Private Research Organizations Research Articles

Socio-Economic Structure & Sustainable Development of Indigenous Society: A Study on the Munda Community

There are 50 indigenous or minority ethnic groups scattered across different regions of Bangladesh, of which the Mandas are a community. The Munda community has been living in the areas adjacent to the Sundarbans of Khulna and Satkhira districts for hundreds of years. Originally, their forefathers were the ones who cut down the forest and made the land suitable for cultivation without caring about the roar of the tiger and the snake. The ancestors of the Munda’s played a major role in cutting down the forests in the area surrounding the present Sundarbans and making them suitable for human settlement. The number of Munda’s scattered in the Sundarbans and its surrounding areas is decreasing day by day due to various types of adverse environment. On the other hand, the Munda’s own culture is also under threat due to the influence of Bengali culture. The main aim of this research is how to develop sustainable development of the Munda community from their current socioeconomic structure in view of the current condition of the Munda community. The study is mainly quantitative in nature. Koira and Dumuria upazila of Khulna district and Shyamnagar, Debhata and Tala upazila of Satkhira district were selected through convenient sampling technique for the purpose of collecting primary data, because a large part of Munda community lives in these areas. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 250 respondents from five preselected areas. The respondents were selected using simple random sampling technique. Data was analyzed in terms of statistical indicators of frequency and percentage. The results of the study show that social indicators, Economic indicators and Cultural factors are very weak among the Munda community. Among the social indicators, Munda women and men have very little interest in following hygiene rules (Sanitation, Birth Control). Economic indicators show Income Source, Jobs Opportunity Munda community is facing many challenges recently. Many educated boys and girls of the Munda community spend their days in agony due to lack of suitable jobs which has a negative impact on everyone in the community. Cultural factor shows that the Munda community, which is plagued by poverty, can celebrate its cultural events in a grand manner, so that other communities or ethnic groups do not get any idea about their culture. This research will be of great help to those who work with the indigenous communities of Bangladesh, especially the various ministries of the government, NGOs, policy makers, government and private research organizations will be benefited.

Building on the past to help prepare the workforce for the future with automated vehicles: A systematic review of automated passenger vehicle deployment timelines

A variety of stakeholders have put forth automated vehicle (AV) deployment timeline predictions over the past decade. To synthesize these predictions, we performed a systematic literature review of past and current AV deployment timeline predictions in the United States from different stakeholder groups, including private stakeholders, government organizations, and research organizations. Our analysis revealed that none of the AV mass deployment timelines from any stakeholder group have been met. It also shows discrepancies between timelines put forth by private and public stakeholders, with the private sector being more optimistic in their predictions. Accurate timelines are needed so regulators are able to create appropriate public policies and comprehensive budgets, and private stakeholders can make better informed decisions. More specifically, the mass deployment of AVs is anticipated to affect many transportation-related jobs which reinforces the importance of accurate AV deployment timelines to prepare the workers who may be displaced and for the development of workforce education and training initiatives.

