Strategic Adaptation Research Articles

Perceptions of Risk and Decision-Making in Renewable Energy Investments

The transition to renewable energy is crucial for sustainable development, yet it is fraught with complexities involving risk perception and decision-making processes. This study aims to delve into the qualitative aspects of how investors perceive risks and make decisions within the renewable energy sector. Understanding these dynamics can help optimize investment strategies and policy formulations to better support the growth of renewable energy technologies. This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 26 professionals involved in renewable energy investments, including investors, project managers, and financial analysts. Theoretical saturation was achieved to ensure comprehensive coverage of perceptions and experiences. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis, identifying themes and categories related to risk perception and investment decision-making processes. Five main themes were identified: Risk Perception, Investment Motivations, Decision-Making Processes, Strategic Responses, and Challenges and Barriers. Within these, participants highlighted various risks (market, technological, environmental, political, financial) and motivations (profit potential, environmental impact, government incentives, CSR). Decision-making processes were marked by thorough information gathering, risk assessment, and strategic planning. Strategic responses included risk mitigation, innovation adoption, and partnership development. Significant challenges included funding difficulties, regulatory hurdles, market entry barriers, technical challenges, and issues with public perception. The study underscores the complexity of investing in renewable energy, influenced heavily by a variety of perceived risks and strategic considerations. Effective investment decision-making in this sector requires not only recognizing and mitigating risks but also capitalizing on motivations that align with sustainable and profitable outcomes. Strategic planning and adaptations to emerging market conditions and technological advancements are crucial for overcoming barriers and maximizing investment returns.

Strategic adaptation to dual-task in verbal working memory: Potential routes for theory integration.

How working memory supports dual-task performance is the focus of a long-standing debate. Most previous research on this topic has focused on participant performance data. In three experiments, we investigated whether changes in participant-reported strategies across single- and dual-task conditions might help resolve this debate by offering new insights that lead to fruitful integration of theories rather than perpetuating debate by attempting to identify which theory best fits the data. Results indicated that articulatory suppression was associated with reduced reports of the use of rehearsal and clustering strategies but to an increase of the reported use of a visual strategy. Elaboration and clustering strategies were reported less for memory under dual task compared with single task. Under both dual task and articulatory suppression, more participants reported attempting to remember fewer memory items than were presented (memory reduction strategy). For arithmetic verification, articulatory suppression and dual task resulted in a reduction in reports of a counting strategy and an increase in reports of a retrieval strategy for arithmetic knowledge. It is argued that experimenters should not assume that participants perform the same task in the same way under different experimental conditions and that carefulty investigation of how participants change their strategies in response to changes in experimental conditions has considerable potential for resolving theoretical challenges. It is argued further that this approach points toward the value of attempting to integrate rather than proliferate theories of working memory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Generative AI, learning and new literacies

Launched in November 2022, OpenAI’s ChatGPT garnered over 100 million users within two months, sparking a surge in research and concern over potential risks of extensive AI experiments. The article, originating from a conference presentation by Tsinghua University and NTHU, Taiwan, provides a nuanced overview of Generative AI. It explores the classifications, applications, governance challenges, societal implications, and development trajectory of Generative AI, emphasizing its transformative role in employment and education. The piece highlights ChatGPT’s significant impact and the strategic adaptations required in various sectors, including medical education, engineering, information management, and distance education. Furthermore, it explores the opportunities and challenges associated with incorporating ChatGPT in educational settings, emphasizing its support in facilitating personalized learning, developing 21st-century competencies, fostering self-directed learning, and enhancing information accessibility. It also illustrates the integration of ChatGPT and text-to-image models in high school language courses through the lens of new literacies. The text uniquely integrates three layers of discourse: introductions to Generative AI by experts, scholarly debates on its merits and drawbacks, and practical classroom applications, offering a reflective snapshot of the current and potential states of Generative AI applications while emphasizing the interconnected discussions across various layers of discourse.

