Proposed Research Questions Research Articles

Timor Zone: Slave Trading Network from the Traditional Era to the Late Nineteenth-Century Dutch Colonial State

This article examines the continuity and changes of the Timorese slave trade network from the traditional era to the late nineteenth-century Dutch colonial state. Archival records, newspapers, and other literature were used extensively to reconstruct the map of the Timorese slave trading. Grasping the dynamics of change and trade networks of Timor, there were two proposed research questions: First, how did the Timorese slave trading network experience continuity and change from the traditional period until the late nineteenth-century Dutch colonial state? Second, to what extent does the need for labour in the global and Southeast Asian context play in shaping and catalyzing the expansion of the Timorese slave network? Timor and its surroundings were deemed slave enclaves (peripheries) with several trading centres. Traditionally, slave trade routes formed from Timor to Java and Malacca. In addition, it was intended for Dili and Macau during the Portuguese era. During the VOC era, Batavia and Banda were the busiest routes of the Timorese slave trade. Networking was increasingly across-the-board, along with the need for labour to meet the demands of the global market. Henceforward, during the Dutch East Indies, the slave trading network continued expanding to Maurits, Réunion, Macau, Mozambique, and Mombasa and several years after the post-prohibition of slavery, leaving Ende Bay as the only centre of the slavery trade.

Proposal for an index measuring the reputation of open data portals: The Odapri

The demand for open data has led to the creation and the availability of numerous portals releasing data. However, a large percentage of them are not properly designed for professional use. One way to analyze the value that a portal delivers is through its reputation, but this is a concept that has not yet been well defined or measured. This work will focus on the reputation of open data portals with two objectives. The first objective is to delimit the concept of reputation for open data portals, therefore leading to the first proposed research question: How can the reputation of open data portals be defined? The second objective is to propose criteria for measuring reputation and to create a reputation index for open data portals, with the second research question: How can the reputation of open data portals be assessed? This work is conceptual and descriptive and proposes a multidimensional definition of this concept, which includes whether it is known, being known for something, and its generalized favorability. In addition, a proposal is made for a reputation index identifying its dimensions and measurements, and finally, an analysis of its usefulness is presented. To this end, a figure has been created that summarizes the dimensions and benefits for creators and developers of open data portals and for the different application sectors (public, private, academic, and third sector). This research can help public administrations and other sectors to have a reference of good practices when offering open data to citizens and organizations oriented towards creating value in society.

A research agenda at the intersection of sport sponsorship and service

PurposeThe purpose of this work is (1) to supply a framework of actors in sport sponsorship and articulate the service relationships that support these partnerships and (2) to propose research questions in this space that are unaddressed and forward-looking.Design/methodology/approachSponsorship is part of a complex network of actors and service relationships found in sport. The sports team, activity, or event is a sport property, often with long-term and dynamic service relationships. The authors consider how a sponsor's relationship with the sport property intersects with organizing bodies, venues, communities and society. The authors identify clusters of actors that interact with and influence other clusters (e.g. governing bodies, media, host community and venue/teams/fans) within an ecosystem, paying special attention to aspects of co-creation and co-destruction and the feedback loops that cause them.FindingsThrough this analysis, the authors identify areas of needed research at the intersection of sport sponsorship and service. The model synthesizes the literature from service-dominant logic, sports, sponsorship, systems thinking and co-creation/co-destruction research areas. Using the model and relevant cases, the authors can better understand the complexities of sport service relationships and advance research at the intersection of sport sponsorship and service.Originality/valueThis is the first sport sponsorship service ecosystem model. It is also the first integration of systems thinking with constructs in sport sponsorship and services.

Gordian knot uncut: Understanding the problem of founder exit in social ventures

Eventually, all founders leave their social ventures either on their own accord or because they are compelled to do so. However, there is a high level of uncertainty over how founder exit decisions are made in these firms. In this thick problem description of founder exit in social ventures, we identify the factors that distinguish the social entrepreneurship context through the founder, firm, and ecosystem perspectives. The influence of these factors on founder exit is elaborated. Based on the insights developed, we propose research questions that future studies could pursue to expand our understanding of founder exit, exit routes, and succession in social ventures.

The Clinical Impact of Flash Glucose Monitoring-a Digital Health App and Smartwatch Technology in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Scoping Review.

