Strong Focus Research Articles

Reflecting on ITMA 2023

The International Textile Machinery Association (ITMA) 2023, held in Milan, Italy, was a pivotal event showcasing the latest innovations in the textile and garment industry, with a particular focus on electrospinning and extrusion machines. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the advancements presented at the fair, drawing on promotional materials, press releases, and firsthand accounts from exhibitors and attendees. The event underscored several industry trends, including a strong focus on sustainability, digitization, and automation. The review delves into these trends, discussing their implications for the textile industry and how they reflect the industry's broader goals and challenges. The advancements in extrusion and electrospinning technologies presented at the fair were particularly noteworthy, promising to revolutionize various aspects of textile production. The fair's success underscores the importance of such events in driving innovation and fostering dialogue within the industry.

Listening to the Enemy: Challenging The National Narrative of World War II in Contemporary Norwegian Fiction

This article analyses five Norwegian novels that all incorporate German soldiers’ experiences as an important part of the Norwegian story of World War II. Abandoning the strong focus on antagonistic relationships of previous narratives, the five novels analysed in this article represent a new approach to the history of the war that aims to view the enemy through what Bull and Hansen (2016) have called agonistic memory, which includes the perspective of the perpetrator to understand conflicts.Previously, when Norwegian authors included German soldiers in narratives about World War II, it was part of a general portrait of the enemy. The individual soldier has few distinct features and no independent identity. These portraits followed the hegemonic Norwegian narrative of the occupation: The good Norwegians, who were part of the home front, versus the Germans and the morally inferior Norwegians who supported them. However, in the last ten years, several novels have revisited the war narrative through representations of previously neglected groups, one of which is the German soldier. The five novels have quite different approaches, but they all question the traditional Norwegian war narrative through complex representations of the enemy. My analysis of the five texts will identify how the texts challenge the conventional history of the occupation through an agonistic perspective that aims to revisit how the war is remembered. These representations of the German soldiers are a central part of the new examination of the long shadows cast by the memories of war in Norway.

A conceptual model for a circular city: a case study of Maribor, Slovenia

Cities play a crucial role in achieving sustainable development. Decision-makers require assistance in developing city transformation plans amidst the emergence of various city models. A content analysis using concept mapping was conducted to examine smart, circular, and green city models. The analysis, supported by Leximancer, revealed that city models are evolving by adopting beneficial solutions from competitors, reflecting a strong focus on sustainable development. Additionally, twenty-four research areas essential for implementing a circular city were identified and validated. Furthermore, a conceptual model for a circular city was developed, incorporating the Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control tool and a problem-solving system. Testing the model on Maribor highlighted challenges in monitoring the transition towards circularity. The study validates the established model but emphasises the need for further research and case studies to verify its practicality. This scientific research enhances the understanding of city models and their evolution towards sustainability, providing valuable insights for decision-makers and urban planners.Graphical abstract

Plastic packaging: Are German retailers on the way towards a circular economy? Companies’ strategies and perspectives on consumers

German retailers commit to promoting a circular economy (CE) to tackle the plastic crisis. Their strategies and perspectives on the role of consumers are qualitatively analyzed based on sustainability reports and press releases. Strategies include means of reduction and reuse but focus on recycling. Consumers are rather seen as barriers to realizing a CE.Environmental pollution caused by single-use plastic packaging waste is one of the major problems of our time. As a means of tackling environmental damage from plastic, many companies are voluntarily committing to promoting a sustainable use of plastic and the idea of a circular economy (CE). Among these companies, retailers play an interesting role. They are the point of sale of different manufacturers’ products and, thus, are in direct contact with consumers. This paper qualitatively analyzes retailers’ plastic strategies as published in sustainability reports and press releases. In particular, their understanding of the concept of a CE, their perspective on the CE-related role of consumers, and the consistency of their objectives regarding CE goals are investigated. The results indicate that there is a strong focus on recycling, although the retailers also consider means of reduction by avoidance and reuse. Consumers are rather seen as a barrier to implementing a circular economy at all three levels (reduction, reuse, recycling) and are assumed to need waste management education.