Impact of Strategic Adaptations Due to COVID-19 Pandemic on a Capacity Building Program: Insights From a DRTB Program Under NTEP in India

Introduction: India has experienced high burden of drug resistant tuberculosis, under par treatment success rate and very high loss to follow-up despite continuous efforts to develop evidence-based policy to treat DRTB patients. However, it is challenging to translate policies into practice. The goal of this program was to build capacity of the program staff for effective management of DRTB in public sector through workshops, capacity building exercises, creation and dissemination of information, education and communication materials. Methodology: The program was implemented in seven states; 11 state-level kick-off trainings were planned to reach 660 National TB Elimination Program staffs. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, on-field activities were replaced with virtual trainings with a set of 4-5 webinars per state. Pre and post training assessments were done to evaluate uptake of knowledge. Number of trainings conducted, staff trained and knowledge improvement were the indicators used to assess the outcome. Results: A total of 34 webinars were conducted on revised Programmatic Management of Drug- Resistant Tuberculosis guidelines and 3000 staff was trained. The program organized three times more training and five times more staff were trained. Although retention of participants and their attention was challenging, transition to virtual platform provided increased coverage and targeted outputs. Proportion of participants answering correctly in pre/post-training assessments, increased from 47% to 65%. Conclusion: Use of virtual trainings is an efficient high yielding method to build capacity of NTEP staff. Lessons learnt can help improve such interventions, benefit health programs and the end beneficiaries - the patients.

Adaptation strategies for climate change impacts on water quality: a systematic review of the literature

AbstractClimate change will impact water bodies and create significant challenges for natural resource managers. Despite the increasing impacts of climate change on water quality, the development and implementation of long-term strategic adaptation measures are seldom governmental priorities. So far, research has mainly tended to focus on the availability and volume of water rather than the quality. Comparatively fewer studies have considered adaptation strategies that deal with the uncertainties of the impacts of climate change on the quality of water bodies. This paper reports the results of a systematic review of literature on adaptation options and the barriers and drivers that can exert a positive or negative influence on their implementation. Findings suggest that there has been and continues to be a cautious approach to a growing concern for a natural resource of utmost necessity. Most of the strategies mentioned in the literature use coping or incremental approaches. However, adaptation strategies offering low levels of resilience for addressing water quality may not be up to the challenge of significant future climate changes.

Urban Nature as an Active Means of Adapting Public Spaces to Climate Conditions: Case Studies from Copenhagen and Selected Polish Cities

Progressive climate change brings many challenges to cities, which, in an effort to meet them, are looking for ways to create a built environment that is resilient and adapted to change. The subject of the paper is the urban nature, which, skillfully used and introduced into public space, becomes an active tool for adapting cities to future climate conditions. The aim of the paper is to identify key solutions to introduce urban nature into public spaces in the context of model strategic planning and urban design undertaken in cities. To this aim, development strategies, with a particular focus on urban nature, developed in Copenhagen over the past few years, were researched. Of those identified, the directions and actions that address public spaces and holistically link the needs of the built and natural environment with the needs of humans were selected. Research leads to a comparison of the model strategies and selected implementations used in Copenhagen, prioritizing the urban nature, with examples of strategic development policies and adaptation projects implemented in the public spaces of selected Polish cities. The result of the research is an assessment of the completeness of climate change adaptation measures undertaken in Poland, using the potential of urban nature in public spaces and recommendations for updating planning and strategic documents based on Copenhagen’s model solutions.

