Strategic Device Research Articles

PopBERT. Detecting Populism and Its Host Ideologies in the German Bundestag

Abstract The rise of populism concerns many political scientists and practitioners, yet the detection of its underlying language remains fragmentary. This paper aims to provide a reliable, valid, and scalable approach to measure populist rhetoric. For that purpose, we created an annotated dataset based on parliamentary speeches of the German Bundestag (2013–2021). Following the ideational definition of populism, we label moralizing references to “the virtuous people” or “the corrupt elite” as core dimensions of populist language. To identify, in addition, how the thin ideology of populism is “thickened,” we annotate how populist statements are attached to left-wing or right-wing host ideologies. We then train a transformer-based model (PopBERT) as a multilabel classifier to detect and quantify each dimension. A battery of validation checks reveals that the model has a strong predictive accuracy, provides high qualitative face validity, matches party rankings of expert surveys, and detects out-of-sample text snippets correctly. PopBERT enables dynamic analyses of how German-speaking politicians and parties use populist language as a strategic device. Furthermore, the annotator-level data may also be applied in cross-domain applications or to develop related classifiers.

Decolonising the European conservation curriculum

European conservation-restoration training programmes offer curricula that tend to be rooted in Eurocentrism. Over the last decades, conservation scholars have called for a re-interpretation of the sector, based on a need to acknowledge and respond to global social developments, including the call for decolonisation—calls that would naturally change training programmes. In Australia and Canada, for example, training programmes long ago embarked on a path of reforming their curricula and including non-Eurocentric ways of conserving. On the other hand, higher education programmes in conservation in Europe have only recently begun to discuss alternatives to their current curricula. To address this concern, this article focusses on approaches aimed at ‘decolonising the curriculum’ as a means for European conservation training programmes to achieve greater alignment with current social developments. Such approaches may serve as a strategic device for formulating recommendations geared to triggering curricula transformations and bringing them into line with major social issues in our contemporary world, as well as to provide a broader and more diverse epistemic foundation for the professional efforts of future conservation experts.

An energy-saving joint resource allocation strategy for mobile edge computing

Mobile Cloud-Edge Collaboration (MCEC) views in the main of converting the site for user electronics. By naturally integrating mobile devices with cloud computing (CC) resources at the edge of the scheme, this mutual paradigm improves storage, processing, and communication capabilities. This cooperation increases the performance of user electronics, delivering users responsive and resource-efficient knowledge. Offloading in Mobile Cloud-Edge Collaboration (MCEC) is a strategic device that recovers computational efficiency and resource energy for mobile devices. By reasonably moving computation tasks from mobile devices to the edge or cloud servers, offloading declines the load on the limited processing and energy capabilities of mobile devices. This joint method influences the stable computing power and storage aptitude accessible in the cloud-edge structure, confirming that resource-intensive uses like complex data processing or machine learning (ML) tasks can be implemented professionally. Offloading not only increases the receptiveness and performance of mobile users but also contributes to energy conservation, extending the battery time of mobile devices. This study proposes an African Vultures Optimizer algorithm-based Offloading Strategy for Mobile Cloud-Edge Collaboration (AVOAOS-MCEC) approach for consumer electronics. The AVOAOS-MCEC technique is based on the nature of AVOA is a new nature-based system, which is inspired by the unusual behavior of African vultures in foraging and navigation. In addition, the AVOAOS-MCEC technique designs a task offloading process to reduce the total energy utilization with the fulfillment of capacity and delay requirements. The experimental validation of the AVOAOS-MCEC method is verified utilizing distinct measures. An extensive comparison study stated that the AVOAOS-MCEC technique outperforms the other models in terms of several performance measures.