Breaking the mould: Developing innovative crop protection strategies with Reflexive Interactive Design

CONTEXTPests and pathogens can have great impacts on agricultural production. The use of plant protection products (PPPs) is a main preventive and curative management method in conventional farming today world-wide. However, increasing evidence shows the negative effects of PPPs on the environment and human health. New, especially preventive, approaches are needed and a promising option for developing these is the redesign of current agricultural systems, in which knowledge about the system and biological processes is integrated. Yet frameworks that can guide this process are not widely used. OBJECTIVEThis study aims to demonstrate the use of an innovative and systematic approach to the development of design concepts for pest and disease management without the use of PPPs, using Phytophthora infestans in potatoes as a case study. METHODSThe Reflexive Interactive Design method was applied to define design goals, requirements and key functions of the innovative design. These definitions were based on the needs of relevant stakeholders and the biology of the crop and disease. A range of strategies were researched that could effectively limit pathogen transmission and disease severity by interrupting the pathogen's life cycle. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe proposed design concept focuses on a combination of more traditional aspects like providing farmers with uninfected starting material and resistant varieties with novel approaches like increasing canopy porosity through intercropping with onions and preventing the spread of inoculum both into and within the field with a combination of host dilution and barriers. This research demonstrates how the Reflexive Interactive Design method can be used to develop innovative solutions for crop protection that go beyond current solution sets. SIGNIFICANCEThe systematic approach backed by literature provided the compass for the search for new and innovative solutions with strong focus on prevention. The design concept acts as a promising starting point to be further elaborated with stakeholders while effectiveness of the final design concept needs to be tested under real-life conditions.

Trees and forests’ contribution to well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in England: how did people adapt to change?

Abstract COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 and has meant entire populations have experienced a significant change in lifestyle. Restrictions in England occurred through a series of phases from a lockdown through to the opening of shops and facilities. The initial restrictions led to a strong media focus on nature and getting outdoors for exercise and mental well-being. Alongside this but not related to COVID-19, there is a strong policy focus on forest creation and expansion in England with debate about where new forests might be created, what benefits they might provide, and to whom. In this research, we explored, for those with an existing interest in nature, whether this connection to nature and specifically to trees and forests could support people in coping with the restrictions they faced during the pandemic. We carried out an online survey in England in June/July 2020 and received 3333 qualitative comments. We then carried out 25 follow-up interviews in August/September 2020 with a sample of those who had completed the survey. We use the Kübler-Ross change curve as a lens to explore people’s reactions and responses to the significant changes brought about by the COVID-19 crisis, with a focus on their experiences relating to trees and forests. The results highlight that some people did move through the four stages of change outlined in the Kübler-Ross framework, although not always in a linear process, from shock and denial, to resistance, to exploration, and adaptation. The change curve model proved useful in this study but also had some limitations. Engagement with forests supported some adaptation as well as exploration through people undertaking new activities, visiting local spaces, and spending more time outdoors with their children. We also found that the benefits of engaging with trees and forests could help to support people’s well-being in times of high anxiety. The study highlights the importance of trees and forests as part of people’s lives, and the role they can play in supporting them when faced with major challenges.

Culture and Corporate Decarbonization Efforts: A Time-Varying Analysis and Topology Approach

This study examines the influence of culture on corporate responses to climate change. Given the inherent uncertainty associated with climate change, cultural values, as a non-market force, are expected to impact corporate’s decision making regarding decarbonization.To investigate this, a sample of large firms from 23 societies participating in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) survey was analyzed, along with cultural measures assessed by the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness (GLOBE) study. The findings of this study reveal that cultural values have diverse effects on corporate decarbonization efforts. Specifically, a preference for avoiding uncertainty and a future-oriented perspective tend to foster decarbonization, while a strong focus on performance appears to hinder such efforts. Additionally, the relationship between culture and decarbonization demonstrates a time-varying characteristic, indicating the influence of culture on carbon performance is contingent upon the evolution of carbon-related institutions over the study period.