Coastal micro-phytoplankton community changes during the toxigenic Alexandrium minutum blooms in a semi-enclosed tropical coastal lagoon (Malaysia, South China Sea)

Estuarine lagoons often experience eutrophication due to anthropogenic activities in proximity and poor water exchange. Deterioration of water quality in the lagoon has driven the shifts in micro-phytoplankton communities that often form coastal harmful algal blooms (HABs). This study investigated changes in the micro-phytoplankton community in a tropical semi-enclosed lagoon, Geting Lagoon, for two consecutive years during the study periods of 2014/2015 (September 2014–March 2015) and 2015/2016 (August 2015–March 2016). A total of 38 phytoplankton taxa were identified throughout the sampling periods, with 17 taxa of harmful algae identified microscopically. The diatoms Skeletonema costatum and Chaetoceros were predominant in the lagoon. The lagoon was significantly enriched in macronutrients, and high overall nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations likely supported substantial phytoplankton blooms in the lagoon throughout the studied periods. It was observed that with similar temperatures and nutrient availability between the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 periods, the density of A. minutum in 2014/2015 did not reach as high as in those of the 2015/2016 period, in which higher precipitations, streamflow, and decreased in salinity stratification index had prevented the development of A. minutum bloom. The findings of this study revealed that the coastal micro-phytoplankton community was dependent on the interplay of environmental variables and unique strategic adaptations of the functional types in the assemblages. This study provides valuable insights into the phytoplankton community dynamics in a tropical eutrophic lagoon.

Dynamic capabilities as a strategic flexibility enabler: organizational responsiveness to COVID-19

PurposeTo cope with the existing pandemic situation and to be organizationally responsive, firms need to be strategically flexible, where they need to develop dynamic capabilities (DCs) by continuously reconfiguring their resource base. To address such challenges, firms heavily rely on information and communication technologies (ICT) because of advancement in disruptive technologies. This study aims to explore techniques used by higher education institutional (HEI) leaders to successfully address challenges posed by global disruption, i.e. COVID-19 with the help of advanced ICT software such as Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative approach was adopted to explore strategic factors such as strategic flexibility (SF) and DC that disclose shortcomings in the current extant literature. A total of 15 interviews were conducted with heads of departments of HEIs in the United Arab Emirates. Data were analyzed using NVivo software.FindingsThe findings suggested three dimensions of SF (resources, operational and collaborative) and four dimensions of DC (strategic planning, innovative, adaptability and technological) for firms to adopt to be strategically flexible, where DC serves as building blocks of SF.Originality/valueThis research provides a framework as an avenue for future researchers and practitioners on how to strategically manage their resources and be strategically flexible in turbulent environment such as pandemics. Theory-based investigations on strategic capabilities and DC from resource-based perspective are still under-researched, emphasizing the need for theoretically based research on strategic responsiveness, especially during the times of environmental complexities such as COVID-19 pandemics. This research enriches strategic management research by exploring the important antecedents of organizational responsiveness, including SF and DC together with the support of human factor, i.e. leadership qualities of HEIs managers. This study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is among the first to systematically explore main dimensions of DC and SF based on the resource-based theory of strategic management in the Middle Eastern context.

Soil erosion risk under climate change scenarios: A case study in rural area with varying land uses

Soil erosion is one of the major issues in the tropics. The erosion is highly affected by the changes in climate and land cover. Future changes in tropical climate, particularly precipitation are expected to influence the potential risks of soil erosion. In the face of rapid changes in rural land cover for agricultural purposes, the combined forcings of land cover and climate changes have been to be a major threat to the soil conservation due to soil erosion. In this study, climate change scenarios at the northern part of Borneo were developed based on the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate scenarios using Weather Research Forecast Model (WRF). The future climate projection scenarios of the total precipitation were used to simulate the potential erosion risks in varying land covers in a rural area of Sabah, Malaysia. The RUSLE model was used for soil erosion modelling, which was integrated with IDRISI Selva that allow the analysis and assessment of erosion risk. The variability of future total precipitations in the area of varying land cover types have resulted in varying degree of potential soil erosion risk The average soil loss at the studied area has increased by 262 t/ha/yr with 35.94 % increment in annual precipitation under RCP 8.5 emission scenario. However, under RCP 4.5, 26.65 % decrement in precipitation has reduced the soil loss by 315.1 t/ha/yr. In this rural area, exceptionally high soil erosion was found at steep slopes and thin vegetation covers. Therefore, an appropriate land use planning, soil conservation practices, and strategic adaptation options plan should be created and developed to ensure the sustainability of the soil conservation and enhance rural agricultural productivity.

