Relative Capabilities Research Articles

Numerical study of unsteady thin film flow of power-law tetra hybrid nanofluid with velocity slip effect over a stretching sheet using sodium alginate as base fluid

This study examines the influence of power-law nanofluid flow and velocity slip on the heat transfer performance of tetrahybrid nanofluids over a stretching sheet, with the objective of enhancing thermal efficiency in industrial applications. The tetrahybrid nanofluids, consisting of Al2O3\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$Al_2O_3$$\\end{document}, TiO2\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$TiO_2$$\\end{document}, Cu, and Fe3O4\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$Fe_3O_4$$\\end{document} nanoparticles suspended in a sodium alginate base fluid, represent a novel combination of materials whose collective thermal properties have not been extensively studied. The performance of these tetrahybrid nanofluids is compared to that of hybrid and tri-hybrid nanofluids to evaluate their relative heat transfer capabilities. The boundary layer equations are solved using MATLAB’s bvp4c solver, applying similarity transformations to investigate temperature and velocity profiles under varying parameter conditions. The results indicate that tetrahybrid nanofluids significantly enhance heat transfer rates compared to standard nanofluids, with improvements of 7.43%, 6.27%, and 5.35% over hybrid and tri-hybrid nanofluids, respectively. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that velocity profiles intersect at a specific point, and as the velocity slip parameter increases, the profiles move further away from the stretching sheet. Key factors, such as the Prandtl number, power-law index, slip parameter, magnetic field, and Reynolds number, are also examined for their effects on flow and thermal behavior. The key innovation of this research lies in the introduction of tetrahybrid nanofluids as an advanced medium for heat transfer, providing superior thermal efficiency compared to previously studied nanofluids. This study not only builds upon existing research but also provides new computational insights into the potential applications of tetrahybrid nanofluids in areas like food processing and other industries requiring effective thermal management.

Neighbourly Networks:

This paper argues that currently operative approaches to the protection of Indigenous rights and capabilities cannot help but fall short of accommodating relational, co-creative dynamics of Indigenous being in the world due to insufficient engagement with the participationalist, networked understandings of Indigenous paradigms. Discussions during the preparation of the United Nations’ Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), in a necessary first step, focused on responses to shared histories of subjugation by colonial powers,(1) and on safeguarding Indigenous rights and capabilities in relation to the powers exercised by what have since become encapsulating nation states. While the respect implied in the safeguarding of such rights and capabilities constitutes a crucial first step towards fruitful forms of coexistence, its conception from within a predominantly representationalist, Newtonian, post-Enlightenment Western paradigm necessarily falls short – at least as yet – of allowing space for Indigenous forms of networked, often acausal relationships of inter-species kinship to thrive. As a corollary, it also entails limitations remaining operative with regards to any potential networking between networks: to the extent that an Indigenous network’s own ability to thrive is impeded, so is the ability of its neighbouring networks to fruitfully interact with its contribution to inter-network co-creative activity and thriving. Understandings on their own terms are going to be needed of Indigenous conceptions of agency residing in inter-species relationship, so that space can be opened up for Indigenous societies not only to exercise rights and capabilities at bounded individual or group level, but also to practise participationalist ways of dynamically centering the co-creative agency of relationships.

Digitalisation in European regions: unravelling the impact of relatedness and complexity on digital technology adoption and productivity growth

ABSTRACT Digital technologies are the cornerstone of platform, knowledge, and network economies, driving the interconnectedness, innovation, and efficiency that define these economic models. Consequently, digitalisation has recently become a key policy objective for regional economies. This paper provides empirical evidence on how the adoption of new digital web technologies is shaped by previous regional digital capabilities. The analysis is based upon an economic complexity and relatedness framework using novel data on digital web technologies’ adoption for 278 European NUTS-2 regions between the years 2000 and 2022. Results show that regions tend to adopt new digital web technologies when they already master related digital capabilities. This paper also shows how digital complexity is associated with labour productivity gains at the regional level. Conclusions shed light on how regions adopt digital web technologies and serve as a tool for policymakers.

