Research Agenda Research Articles

Military social harm: An agenda for research

This article presents a critical framework for understanding the harms produced by military institutions. Assessments of military harms are undertaken across the sociological study of the military, ranging from public-facing military issues to more inwardly directed research conducted by entities with vested state interests. Building upon and advancing the available scholarship, we introduce the concept of ‘military social harm’, drawing on criminological perspectives that situate harm in a broader range of social and political contexts. This term serves as a tool to explore the pervasive and varied impacts of military activities on society, illustrated through an examination of British military compensation as reparation. This example reveals how compensation regimes weaken a holistic approach to reparation, by undermining elements such as a right to truth or efforts to prevent recurrence. We propose an interdisciplinary research agenda for studying military social harm, aiming to challenge and extend existing scrutiny of military institutions and their accountability mechanisms, thereby engendering a fuller understanding of the direct and indirect costs of retaining and deploying military power.

There is business like show business! What marketing scholars and managers can learn from 40 years of entertainment science research

AbstractFor over four decades, scholars have developed the field of entertainment science, establishing a thorough understanding of the business behind filmed, recorded, written, and programmed media products and services, encompassing consumer behavior and strategic decision-making. Building on six foundational characteristics that jointly define entertainment offerings (i.e., their hedonic, narrative, cultural, creative, innovative, and digital nature), we synthesize key findings from entertainment science research. Since each of these characteristics can be found individually in various industries, this review offers substantial potential for learning beyond the entertainment world. Leveraging the entertainment industry’s pioneering role in major cross-industry trends, including virtual worlds and generative AI, we then provide best practices for adapting to these developments. We conclude by proposing a comprehensive agenda for future research on each of the foundational entertainment characteristics within the field of entertainment science and beyond.

Bridging the Divide Between Structural and Actor-Oriented Explanations of Populism: A Research Agenda for the Study of Populist Euroscepticism Through a Territorial Perspective

This article explores the intersection of structural and actor-oriented explanations of populism through a territorial perspective, focusing on populist Euroscepticism. It builds on findings from the ‘Local Mobilisation Against the EU. Territorial Dimensions of Populist Euroscepticism’ (EULOC) project, which examined local drivers and manifestations of populism and Euroscepticism across Europe. The article highlights the importance of analysing both the supply and demand sides of populist Euroscepticism, emphasising the role of geographic inequalities, local socio-economic trajectories and collective identities. By integrating national, regional and local case studies, the article aims to bridge the divide between structural and actor-oriented approaches, offering a more comprehensive understanding of populist Euroscepticism. This approach seeks to prevent reductionist arguments and contributes to broader discussions on political participation, representation and the dynamics of populist movements in Europe. The article underscores the need for nuanced, multi-layered research that considers the unique socio-political dynamics of different regions and the impact of local contexts on the development of Eurosceptic sentiments.

Addressing social norms for adolescent timing and spacing of pregnancy in low and middle-income countries: Developing a global research agenda.

Social norms shape adolescent sexual and reproductive health behaviours contributing to contraceptive and pregnancy outcomes. No global research agendas exist to guide research on adolescent social norms shifting in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We developed a social norms research agenda to improve adolescent healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy in LMICs. We adapted and applied the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method. A group of researchers guided the process, and consulted with diverse experts to develop a list of 21 research questions for global stakeholders to score via an online survey. Survey participants scored each research question according to four criteria (fills key gap, feasible, impactful, equitable). Research priority scores (RPS) and average expert agreement (AEA) statistics were calculated for each question and analysed overall and by stakeholder region and profession. We received 185 survey responses. Participants were, on average, 44 years old, 64% were women, 70% were from LMICs and 47% were implementers. The RPS ranged from 52 to 81% (74% median) and the AEA ranged from 49 to 70% (58% median). Nearly 70% of stakeholders gave the same score to each of the top five research questions. The top five research priorities focused on effective norm-shifting interventions (NSIs) strategies, processes and indicators to NSIs, and NSI adaptation and scale-up. Using a collaborative and rigorous process with diverse representation from LMICs and implementers, we reached consensus on five priority research questions to guide future adolescent social norms research to improve healthy timing and spacing of pregnancy in LMICs.

Teaching Note—Positioned for Success at a PWI: A Minority Fellow Narrative

ABSTRACT The Council on Social Work Education’s Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) supports the mission of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to increase the number of individuals who are trained to work with underrepresented and underserved persons with or at risk for mental health or substance abuse disorders. This teaching note is a critical autoethnographic investigation of a doctoral MFP alum reflecting and sharing her journey to overcome barriers to advance her nontraditional social work research agenda in a predominantly White institution. It is the intention that this teaching note provides suggestions of how to maintain a research agenda in a teaching university. Discussion of the author’s MFP affiliation, career trajectory, community effect, research findings, and remarks regarding the necessity of MFP will be provided.