Utilising the impact of COVID-19 on trauma throughput to adapt elective care models for more efficient trauma care.

BACKGROUNDCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has necessitated adaptations in local trauma services, with implementation of novel methods of practice, strategic adaptations, and shifting of resource management. Many of these may serve the driver for landmark changes to future healthcare provision.AIMTo analyse the impact of COVID-19 on service provision by comparing throughput and productivity metrics with preceding years to identify differences in practice that were successful, cost-effective, and sustainable.METHODSWe quantified orthopaedic trauma care provision at a single University Teaching Hospital over a three consecutive year period, from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2020. Each year was split into four phases based on the 2020 national COVID-19 pandemic periods. We quantitatively analysed change in rates of inpatient trauma operative case load, sub-specialty variation, theatre throughput, and changes in management strategy. Qualitative analysis was based on multidisciplinary team interviews to highlight changes to care pathways.RESULTSOf 1704 cases were admitted in 2020, 11.9% and 12.4% fewer than 2019 and 2018, respectively. During phase 1, hip fractures encompassed the majority (48.8%) of trauma throughput, with all other subspecialties seeing a reduction. Mean length of stay was shorter during phase 1 (5.7 d); however, the time in theatre was longer (144.3 min). Both, Charlson (0.90) and Elixhauser (1.55) Comorbidity Indices indicated the most co-morbid admissions during 2020 phase 1.CONCLUSIONCOVID-19 has resulted in a paradigm shift in how care is accessed and delivered, with many evolving changes and adaptations likely to leave an impression upon healthcare provision in the future.

Permafrost degradation increases risk and large future costs of infrastructure on the Third Pole

The damage to infrastructure caused by near-surface permafrost degradation is directly related to the well-being of 10 million people and the sustainable development on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Third Pole of the Earth. Here we identify the economic damage caused by permafrost degradation to infrastructure on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau by integrating data-driven projection, multihazard index, and lifespan replacement model. We found that additional cost of approximately $6.31 billion will be needed to maintain the service function of current infrastructure under the historical scenario (SSP245) by 2090. While 20.9% of these potential costs can be saved with strategic adaptations. Controlling global warming to below 1.5 °C will reduce the costs by $1.32 billion relative to the 2 °C target of Paris Agreement. These findings highlight the importance of mitigating global warming and of investment in the adaptation and maintenance of infrastructure on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which has a sparse population but is a climate hotspot.

Where the Rainbow Rises: The Strategic Adaptations of China’s LGBT NGOs to Restricted Civic Space

ABSTRACT The past decade has witnessed a new trend towards restrictions and surveillance on civil society organizations in China, which seriously affected China’s grassroots LGBT NGOs. Based on a field study of Chinese grassroots LGBT NGOs, this article explores the coping strategies utilized by these organizations to survive in a restricted civic space. Empirical evidence shows these organizations adopting various tactics to obtain funding and legitimacy. Yet despite the undeniable agency of these LGBT NGOs, they are still restricted by institutional power. While scrupulously avoiding political risks, grassroots LGBT NGOs inevitably shifted away from rights advocacy missions to become service-oriented, depoliticizing and even distorting their agendas. Consequently, the intensifying restrictions and surveillance have invisibly but saliently reshaped the structures and practices of these NGOs.