Resilience rewritten: Ann’s journey from adversity to entrepreneurship

Research methodology None. Case overview/synopsis The case study follows Ann’s journey towards entrepreneurship, focusing on the challenges she faced and how early educational interventions influenced her life decisions. Despite numerous obstacles, Ann’s perseverance, bolstered by her family’s support and her passion, led to her successful reintegration into academia and the launch of an entrepreneurial venture in the UK. Her story highlights the dilemma of balancing educational attainment with entrepreneurial aspirations, especially for at-risk students. Ann’s experience prompts critical discussions about the intersection of education and entrepreneurship, the importance of experiential learning and the role of mentorship in realizing business ideas. The nurturing environment of her business school, through guest lectures and real-world success stories, played a significant role in shaping her academic and professional outlook. This case raises essential questions about the role of higher education in fostering entrepreneurial skills and integrating experiential learning within academic curricula. Ann’s journey exemplifies the power of resilience and determination in overcoming systemic and entrepreneurial challenges, particularly for women facing similar struggles. Her story illuminates the multifaceted process of turning a personal experience into an entrepreneurial opportunity, emphasizing the critical role of mentorship and support networks in developing a viable business idea. Complexity academic level This case study is best suited to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in management and business-related courses that focus on entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial education. The case study is relevant in various business disciplines as it informs students of the process and challenges related to business start-ups and acquiring related capabilities. Instructors are encouraged to have students read the extensive reference list provided at the end to broaden their understanding and knowledge of entrepreneurship, including its processes, context and practices.

ND15, subunit of the electron transport chain protein-complex I, age-dependently worsens cardiac performance in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract Introduction In the natural aging process of the heart, aside others, mitochondrial dysfunction is an essential driver for the development of reduced cardiac performance. Previous analysis of protein expression levels in cardiomyocytes of aged mice and have found aberrancies in subunits of the mitochondrial Complexes I – IV of the electron transport chain. Especially, the complex I subunit ND15 was highly downregulated. To elucidate the functional effects of this gene on the cardiac performance, we generated cardiomyocyte specific ND15 knock-downs in Drosophila melanogaster. Methods We generated Drosophila with heart-specific (+/+; Hand4.2-GAL4/UAS-ND15; tdtK/+) (ND15-KD)knockdown of ND15 using the UAS/GAL4 system. The flies' cardiomyocytes endogenously express tdTomato, facilitating fluorescence-based live imaging of the heart by high-resolution video fluorescence microscopy. The recorded data was processed using a R-Script, resulting in Results We compared wild type (WT) flies to ND15-KD flies at age 3 weeks(young) and 7 weeks(old). Knockdown of ND15 resulted in impaired cardiac function. Most parameters deteriorated in aged flies in comparison to young flies. The heart frequency was significantly reduced (WT:6 beats/s – KD:4 beats/s – p<0.0001) in the 7 weeks old group, end-diastolic diameter of the heart tube increased significantly in 3 weeks old ND15KD flies compared to controls(WT:65µm – KD:74µm p<0,0001), resulting in a dilated heart tube Interestingly enough, this dilation in ND15-KD disappeared in 7 weeks old flies. The fractional shortening was significantly decreased in young(WT:33,5% - KD:30% p<0,01) and deteriorated in old flies (WT:35% - KD:22% p<0,0001), indicating a reduced contraction capability. For both 3 weeks and 7 weeks old groups, the heart-rate adjusted interbeat interval variance (WT:22% -KD: 40% p<0,0001) as well as the time of no cardiac action (WT: 22% - KD: 35% p<0,0001) increased and showed significant irregularities. The duration of systole and diastole combined also exhibited arrhythmic patterns (WT:15% - KD:20.5% p<0,0001). A general arrhythmia index (AI) increased significantly (WT: 0.25 – KD:0.5 p<0,0001) These arrhythmia parameters emphasize the arrhythmogenic potential of the ND15-knockdown. The relative relaxation capabilities drastically worsened with age, displaying a diastolic dysfunction in the 7 weeks old group. At half-time relaxation, the WT was at 60% relaxation, ND15KD at 46%). Conclusion This study demonstrates that heart-specific deletion of ND15 results in a marked impairment of systolic and diastolic cardiac function in Drosophila accompanied by pro-arrhythmogenic actions. We could identify ND15 as a new mitochondrial molecular target for the maintenance of regular cardiac function and rhythmicity, especially with increasing age. Further mechanistic studies and translation to mammalian organisms are ongoing.

Factors that influence the uptake of virtual care solutions in Australian primary care practice: a systematic scoping review.

