Structural Modeling Research Articles

A predictive model for collaborative leadership in digital transformation: Does it make a difference in Oman’s e-government performance?

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the role of collaborative leadership in government digital transformation in the Sultanate of Oman. To analyze collaborative leadership, the research examines four exogenous variables: self-directed team, power-sharing, relational intelligence and agility. The endogenous variable chosen to represent Oman's e-Government performance is organizational performance. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative method was applied to gather cross-sectional data in a questionnaire survey. Using a stratified sampling technique, the data were collected from 100 information and communication technology and e-government officials who assume leadership responsibilities. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) examined measurement and structural models. Findings The role of collaborative leadership in the performance of government digital transformation in the Sultanate of Oman was examined in this study. Collaborative leadership was categorized into four exogenous variables: self-directed team, power-sharing, relational intelligence and agility. Oman’s e-government performance operationalized as the organizational performance was selected as the endogenous variable. The results show that the self-directed team and agility components of collaborative leadership significantly positively impacted the performance of government digital transformation in the Sultanate of Oman. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of this research was that the study covered only four collaborative leadership attributes: self-directed teams, power-sharing, relational intelligence and agility. The study should have covered building trust, commitment, emotional intelligence, vision and communication skills. Practical implications These results are important for government policy creators and decision-makers aiming to enhance government digital transformation performance by leveraging collaborative leadership. Social implications Addressing collaborative leadership in management can be done through awareness of its importance to critical decision-makers and embedding it in the organization's governance, policies and human resource career path. In particular, it is recommended that public sector leaders continuously monitor self-managing teams and teamwork practices within the organization. Originality/value The originality and contribution of the above article lie in its investigation of the role of collaborative leadership in the context of government digital transformation in the Sultanate of Oman. The study contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact of four exogenous variables, self-directed team, power-sharing, relational intelligence and agility, on collaborative leadership. Additionally, the research uses a quantitative approach and uses PLS-SEM to analyze the data. The findings highlight the significant positive impact of self-directed team and agility components of collaborative leadership on the performance of government digital transformation. These insights provide valuable implications for government policy creators and decision-makers aiming to enhance digital transformation in the public sector by effectively implementing collaborative leadership strategies.

A Conceptual Model of Rural Tourism in Bali to Build Up Global Competitiveness

Rural tourism, in the form of small-scale, locally owned tourism businesses, has become a priority that must be supported by the government to be more beneficial for the local community. The objective of this study was to develop a conceptual model of rural tourism in order to make rural tourism in Bali more competitive globally. This research was conducted in Bali during April–June 2020 by following a systems thinking approach. The methodology employed was a soft systems methodology and utilized interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Twenty persons were chosen purposively as key informants (experts). Data collection was carried out through focus group discussions (FGDs) and questionnaires. The results indicated that the goals of sustainable rural tourism are to improve local community welfare, to conserve the environment, and to preserve culture and heritage. Managing rural tourism requires efforts in destination quality, service excellence, hospitality, reasonable pricing, and ease of access. Finally, this paper proposes methods to support sustainable rural tourism in Bali.

Government spending in the agricultural sector: Optimal ratio with lending and the impact on the agricultural production

An effective government agropolicy should be balanced: To reduce the state budget pressure, it is important to reduce public spending and encourage farmers to use agricultural loans. Reducing public spending should not lead to a shortage in the agricultural market. The paper aims to substantiate the directions of government agropolicy transformation based on the optimal ratio of public expenditures and loans in the agrosector and the dependence of agroproduction dynamics on state financing. The research base is data from 10 countries with different income levels (World Bank), presented in FAOSTAT for 2004–2021. For each country, the optimal (determined by the structural modeling method) and actual proportions between state financing and lending in the agrosector are compared, adjusted for the agroproduction index. The modeling showed that the share of public funds should increase in Germany, Israel, Italy, and the UK and decrease in Azerbaijan and Georgia; the current proportion is optimal in the USA, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Based on a panel regression model with fixed effects, the influence of the actual level of state agrofinancing on the FAO Production Indices of the main types of agroproducts was determined. It is the largest for crops, meat, and milk (a decrease in state funding by USD 1 million threatens to reduce the respective indices by 4.5, 3.47, and 3.79 points), medium for cereals and sugar crops (according to points 2.69 and 2.11), and the smallest for livestock and non-food products (by 1.53 and 0.001 points, respectively).