Strategic management of companies' adaptive behavior

AbstractThe modern stage of economic growth is accompanied by sophisticated, multifaceted, and diverse processes, including globalization, the evolution of a new technological paradigm, the growing scarcity of available resources, and changing consumer demands and preferences. In this context, the ability of businesses to quickly and adequately adapt to changes, induced by the external environment, is crucial to their long‐term success. Awareness of these circumstances has led to increased research interest to the issues of managing the adaptability of businesses. The paper quantifies the major dependencies and controversies between the adaptability assessment methods and strategic development of entrepreneurship. The research findings provide an understanding of the overall trend of adaptability management and its impact on the business performance and management strategies that can be used to increase resistance to the extrinsic factors. The main methods of analysis include matrix‐based approaches to selecting the best strategic decisions. A methodical approach was proposed for a reasoned choice of retailers' strategic adaptation areas, which makes it possible to determine the optimal type of adaptation strategy and opens opportunities for determining the company's strategic pathway in its adaptation context. This paper addresses the current market‐driven settings of economic management and the issues of managing the retailers' adaptability in China, as well as the need to change the methods of their strategic management in order to develop a strong competitive position in today's fast‐paced environment and promote economic growth. The research findings can be applied in various types of businesses, regardless of the scale thereof.

Technoeconomic analysis of broccoli biorefineries for polyphenol extraction and biobutanol production

Fossil resources dominate the energy supply. In 2019, the total energy supply worldwide accounted for 606 exajoules (EJ), of which fossil fuels (oil, coal, and gas) had a share of 81% (490 EJ). The biorefinery concept proposes the synthesis of renewable energies as an alternative to fossil carburants. As a second-generation biofuel, biobutanol has outstanding characteristics and can be obtained from agricultural residues and organic wastes; however, its bioprocessing is not economically feasible using current methodologies. In 2021, the global production of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. Italica) was 25.5 million tons; being the fifth top producer, Mexico generated 687,000 tons of this vegetable. In this work we propose a production design for the synthesis of biobutanol and the recovery of valuable byproducts, like high-value polyphenolic compounds, from broccoli residues, abundant in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. For the transformation of the substrate a biochemical matrix was proposed for its composition, as well as a biotechnological route that follows a general path with the acid pretreatment of biomass, enzymatic hydrolysis, and acetone-biobutanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation using anaerobic bacteria. The outlined biorefinery integrates conventional methods in three methodological pathways and a hybrid model for the downstream process. With the aim of visualizing the global economic performance and evaluating a possible reduction in production costs, we performed a technoeconomic analysis of the designed second generation biorefinery plant. The economic evaluation was carried out using SuperPro Designer® V 12.0. The results confirm the enormous dependence that this type of biorefinery suffers from energy demands. We found that by implementing strategic adaptations to the downstream process operating costs can be considerably reduced. However, to achieve full financial efficiency in the production of biobutanol from broccoli residues, it is necessary to deepen the research and development of innovative methods to efficiently separate and purify the final products, as well as novel methodologies for the biotransformation of the described lignocellulosic biomass along the entire technological route. We also found that there is a large opportunity in the valorization of the plentiful broccoli residues generated in the Guanajuato region.

What does luxury really mean to millennial consumers?

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine how millennial luxury consumers define luxury based on a holistic systems theory perspective. The human ecosystem and its components were used to fully investigate the system of the millennial luxury consumer. A mixed methodology was used by conducting interviews and then a consumer survey. Based on the findings from this research, the definition for luxury based on the view of the millennial luxury consumer is as followed: Luxury is the characteristics of the product themselves, addresses the consumer's personal needs, and addresses the consumer's social needs. This study suggests that the ecosystem of the millennial luxury consumers, including its environments and interactions, helped in constructing their definition of luxury. This definition delivers millennial luxury consumer insights for luxury retailers and may provide strategic adaptations to help attract and retain millennial luxury consumers, while also supporting business sustainability in a challenging retail environment.