Uptake of virtual care solutions in primary care settings has increased exponentially, and current evidence suggests high patient satisfaction but mixed clinician views. This paper aimed to identify factors influencing its' implementation to support delivery to the right patient, in the right clinical context, at the right time. Further, this paper evaluates how the updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) can be used to assess these factors that contribute to the uptake of virtual care innovations. This systematic scoping review identified empirical research on factors influencing the uptake of virtual care solutions in the Australian primary care setting. Searches were undertaken in Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The CFIR was used to code factors influencing the implementation of virtual care solutions. Inductive coding was used to generate new constructs where no appropriate CFIR construct could be identified. Fourteen eligible studies were identified as eligible for inclusion. Five common influencing factors were identified. Three are from the existing CFIR framework, and two are newly developed constructs. CFIR constructs included innovation relative advantage, capability, and IT infrastructure. New constructs included accessibility and suitability. A further six new constructs were identified (trust, privacy, governance, unintended consequences, preference, and choice) but these were not prominently mentioned. Common factors influence virtual care uptake in Australian primary care. The CFIR assisted in conceptualizing these but was not sufficient for capturing factors unique to virtual care. Newly developed constructs are noted to be of importance in the literature, but further research is needed to understand whether they are applicable in multiple contexts. http://links.lww.com/IJEBH/A286.

Transforming and thriving: Australian students in Vietnam through the New Colombo Plan

ABSTRACT Outbound student mobility has gained increased popularity over the past two decades. It involves an array of stakeholders including students, academics, mobility practitioners and home and host communities. Despite challenges, learning abroad creates a range of impacts on individuals, institutions, and society. Existing research on learning abroad largely concentrates on students’ motivations, activities and effects of outbound mobility on individual students. However, how learning abroad may potentially contribute to transnational connections is largely under-researched. This article responds to a critical gap in the literature by examining not only how learning abroad in Vietnam enriches individual Australian students personally, professionally and culturally but also how such developments could potentially have broader transnational impacts. The article draws on a study including interviews with 24 Australian students learning abroad in Vietnam through the New Colombo Plan. It elucidates the students’ intercultural, personal and professional growth, especially on the humanistic aspects of global citizenship, through their deeper understanding of Vietnam, their formation of a relational capability, and a sense of empathy with the Vietnamese people. The article also highlights the value of Australian students' intercultural experiences and engagement with Vietnam to the society. In particular, it unpacks how Australian students' learning abroad in Vietnam could potentially contribute to enriching Australia-Vietnam connections and collaboration to respond to critical socio-economic issues such as climate change, economic development and poverty.

Enhanced image quality and lesion detection in FLAIR MRI of white matter hyperintensity through deep learning-based reconstruction

ObjectiveTo delve deeper into the study of degenerative diseases, it becomes imperative to investigate whether deep-learning reconstruction (DLR) can improve the evaluation of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) on 3.0T scanners, and compare its lesion detection capabilities with conventional reconstruction (CR). MethodsA total of 131 participants (mean age, 46 years ±17; 46 men) were included in the study. The images of these participants were evaluated by readers blinded to clinical data. Two readers independently assessed subjective image indicators on a 4-point scale. The severity of WMH was assessed by four raters using the Fazekas scale. To evaluate the relative detection capabilities of each method, we employed the Wilcoxon signed rank test to compare scores between the DLR and the CR group. Additionally, we assessed interrater reliability using weighted k statistics and intraclass correlation coefficient to test consistency among the raters. ResultsIn terms of subjective image scoring, the DLR group exhibited significantly better scores compared to the CR group (P < 0.001). Regarding the severity of WMH, the DL group demonstrated superior performance in detecting lesions. Majority readers agreed that the DL group provided clearer visualization of the lesions compared to the conventional group. ConclusionDLR exhibits notable advantages over CR, including subjective image quality, lesion detection sensitivity, and inter reader reliability.