Strategic Deployment of Ducklink Wireless Devices for Disaster Mitigation and Management in Nueva ECIJA University of Science and Technology Sumacab Campus

A significant challenge during disasters is the breakdown of traditional communication systems, impeding rescue operations and information dissemination. To tackle this issue, researchers conducted a study on strategically deploying DuckLink wireless devices within a small community, particularly at NEUST Sumacab Campus. Utilizing tools like Google Maps, Google Earth, and WiFi Heat Map, optimal locations for device placement were identified. Analyzing signal range and performance characteristics, the study endeavored to enhance disaster management capabilities on campus. Findings revealed DuckLink devices operate with omnidirectional polarity, ensuring reliable communication, with a clear correlation between distance and message transmission time emphasizing strategic device placement for efficient campus-wide connectivity. Recommending the installation of 112 devices across 79 buildings, with key locations designated for Papaduck receivers and Mamaduck transmitters, this research offers crucial insights into disaster management strategies, optimizing wireless communication infrastructure in educational environments, thus contributing to safer and more resilient communities.

The Effect of Company Social Obligation on Brand Popularity

Company Social Duty (CSR) has become a pivotal approach for corporations aiming to beautify their emblem reputation amidst growing societal expectations. This paper investigates the profound effect of CSR projects on brand popularity in diverse industries. Using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research techniques, it examines how CSR practices affect consumer perceptions, emblem loyalty, and corporate credibility. Drawing upon theoretical frameworks and empirical evidence, the observer delves into the mechanisms via which CSR sports shape logo photos and popularity. Moreover, it explores the position of authenticity and transparency in fostering tremendous stakeholder attitudes in the direction of CSR-driven brands. Via a complete analysis of case studies and industry examples, this study elucidates the complexities and nuances of the connection between CSR and emblem reputation. The findings provide treasured insights for corporations seeking to leverage CSR as a strategic device for enhancing brand fairness and fostering long-term sustainable growth.

All-fluorescent white organic light-emitting diodes employing a deep-blue HLCT material simultaneously as emitter and host achieving excellent electroluminescence performance with efficiency roll-off

Simultaneously achieving high efficiency and small efficiency roll-off remains a huge challenge for white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which greatly restricts their industrial application in the lighting field. Recently developed hybridized local and charge transfer (HLCT) materials have a “hot exciton” channel, which can maximize the utilization rate of excitons and suppress efficiency roll-off via rapid reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) from high-lying triplet state (Tn, n ≥ 2) to singlet state (S1). In this work, employing blue HLCT material pCzAnN as the sensitizing host, by precise concentration management, the traditional fluorescent C545T- and DCJTB-based green and orange-red OLEDs are first fabricated, which achieve the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) exceeding the theoretical limit of 5 %, reaching 8.51 % and 6.64 %, respectively. On this basis, by strategic device structure design, all-fluorescent two- and three-color white OLEDs are demonstrated having pCzAnN simultaneously as blue emitter and sensitizing host of C545T and DCJTB. The resulting two- and three-color white devices obtain maximum EQE beyond 5 %. What's more, all three-color white devices exhibit extremely small efficiency roll-off, where the efficiency drops are less than 1 % at a practical luminance of 1000 cd/m2, which is comparable to the best works reported in the literatures. At the same time, the optimized three-color white device realizes ideal white emission, in which the electroluminescence (EL) spectra contain three almost equal intensity emission wavebands accompanied by a high color rendering index of 87. Stable EL spectra under a wide luminance range (3863 ∼ 27710 cd/m2) indicate a huge potential application. We believe this work can provide new idea for developing high-efficiency and low roll-off white OLEDs in the future.