Content comparison of the EORTC CAT Core, SF-36, FACT-G, and PROMIS role and social functioning measures based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

In line with the World Health Organizations' health definition, patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures frequently cover aspects of social health. Our study aimed to evaluate the role functioning (RF) and social functioning (SF) contents assessed by PRO measures commonly used in cancer patients. We analysed the item content of the SF and RF domains of the EORTC CAT Core, the EORTC QLQ-C30, the SF-36, and the FACT-G aswell as the PROMIS item bank covering the Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities. Following an established methodology we linked item content to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework. The content of 85 items was assigned to three ICF components ('Activities and Participation', 'Body Functions', and 'Environmental Factors'). The EORTC CAT Core RF items were mostly related to the first-level ICF categories'Domestic life' and 'Community, social and civic life', while its SF item bankfocused on 'Interpersonal interactions and relationships'. These three categories were also covered by the PROMIS social participation item bank. TheFACT-G Social/Family scale focused on environmental factors ('SupportandRelationships' and 'Attitudes') while the SF-36 Role-physical/emotional scales had a stronger focus on 'General tasks and demands' and 'Major life areas'. Our results highlight conceptual overlap and differences among PRO measures for the assessment of social health in cancer. This information may help toselect the most appropriate measure for a specific setting or study purpose and to better understand the possibilities of linking scores across different PRO measures.

Species-dependent responses of crop plants to polystyrene microplastics

Only recently there has been a strong focus on the impacts of microplastics on terrestrial crop plants. This study aims to examine and compare the effects of microplastics on two monocotyledonous (barley, Hordeum vulgare and wheat, Triticum aestivum), and two dicotyledonous (carrot, Daucus carota and lettuce, Lactuca sativa) plant species through two complimentary experiments. First, we investigated the effects of low, medium, and high (103, 105, 107 particles per mL) concentrations of 500 nm polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) on seed germination and early development. We found species-dependent effects on the early development, with microplastics only significantly affecting lettuce and carrot. When acutely exposed during germination, PS-MPs significantly delayed the germination of lettuce by 24%, as well as promoted the shoot growth of carrot by 71% and decreased its biomass by 26%. No effect was recorded on monocot species. Secondly, we performed a chronic (21 d) hydroponic experiment on lettuce and wheat. We observed that PS-MPs significantly reduced the shoot growth of lettuce by up to 35% and increased its biomass by up to 64%, while no record was reported on wheat. In addition, stress level indicators and defence mechanisms were significantly up-regulated in both lettuce and wheat seedlings. Overall, this study shows that PS-MPs affect plant development: impacts were recorded on both germination and growth for dicots, and responses identified by biochemical markers of stress were increased in both lettuce and wheat. This highlights species-dependent effects as the four crops were grown under identical conditions to allow direct comparison. For future research, our study emphasizes the need to focus on crop specific effects, while also working towards knowledge of plastic-induced impacts at environmentally relevant conditions.

Health economics-informed planning of psychiatric care: A primer and curriculum framework for psychiatrists.

Contemporary medical education lacks a strong focus on health economics which guides major decisions in private and public health services. We briefly outline the rationale, guiding principles, main analytic methods, and a suggested framework for health economics education in psychiatry. Health economics aims to improve the efficiency of healthcare. Some analytic methods can be harnessed by psychiatrists to better plan clinical care. Health economic methods will also assist psychiatrists in translating their expertise and clinical priorities more effectively to policy-makers, governments, and private insurers motivated by economic reasoning.