Type 2 diabetes has a growing prevalence and confers significant cost burden to the health care system, raising the urgent need for cost-effective and easily accessible solutions. The management of type 2 diabetes requires significant commitment from the patient, caregivers, and the treating team to optimize clinical outcomes and prevent complications. Technology and its implications for the management of type 2 diabetes is a nascent area of research. The impact of some of the more recent technological innovations in this space, such as continuous glucose monitoring, flash glucose monitoring, web-based applications, as well as smartphone- and smart watch-based interactive apps has received limited attention in the research literature. This scoping review aims to explore the literature available on type 2 diabetes, flash glucose monitoring, and digital health technology to improve diabetic clinical outcomes and inform future research in this area. A scoping review was undertaken by searching Ovid MEDLINE and CINAHL databases. A second search using all identified keywords and index terms was performed on Ovid MEDLINE (January 1966 to July 2021), EMBASE (January 1980 to July 2021), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; the Cochrane Library, latest issue), CINAHL (from 1982), IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Libraries, and Web of Science databases. There were very few studies that have explored the use of mobile health and flash glucose monitoring in type 2 diabetes. These studies have explored somewhat disparate and limited areas of research, and there is a distinct lack of methodological rigor in this area of research. The 3 studies that met the inclusion criteria have addressed aspects of the proposed research question. This scoping review has highlighted the lack of research in this area, raising the opportunity for further research in this area, focusing on the clinical impact and feasibility of the use of multiple technologies, including flash glucose monitoring in the management of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Artificial Intelligence Applications for MEMS-Based Sensors and Manufacturing Process Optimization

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology-based sensors have found diverse fields of application due to the advancement in semiconductor manufacturing technology, which produces sensitive, low-cost, and powerful sensors. Due to the fabrication of different electrical and mechanical components on a single chip and complex process steps, MEMS sensors are prone to deterministic and random errors. Thus, testing, calibration, and quality control have become obligatory to maintain the quality and reliability of the sensors. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) can provide significant benefits, such as handling complex data, performing root cause analysis, efficient feature estimation, process optimization, product improvement, time-saving, automation, fault diagnosis and detection, drift compensation, signal de-noising, etc. Despite several benefits, the embodiment of AI poses multiple challenges. This review paper provides a systematic, in-depth analysis of AI applications in the MEMS-based sensors field for both the product and the system level adaptability by analyzing more than 100 articles. This paper summarizes the state-of-the-art, current trends of AI applications in MEMS sensors and outlines the challenges of AI incorporation in an industrial setting to improve manufacturing processes. Finally, we reflect upon all the findings based on the three proposed research questions to discover the future research scope.

Does financial statement readability alleviate the informational disadvantage of foreign investors?

PurposeThis paper aims to explore whether financial statement readability overcomes the information disadvantage of foreign equity investors.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive data set of Indian firms listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) for 2007–2019 has been used to evaluate the proposed research questions. This study uses the Panel data method to investigate the research question.FindingsThe results reveal that readable financial statements attract foreign investments. The readability benefits are more noticeable for firms operating in less competitive industries and having poor earnings quality.Originality/valueThis study suggests that foreign investors facing informational disadvantages prefer firms with better readability as a substitute for informational acquisition, processing and monitoring.

Combating Covid-19 using machine learning and deep learning: Applications, challenges, and future perspectives.

COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic that has affected many people and thousands of individuals have died due to COVID-19, during the last two years. Due to the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in X-ray image interpretation, sound analysis, diagnosis, patient monitoring, and CT image identification, it has been further researched in the area of medical science during the period of COVID-19. This study has assessed the performance and investigated different machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), and combinations of various ML, DL, and AI approaches that have been employed in recent studies with diverse data formats to combat the problems that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, this study shows the comparison among the stand-alone ML and DL-based research works regarding the COVID-19 issues with the combinations of ML, DL, and AI-based research works. After in-depth analysis and comparison, this study responds to the proposed research questions and presents the future research directions in this context. This review work will guide different research groups to develop viable applications based on ML, DL, and AI models, and will also guide healthcare institutes, researchers, and governments by showing them how these techniques can ease the process of tackling the COVID-19.

War and International Business: Insights from Political Science

How might businesses foster peace? We borrow insights from political science on the causes of war to guide IB scholarly research. We analyze war as a bargaining failure and present five causes of war (unchecked authority, intangible incentives, uncertainty, commitment problems, and misperceptions). We then identify business-for-peace initiatives (modifying incentives for war and peace, ex-combatant demobilization and reintegration, providing information, mediation and track-two diplomacy, peace guarantees, and community engagement) and propose research questions for each. Our work has important implications for IB scholars conducting research on firms operating in conflict-prone environments.

Top 10 priorities for Sexual Violence and Abuse Research: indings of the James Lind Alliance Sexual Violence Priority Setting Partnership

ObjectivesTo establish a James Lind Alliance (JLA) Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) to identify research priorities relevant to the health and social care needs of adults with lived experience of recent...