INNOVATION VOUCHERS AS A MODERN FINANCIAL TOOL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMES

The subject of the study is innovation vouchers as a modern tool to support "green" SME projects. Innovation vouchers are financial instruments that perform a number of functions for the development of SMEs. They can stimulate its cooperation between research institutes or universities in the development of innovations and implementation of innovative solutions. It can become an alternative more effective tool for the use of public funds. Innovation vouchers formed the basis of financial support for the implementation of the development strategy of the region in the context of smart specialization. In the countries of the Eastern Partnership, such tools are only part of the practice, while the OECD countries have been actively using them for more than 10 years. In this regard, it was decided to analyze existing SME support programs using innovation vouchers in OECD countries and to give practical recommendations for the implementation of foreign experience in the development of SME support policies in the Eastern Partnership countries. The main method of research is the analytical method. A critical analysis of the scientific literature and policy documents helped form the concept of the use of innovation vouchers by SMEs. The study analyzed 47 programs to support SMEs with innovation vouchers, which operated for 12 years (from 2008 to 2020). Both quantitative indicators (total value of the program with innovation vouchers, maximum voucher value, etc.) and qualitative data (target group, directions of innovation financing) were taken into account. Classification features of innovation vouchers, their target audience, distribution of programs among target group participants (SMEs, companies of different ages, universities, state research institutes, microbusinesses, incubators, gas pedals, science parks, etc.), cost of vouchers, validity of innovation vouchers were determined. The main conclusion may be that when introducing innovation vouchers as tools to support micro-, small- and medium-sized businesses, it must be taken into account that the circle of knowledge providers must be broad (it may include private and public research organizations, universities, and other relevant types of providers). The requirement for co-financing needs to be met as well in order to reduce the risks of inefficient use of funds. In addition, support for innovative enterprises should be broadcast at all levels: local and national. The following target stakeholder groups can benefit from the results of the study: research institutes, universities, SMEs, policy makers, government, NGOs involved in innovation support, etc.

Preface

In the present era, Mechanical Engineering is the back-bone of the economy of a nation. The theme of the conference is to explore the new horizon of innovations by academics, researchers and scientists from worldwide to discuss, exchange knowledge about the advancements in mechanical engineering science. The conference is organized by the academics and researchers belong to various scientific areas of Mechanical Engineering and its allied fields.ICTMES-2020 focuses on the advancements in the filed of Mechanical Engineering Science applied to the areas of Materials & Manufacturing, Engineering Design, Thermal Engineering and Industrial Engineering & Management. The conference is aimed for creating a cross disciplinary summit that transcends departmental, institutional, industrial, public and private research organizations and global barriers and lends itself to the integration of research and education in the vital field of advancements in Mechanical Engineering Science. In addition to the contributory papers, the conference aims at inviting renowned experts for delivering keynote addresses / special plenary lectures in the field of Mechanical Engineering Sciences. All the accepted papers will be published in the book of abstracts of the conference.List of Editors are available in this pdf.

An exploratory study on innovation policy in eight Asian countries

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the evolution of eight Asian countries’ innovation policy instruments during three economic development phases. Another goal is to examine common and different policy instruments of Japan, Korea and China, which have already reached the post-catch-up stage, to provide lessons to less-developed and developing Asian countries.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a qualitative research methodology, in particular a narrative approach. For triangulation, this paper uses a wide range of secondary data. The authors selected eight Asian countries by using various criteria, including income level and market size, and examined each country in terms of innovation performance and evolution of innovation policy instruments. The evolution of innovation policy in each country is investigated during three economic development phases: pre-industrialization, industrialization and catch-up and post-catch-up.FindingsThe findings show, first, that a higher research and development (R&D) expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), R&D activities dominated by private research organizations and more vigorous patent activities by residents than nonresidents are the most critical factors for becoming a high-income country. Second, innovation policy should be suitable for attaining aims, which are different at each economic development stage. Third, seven lessons from three prosperous Asian countries are crucial for economic development: securing political stability; increasing R&D expenditures; facilitating the acquisition, diffusion and internalization of technology; encouraging government–industry–university collaborations; using the selection and concentration strategy; changing the governmental role from regulator to facilitator; and establishing a legal framework.Originality/valueIt is difficult to find research that systematically compares three or more Asian countries’ innovation policies over the long term. This study fills this gap and helps scholars and field workers increase their understanding of innovation policy in eight Asian countries. It also contributes to providing lessons for practitioners that could help developing and less-developed Asian countries establish a suitable innovation policy for each economic development stage.

Role of DRDO developed technologies/ products for combating against COVID-19

In the ongoing efforts against COVID-19 pandemic, DRDO has been using scientific endeavors to develop various technologies/ products in an accelerated manner like other leading public and private research organizations of the Government of India. DRDO laboratories are working in a 24×7 manner with the possibility of producing spin-off technologies/ products and also collaborating with industry partners for their volume production geared to support the national mission to combat COVID-19. As a result of these efforts, DRDO is ready with some technologies/ products that can be utilized for combating COVID-19.