The Use of Project Management Techniques and Its Positive Impacts on Project Outcomes in New Zealand Businesses

The use of project management (PM) is of immense value in achieving project success that ultimately assists businesses to thrive and contribute to the growth of an economy. This research has one main research question “How does the use of PM techniques have positive impact on project outcomes in New Zealand (NZ) businesses?”. The research adopted inductive approach to build theory and qualitative research methodology to address the main research question using four research objectives. This is an exploratory research using a case study research strategy that is coherent with the inductive qualitative research design. Two organisations representing the construction services and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services business in NZ were chosen. In-depth interviews were used to collect data, data analysis was completed through thematic analysis techniques. Findings were assessed through a theoretical construct mainly based on the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) PM framework. Findings indicated that the two organisations had strong focus on PM function supported by their organisational structures. Organisation A relied more on Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Gantt chart technics while organisation B adopted an agile approach. Both considered designating project manager when deploying a formal PM function. While Company A has not implemented dedicated technology to support PM function, Company B has though not fully utilised. Hopefully, findings from this study will assist organisations in the construction and ICT services business sectors being significantly reliant on PM function to deliver project outcomes and to be successful in their businesses.

Developing a recovery-oriented intervention for people with severe mental illness and an intellectual disability: design-oriented action research.

Mild intellectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID/BIF) are common in people with severe mental health problems (SMHP). Despite this, there is a lack of treatments adapted for this group of clients. This qualitative study describes the development of a new intervention, guided by the principles of action research, for people with SMHP and MID/BIF and mental health professionals to help them talk about all aspects of the process of recovery. The intervention was developed in four cycles and in close cooperation with mental health professionals, experts by experience, other experts in the field of SMHP or MID/BIF, and clients. During all cycles there was a strong focus on the content of the intervention, exercises, understandable language, and drawings for visual support. This resulted in the intervention "Routes to Recovery," which covers both complaints and strengths, coping strategies, helpful (social) activities, and how to determine future steps in a recovery plan. Routes to Recovery is a first step in helping professionals and their clients with SMHP and MID/BIF to have a conversation about personal strengths and what the client needs to recover. Future research should investigate the effects of this intervention.

The ethics of advancing artificial intelligence in healthcare: analyzing ethical considerations for Japan's innovative AI hospital system.

Public and private investments into developing digital health technologies-including artificial intelligence (AI)-are intensifying globally. Japan is a key case study given major governmental investments, in part through a Cross-Ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP) for an "Innovative AI Hospital System." Yet, there has been little critical examination of the SIP Research Plan, particularly from an ethics approach. This paper reports on an analysis of the Plan to identify the extent to which it addressed ethical considerations set out in the World Health Organization's 2021 Guidance on the Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health. A coding framework was created based on the six ethical principles proposed in the Guidance and was used as the basis for a content analysis. 101 references to aspects of the framework were identified in the Plan, but attention to the ethical principles was found to be uneven, ranging from the strongest focus on the potential benefits of AI to healthcare professionals and patients (n = 44; Principle 2), to no consideration of the need for responsive or sustainable AI (n = 0; Principle 6). Ultimately, the findings show that the Plan reflects insufficient consideration of the ethical issues that arise from developing and implementing AI for healthcare purposes. This case study is used to argue that, given the ethical complexity of the use of digital health technologies, consideration of the full range of ethical concerns put forward by the WHO must urgently be made visible in future plans for AI in healthcare.

Study on Bandgap Property of Three‐Dimensional Star‐Like Double‐Arrow Lattice

Herein, a three‐dimensional star‐like double‐arrow lattice is proposed, which is inspired by the double‐arrow structure. Based on Bloch's theorem and finite element method, the calculation program is made up and the band structures are calculated. The calculation results demonstrate that the bandgap property of the double‐arrow lattice is improved compared with that of a cross lattice. The parametric study is carried out and geometric parameters have strong effects on the bandgap property. As the angle between the external edge and symmetric line increases, the total bandgap width increases apparently, and the opening frequency of low‐order bandgap decreases. This phenomenon reflects that the low‐frequency bandgap property is improved. Via the isosurface of phase velocity and group velocity, the anisotropy is investigated. Strong anisotropy and energy focus appear, which can be used to design waveguides.