The impact of agile supply chain strategy on manufacturers’ ambidextrous innovation—the role of relational governance and information technology capability

The impact of agile supply chain strategy on manufacturers’ ambidextrous innovation—the role of relational governance and information technology capability

Proposed Study on the Existing Body of Literature on Innovation Performance in China’s High-Tech SMEs

This study investigates the intricate relationship between top management capability, relational capability, technological capability, learning capability, innovation strategy, and innovation performance within the context of high-technology Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in China. Through a synthesis of the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capability Theory, this research delves into how these diverse capabilities intersect to shape innovation outcomes in a rapidly evolving market landscape. Drawing upon empirical data collected from a comprehensive sample of high-tech SMEs operating across various industries in China, this study examines how top management capability influences the firm&amp;#39;s strategic direction and innovation agenda. Furthermore, the research explores the role of relational capability in fostering collaborative relationships with stakeholders, such as customers, suppliers, and partners, to access valuable resources and knowledge for innovation initiatives. Moreover, the study investigates how technological capability enables firms to harness advanced technologies and expertise to drive innovation, while learning capability facilitates the absorption, assimilation, and application of new knowledge and insights to fuel continuous innovation efforts. Through an analysis of innovation strategies adopted by high-tech SMEs and their alignment with dynamic capabilities, this research elucidates the mechanisms through which firms leverage their diverse capabilities to formulate and execute effective innovation strategies, ultimately impacting innovation performance. The findings contribute to both theoretical understanding and practical implications, providing insights for high-tech SMEs in China on how to develop and leverage dynamic capabilities across multiple dimensions to enhance innovation performance and achieve sustainable competitive advantage in today&amp;#39;s dynamic business environment.

Evaluating the Contribution of Model Complexity in Predicting Robustness in Synthetic Genetic Circuits.

The design-build-test-learn workflow is pivotal in synthetic biology as it seeks to broaden access to diverse levels of expertise and enhance circuit complexity through recent advancements in automation. The design of complex circuits depends on developing precise models and parameter values for predicting the circuit performance and noise resilience. However, obtaining characterized parameters under diverse experimental conditions is a significant challenge, often requiring substantial time, funding, and expertise. This work compares five computational models of three different genetic circuit implementations of the same logic function to evaluate their relative predictive capabilities. The primary focus is on determining whether simpler models can yield conclusions similar to those of more complex ones and whether certain models offer greater analytical benefits. These models explore the influence of noise, parametrization, and model complexity on predictions of synthetic circuit performance through simulation. The findings suggest that when developing a new circuit without characterized parts or an existing design, any model can effectively predict the optimal implementation by facilitating qualitative comparison of designs' failure probabilities (e.g., higher or lower). However, when characterized parts are available and accurate quantitative differences in failure probabilities are desired, employing a more precise model with characterized parts becomes necessary, albeit requiring additional effort.

Pedagogical agents communicating and scaffolding students' learning: High school teachers' and students' perspectives

Pedagogical agents (PAs) communicate verbally and non-verbally with students in digital and virtual reality/augmented reality learning environments. PAs have been shown to be beneficial for learning, and generative artificial intelligence, such as large language models, can improve PAs' communication abilities significantly. K-12 education is underrepresented in learning technology research and teachers' and students' insights have not been considered when developing PA communication. The current study addresses this research gap by conducting and analyzing semi-structured, in-depth interviews with eleven high school teachers and sixteen high school students about their expectations for PAs' communication capabilities. The interviewees identified relational and task-related communication capabilities that a PA should perform to communicate effectively with students and scaffold their learning. PA communication that is simultaneously affirmative and relational can induce immediacy, foster the relationship and engagement with a PA, and support students' learning management. Additionally, the teachers and students described the activities and technological aspects that should be considered when designing conversational PAs. The study showed that teachers and students applied human-to-human communication scripts when outlining their desired PA communication characteristics. The study offers novel insights and recommendations to researchers and developers on the communicational, pedagogical, and technological aspects that must be considered when designing communicative PAs that scaffold students’ learning, and discusses the contributions on human–machine communication in education.

