Proposed Research Agenda Research Articles

Rothwell’s augmented generations of innovation theory: Novel theoretical insights and a proposed research agenda

Background: Technological advances necessitate the reconceptualisation of certain seminal theory. Novel developments in Internet and Communication Technologies have disrupted certain markets, industries and processes. Objectives: Rothwell’s seminal generations of innovation typology provides a categorisation of advances in innovation theory. In so doing, it provides an overarching logic that relates these advances to a production function, categorising the way each wave of innovation theory has driven the time/cost curve closer to its axis. The objective of this article is to augment this typology to include theory that relates to novel technological advances, with implications for the innovation time/cost curve. Method: As a conceptual article, this work seeks to offer a synthesis of theory, extending Rothwell’s schema to incorporate theory related to novel technological developments. Results: Lacking in Rothwell’s conceptualisation of five generations of innovation is consideration of recent technological advances which necessitate a reformulation of this schema to take into account new scale relationships made possible by recent technological developments. This article seeks to extend Rothwell’s theoretical framework to incorporate these new potentialities. Conclusion: In augmenting Rothwell’s theoretical schema, certain implications for society and industries are predicted, and suggestions are made for a proposed research agenda.

Organisational perspectives on the digital transformation of adult and continuing education: A literature review from a German-speaking perspective

The digitalisation of adult and continuing education involves both a societal challenge and a policy demand to harness digital media for effective adult and continuing education provision. Therefore, this article adopts an organisational perspective on adult and continuing education, raising the question of what management knowledge is needed to support the introduction of digital learning formats in public and community-based adult and continuing education organisations. An international literature review is then performed. As a result, the author draws a picture of the current state of adult and continuing education digitalisation in Switzerland and Germany. Based on this ‘state of the German-speaking landscape’, he identifies that information technology-infrastructure, staff development and management/leadership are the most relevant challenges for implementing digital media in adult and continuing education organisations. These are taken as a structure for reviewing international studies and developing a research agenda. The proposed research agenda frames these three fields of investigation by the state of research. The conclusion outlines questions of strategy development and strategy implementation within an organisational theory framework as relevant fields for future research.

‘Fake news’ meets tourism: a proposed research agenda

• This essay represents the first piece of research investigating the recent phenomenon of ‘fake news’ in the travel and tourism context. • ‘Fake news’ is deeply rooted in the on-line availability and provision of information and the growth of social media usage. • The tourism industry is highly associated with the issue as information represents the foundation of travel and tourism products. • A large focus of research on this should consider, particularly, how consumers are impacted by ‘fake news’. • Important consumer issues such as ethical and security implications should also be considered.

A Proposed Research Agenda on Social Media's Role in Visitor Use and Experience in Parks and Protected Areas

The diverse and omnipresent social media platforms in contemporary society have fundamentally changed the way people interact with their world. Parks and protected areas are no exception. Although outdoor recreation and tourism research has embraced social media from a utilitarian perspective, very few studies evaluate how social media influences visitor use, experiences, and behaviors. This research note is designed to provide a research agenda for investigating the relationship between social media, visitor use and experience, and parks and protected areas. It identifies four critical themes that act as a platform for further research with respect to social media: 1) the influence of social media on visitor behaviors, 2) using social media to enhance and facilitate the visitor experience, 3) reaching intended audiences, and 4) understanding management perspectives. Collectively, inquiry into these four themes can improve our understanding of how social media influences contemporary and future management of parks and protected areas. Subscribe to JPRA

Shared Leadership in Commercial Organizations: A Systematic Review of Definitions, Theoretical Frameworks and Organizational Outcomes

AbstractThe importance of context has been well established in studies of leadership (Bryman, A. and Stephens, M. (1996). The importance of context: qualitative research and the study of leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 7, pp. 353–371; Pettigrew, A. and Whipp, R. (1991). Managing Change for Competitive Success. Oxford: Blackwell). However, recent reviews of shared leadership have tended to merge findings across commercial and non‐commercial settings, disregarding contextual differences in these distinctive domains. Acknowledging that the challenges of leadership may vary in different organizational contexts, this paper argues that a focused review of shared leadership in commercial organizations (COs) is needed. The authors thus systematically review findings from over twenty years of empirical research on the practice of shared leadership in commercial organizations, critically reviewing definitions, theoretical dispositions and measurement approaches adopted in the field, before evaluating the impact of shared leadership on performance in this context. Findings from commercial and non‐ commercial organizations are then compared, highlighting significant differences in the conceptualization of shared leadership in these distinct settings. Contributing to theory in this field, a framework is developed, mapping the landscape of current research in commercial contexts, revealing critical gaps in our present understanding of shared leadership processes. Consequently, a model summarizing a proposed research agenda for future studies is provided, highlighting the need for such research to focus on the interactions of individuals as they share in the leadership of their team.