Cultivating post-acquisition employee engagement: the Danaher business system

PurposeOne of major concerns of serial acquirers is to ensure value creation. However, mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are well known for the key management problems they generate such as change management, cultural clashes and increased managerial turnover. Despite this, M&As also offer opportunities for integrating best practices. This paper aims to demonstrate how Danaher attempts to cultivate employee engagement in companies it has recently acquired.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a single-case approach to show how Danaher implements its in-house method – the Danaher Business System – a management system during the take over and the postacquisition phase.FindingsThe findings from this paper demonstrate best practice management and strategies needed to ensure successful M&As. Almost 40 years after serial acquisitions, Danaher is cited as one of the most successful serial acquirers. Its human approach to takeovers has been a central part of this.Originality/valueThis paper offers a concise and clear outline of the management strategies used by Danaher to ensure successful acquisitions relying on Kaizen and LEAN with a strong focus on the human side. During the takeover and postacquisition integration, Danaher’s human approach would appear to be a key differentiating element.

TOOLKIT FOR MANAGING JOINT COOPERATIVE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN WARTIME SETTINGS

The article presents the research finding in the area of building an integration framework for managing cooperative institutions of higher education in wartime settings. It is emphasized that such transformation has been underpinned in the first place by the demand for innovations by the national economy and active financing of innovative projects. Given that attaining the above objectives in developed economies is of paramount significance, no wonder the institutions from such countries as the USA, Great Britain, Switzerland, China and Singapore are among the top most ranked universities in the world. However, the QS World University Rankings for 2021 features eleven Ukrainian universities. And although their positions range from 401 to 700 among the 959 top world universities, currently, this sample can be considered a tremendous success of domestic institutions of higher education. It is observed that in recent years, higher education institutions all over the world trying to increase their own competitiveness has been quite active in building and supporting cooperative links to develop global competitiveness and ensure their entry into the international market. It is argued that among the benefits of cooperation of higher education institutions in wartime is its strong focus on the recipient of educational services, that is, shifting the emphasis from supply to demand, primarily to meet the real customers’ needs. It is emphasized that the integrated cooperation of higher education institutions greatly contributes to attaining a wide range of various educational goals, in particular, the pursuit of personal training, professional and cultural development, gaining new knowledge, achieving economic goals along with attaining social and the overall synergistic effects.

The COVID-19 pandemic and leisure providers—Challenges, opportunities and adaptation strategies for ski area operators in Austria

The COVID-19 crisis and the related nationwide lockdowns reduced the available types of physical activity, especially in the winter season. Besides closed indoor sports facilities, some outdoor sports were also inaccessible because of curfews and/or the closure of outdoor sports facilities. However, in Austria, the operation of alpine ski areas was permitted even during the full lockdown in the winter season 2020/21, albeit under strict hygiene requirements and capacity restrictions. This posed a challenge for ski area operators, with those heavily dependent on foreign multi-day guests facing severe declines in demand due to closed accommodation and closed borders while others were challenged by demand pressures from nearby population centers. We therefore want to examine how Austrian ski area operators managed these challenges, how they evaluated this extraordinary season and whether these new experiences and established measures can be used to improve customer experience in the future. We used a mixed-methods approach with a quantitative survey (n = 65) and follow-up qualitative interviews with managers (n = 20) of Austrian ski areas. For 75% of respondents, the reason for keeping the ski areas open, despite the fact that 95 % suffered average revenue declines of 80%, was to provide an outlet for physical activity for the local population. Respondents noticed a lot of gratitude and growing trust from local customers that could be used to increase the approval of tourism in the local population. The COVID-19 pandemic has also advanced the spread of technological innovations in the cable car industry, such as online ticketing and dynamic pricing. Furthermore, the COVID-19 crisis has continued to drive the sustainability debate around ski resorts. Customers are seeking further deceleration resulting in a stronger focus on qualitative rather than quantitative development for Austrian ski area operators.