Machine Learning Applications in Malware Classification: A Meta-Analysis Literature Review

With a text mining and bibliometrics approach, this study reviews the literature on the evolution of malware classification using machine learning. This work takes literature from 2008 to 2022 on the subject of using machine learning for malware classification to understand the impact of this technology on malware classification. Throughout this study, we seek to answer three main research questions: RQ1: Is the application of machine learning for malware classification growing? RQ2: What is the most common machine-learning application for malware classification? RQ3: What are the outcomes of the most common machine learning applications? The analysis of 2186 articles resulting from a data collection process from peerreviewed databases shows the trajectory of the application of this technology on malware classification as well as trends in both the machine learning and malware classification fields of study. This study performs quantitative and qualitative analysis using statistical and N-gram analysis techniques and a formal literature review to answer the proposed research questions. The research reveals methods such as support vector machines and random forests to be standard machine learning methods for malware classification in efforts to detect maliciousness or categorize malware by family. Machine learning is a highly researched technology with many applications, from malware classification and beyond.

Mental Health Crisis Among Children and Adolescents

The increasing incidence of mental health illnesses among children and adolescents has become a dire public health issue and a concern among families nationwide. A project that focuses on the causes of this mental health crisis would be greatly beneficial to managing this crisis. It would help families and improve the healthcare continuum. The proposed research question would be, In children and adolescents aged 5-18, what is the effect of increased awareness of the mental illness and improved access to mental healthcare, on reducing the prevalence of the ongoing mental health crisis, compared to no intervention? The role of the researcher would be to conduct a study that focuses on providing the intervention of awareness on mental illness, assessing the impact of improved access to mental health care, and correlating the effects on the prevalence of the mental health crisis. The target population would be children and adolescents; this is a very vulnerable population, thus a full Institutional Review Board (IRB) review should be completed to ensure that the research goal, method, and project design stay within the ethical context and do not infringe on the human and moral rights of this vulnerable patient population. Informed consent needs to be obtained from the parents and the participants.

The Spectrum of XR Marketing – Collective Case Study

The main aim of the article is to discuss XR in marketing in the context of phygital category. Five examples from 2016–2022 have been selected to find the answers for proposed research questions: Q1. What is the impact of XR on marketing? Q2. What are the similarities and differences between the analyzed XR marketing projects? Q3. What is the importance of XR in the context of phygital? Q4. Is the combination of physical and digital elements crucial in helping the audience to get accustomed to immersive media? According to Stake this case study has collective character. Selected cases represent different sectors (sport, tourism and fashion) and approaches to XR in marketing. This collective case study was based on desk research, as well as ethnography and autoethnography elements.

Tracking HPV Infection, Associated Cancer Development, and Recent Treatment Efforts-A Comprehensive Review.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are high-risk causative factors for HPV infection. This infection does not come alone; it is often seen with co-infection with other viruses and acts as a causative agent for several malignancies. The major purpose of this comprehensive study was to highlight some recent advances in biotechnology associated with HPV infection, including understanding its host interactions and cancerous progression. A systematic research strategy was used to gather data from recent, and the most advanced published electronic sources. The compiled data explain the recent understanding of biology, host-viral interaction cycles, co-infection with other viral diseases, and cellular transformation toward malignancies associated with HPV. In recent years, some vaccination protocols have been introduced in the form of live attenuated, subunit, and DNA-based vaccines. Moreover, some strategies of nanotechnology are being employed to synthesize drugs and vaccines with a whole new approach of plant-based products. The data are immense for the proposed research question, yet the need is to implement modern follow-up screening and modern therapeutics at the clinical level and to conduct wide-scale public awareness to lessen the HPV-related disease burden.

The impact of dental care programs on healthcare system and societal outcomes: a scoping review

BackgroundDental diseases have detrimental effects on healthcare systems and societies at large. Providing access to dental care can arguably improve health outcomes, reduce healthcare utilization costs, and improve several societal outcomes.ObjectivesOur objective was to review the literature to assess the impacts of dental care programs on healthcare and societal outcomes. Specifically, to identify the nature of such programs, including the type of services delivered, who was targeted, where services were delivered, and how access to dental care was enabled. Also, what kind of societal and healthcare outcomes have been attempted to be addressed through these programs were identified.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review by searching four databases, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Sociological s. Relevant articles published in English language from January 2000 to February 2022 were screened by four reviewers to determine eligibility for inclusion.ResultsThe search resulted in 29,468 original articles, of which 25 were included in the data synthesis. We found minimal evidence that answers our proposed research question. The majority of identified programs have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing medical and dental healthcare utilization (especially for non-preventive services) and avert more invasive treatments, and to a lesser degree, resulting in cost-savings. Moreover, some promising but limited evidence about program impacts on societal outcomes such as reducing homelessness and improving employability was reported.ConclusionDespite the well-known societal and economic consequences of dental problem, there is a paucity of studies that address the impacts of dental care programs from the societal and healthcare system perspectives.MeSH termsDelivery of Health Care, Dental Care, Outcome assessment, Patient acceptance of Health Care.