Enhancing farmers\u2019 agency in the global crop commons through use of biocultural community protocols

Crop genetic resources constitute a ‘new’ global commons, characterized by multiple layers of activities of farmers, genebanks, public and private research and development organizations, and regulatory agencies operating from local to global levels. This paper presents sui generis biocultural community protocols that were developed by four communities in Benin and Madagascar to improve their ability to contribute to, and benefit from, the crop commons. The communities were motivated in part by the fact that their national governments’ had recently ratified the Plant Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol, which make commitments to promoting the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities and farmers, without being prescriptive as to how Contracting Parties should implement those commitments. The communities identified the protocols as useful means to advance their interests and/or rights under both the Plant Treaty and the Nagoya Protocol to be recognized as managers of local socio-ecological systems, to access genetic resources from outside the communities, and to control others’ access to resources managed by the community.

Border Control Technologies of Western Nations: Legal, Ethical and Financial Issues

While in the past border control was mostly about military and political supremacy today it is being enhanced often to protect the public resources, culture, population and to maintain social security. A brief history of border control technologies has been discussed and then how it evolved from simple border protection to complex ethnic, national and cultural protection. Border control techniques utilize air, land, naval and biometric technologies to preserve the border and ethnic and socio-cultural integrity of western countries. The objective of this study was to understand cost of such technologies, its effects on human rights and existing laws to address such violations of human rights. The analysis has been a systematic review of existing and evolving technologies. Various journals and papers, public and private research organizations have been examined in this regard. The paper finds that such technologies cost high, have harmed human rights and at the same time necessary laws have not been developed to tackle these violations. The paper proposes that to establish equitable and proportionate use of such technologies an international mechanism must be developed through the UN which must ensure proper legal and ethical framework is set up to maintain and function these advanced technologies while optimizing costs and environmental impact.

Development of the US Plans for Post-War Japan during World War II

Signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on September 2, 1945 had formally ended the most destructive and bloody war in the history of mankind. Even before that a new balance of power on the international arena began to form, that would persist for almost half a century. At the same time, it was obvious from the outright that the Allies had very different views on how the post-war world order should look like. Traditionally, both Russian and foreign academic literature focused on their disputes regarding the German question. This paper provides a brief overview of the US Department of State planning and recommendation process for the post-war reconstruction of Japan in 1939–1945, which had eventually led to the formation of the socalled San Francisco subsystem of international relations. The first section of the paper outlines the challenges faced by the State Department when it came to planning the post-war architecture of the Far East. In that regard, the author pays particular attention to the staff shortage, which forced the Department of State to strengthen partnership with private research organizations and involve them in long-term planning.The author emphasizes that if before the United States entered the war the US planners adopted a rather tough stance on Japan, after the attack on Pearl Harbor their approaches paradoxically changed. The second section examines the contradictions and tensions between those politicians and experts who believed that in the establishment of the post-war order in the Far East the US should cooperate with China, and those who promoted rapprochement with Japan. These groups were unofficially referred to as the ‘Chinese team’ and the ‘Japanese crowd’ accordingly. The paper shows that as the end of the war approached, these contradictions gradually faded into the background. The needs to promote the interdepartmental cooperation and to reconcile the positions of the State Department, the Military and Naval Ministries on the future of Japan came to the fore. This work resulted in a series of memoranda, which laid the foundation for the US post-war policy towards Japan. In conclusion the author provides a general assessment of the strategic decision-making process in the United States during wartime and emphasizes its consistency, thoroughness and flexibility. As a result, it enabled the US to achieve what seemed impossible: to turn Japan from an ardent adversary of the United States in the Pacific into one of its most reliable allies, and it remains such today.

Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors identified from Camellia sinensis for COVID-19 prophylaxis: an in silico approach

To respond to the public panic, government and private research organizations of every country keep working on the COVID-19 pandemic, even though still there is a lack of more efficacious medicine for the choice of Coronavirus disease treatment. To counteract on this situation several approved drugs including anti-malarial (hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine), and few anti-viral (remdesvir) agents are choice of treatment for COVID-19. However, these agents suffer from certain limitation in their uses and pointed that there is no specific treatment or vaccine available to counter this contagious disease. Hence, there is urgent requirement to find a specific cure for the disease. In this view, there are several ongoing clinical trials of both western and traditional medicines. In present study, phytochemicals from Camellia sinensis were retrieved from the database and identified based on their ability to inhibit matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) against SARS-CoV-2 main protease. Camellia sinensis entails of a massive number of phytochemicals with a good source of polyphenols such as Catechin, Epicatechin, Epigallocatechin and (–)-Epigallocatechin gallate. Molecular docking was performed using the GLIDE docking module of Schrodinger Suite software. The analysis displayed docking score for the five polyphenols i.e. theaflavin (− 8.701), 1-O-caffeoylquinic acid (− 7.795), Genistein (− 7.168), Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (− 6.282) and Ethyl trans-caffeate (− 5.356). Interestingly, theaflavin and Epigallocatechin 3-gallate have not revealed any side effects. These polyphenolic compounds had a strong binding affinity with hydrogen bonds and a good drug-likeness score. Therefore, Camellia sinensis could be the beneficial option in the prophylaxis of the COVID-19 outbreak.

What is the State of Artificial Intelligence Governance Globally?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative technology that offers both great benefits and poses a number of challenges. Effective governance is important to ensure that the ethical concerns are met. James Butcher and Irakli Beridze provide an overview of current AI governance activities, covering notable examples across the private sector, public sector, research and multi-stakeholder organisations, and the UN. They take a deeper look at regulation, then reflect on the future of AI governance, touching on some frameworks that may offer guidance for the beneficial development of AI technologies while mitigating the risks.

Antimicrobial resistance \u2013 moving forward?

BackgroundWhen microorganisms (such as bacteria or viruses) are highly exposed to antimicrobial drugs, they can develop the capacity to defeat the drugs designed to eradicate them. Long-term accumulation of adaptations to survive drug exposure can lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The success of antibiotics has led to their widespread overuse and misuse in humans, animals and plants.Main textAMR is a global concern and solutions are not vertical actions in a single buy business model.Even if a transectoral approach is key, there is a lack of multi-disciplinary partnerships that allow for strategic cooperation between different sectors such as the pharmaceutical industry, agro-alimentary complex, patient care and education, NGOs and research and development. Global public health voices should lead this integration to align the progress of existing AMR successes. Maintaining the public’s trust in preventive medicine, health systems and food production safety, together with public health driven, non-profit drug development, is a key factor. In its “Call for integrated action on AMR”, signed by about 70 national and international organizations the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) called “on all governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, health professionals, public and private research organizations, and all stakeholders to ensure that public health remains at the centre of all policy and scientific endeavours in the field of antimicrobial resistance”.ConclusionsThe “Global Charter for the Public’s Health”, developed by the WFPHA in association with WHO, is proposed in this article as a tool for implementation of complex public health actions such as AMR.

Dance Management in School Education in Japan : Related Organizations and an Example of Their Activities

This paper introduces and shares cases from Japan to consider future dance management in other Asian nations. In recent years, the biggest changes in Japan have been making dance classes compulsory for both males and females in physical education in schools. The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology declared, “Dance is made up of creative dance, folk dance, and modern rhythm dance. As an exercise that emphasizes enriched communication with others through interactions via expressions and dance that captures an image, students can put emotion into their dancing with others, and experience the joy of expressing an image of oneself.” In March 2008, the Ministry published revisions to the Junior High School Course of Study and later similarly revised the Elementary School Course of Study. Making dance compulsory gave rise to initiatives for dance in schools that incorporated community and pro dancers. In particular, this paper gathered cases of instructor licenses related to organizations that support dance in schools, dance competitions, and pro dancers. Consequently, though various forms of partnerships have started between pro dancers and dance-related organizations in recent years, there is no licensing system to fill the lack of instructors created by making dance compulsory, and this paper demonstrates that schools must rely on licenses issued by private firms and research organizations.