Digital Leadership towards Performance Through Mediation of Organizational Commitment to E-commerce in Indonesia

Entrepreneurs with a strong digital focus were crucial to the development of the e-commerce industry in Indonesia. Some online stores' sales have slowed or even declined as a result of the industry's meteoric rise in recent years. Therefore, remedies are required to ensure the long-term health and growth of e-commerce results. The Purpose of this study to search Solutions to this performance issue are sought in this study by examining the relationships between digital leadership, organizational commitment, and performance, three factors that have received much attention from the academic community. Research method used in the study, a quantitative approach was applied. An electronic questionnaire was circulated via the internet in a snowball pattern, yielding the data used in the study. There were 150 high-level employees and managers from market-place businesses who participated in this survey.According to the result of the study, digital leadership does not have a significant impact on performance factors, but it does have a large impact on organizational commitment. On the other hand, organizational commitment does have a substantial impact on performance variables. It has been determined that digital leadership has a considerable effect on performance factors through the mediation of organizational commitments, which leads to the conclusion that indirect interactions are involved. In these findings, it is necessary to increase commitment so that the company's performance can increase and ultimately achieve company goals.

An Ethnographic Study Exploring the Effect of Family on the Development of Entrepreneurial Intentions of Its Younger Members in the Delhi-NCR Region of India

Abstract The study uses data from an ethnographic study of 32 family members from six families from New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), India, to develop our understanding of entrepreneurial intentions in the younger members of middle-class families of India. The study identifies two critical familial influences, generational congruence and the need to maintain harmony, along with the presence of feministic values, as factors that impact the development of entrepreneurial intentions. The study further confirms that the need to conform to a social image impacts the decisions taken by family members. By highlighting the significant influence that family can have on the development of entrepreneurial intentions, this research points out gaps in how current policies and programs target entrepreneurship development in transforming economies like India. While the limited geographic scope of this study makes the findings applicable only to families in New Delhi and NCR and less generalizable overall, it further highlights the need to conduct similar studies across other parts of India, as well as other countries with similar cultural dimensions as India. The researchers suggest focussing policies towards promoting trust and confidence in entrepreneurship as a potential career option and highlighting the benefits of pursuing entrepreneurship amongst the masses by keeping in mind the cultural and geographic differences across the country. The novelty of this study lies firstly in its methodological approach, where entrepreneurial intentions are evaluated via short ethnographies. Secondly, with a strong focus on Indian family dynamics, the authors have identified novel influences that could apply to other transforming economies with similar social-cultural factors to India.

Deep sea nature-based solutions to climate change

The deep sea (below 200 m depth) is the largest carbon sink on Earth. It hosts abundant biodiversity that underpins the carbon cycle and provides provisioning, supporting, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. There is growing attention to climate-regulating ocean ecosystem services from the scientific, business and political sectors. In this essay we synthesize the unique biophysical, socioeconomic and governance characteristics of the deep sea to critically assess opportunities for deep-sea blue carbon to mitigate climate change. Deep-sea blue carbon consists of carbon fluxes and storage including carbon transferred from the atmosphere by the inorganic and organic carbon pumps to deep water, carbon sequestered in the skeletons and bodies of deep-sea organisms, carbon buried within sediments or captured in carbonate rock. However, mitigating climate change through deep-sea blue carbon enhancement suffers from lack of scientific knowledge and verification, technological limitations, potential environmental impacts, a lack of cooperation and collaboration, and underdeveloped governance. Together, these issues suggest that deep-sea climate change mitigation is limited. Thus, we suggest that a strong focus on blue carbon is too limited a framework for managing the deep sea to contribute to international goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement and the post-2020 Biodiversity Goals. Instead, the deep sea can be viewed as a more holistic nature-based solution, including many ecosystem services and biodiversity in addition to climate. Environmental impact assessments (EIAs), area-based management, pollution reduction, moratoria, carbon accounting and fisheries management are tools in international treaties that could help realize benefits from deep-sea, nature-based solutions.