RegMamba: An Improved Mamba for Medical Image Registration

Deformable medical image registration aims to minimize the differences between fixed and moving images to provide comprehensive physiological or structural information for further medical analysis. Traditional learning-based convolutional network approaches usually suffer from the problem of perceptual limitations, and in recent years, the Transformer architecture has gained popularity for its superior long-range relational modeling capabilities, but still faces severe computational challenges in handling high-resolution medical images. Recently, selective state-space models have shown great potential in the vision domain due to their fast inference and efficient modeling. Inspired by this, in this paper, we propose RegMamba, a novel medical image registration architecture that combines convolutional and state-space models (SSMs), designed to efficiently capture complex correspondence in registration while maintaining efficient computational effort. Firstly our model introduces Mamba to efficiently remotely model and process potential dependencies of the data to capture large deformations. At the same time, we use a scaled convolutional layer in Mamba to alleviate the problem of spatial information loss in 3D data flattening processing in Mamba. Then, a deformable convolutional residual module (DCRM) is proposed to adaptively adjust the sampling position and process deformations to capture more flexible spatial features while learning fine-grained features of different anatomical structures to construct local correspondences and improve model perception. We demonstrate the advanced registration performance of our method on the LPBA40 and IXI public datasets.

Assessing Japan’s Taiwan Policy: Systemic Clarity, Political Survival and Bureaucratic Prudence

ABSTRACT What are the patterns of Japan’s foreign policy behavior toward Taiwan in the post-Cold War era? It is generally taken for granted that the origin of Japan’s foreign policy to Taiwan has been derived from a unitary strategic calculation related to East Asian international politics and its maritime security in the Asia-Pacific region. This conventional interpretation is insufficient. While external pressure and states’ relative material capabilities within the structure of the international system are crucial in explaining Japan’s policy toward Taiwan, interpretations based solely on the system level of analysis fail to provide a persuasive explanation of Japan’s foreign policy behavior. By conducting three case studies in 2006, 2019 and 2021 through the theoretical lens of neoclassical realism and empirical investigation based on primary and secondary Japanese-language sources, this article argues that Japan’s Taiwan policy has been shaped by the combination of three factors: the degree of systemic clarity at the international level, the Japanese prime minister’s political survival and bureaucratic prudence over the Taiwan issue at the domestic level. Since 2021, Japan has adopted a subtle approach to Taiwan, driven more by a defensive and precautionary response to the heightened sense of crisis across the Taiwan Strait.

Controllership effectiveness and digitalization: Shedding light on the importance of business analytics capabilities and the business partner role

Digital technologies and related capabilities, such as business analytics capabilities (BAC), are transforming firms and management control (MC). While the development of BAC and its underlying dimensions is currently a top priority for many MC departments, it remains unclear from the existing literature how they can benefit from these capabilities in terms of controllership effectiveness. Against this background, our study examines the relationships between three core BAC dimensions (tangible BA resources, intangible BA resources, and human skills for BA) and controllership effectiveness (in terms of controllership output quality and controllership impact on management decisions), with a particular focus on the mediating effects of the business partner role of the MC department. To do so, we adopt the resource-based view and use partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze survey data from 322 large German firms. The results of our study show that all of the examined relationships are positively mediated by the business partner role, while those between tangible BA resources and both elements of controllership effectiveness, as well as that between human skills for BA and controllership impact on management decisions are even fully mediated by this role. Thus, our results highlight the importance of the business partner role in enabling MC departments to benefit from the development of the BAC dimensions in terms of improved controllership effectiveness. Furthermore, through a series of post hoc analyses, we provide empirical support for our three-dimensional conceptualization of BAC, and for the importance of the business partner role relative to the still dominant scorekeeper role. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Unboxing Relational Capabilities for Innovation

Unboxing Relational Capabilities for Innovation

Impact of the expansion ratio on the properties of hydrogen recirculation ejectors

Exploring the development characteristics and influencing factors of the mixing layer (ML) inside the hydrogen recirculation ejector is of great importance for enhancing the recirculation properties of the ejector and promoting green and sustainable energy development. However, the evolution of ML in the ejector and the transport and diffusion characteristics of the fluid are problematic, in particular, the influence of the expansion ratio on the properties of the ejector is unclear. Therefore, in this study, a CFD numerical model of an ejector was established to simulate the flow of fluids in the ejector. The evolution of ML was elucidated, and the interaction mechanism between the mixing and the recirculation performance of the ejector was revealed. The findings showed that the velocity difference is a significant driving force for the development of ML, and the formation of an adverse pressure gradient contributes to the diffusion of hydrogen and the rapid development of ML. The development process of ML in the ejector can be divided into three stages under the interaction of the velocity difference and the convective Mach number: the rapid growth stage, the slow growth stage, and the exponential growth stage. By studying the evolution of ML at different expansion ratios, it was found that there exists a critical expansion ratio for the ejector, which results in the largest of the non-mixing length ratio and the effective mixing thickness, the strongest relative mass transfer capability of the entrained flow, the fullest development of ML, and the optimal hydrogen recirculation performance.