Act East Policy of India: Proposed Research Agenda to Facilitate…

Act East Policy of India: Proposed Research Agenda to Facilitate…

Implementing smoke-free laws in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review and proposed research Agenda

Implementing smoke-free laws in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic literature review and proposed research Agenda

A roadmap to advance dementia research in prevention, diagnosis, intervention, and care by 2025.

ObjectiveNational and global dementia plans have focused on the research ambition to develop a cure or disease‐modifying therapy by 2025, with the initial focus on investment in drug discovery approaches. We set out to develop complementary research ambitions in the areas of prevention, diagnosis, intervention, and care and strategies for achieving them.MethodsAlzheimer's Society facilitated a taskforce of leading UK clinicians and researchers in dementia, UK funders of dementia research, people with dementia, and carer representatives to develop, using iterative consensus methodology, goals and recommendations to advance dementia research.ResultsThe taskforce developed 5 goals and 30 recommendations. The goals focused on preventing future cases of dementia through risk reduction, maximising the benefit of a dementia diagnosis, improving quality of life, enabling the dementia workforce to improve practice, and optimising the quality and inclusivity of health and social care systems. Recommendations addressed gaps in knowledge and limitations in research methodology or infrastructure that would facilitate research in prioritised areas. A 10‐point action plan provides strategies for delivering the proposed research agenda.ConclusionsBy creating complementary goals for research that mirror the need to find effective treatments, we provide a framework that enables a focus for new investment and initiatives. This will support a broader and more holistic approach to research on dementia, addressing prevention, surveillance of population changes in risk and expression of dementia, the diagnostic process, diagnosis itself, interventions, social support, and care for people with dementia and their families.

Industry 4.0 and the circular economy: a proposed research agenda and original roadmap for sustainable operations

This work makes a case for the integration of the increasingly popular and largely separate topics of Industry 4.0 and the circular economy (CE). The paper extends the state-of-the-art literature by proposing a pioneering roadmap to enhance the application of CE principles in organisations by means of Industry 4.0 approaches. Advanced and digital manufacturing technologies are able to unlock the circularity of resources within supply chains; however, the connection between CE and Industry 4.0 has not so far been explored. This article therefore contributes to the literature by unveiling how different Industry 4.0 technologies could underpin CE strategies, and to organisations by addressing those technologies as a basis for sustainable operations management decision-making. The main results of this work are: (a) a discussion on the mutually beneficial relationship between Industry 4.0 and the CE; (b) an in-depth understanding of the potential contributions of smart production technologies to the ReSOLVE model of CE business models; (c) a research agenda for future studies on the integration between Industry 4.0 and CE principles based on the most relevant management theories.

The future of interpersonal skills development: Immersive virtual reality training with virtual humans

We present how immersive virtual reality (IVR) technology can be used for interpersonal skills training in organizations. We review the distinguishing features of IVR and its potential strengths and limitations for interpersonal skills training. There is a pressing need for more empirical evidence, which is why we propose a research agenda with the aim of establishing IVR interpersonal skills training in the domain of human resource development. The proposed research agenda encompasses a set of 10 hypotheses that cover two axes: (a) factors that affect training transfer and (b) personality characteristics. We illustrate how these hypotheses can be tested empirically and discuss limitations and future roles for HRD scholars in such research.

Patchy progress? Two decades of research on precariousness and precarious work in Australia

ABSTRACTPrecariousness, together with its cognate terms (e.g. precarity, precarious work, precarious workers, the precariat and precarious life), has become a significant theme in employment relations research in recent years. This paper reviews important aspects of the discussion, taking its starting point from an article in Labour and Industry which introduced the concept and sketched out a proposed research agenda for examining poor job quality in Australia. The current paper identifies patchy progress in knowledge concerning the core issues. Casual employment has been one area of successful inquiry, but challenges remain in connection with analysis of precariousness in permanent employment. At the same time, understanding of precariousness has moved into new channels of inquiry that were uncharted in the 1998 article and offer great promise for further research.