Blue emitting exciplex for yellow and white organic light-emitting diodes

White organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs) have several desirable features, but their commercialization is hindered by the poor stability of blue light emitters and high production costs due to complicated device structures. Herein, we investigate a standard blue emitting hole transporting material (HTM) N,N'-bis(naphthalen-1-yl)-N,N'-bis(phenyl)benzidine (NPB) and its exciplex emission upon combining with a suitable electron transporting material (ETM), 3-(biphenyl-4-yl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (TAZ). Blue and yellow OLEDs with simple device structures are developed by using a blend layer, NPB:TAZ, as a blue emitter as well as a host for yellow phosphorescent dopant iridium (III) bis(4-phenylthieno[3,2-c]pyridinato-N,C2')acetylacetonate (PO-01). Strategic device design then exploits the ambipolar charge transport properties of tetracene as a spacer layer to connect these blue and yellow emitting units. The tetracene-linked device demonstrates more promising results compared to those using a conventional charge generation layer (CGL). Judicious choice of the spacer prevents exciton diffusion from the blue emitter unit, yet facilitates charge carrier transport to the yellow emitter unit to enable additional exciplex formation. This complementary behavior of the spacer improves the blue emission properties concomitantly yielding reasonable yellow emission. The overall white light emission properties are enhanced, achieving CIE coordinates (0.36, 0.39) and color temperature (4643 K) similar to daylight. Employing intermolecular exciplex emission in OLEDs simplifies the device architecture via its dual functionality as a host and as an emitter.Graphical abstract

Political Branding: Subterfuge or the New Mode of Governance?

Objective: This paper aims to determine whether scholars writing on the subject of political branding and political brands consider political branding to be an artifice or an evolved strategic outlook useful – and necessary – in our current political context. Research Design & Methods: This is a theoretical paper. The critical review of the literature on political branding research, encompassing articles published between 2016 and 2023, was conducted; seven full-text publications from the EBSCO database were critically analysed. Findings: My conclusion suggests that the vast majority of scholars writing on the subject of political branding view political branding as a strategic device – both a framework and communication vehicle – useful and necessary in our contemporary political context. Implications/Recommendations: This paper makes a managerial contribution to the political branding body of knowledge. The analysis of the writings of numerous scholars within the area of political branding indicates that the development of strong and appealing political brands helps political parties and political leaders in effective communication with voters-consumers. Political branding emerges as a necessary tool that should be used by political strategists to ensure that the relationships between politicians/political parties and voters-consumers are deepened and relevant, and the visions and messages communicated by the political actors are cohesive, clearly articulated, concentrated, and well-understood by the voters-consumers. Contribution/Value Added: This paper is original in showcasing the dominant and overarching approaches and ideas among scholars writing on the subject of political branding. Article classification: theoretical/review paper Keywords: political branding, political brand(s), voters-consumers, political marketing JEL classification: M00, M3, and M38

Model-based meta-analysis in drug and device development and the added value of data sharing

Meta-analysis, the highest level of evidence, is a statistical analysis that includes a mathematical combination of the results from different studies. Meta-analysis can be a subset of systematic review or the pooling of results from individual patient data (IPD). The number of published systematic reviews and meta-analyses has grown exponentially in recent years: a search in PubMed showed that around 1,600 systematic review and meta-analysis publications were indexed in 2000 compared to over 35,000 in 2020. And this upward trend is projected to continue. With the new regulatory landscape making the development and maintenance of clinical evaluation reports (CERs) a priority for drug and device manufacturers, methodologically sound meta-analysis will be key to guiding strategic drug and device development decisions.

Strategic Trade Credit in a Supply Chain with Buyer Competition

Problem definition: In practice, trade credit (TC) is often offered in a contract that stipulates a single, fixed interest, rather than an interest menu contingent on the loan amount. We examine why a supplier uses such a single-interest contract and why a buyer who can access perfect external capital (EC) with contingent interest may use TC, when the supplier does not share the buyer’s demand risk. Methodology/results: We solve a dynamic game between a supplier and two buyers, who have access to EC and compete in a Cournot game in the product market. We show that the single-interest contract incentivizes a buyer to order more. Thus, such a contract benefits the supplier and makes TC a strategic device for buyers to commit to competing aggressively. Opposite to well-known results, we show that buyers may benefit from using strategic TC, because their access to EC gives them strong pricing power that yields sufficiently low wholesale price. The entire supply chain also benefits because the over-ordering distortion under TC mitigates the under-ordering problem caused by double marginalization. Managerial implications: Our analysis implies that, to weaken buyers’ pricing power and improve profit, the supplier should offer cheap TC—for example, in net terms to—financially resourceful buyers and expensive TC—for example, with early payment discount—to financially constrained buyers, as observed in practice. We find strategic TC to yield increasingly more benefit for the supplier as its production cost decreases and may allow the buyer to maximize its payoff at an intermediate consumers’ willingness-to-pay that leads to strong pricing power and low wholesale price.