Sub-Nanometer-Range Structural Effects From Mg2+ Incorporation in Na-Based Borosilicate Glasses Revealed by Heteronuclear NMR and MD Simulations.

Magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate Na2O-B2O3-SiO2 and MgO-Na2O-B2O3-SiO2 glass structures up to ≈0.3 nm. This encompassed the {Na[p]}, {Mg[p]}, and {B[3], B[4]} speciations and the {Si, B[p], M[p]}-BO and {Si, B[p], M[p]}-NBO interatomic distances to the bridging oxygen (BO) and nonbridging oxygen (NBO) species, where the superscript indicates the coordination number. The MD simulations revealed the dominance of Mg[5] coordinations, as mirrored in average Mg2+ coordination numbers in the 5.2-5.5 range, which are slightly lower than those of the larger Na+ cation but with a narrower coordination distribution stemming from the higher cation field strength (CFS) of the smaller divalent Mg2+ ion. We particularly aimed to elucidate such Na+/Mg2+ CFS effects, which primarily govern the short-range structure but also the borosilicate (BS) glass network order, where both MD simulations and heteronuclear double-resonance 11B/29Si NMR experiments revealed a reduction of B[4]-O-Si linkages relative to B[3]-O-Si upon Mg2+-for-Na+ substitution. These effects were quantified and discussed in relation to previous literature on BS glasses, encompassing the implications for simplified structural models and descriptions thereof.

Government spending in the agricultural sector: Optimal ratio with lending and the impact on the agricultural production

An effective government agropolicy should be balanced: To reduce the state budget pressure, it is important to reduce public spending and encourage farmers to use agricultural loans. Reducing public spending should not lead to a shortage in the agricultural market. The paper aims to substantiate the directions of government agropolicy transformation based on the optimal ratio of public expenditures and loans in the agrosector and the dependence of agroproduction dynamics on state financing. The research base is data from 10 countries with different income levels (World Bank), presented in FAOSTAT for 2004–2021. For each country, the optimal (determined by the structural modeling method) and actual proportions between state financing and lending in the agrosector are compared, adjusted for the agroproduction index. The modeling showed that the share of public funds should increase in Germany, Israel, Italy, and the UK and decrease in Azerbaijan and Georgia; the current proportion is optimal in the USA, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Based on a panel regression model with fixed effects, the influence of the actual level of state agrofinancing on the FAO Production Indices of the main types of agroproducts was determined. It is the largest for crops, meat, and milk (a decrease in state funding by USD 1 million threatens to reduce the respective indices by 4.5, 3.47, and 3.79 points), medium for cereals and sugar crops (according to points 2.69 and 2.11), and the smallest for livestock and non-food products (by 1.53 and 0.001 points, respectively).

A Conceptual Model of Rural Tourism in Bali to Build Up Global Competitiveness

Rural tourism, in the form of small-scale, locally owned tourism businesses, has become a priority that must be supported by the government to be more beneficial for the local community. The objective of this study was to develop a conceptual model of rural tourism in order to make rural tourism in Bali more competitive globally. This research was conducted in Bali during April–June 2020 by following a systems thinking approach. The methodology employed was a soft systems methodology and utilized interpretive structural modeling (ISM). Twenty persons were chosen purposively as key informants (experts). Data collection was carried out through focus group discussions (FGDs) and questionnaires. The results indicated that the goals of sustainable rural tourism are to improve local community welfare, to conserve the environment, and to preserve culture and heritage. Managing rural tourism requires efforts in destination quality, service excellence, hospitality, reasonable pricing, and ease of access. Finally, this paper proposes methods to support sustainable rural tourism in Bali.