Economic and Financial Monitoring of Research Organizations

Abstract A research project achieves its utmost utility when it manages to combine the achieved technical-scientific results with the optimization of economic and financial resources adopted. Effective research budget structuring is required as well as focused monitoring of the use of resources on the basis of planned scheduling. When creating the budget, it is essential to optimize the times and ways of use of researchers because resources are fundamental. The monitoring phase should make sure that the controlling body is not related to the scientific director of the project itself. Furthermore, monitoring should ensure prompt notification of budget deviations so that the research director can make the required corrections. Objective: The paper aims at showing the essential role of economic and financial control in order to achieve optimum effectiveness and efficiency of research. The demonstration was achieved by simply using an in-field experience within a private research organization. Methodology: The sources for this paper included the ones from a process of participating observation. Findings: The source is specific to the case studied in a participative way by the authors Value Added: The value of the paper can be seen from the illustration and comment on an operational situation concerning a private research organization. It is especially important for these organizations to achieve an economic and financial equilibrium in order to survive and to become operationally independent with respect to financing entities. Recommendations: The achievement of an economic/financial equilibrium is essential for all organizations including research entities. The priority given to effectiveness and efficiency in research projects would be desirable in public and university research organizations as well. Field studies for these organizations may highlight ample margins of recovery of efficiency and effectiveness as well as detecting improvement methodologies.

The Influence of Knowledge Sources on Firm-Level Innovation: The Case of Slovak and Hungarian Manufacturing Firms

This paper seeks to examine the various sources of knowledge and innovation that Slovak and Hungarian manufacturing firms rely on to improve their innovative performance. To carry out our empirical analysis we used the multiple regression technique and data from the Community Innovation Survey conducted between 2010 and 2012. Our empirical analysis demonstrated divergent results for both countries. Slovak firms derived their innovation from in-house activities and other sources such as scientific journals and conferences while Hungarian firms relied on market sources such as cooperation with clients or customers from the private sector for their innovation as well as from scientific journals. However, there was a convergence in the results, manufacturing firms in both countries didn’t collaborate with research institutions such as universities and other public and private research organization for their innovation. This study, therefore, proposes firms to foster closer collaboration with these research institutions since they are the birthplaces of innovation that can increase their competitiveness and innovation performance.

Behavioral Intentions and Retention of Technical and Scientific Staff in Research and Development Organizations

Different reasons influence intentions of technical and scientific professionals to stay or leave their current jobs, impacting the ability of companies to retain these professionals. This paper identified the antecedents of intentions to leave, intentions to stay, and retention of such technical and scientific professionals in private research and development organizations from the Greater Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Data was collected via online questionnaires between December, 2014 and March, 2015. Job satisfaction and supervisory support were negatively related to the intention to leave the organization, and positively related to the intention to stay in the organization. Training and development opportunities and organizational culture presented negative relation only to the intention to leave the organization. The article discusses these results and presents suggestions for future studies.

Gender inequality in the work environment: a study of private research organizations in India

PurposeSince liberalization in the 1990s, India has witnessed a growth in the number of educated middle-class women in professions. However, there are few women in leadership positions and decision-making bodies. While the earlier notion of the ideal woman as homemaker has been replaced by one which idealizes women of substance, a woman’s role in the family continues to be pivotal and is even viewed as central in defining Indian culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how and to what extent gender inequalities are reproduced in the organizations employing educated professionals.Design/methodology/approachBased on the perspective that gender is socially constructed, this paper analyzes gender inequality in Indian organizations through semi-structured interviews of men and women scientists in two private pharmaceutical laboratories.FindingsThe findings show reproduction of a gendered normative order through two types of norms and practices: one, norms and practices that favor men and second, socio-cultural norms that devalue women in public spaces which help to maintain masculinity in the workplace. Although these practices might be found elsewhere in the world, the manner in which they are enacted reflects national cultural norms.Originality/valueThe paper highlights how various norms and practices enacted in the specific Indian socio-cultural context construct and maintain masculinity at workplace depriving opportunities to professional women which affect their rise to leadership positions.