Organic Semiconductor–Insulator Blends for Organic Field‐Effect Transistors

Extensive progress has been made on the application of organic semiconductors (OSCs) in organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs); however, low reproducibility and poor stability of OSCs have limited their industrial applications. One potential strategy to overcome these limitations is to blend OSCs with insulating commodity polymers. The resultant bicomponent blends can be used to fabricate OFETs with low cost, high performance, and long‐time retention. In addition, insulator blending is also identified as a facile and effective approach to enhance the OSC properties, with some unexpected features even superior to neat OSCs. Herein, the present advances of OSCs/insulator blends in the OFET configuration are reviewed. The perspectives on the intrinsic properties of insulator blends, including morphology and trap elimination, are presented for the purpose of strategic device optimization. Accordingly, the effect of different insulator components on device performance is also discussed.

Competitive empathy: sharing values and strategies with rivals

PurposeThis study aims to introduce the original idea of competitive empathy, to go beyond competitive advantage and help managers and entrepreneurs strategize with a shared purpose.Design/methodology/approachThis study builds on and originally combines seminal works on empathy in the fields of psychology and management, which are extended to embrace the notion of empathy toward competitors. Empirical research leveraged different methods, including “class as a lab” research; field studies; and collaborative research.FindingsTo support managers’ and entrepreneurs’ effort to be more empathic and emotionally intelligent when dealing with competitors, the study introduces the “Competitive Empathy Catalyst” tool, which identifies three layers – namely, orientation, execution and foundation – where to look for common ground between your company’s and your competitors’ strategy. A set of principles that should inspire managers’ strategic behavior and action to enable competitive empathy are also proposed: search for a non-conflicting identification with competitors and avoid “egotism”; adopt “perspective-taking”; practice “mirroring”; aim at the “greater good”; leverage “vicarious learning” and apply “cautionary trust.”Practical implicationsLooking at competitors from a different angle and applying competitive empathy as a strategic device can uncover a plethora of opportunities benefiting the company’s strategy and ability to create, deliver and capture value.Originality/valueEmpathy in management theory and practice has been traditionally associated with interaction with customers, employees and stakeholders. Competitive empathy counterintuitively applies empathy to a category of players that were largely left out from the discussion, that is, competitors.

Endogenous codetermination

This research introduces endogenous codetermination in a Cournot duopoly. Unlike the received literature (Kraft, 1998), this work assumes that firms bargain with their own union bargaining units under codetermination if and only if they can choose an ad hoc bargaining effort by maximising profits (three‐stage non‐cooperative game). There are remarkable differences compared with the main findings of the exogenous codetermination literature. Indeed, there may exist asymmetric multiple (Pareto efficient) Nash equilibria in pure strategies. Mandatory codetermination, therefore, is Pareto worsening. Each firm can then use the union bargaining power as a strategic device in a Cournot setting.

Law, the Humanities and Political Incertitude in a Time of Climate Change

This article addresses how climate change triggers relevant transformations in the realm of the law and affects our politico-legal paradigms. To this end, it delivers cross-disciplinary research by focusing on a non-fictional literary genre, i.e. climate-change pop-science, which has arisen very recently. The article also explores the concept of ‘strategic formalism’, i.e. a strategic legal device unable to govern societal concerns. On the one hand, it shapes our approach to climate change and migration; on the other, it adapts ecological issues to the ‘traditional’ legal framework. Against this background, the article argues that non-fictional texts also reflect the ideas of the most active forces within society, and fuel dynamism when tackling the ecological crisis. In a time of climate change, these forces stir strategic formalism, and make the law act as a bridge linking our troubled reality to an inclusive future.