A marginal structural model for normal tissue complication probability.

The goal of radiation therapy for cancer is to deliver prescribed radiation dose to the tumor while minimizing dose to the surrounding healthy tissues. To evaluate treatment plans, the dose distribution to healthy organs is commonly summarized as dose-volume histograms (DVHs). Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) modeling has centered around making patient-level risk predictions with features extracted from the DVHs, but few have considered adapting a causal framework to evaluate the safety of alternative treatment plans. We propose causal estimands for NTCP based on deterministic and stochastic interventions, as well as propose estimators based on marginal structural models that impose bivariable monotonicity between dose, volume, and toxicity risk. The properties of these estimators are studied through simulations, and their use is illustrated in the context of radiotherapy treatment of anal canal cancer patients.

A marginal structural model for normal tissue complication probability.

The goal of radiation therapy for cancer is to deliver prescribed radiation dose to the tumor while minimizing dose to the surrounding healthy tissues. To evaluate treatment plans, the dose distribution to healthy organs is commonly summarized as dose-volume histograms (DVHs). Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) modeling has centered around making patient-level risk predictions with features extracted from the DVHs, but few have considered adapting a causal framework to evaluate the safety of alternative treatment plans. We propose causal estimands for NTCP based on deterministic and stochastic interventions, as well as propose estimators based on marginal structural models that impose bivariable monotonicity between dose, volume, and toxicity risk. The properties of these estimators are studied through simulations, and their use is illustrated in the context of radiotherapy treatment of anal canal cancer patients.

A pH-dependent shift of redox cofactor specificity in a benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase of aromatoleum aromaticum EbN1

We characterise a reversible bacterial zinc-containing benzyl alcohol dehydrogenase (BaDH) accepting either NAD+ or NADP+ as a redox cofactor. Remarkably, its redox cofactor specificity is pH-dependent with the phosphorylated cofactors favored at lower and the dephospho-forms at higher pH. BaDH also shows different steady-state kinetic behavior with the two cofactor forms. From a structural model, the pH-dependent shift may affect the charge of a histidine in the 2′-phosphate-binding pocket of the redox cofactor binding site. The enzyme is phylogenetically affiliated to a new subbranch of the Zn-containing alcohol dehydrogenases, which share this conserved residue. BaDH appears to have some specificity for its substrate, but also turns over many substituted benzyl alcohol and benzaldehyde variants, as well as compounds containing a conjugated C=C double bond with the aldehyde carbonyl group. However, compounds with an sp3-hybridised C next to the alcohol/aldehyde group are not or only weakly turned over. The enzyme appears to contain a Zn in its catalytic site and a mixture of Zn and Fe in its structural metal-binding site. Moreover, we demonstrate the use of BaDH in an enzyme cascade reaction with an acid-reducing tungsten enzyme to reduce benzoate to benzyl alcohol.Key points•Zn-containing BaDH has activity with either NAD+or NADP+at different pH optima.•BaDH converts a broad range of substrates.•BaDH is used in a cascade reaction for the reduction of benzoate to benzyl alcohol.

Petroleum system assessment of the Beni Suef Basin, Western Desert, Egypt

Within the northwestern Desert of Egypt, the Beni Suef Basin is one of the most significant hydrocarbon basins. After over 50 years of exploration and production, the main challenge today is to locate new areas that are prolific to oil and gas production. The study aims to identify potential drilling locations by integrating geochemical methods, 1D and 2D basin modelling, well log analysis, seismic interpretation, and hydrocarbon migration pathways. Results show that the Lower Kharita shale contain both oil and gas generating kerogen with generating potential that ranges from fair to very good. The source rocks within the Lower Kharita are mature (main oil window) and have a transformation ratio of up to 60% based on 1D basin modeling. The modelled 2D vitrinite reflectance map showed that hydrocarbon generation occurred at depths greater than 10850 ft (3306 m) with vitrinite reflectance values greater than 0.65% in both the northern and southern parts of the Beni Suef Field. Two main reservoirs were studied. The lower Bahariya and upper Kharita reservoirs are composed of well to moderately sorted sandstone. The subsurface structural maps, reservoirs, source, and charge modeling maps have been constructed to show the migration pathways and accumulation areas. There are three accumulation areas identified. The first accumulation area is located in the high structure up-dip section of the major normal fault, and migration direction is from northwest. The second and third accumulation areas are located in the low structure and down-dip from the normal fault, with migration of hydrocarbons from southeast. The latter two areas should be tested by drilling in the future.