The Impact of Social Media Use for Elected Parliamentarians: Evidence from Politicians' Use of Twitter During the Last Two Swiss Legislatures

AbstractNotwithstanding growing research on how using social media for political campaigning impacts politicians' chances of winning votes, we still have limited knowledge about whether and how the use of social media and online styles of communication affect political success over successive legislatures. We address this deficit by analyzing a panel dataset about the Twitter activity of politicians who have had a parliamentary mandate at least once. We first demonstrate that politicians' interaction with specific online audiences (e.g. in terms of replies and mentions) is still evolving, thus pointing to possible strategic adaptations of politicians' communication as social media are mastered. Then, we show that Twitter‐based activity moderately impacts politicians' political success, both in terms of political ranking and media coverage. This success, however, strongly depends on the style of political communication and on the legislature under scrutiny.

Online and Offline Coordination in Australia’s Far-Right: A Study of True Blue Crew

Far-right extremism transpires in virtual and physical space. In this study, we examine how the Australian far-right extremist group ‘True Blue Crew’ attempted to coordinate their offline activities with their social media activism. To this end, we conducted a thematic content analysis of administrator posts and user comments present on the group’s Facebook page prior to and following an organised street rally in June 2017. This online analysis was partnered with ethnographic field work to gauge the perceptions of group members and supporters during the rally in Melbourne, Victoria. The results highlight the multi-dimensional and intimate manner in which online and offline contexts are coordinated to support far-right activism and mobilisation. This study offers an empirical account of how far-right attitudes, activism, and mobilisation transpired in Australia in the years prior to an Australian committing the Christchurch terror attack. It reveals a growing frustration within the broader far-right movement, leading to later strategic adaptation that can be interpreted as an early warning sign of an environment increasingly conducive to violence. This provides a more nuanced understanding of the context from which far-right terrorism emerges, and speaks to the importance of maintaining a level of analysis that transverses the social and the individual, as well as the online and the offline spaces. Implications for security and government agencies responses are discussed.

Retooling militancy: Labour revitalization and fixed‐duration strikes

AbstractDespite decades of decline in strike rates, recent scholarship has examined how unions and labour organizations are retooling the strike to confront increasing employer power. This study focuses on a militant labour union and the emergence of an understudied type of strike – the fixed‐duration strike – as a source of labour revitalization. Drawing from qualitative data gathered on fixed‐duration strikes organized by a union of registered nurses in the United States, I investigate the strategic adaptation of labour militancy and how these strikes overcome the limitations of traditional, indefinite work stoppages. I find that fixed‐duration strikes protect the economic interests of nurses and advance their role as patient care advocates, while still imposing financial and reputational costs on employers. These findings suggest that the strategic adaptation of militant tactics, such as the strike, help labour organizations achieve revitalization outcomes like contract victories and enhanced membership activism.

Fintech, strategic adaptation in shock of COVID-19: A review of the empirical literature

Fintech, strategic adaptation in shock of COVID-19: A review of the empirical literature

Student Perceptions and Engagement in Video-based Learning for Microbiology Education

Online learning increases the physical distance between instructors and students and depending on the mode of delivery, it can be challenging to close this gap. To ameliorate this potential for student isolation, instructors need to communicate to students in a variety of ways, blending original online resources with synchronous interactive learning activities. During 2020, 34 lecture videos were created for a large undergraduate microbiology and immunology course offered at The University of Queensland. The teaching team applied a subset of Mayer’s multimedia learning design principles – embodiment, mixed perspectives, segmenting, signalling – to create videos featuring instructor presence, multiple presentation styles, and dynamic pacing. When compared to voice-over presentations created by automated lecture capture software, the outcomes of this design process increased student engagement in video-based learning across the 2020 and 2021 course offerings. Analysis of student perception data collected by online questionnaires and interviews revealed broad agreement with the design principles used for video-based learning. However, their value of on-screen instructor visibility, graphics, and text was variable as a result of individual preferences. Together these findings present a case study in which instructional videos were developed iteratively through the selective application of multimedia design principles and strategic adaptation of existing learning resources.