence between the political narratives around migration and the facts regarding the actual economic impacts of migration, and the economic effects of labour vs. capital mobility. Moving forward, the article discusses political options regarding Britain’s relationship with the EU suggesting membership to the Customs Union and Single Market. The article concludes with an alternative building on a green, purple, red new deal for radical abundance to challenge the current status quo and pave the way for a democratic discussion on Britain’ rejoining the EU.

Association Between Road Traffic Accidents and Economic Growth with a Special Focus on Alcohol Consumption – A Comparison of Six Alpine Countries

By preventing traffic accidents, the economic burden on health care can be reduced. The aim of our research was to examine the relationship between road traffic accidents with injuries and changes in the number of passenger cars per thousand inhabitants with regard to economic development and alcohol consumption in the Alpine region. A study on the ecological relationships was conducted for the Alpine countries that had data going back at least 20 years. Spearman's rank correlations were used for analysis. Road traffic accidents involving injuries were significantly and negatively correlated with years, Gross domestic product and cars per thousand inhabitants. A significant positive correlation was found between road traffic accidents and alcohol consumption. In conclusion, an increase in the number of cars in itself does not lead to more accidents and avoidable deaths in any country. Therefore, policy makers should consider investigating the introduction of zero tolerance in these countries.

The Role of Innovation in Business Planning: Creating Competitive Advantage through Creative Strategy

The success of business is the main goal for companies, especially in the face of increasingly fierce competition in the global market. The dynamics of market changes, technological developments, and changing consumer preferences force companies to continue to innovate and adapt. This research aims to understand the role of innovation in business planning and how creative strategies based on innovation can be used to create competitive advantage. Using a literature study approach, this research highlights how innovation is not only important in developing new products but also in creating more effective and efficient business strategies. Innovation-based creative strategies enable companies to respond to market challenges in a more flexible way, introduce solutions that differentiate the company from its competitors, and create significant added value for customers. The results of this study show that the integration of innovation in business planning and innovation-based creative strategies is a major factor in creating sustainable competitive advantage. The findings provide useful practical and theoretical insights for companies, academics, and policy makers in formulating more adaptive and future-oriented business strategies.