Introduction: confronting the challenges of adopting algorithmic management in China: employee innovation and proactive behaviour and leader management transparency

ABSTRACT Algorithmic management (AM) has become a vital aspect of organizational and people management across industries. However, organizational research about AM and its impact is still at an infancy stage. Existing studies tend to result in potential biases when estimating their effects and miss important implications. Drawing on the relevant literature, this introductory piece to this collection presents a brief review of the emerging literature on the employee responses towards AM, especially investigating its impact on employee innovative behaviour. It also shows how the contributions included respond to the literature and how they add to our understanding of the implications of AM for organizations and employees. Finally, we propose an agenda for future research to further investigate the impact of AM on employee behaviour.

Diversity in Family Medicine Research.

In conjunction with the North American Primary Care Research Group (NAPCRG) Annual Conference in 2023, leaders in the field of family medicine came together to discuss and produce a Family Medicine Research Agenda. While multiple areas were discussed, diversity, equity, and inclusion did not rise to the top as research priorities. This article discusses the 3 areas family medicine leaders see as necessary to produce high-quality research. The authors present ideas on how diversity, equity, and inclusion can be prioritized in each area. In the first area, "Grow the family medicine research workforce by expanding pathways and strengthening mentorship," the authors present existing models, with an emphasis on those pathway programs proven to increase scholarship and research, such as the Leadership Through Scholarship Fellowship sponsored by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) and the Building Research Capacity Program sponsored by the Association of Departments of Family Medicine (ADFM). In the second area, "Increase funding for family medicine research and advocate for enhanced health policy and support," the authors present ideas on greater utilization of NIH diversity supplements as well as institutional advocacy by family medicine chairs to create seed grants and provide opportunities for diverse faculty to engage in research. Chairs can also increase the diversity of the researcher pool by recruiting among local full-time clinicians, a more diverse group than most faculties. For the final area, "Build a national infrastructure for organizing and optimizing family medicine research opportunities," the authors present solutions including following demographic data surrounding authorship and reviewing for journals; having dedicated committees or editors focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and using demographic data from conference submissions to encourage those from underrepresented backgrounds to translate their presentations into a manuscript. These strategies can help equity, diversity, and inclusion become central to our research and be used as a national model for other specialties attempting to do the same.

Direct and indirect effects of fluid intelligence on the retrieval practice effect.

In this study, participants (N = 144) first studied 40 word pairs, then restudied half of the word pairs and practiced retrieval with feedback on the other half. In separate sessions, they then completed cued-recall and fluid intelligence (gF) tests. Three main objectives were addressed. First, we sought to generalize two findings reported by M. Minear et al. (2018): During the final-test phase, the high gF group exhibited a greater retrieval practice effect for difficult items compared to easy items, while the opposite pattern was observed for the low gF group; and, during the practice phase, the advantage of the high gF group over the low gF group increased across cycles for difficult items but not for easy items. Overall, we successfully extended their results. Second, we investigated whether gF is related to the amount of new items recalled during the practice phase. Consistent positive relationships were found in Cycles 1-3 (rs between .30 and .43). Third, we tested and found an indirect effect of gF on the retrieval practice effect mediated by performance during the practice phase. One possibility is that learners with higher gF may be particularly skilled at generating effective mediators and at monitoring and replacing less effective ones after retrieval failures. We recommend the following research agenda: measure the production, shift, and retrieval of mediators; manipulate the number of retrieval practice opportunities; probe the retrieval practice effect with free-recall tests; and adopt procedures based on learning to a criterion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Navigating the intersection between postponement strategies and additive manufacturing: insights and research agenda

Postponement is a popular principle used to improve supply chain responsiveness and increase customisation by delaying manufacturing and logistics operations until more accurate market demand information is available. In business environments where responsiveness and customisation are increasingly important, additive manufacturing (AM) has recently emerged as a high-potential manufacturing technology. Due to changes in customer behaviours that affect product life cycles and variety, AM could disrupt traditional manufacturing and greatly impact postponement decisions. However, the intersection between postponement and AM is largely underexplored. This study aims to investigate the intersection between postponement and AM to meet the escalating demand for customised products. We conceptualise opportunities and challenges related to when customisation is introduced, concerning the positioning of the customer order decoupling point and to where customisation takes place, as operations could shift across supply chain tiers or even jurisdictions. By shedding light on the intersection of postponement and AM and its implications for customisation, this study formulates a research agenda focusing on five main postponement improvement dimensions: uncertainty, volume, lead time, supply chain design, and environmental sustainability. Moreover, it formalises a set of managerial implications to pragmatically foster the strategic implementation of AM across different postponement scenarios.