Testing times: governing a pandemic with numbers

PurposeUsing Dean's (2010) analytics of government, this research explores how regimes of governing practices are linked to the underlying policy rationalities in dealing with the UK government's COVID-19 testing policies as a strategy for governing at a distance, including how targets were set and operationalized.Design/methodology/approachThis paper draws on the UK government's policy documents, other official publications (plans) and parliamentary discourse, together with publicly available media information related to its COVID-19 policies.FindingsThis research reveals that, with respect to the governance of COVID-19 in the UK, testing has the dual role of inscription for the government's performance and classification for the pandemic risks. The analysis illustrates that the central role of testing is as a technology for classification for identifying and monitoring the virus-related risks. Moreover, our discourse analysis suggests that initially COVID-19 testing was used by the UK government more for performance communication, with the classificatory role of testing and its performativity as a strategic device evolving and only being acknowledged by government gradually as the underlying testing infrastructure was developed.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is based upon publicly available reports and other information of a single country's attempts to control COVID-19 over a relatively short period of time.Originality/valueThis paper provides a critical understanding of the role of (accounting) numbers in developing an effective government policy for governing COVID-19.

Competência em saúde mental na perspectiva de profissionais de saúde que atuam em Centro de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS)

Historicamente, a saúde mental foi marcada pelo clássico modelo psiquiátrico, permeado de violência e preconceitos. Com a Reforma Psiquiátrica (RP), construiu-se um novo modelo de cuidado psicossocial que contrastava o modelo existente. Nesse sentido, o Centro de Atenção Psicossocial (CAPS) veio como dispositivo estratégico para o fortalecimento da RP, com um aspecto mais humano, com novas formas de cuidado que permitiram a construção de novos conhecimentos e práticas. Objetivo: Identificar as competências dos profissionais de saúde mental no CAPS. Métodos: Pesquisa exploratória com abordagem qualitativa. A coleta de dados utilizou a técnica do grupo focal. Para analisar os dados utilizou-se a análise de dados interpretativa. O campo para o estudo foram os nove CAPS do município de Goiânia-GO que fazem o atendimento à população com transtorno mental e/ou o uso de álcool e outras drogas. Participaram da pesquisa dezesseis (16) profissionais de saúde, que atuam pelo menos há um ano CAPS, dentre eles: médico psiquiatra, psicólogo, assistente social, professor de educação física, musicoterapeuta, arteterapeuta, farmacêutico, terapeuta ocupacional, fonoaudiólogo. Resultados: A maioria dos profissionais que participaram do estudo são mulheres e a faixa etária foi de 35-69, sendo que todos os profissionais são efetivos do município. Desse estudo obteve-se quatro categorias temáticas: Formação e Educação Permanente; Trabalhador (características pessoais e satisfação do trabalhador do CAPS); Institucionalização do CAPS e Processo de trabalho, revelando que a institucionalização das práticas preconizadas no âmbito da atenção psicossocial sugere que a qualidade do atendimento em saúde mental pode estar relacionada com o modelo de atendimento existente no serviço, que reforça a atuação coletiva e não necessariamente em um conjunto de competências inerentes ao indivíduo, ou seja, que independente das competências pessoais, ou da formação desse profissional, ou da capacitação/educação continuada que o mesmo venha a receber, ele deverá desenvolver essas práticas de acordo com o que o serviço preconiza.

Orientação Profissional na interface entre Psicologia e Educação: uma revisão de literatura

This paper presents results of research on the practice of Vocational Guidance (VG) at the interface between Psychology and Education. A bibliographic review was accomplished from the access to the platforms Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) and Virtual Health Library - Psychology (VHL - Psi). From the use of the Vocational Guidance descriptor, a total of 83 articles were found, of which nine were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Reports of VGs practiced at the interface between psychology and education were chosen. The PB proved to be powerful to support students in the process of professional choice. In addition, it has emerged as a strategic device for bringing psychology and education closer in an ethical and political way.