Technology development as a tool towards circularity: a research agenda

New technological development enables to implement circular economy (CE) practices. This phenomenon is taking particular interest for the Academy. The aim of this study is to analyse the cognitive and intellectual structure of the relationship between CE and technology. The proposed research questions seek to answer how the evolution of the number of publications per year, the main authors, journals, institutions and countries in this field, and the most relevant topics and papers in the research area are. It is used a bibliometric approach of co-word analysis of 996 articles published on Web of Science. In addition, it is proposed a research agenda after reviewing the most cited articles and points the research trend topics. There is a need to include topics associated with the social sphere, since most of the research is focused on environmental aspects and economic effects. In recent years, research has been polarised towards the blockchain, Big Data and biorefinery technologies. Although these technologies are in demand, it should not ignore other emerging technologies that could be key to circularity, such as those related to product redesign or changes in production infrastructures.

Percepție, disonanță cognitivă și descurajare nucleară în era informațională. Posibile implicații pentru arhitectura de securitate euroatlantică în contextul noului concept strategic al NATO

"The February 2022 military aggression on Ukraine has sent shockwaves across European capitals as well as across the Atlantic. This “new normal”, namely a conventional war in twenty-first century Europe, is both hard to process and inherently ominous as to the future of the European security architecture and strategic stability on the continent. The aim of the article is to analyse the combined effects of technological advances in information/computing technologies and human cognition on strategic choices such as nuclear deterrence strategies. The paper is looking to address the proposed research questions through a cognitive psychology lens, with a particular focus on perception and cognitive dissonance. The plasticity of both the geopolitical environment and the information space present the optimal conditions for propagation of cognitive errors in human decision-making. The article is taking a closer look at what said vulnerability means for the Euro-Atlantic security architecture, most specifically for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."

Percepție, disonanță cognitivă și descurajare nucleară în era informațională. Posibile implicații pentru arhitectura de securitate euroatlantică în contextul noului concept strategic al NATO

"The February 2022 military aggression on Ukraine has sent shockwaves across European capitals as well as across the Atlantic. This “new normal”, namely a conventional war in twenty-first century Europe, is both hard to process and inherently ominous as to the future of the European security architecture and strategic stability on the continent. The aim of the article is to analyse the combined effects of technological advances in information/computing technologies and human cognition on strategic choices such as nuclear deterrence strategies. The paper is looking to address the proposed research questions through a cognitive psychology lens, with a particular focus on perception and cognitive dissonance. The plasticity of both the geopolitical environment and the information space present the optimal conditions for propagation of cognitive errors in human decision-making. The article is taking a closer look at what said vulnerability means for the Euro-Atlantic security architecture, most specifically for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."

Perception, Cognitive Dissonance and Nuclear Deterrence in the Information Age, Possible Implications for the Euro-Atlantic Security Architecture in the Context of a New NATO Strategic Concept

"The February 2022 military aggression on Ukraine has sent shockwaves across European capitals as well as across the Atlantic. This “new normal”, namely a conventional war in twenty-first century Europe, is both hard to process and inherently ominous as to the future of the European security architecture and strategic stability on the continent. The aim of the article is to analyse the combined effects of technological advances in information/computing technologies and human cognition on strategic choices such as nuclear deterrence strategies. The paper is looking to address the proposed research questions through a cognitive psychology lens, with a particular focus on perception and cognitive dissonance. The plasticity of both the geopolitical environment and the information space present the optimal conditions for propagation of cognitive errors in human decision-making. The article is taking a closer look at what said vulnerability means for the Euro-Atlantic security architecture, most specifically for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."

Supply chain fairness

Supply chain fairness refers to the practices that members in a supply chain treat each other. Due to imperfections of a competitive market, some members could exploit their positions or circumstances that enabled them to gain excessive advantage over others. Such unfair practices could be in the form of unfair prices, unfair trade, or unfair pay. The COVID‐19 pandemic has exposed many vulnerabilities of global supply chains, but it also unearthed unfair supply chain practices. Yet, some firms are developing new initiatives to address various supply chain fairness issues, potentially creating strategic values. These observations motivate us to examine the potential benefits, identify underlying challenges, and discuss emerging opportunities for improving fairness in supply chains. This examination has highlighted the potential of a rich research agenda, and we propose research questions for further exploration.