Host-directed antiviral therapeutics and the NIAID research agenda: an underexplored frontier

Host-directed antiviral therapeutics and the NIAID research agenda: an underexplored frontier

One name for two concepts: A systematic literature review about meta‐organizations

AbstractExisting literature on meta‐organization is divided into two distinct streams in organizational and management studies, with different definitions and boundaries, potentially leading to inconsistencies and theoretical misalignment. Can we disambiguate the conceptualizations of meta‐organizations, and what insights can be gleaned from this clarification? Using a systematic review of the meta‐organization literature, we propose a novel classification, distinguishing between meta‐organizations as ‘meta‐level actors’, rooted in the organizational perspective, and meta‐organizations as ‘orchestrated systems’, grounded in the management perspective. While synthesizing current knowledge about meta‐organizations, we highlight the commonalities, divergences and specificities of both perspectives. We contribute to the literature on meta‐organizations by bringing greater clarity to the field, by disambiguating the uses of meta‐organization, by outlining a state of the art for both new categories and by providing a detailed research agenda. We also provide fundamental insights about two distinct ways of meta‐organizing, that is creating order among and beyond single organizations through collectively decided social orders and orchestrated social orders.

Exploring the role of Artificial Intelligence in Acute Kidney Injury management: a comprehensive review and future research agenda.

This study reviews the studies utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and AI-driven tools and methods in managing Acute Kidney Injury (AKI). It categorizes the studies according to medical specialties, analyses the gaps in the existing research, and identifies opportunities for future research directions. PRISMA guidelines were adopted using the three most common databases (PubMed, Scopus, and EBSCO), which resulted in 27 eligible studies, published between 2012 and 2023. The study showed significant heterogeneity in the design of the models, with variations in clinical settings, patient characteristics, cohort regions, and statistical methods. Most models were developed for AKI in hospitalized patients, particularly those undergoing surgery or in intensive care units. Compact models with a subset of significant predictors were deemed more clinically applicable than full models with all predictors. The findings suggest that AI tools, such as machine learning (ML) algorithms, have high prediction capabilities despite the dynamic and complex association among the influencing factors and AKI. Based on these findings and the recognized need for broader inclusivity, future studies should consider adopting a more inclusive approach by incorporating diverse healthcare settings, including resource-limited or developing countries. This inclusivity will lead to a more holistic understanding of AKI management challenges and facilitate the development of adaptable and universally applicable AI-driven solutions. Additionally, further investigations should focus on refining AI models to enhance their accuracy and interpretability, promoting seamless integration and implementation of AI-based tools in real-world clinical practice. Addressing these key aspects will elevate the effectiveness and impact of AI-driven approaches in managing AKI.

An Exploration of the Role of HR Departments in Optimizing Employee Mental Wellness in the Face of Organizational Risks

Purpose Considering mental health in organizations is crucial for several reasons, as it directly impacts the well-being and productivity of employees. This paper aims to delve into the role of the human resource (HR) department (HRD) in promoting mental health and mitigating associated organizational risks within emerging markets, with a specific focus on organizations in Jordan. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative research approach, 21 semistructured interviews were conducted with employees from diverse organizations and industries in Jordan. Findings The study’s findings illuminate a constrained role of HRD in supporting employees’ mental well-being, attributable to several factors: (i) a perceptual gap between the actual and desired roles of HRD in fostering mental health according to employees; (ii) institutional factors dictating initiatives for mental health support at work; and (iii) societal and cultural norms shaping attitudes toward mental health, both pre- and post-COVID-19. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on the intersection of HR practices and mental health support in the workplace in emerging markets, providing valuable insights for both academic and practical considerations. As organizations navigate the evolving landscape of employee well-being, this study’s findings offer a foundation for future research and the development of evidence-based strategies to enhance mental health support within organizational contexts and mitigate organizational risks. Originality/value This study illuminates the current landscape of human resources management development in fostering mental health at work in Jordan, serving as a foundation for future research agendas in the country and potentially the wider region.

Dynamic capabilities in the public sector: Research agenda in the context of digital transformation

Dynamic capabilities, which were initially developed for the private sector but have increasingly been applied to public sector organizations, can be used to frame the analysis of digital transformation. This article considers the research agenda on the capabilities enabling public sector organizations to implement digital transformation, manage multi-stakeholder collaborations, and improve service delivery in a changing environment. There are five emerging areas of dynamic capabilities in the public sector: conceptual discussion, management and performance, measurement frameworks, innovation and public value creation, and digital transformation. Future research agendas should focus on understanding multiple actors involved in the digital transition, and longitudinal and comparative studies.