Wandering identities in energy transition discourses: Political leaders’ use of the “we” pronoun in Ontario, 2009–2019

This paper explores the use of universalizing language as a discursive strategy to promote shifts in energy policy. Building on scholarship that seeks to understand the political nature of energy transitions, including resistance to transitions, the role of the state, and implications for justice, we examine three phases of energy transition in Ontario in the period 2009–2019, focusing on the ways that three successive ruling coalitions used the first plural pronoun “we” to promote contrasting energy policy orientations. Our analysis of policy documents and government news releases confirms that all three coalitions used the “we” form as a strategic device to define priorities, prescribe courses of action, and broadcast achievements. However, they also used the ambiguity of the “we” form to obscure alternative perspectives, claim credit for rivals’ accomplishments, and gloss over harmful and differentiated impacts of policy choices. The paper concludes by reflecting on broader questions about power and justice relevant to energy transition scholars.

Research Management Committee as strategic device for Implementation Research

Abstract Issue/problem Implementation Research (IR) are particularly useful in identifying whether when an intervention does not succeed, this is because the intervention was ineffective in the new scenario or if a good intervention was poorly implemented. In order to do this, it is important to establish evaluation strategies capable of provide feedback and encourage learning and incorporation of changes. However, the best strategies for this are not clear yet. Description of the problem Despite the existence of references with clear definitions of the outcomes for IR, it is still unclear what are the best strategies for the stakeholders’ participation in these outcomes evaluation. By identifying that, the framework of participatory research could contribute to the choice of these strategies. We sought to retrieve some of the devices already used in other research to test whether they would be able to respond to the assumptions of IR. The chosen device was the Research Management Committee (RMC) which has its use evaluated by a qualitative study with focus group and the data review of the minutes of meetings held by the RMC. Results The RMC functioned as a space where members of the research team, managers and workers from the services where the intervention occurred could meet systematically to plan, monitor and make adaptations in the IR. Besides its success as a tool for accessing outcomes, the RMC has also proved to be an important strategy to promote the increasing of acceptability, adoption, penetration and sustainability. Lessons The RMC was an important promoter of the participation for the stakeholders in several aspects of the research; made possible the evaluation and monitoring of the meaning and feasibility of the research in the field of study from the point of view of those who live the experience of daily work and care; and favored access to the outcomes of IR in a transversal and organic way. Key messages The RMC is a strategic device for Implementation Research and configures a possibility to make the research a more dialogic and potentially transformative process. Besides its success as a tool for accessing outcomes, the RMC has also proved to be an important strategy to promote the increasing of acceptability, adoption, penetration and sustainability.

Strategies and tactics in Skyrim through virtual reality: the VR–HMD as a model for disciplining in the twenty-first century

ABSTRACTThis article is about the Virtual Reality-Head Mounted Display (VR-HMD) as a model for contemporary ways of disciplining. The VR-HMD makes the observer discipline herself through the triggering of performance. Through specific strategies the VR-HMD addresses the body of the observer to perform in the mixed reality that is constructed in the interaction between the body and the VR-HMD. These strategies consist of approaches by the hardware developers and content creators to manage the subjectivity and visuality of the observer. Today’s body is not disciplined through formatted technics of the VR-HMD, but through self-disciplining of the observer’s active performance. This article will unravel the strategies within the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VR on the Playstation VR that are used to control the visuality and subjectivity. Through her interaction in the game the observer also becomes aware of her body and the ways that it is disciplined in. In the end, this article will argue that the VR-HMD should not only be understood as a strategic device that can discipline a neoliberal subject, but that the VR-HMD is a supercomplex intervention that could help us to become more corporeal literate of our bodies in the age of digital media.