Applying GRADE-CERQual to qualitative evidence synthesis findings\u2013paper 7: understanding the potential impacts of dissemination bias

BackgroundThe GRADE-CERQual (Confidence in Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research) approach has been developed by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) Working Group. The approach has been developed to support the use of findings from qualitative evidence syntheses in decision-making, including guideline development and policy formulation.CERQual includes four components for assessing how much confidence to place in findings from reviews of qualitative research (also referred to as qualitative evidence syntheses): (1) methodological limitations, (2) coherence, (3) adequacy of data and (4) relevance. This paper is part of a series providing guidance on how to apply CERQual and focuses on a probable fifth component, dissemination bias. Given its exploratory nature, we are not yet able to provide guidance on applying this potential component of the CERQual approach. Instead, we focus on how dissemination bias might be conceptualised in the context of qualitative research and the potential impact dissemination bias might have on an overall assessment of confidence in a review finding. We also set out a proposed research agenda in this area.MethodsWe developed this paper by gathering feedback from relevant research communities, searching MEDLINE and Web of Science to identify and characterise the existing literature discussing or assessing dissemination bias in qualitative research and its wider implications, developing consensus through project group meetings, and conducting an online survey of the extent, awareness and perceptions of dissemination bias in qualitative research.ResultsWe have defined dissemination bias in qualitative research as a systematic distortion of the phenomenon of interest due to selective dissemination of studies or individual study findings. Dissemination bias is important for qualitative evidence syntheses as the selective dissemination of qualitative studies and/or study findings may distort our understanding of the phenomena that these syntheses aim to explore and thereby undermine our confidence in these findings.Dissemination bias has been extensively examined in the context of randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews of such studies. The effects of potential dissemination bias are formally considered, as publication bias, within the GRADE approach. However, the issue has received almost no attention in the context of qualitative research. Because of very limited understanding of dissemination bias and its potential impact on review findings in the context of qualitative evidence syntheses, this component is currently not included in the GRADE-CERQual approach.ConclusionsFurther research is needed to establish the extent and impacts of dissemination bias in qualitative research and the extent to which dissemination bias needs to be taken into account when we assess how much confidence we have in findings from qualitative evidence syntheses.

Nothing about us without us, or the dangers of a closed-society research paradigm

In recent years a number of calls have been made for a ‘new paradigm’ in Romani Studies. Sometimes referred to as ‘critical Romani Studies’, the proposed research agenda focusses on racism and its importance for Roma and Romani identity, as well as issues arising from inequalities and the structural discrimination of Roma. Drawing from post-colonial studies, feminist critique, intersectionality and ‘critical race theory’ the advocates of this approach have suggested that who speaks may be as or more important than what they have to say. In this contribution to the debate I question whether discussing issues around the ‘authority to speak’ will advance the substantive issues that ought to concern all scholars in this field, Romani and non-Romani.

Older, but Wiser? “The Matthew Effect” at 50: Introduction to the Dialog

Merton’s famous essay on recognition and rewards in scientific careers, “The Matthew Effect in Science”, has reached middle age. This Dialog reflects on established research that separates the origins and the consequences of status, and recent contributions regarding the constraints of status advantages. In doing so, this collection responds to a growing scholarly debate about the returns to high status. The authors engage with Merton’s cumulative status advantage, and go further to identify downsides of increased recognition both for individuals and for the status system itself. The six articles in this Dialog evaluate the progress made towards Merton’s proposed research agenda and highlight opportunities for its extension.

Technological innovations and the rise of social inequalities in health.

Social inequalities in health have been categorised as a human-rights issue that requires action. Unfortunately, these inequalities are on the rise in many countries, including welfare states. Various theories have been offered to explain the persistence (and rise) of these inequalities over time, including the social determinants of health and fundamental cause theory. Interestingly, the rise of modern social inequalities in health has come at a time of great technological innovation. This article addresses whether these technological innovations are significantly influencing the persistence of modern social inequalities in health. A theoretical argument is offered for this potential connection and is discussed alongside the typical social determinants of health perspective and the increasingly popular fundamental cause perspective. This is followed by a proposed research agenda for further investigation of the potential role that technological innovations may play in influencing social inequalities in health.

Unhappy with well-being research in the temporary work context: mapping review and research agenda

While temporary workers’ specific employment circumstances strongly suggest negative consequences for their well-being, research on temporary workers’ well-being shows serious inconsistencies. To identify possible reasons, we provide an overview of previous well-being research in the temporary work context. The mapping review shows that inconsistencies are caused both by the use of the umbrella term temporary work to describe a wider range of employment forms with divergent characteristics and the use of the buzzword well-being for various well-being indicators. In addition, the portfolio of employment-specific antecedents used is insufficient to gain a comprehensive view of temporary workers’ well-being situation. Based on these findings, we propose an agenda for future well-being research in the temporary work context. A first key implication is that analyses considering country-specific circumstances and employment-specific characteristics of particular atypical employment situations are needed. Secondly, a more comprehensive portfolio of employment-specific and individual antecedents would help with gaining deeper insights into temporary workers’ well-being situation. In addition, effects of well-being on attitudinal and behavioral outcomes should be analyzed to demonstrate the return on investment of organizations’ well-being enhancing activities. Finally, well-being oriented HR practices and their implementation in the temporary work context are part of the proposed research agenda.