ChatGPT and Other Large Language Models in Medical Education — Scoping Literature Review

Abstract This review aims to provide a summary of all scientific publications on the use of large language models (LLMs) in medical education over the first year of their availability. A scoping literature review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA recommendations for scoping reviews. Five scientific literature databases were searched using predefined search terms. The search yielded 1509 initial results, of which 145 studies were ultimately included. Most studies assessed LLMs’ capabilities in passing medical exams. Some studies discussed advantages, disadvantages, and potential use cases of LLMs. Very few studies conducted empirical research. Many published studies lack methodological rigor. We therefore propose a research agenda to improve the quality of studies on LLM.

Responsible Leadership - Knowledge Status and Future Research Agenda

The present review article deals with the highly relevant and rich research field of responsible leadership (RL). It summarizes existing literature using a wide scope of 96 peer-reviewed journal articles and subsequently provides recommendations for future research paths. The current state of knowledge is depicted in relation to five knowledge areas: In the first area, the conceptualisation of RL, works addressing fundamental views on RL, the development of frameworks and the application of specific philosophies or theories are introduced. In the second area, the operationalisation of RL, results of studies dealing with the development of measurement instruments or applying quantitative empirical study designs in order to test specific research questions are presented. The third area, RL antecedents, covers the depiction of empirically investigated antecedent variables pertaining to either a personal or a contextual level. In the fourth area, RL consequences, empirically examined impacts of RL at a micro, meso and macro level are summarised and further works dealing with effects of RL on relationships between other variables discussed. Finally, the fifth area of RL promotion presents works that are empirically testing RL development interventions that take place either in the context of higher education or work. Derived potential lines of research relate to these five areas of knowledge and address identified research gaps of content-related, empirical and methodological nature.

Infection-associated chronic conditions: Why Long Covid is our best chance to untangle Osler's web.

The recognition of Long Covid has renewed efforts to understand other infection-associated chronic conditions (IACCs). Here, we describe how studies of Long Covid and other IACCs might inform one another. We argue for the importance of a coordinated research agenda addressing these debilitating illnesses.

How does government feel? Toward a theory of institutional pathos in public administration

AbstractIn the study of policy and administration, emotions are largely conceived as an exogenous factor that impacts on institutions and processes. Still ignored are the emotions felt and performed not just individually by civil servants, but collectively within government organizations. This article turns to insights on emotions from organizational studies to offer a conceptual framework through which to understand the lifeworld of government, or “institutional pathos.” It then applies this framework to an extreme case: Whitehall's response to the Brexit vote. Drawing on rich interview material from the Brexit Witness Archive, this article illustrates how the experience of individual and collective emotions deeply colored the work of British Government in delivering Brexit. The article concludes with a research agenda for public administration that foregrounds emotions.

Migration communication campaigns: towards a research agenda and open database

ABSTRACT Every year, government agencies, international organisations, and civil society associations produce public communications campaigns designed to inform, persuade, and motivate behaviour regarding numerous facets of migration. Despite their increasing ubiquity, resources, and – possibly – impact, as well as the profound scientific relevance in understanding them, such campaigns remain relatively understudied and existing research is disjointed across various disciplines. This article takes three steps to propose and initiate a unified, interdisciplinary research agenda on migration communication campaigns (MCCs). First, we overview the need for a research agenda based on their increased substantive importance and scientific interest. Second, we outline what such a research agenda should look like, proposing six research themes. Third, we contribute to this proposed research agenda in two ways: with a typology of MCCs and by presenting our open-access, collaborative database to kick-start more systematic research in this field, including theoretical justifications for each variable. The database includes 301 MCCs conducted in 32 European countries between 2012 and 2022. We invite submissions of all types of MCCs globally to create a bridge between communities of academics, policymakers, and communicators.

Why some ‘inbreeder’ species among mostly outbreeders? conifer examples, a postulate, and research agenda

AbstractBreeding systems vary widely in plants, but mostly cluster towards outbreeding or inbreeding extremes. Conifers, which are woody and generally long-lived perennials, are almost all classical outbreeders, but include occasional species characterised as inbreeders. The latter include some very narrow endemics, but narrow endemics include outbreeders. The inbreeders show high self-fertility, minimal inbreeding depression, typically low DNA polymorphism, and modest functional genetic variation, but self-fertilisation rates can be low. Seven such species are reviewed. It is widely (if often tacitly) assumed that inbreeders arise through severe population bottlenecks. It is proposed, more specifically, that inbreeders could arise through recessive resistance alleles of large effects being expressed, during biotic crises, through some inbreeding in the typically mixed mating systems of outbreeders. Such a crisis might produce not only a population bottleneck but also the conditions for recessive alleles to operate beneficially to make inbreeding advantageous. Avenues for probing the recessive-alleles hypothesis are: quantitative modelling to identify what are plausible conditions, examining genomic signatures of inbreeders, and empirical observation. Appropriate modelling appears challenging, as does seeking informative genomic signatures. Empirical observation, however, may be facilitated by biotic crises promoted by current global migration of pathogens and animal pests.