Application of game theory and new institutional economics in establishing a National Voluntary Organisation for Professional Evaluation in Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, there is a plethora of evaluators found in the over 90 universities, specialised educational institutions and private research organisations. However, there is limited or no opportunity for networking among the evaluators from similar and different programmatic specialisations. After applying the determinant framework to assess the evaluation capacity development situation in Nigeria, we agree on the importance of supporting the establishment of a National Voluntary Organisation for Professional Evaluation (VOPE).Objectives: Several leaders in evaluation were competing recently for occupying the national space reserved for a National VOPE. The main objective was to encourage partnership.Methods: We used a powerful theoretical framework provided by game theory and new institutional economics. We analysed the situation and identified the challenge they are facing as a Nash Equilibrium-of-a-Game View of Institutions: each player knows the equilibrium strategies of the other players and no player has anything to gain by changing only his or her own strategy. This explains why Nigerian evaluation leaders were not able to cooperate for the last two decades.Results and conclusion: To break this barrier, we proposed a new deal to the leaders that had the advantages of reshaping the ‘rules of the game’. We proposed a federation of associations, akin to a coalition in game theory. The result was that all leaders came together under this umbrella organisation, to celebrate the evaluation year in 2015 and committed under the Abuja Declaration on Evaluation to register and establish an association, with an elected board, a written constitution and election bylaws. The association is governed by a Board of Trustees, which is chaired by the former Minister of Planning. Elections are planned for the end of 2017.

Обоснование механизма доминирующего государственного участия в освоении ресурсов высоколиквидных полезных ископаемых Арктики

For a scientific discussion the authors present proposals on the formation in Russia of a new form of effective mineral resource base development of the strategic solid mineral resources in the Arctic zone of Siberia and the Far East. The mechanism is based on the prevailing govenmental participation in projects of development and exploitation of highly liquid metals (rare earth elements, Tomtor ore cluster in Yakutia) and minerals (diamond abrasive materials, Rock Popigai meteorite crater deposit in Krasnoyarsk region) in the Siberian Arctic, carried out under conditions of high risk. Shown, that due to the unique parameters of both rare earth and diamond ores flow of hi-tech products and semi-products is formed. With the extension of the technological and value chain - delivery to the domestic and the global markets of highly liquid products (oxides of rare earth metals and high-purity metals, technical super abrasive diamond powders and products for the treatment of materials). Thus, a cluster for the production of final products based on rare-earth metals and super abrasive rough diamonds with high added value can be created. Milestones and additional exploration operations, preparations for the operation and development of deposits are carried out by the State Corporation for Mineral Resources with the joint participation, investment, technological cooperation of private companies and research organizations. The Corporation could be considered as a platform for international cooperation and foreign investment in technological chains of a presented mega-project of development of two closely located deposits. Introduced organizational and economic mechanism allows to: a) carry out public administration of complex resource projects in the Arctic and to develop them to an economically efficient level with a gradual sale of business projects to the private sector; b) to initiate and stimulate long-term scientific and technological development in conditions of high risk; c) to form a system of preferences for the development of Russian high-tech exports; d) ensure Russia’s economic presence and increased geopolitical and geo-economic interests in the Arctic.

ROAD TO BUILDING AND SUSTAINING NOVEL CLINICAL RESEARCH CAPACITY IN RESOURCE-LIMITED SETTINGS: LESSONS LEARNT SO FAR FROM RWANDA

BackgroundHarnessing research for enhancing capacity for evidence-informed policies is key for sustainability in countries that are still facing poverty-related diseases. During current customised medicine and drug-resistance era, priority has shifted...