The Future Promise of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Integration: A Sociotechnical Review and Research Agenda

Vehicle-grid integration (VGI) describes various approaches to link the electric power system and the transportation system in ways that may benefit both. VGI includes systems that treat plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) as controllable load with a unidirectional flow of electricity, such as “smart” or “controlled” charging or time-of-use (TOU) pricing. VGI typically encompasses vehicle-to-grid (V2G), a more technically advanced vision with bidirectional flow of electricity between the vehicle and power grid, in effect treating the PEV as a storage device. Such VGI systems could help decarbonize transportation, support load balancing, integrate renewable energy into the grid, increase revenues for electricity companies, and create new revenue streams for automobile owners. This review introduces various aspects and visions of VGI based on a comprehensive review. In doing so, it identifies the possible benefits, opportunities, and barriers relating to V2G, according to technical, financial, socio-environmental, and behavioral components. After summarizing our sociotechnical approach and the various opportunities and barriers indicated by existing literature, we construct a proposed research agenda to provide insights into previously understudied and unstudied research objectives. We find that the majority of VGI studies to date focus on technical aspects of VGI, notably on the potential of V2G systems to facilitate load balancing or to minimize electricity costs, in some cases including environmental goals as constraints. Only a few studies directly investigate the role of consumer acceptance and driver behavior within such systems, and barely any studies address the need for institutional capacity and cross-sectoral policy coordination. These gaps create promising opportunities for future research.

Insect-Borne Plant Pathogens and Their Vectors: Ecology, Evolution, and Complex Interactions.

The transmission of insect-borne plant pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, phytoplasmas, and fungi depends upon the abundance and behavior of their vectors. These pathogens should therefore be selected to influence their vectors to enhance their transmission, either indirectly, through the infected host plant, or directly, after acquisition of the pathogen by the vector. Accumulating evidence provides partial support for the occurrence of vector manipulation by plant pathogens, especially for plant viruses, for which a theoretical framework can explain patterns in the specific effects on vector behavior and performance depending on their modes of transmission. The variability in effects of pathogens on their vectors, however, suggests inconsistency in the occurrence of vector manipulation but also may reflect incomplete information about these systems. For example, manipulation can occur through combinations of specific effects, including direct and indirect effects on performance and behavior, and dynamics in those effects with disease progression or pathogen acquisition that together constitute syndromes that promote pathogen spread. Deciphering the prevalence and forms of vector manipulation by plant pathogens remains a compelling field of inquiry, but gaps and opportunities to advance it remain. A proposed research agenda includes examining vector manipulation syndromes comprehensively within pathosystems, expanding the taxonomic and genetic breadth of the systems studied, evaluating dynamic effects that occur during disease progression, incorporating the influence of biotic and abiotic environmental factors, evaluating the effectiveness of putative manipulation syndromes under field conditions, deciphering chemical and molecular mechanisms whereby pathogens can influence vectors, expanding the use of evolutionary and epidemiological models, and seeking opportunities to exploit these effects to improve management of insect-borne, economically important plant pathogens. We expect this field to remain vibrant and productive in its own right and as part of a wider inquiry concerning host and vector manipulation by plant and animal pathogens and parasites.

Preoperative Care Challenges in Ambulatory Clinics: A Proposed Research Agenda

Ambulatory care is one of the fastest growing sections of the healthcare industry and yet little research has been done on challenges that can exist within preoperative care for ambulatory surgery. The research that does exist is typically only pilot studies. This paper will explore three overarching challenges that have appeared in preoperative care: Team performance, patient absences, and record errors. This paper will provide a description of these challenges and provide recommendations for further research.

Rural transformation, cereals and youth in Africa: What role for international agricultural research?

Young people are increasingly linked to targeted agriculture and food security interventions. In Africa, the argument is that the combination of agricultural value chains, technology and entrepreneurship will unlock a sweet spot for youth employment. This article examines this argument from a rural transformations perspective. A framework is proposed with which to analyse young people’s economic room to manoeuvre in different rural contexts and the differential abilities of young people to exploit associated opportunities. Using cereal agri-food systems as an example, the article identifies two new research areas that address important knowledge gaps: how young rural people in Africa engage with these systems and what pathways they use to become engaged. To address these questions, we propose an analytical framework built around key contextual factors that constrain or enable young people’s economic activity. By pursuing the proposed research agenda, international agricultural research could make important contributions to both agricultural policy debates and development-oriented interventions.