A Lightweight CER-YOLOv5s Algorithm for Detection of Construction Vehicles at Power Transmission Lines

In the context of power-line scenarios characterized by complex backgrounds and diverse scales and shapes of targets, and addressing issues such as large model parameter sizes, insufficient feature extraction, and the susceptibility to missing small targets in engineering-vehicle detection tasks, a lightweight detection algorithm termed CER-YOLOv5s is firstly proposed. The C3 module was restructured by embedding a lightweight Ghost bottleneck structure and convolutional attention module, enhancing the model’s ability to extract key features while reducing computational costs. Secondly, an E-BiFPN feature pyramid network is proposed, utilizing channel attention mechanisms to effectively suppress background noise and enhance the model’s focus on important regions. Bidirectional connections were introduced to optimize the feature fusion paths, improving the efficiency of multi-scale feature fusion. At the same time, in the feature fusion part, an ERM (enhanced receptive module) was added to expand the receptive field of shallow feature maps through multiple convolution repetitions, enhancing the global information perception capability in relation to small targets. Lastly, a Soft-DIoU-NMS suppression algorithm is proposed to improve the candidate box selection mechanism, addressing the issue of suboptimal detection of occluded targets. The experimental results indicated that compared with the baseline YOLOv5s algorithm, the improved algorithm reduced parameters and computations by 27.8% and 31.9%, respectively. The mean average precision (mAP) increased by 2.9%, reaching 98.3%. This improvement surpasses recent mainstream algorithms and suggests stronger robustness across various scenarios. The algorithm meets the lightweight requirements for embedded devices in power-line scenarios.

Influence of Customer Relations Capabilities on Competitive Advantage of Level 5 Public Hospitals in Kenya

The healthcare industry in Kenya is going through many challenges including reduced funding, shortage of staff, technological innovations and changing customer expectations which puts pressure on public hospitals to attain competitive advantage. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of customer relations capabilities on competitive advantage of Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya. This study was anchored on dynamic capabilities theory. Positivism philosophy applied, where a descriptive correlational research design and a structured questionnaire were applied to gather quantitative data. The study focused on 33 Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya and the study population comprised of 495 CEOs, departmental heads and administrative heads of all the Level 5 public hospitals. Stratified random sampling was used to pick a sample of 222 respondents. The study’s data analyses involved descriptive statistics (frequencies, means and standard deviations) and inferential analysis (simple linear regression analysis). The findings revealed that customer relations capabilities had a statistically significant and positive effect on the competitive advantage of Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya (β = 0.629, p &lt; 0.05). The study concluded that customer relations capabilities are instrumental towards attainment of competitive advantage of the Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya. Based on the conclusion of the study, it is recommended to the top management of level 5 public hospitals to adopt systems and processes in their hospitals that gathers information to investigate customer needs.

Influence of Customer Relations Capabilities on Competitive Advantage of Level 5 Public Hospitals in Kenya

The healthcare industry in Kenya is going through many challenges including low funding, shortage of staff, technological innovation huddles and changing customer expectations which puts pressure on public hospitals to attaining competitive advantage. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of customer relations capabilities on competitive advantage of Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya. The study was anchored on dynamic capabilities theory. Positivism philosophy applied, where a descriptive correlational research design was adopted. A structured questionnaire was applied to gather quantitative data. The study focused on 33 Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya and the study population comprised 495 Chief Executive Officers (CEOs, departmental heads and administrative heads of all the Level 5 public hospitals. Stratified random sampling was used to pick a sample of 222 respondents. The study’s data analyses involved descriptive statistics (frequencies, means and standard deviations) and inferential analysis (simple linear regression analysis). The findings revealed that customer relations capabilities had a statistically significant and positive effect on the competitive advantage of Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya (β = 0.629, p &lt; 0.05). The study concluded that customer relations capabilities are instrumental towards attainment of competitive advantage of the Level 5 public hospitals in Kenya. Based on the conclusion of the study, it is recommended to the top management of level 5 public hospitals to adopt systems and processes in their hospitals that gathers information to investigate customer needs.