ДОКТРИНА ВЗАИМОСВЯЗЕЙ ЭЛЕМЕНТОВ КОНКУРЕНТОСПОСОБНОСТИ В ЦЕЛЯХ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ИННОВАЦИОННОСТИ БИЗНЕС-СТРУКТУР В СФЕРЕ МЕБЕЛЬНОГО РЫНКА

The article examines the relationships between the elements of competitiveness in order to ensure the innovativeness of business structures. The doctrine, as a system of beliefs and basic principles, serves as the basis for developing a competitiveness strategy in order to enhance the competitive advantages of enterprises. Competitiveness is a multidimensional property, namely, product innovation, plays a big role in achieving a high status in a competitive market. It is necessary to study each element of competitiveness in order to ensure the innovativeness of business structures. Competition forces business structures to improve the quality of their products, use new product components, innovative technologies and innovations in design and sales systems. Business structures in the furniture market need to study the interrelationships of the elements of competitiveness and their impact on the final result. In order to substantiate the doctrine of the interrelations of elements to ensure the innovativeness of business structures, a quality management system for innovations of business structures in the furniture market was defined, built on the blocks of ensuring innovation and quality, quality management and quality improvement, including elements of competitiveness to ensure the innovativeness of business structures: development of a sustainable regulatory framework, creation of the most favorable investment climate and effective competition policy, promoting the innovative activities of business structures, simplifying barriers to doing business in the quality management system of innovations of business structures in the field furniture market. During the research, methods of structural, systemic and functional, quantitative and qualitative analysis, graphic and mathematical methods, and methods of structural and functional modeling were used.

COEXISTENCE OR REPLACEMENT? HOW ATTACHMENT TO PRINT AND PERCEIVED USEFULNESS SHAPE AUDIOBOOK ADOPTION

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the factors influencing readers’ choice between audiobooks and physical books. The research focuses on how perceived ease of use and attachment to printed books affect the intention to adopt audiobook services. Theoretical Framework: The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is a prominent theory in the field of information systems that explains how users adopt new technologies. Method: For this research, the methodology comprises quantitative method, PLS-SEM analysis, and structural model evaluation. Data collection was carried out through online questionnaires. Results and Discussion: The study supports the role of Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) in increasing Perceived Usefulness (PU) for audiobooks. Attachment to physical books seems to be a complex factor not solely influenced by ease of use or perceived benefits of audiobooks. Research Implications: The study highlights the importance of user-friendly audiobook platforms. Providers should design intuitive interfaces and emphasize ease of use to attract new customers, communicate the practical benefits of audiobooks, such as convenience and utility, consider offering resources or programs that improve technology literacy and comfort, and develop strategies to address attachment by emphasizing how audiobooks can complement, rather than replace, the traditional reading experience. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by highlighting attachment to traditional reading formats as a factor influencing audiobook adoption. Previous TAM studies primarily focused on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. This study suggests that emotional attachment to physical books can be a resistance mechanism hindering audiobook adoption.

COEXISTENCE OR REPLACEMENT? HOW ATTACHMENT TO PRINT AND PERCEIVED USEFULNESS SHAPE AUDIOBOOK ADOPTION

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the factors influencing readers’ choice between audiobooks and physical books. The research focuses on how perceived ease of use and attachment to printed books affect the intention to adopt audiobook services. Theoretical Framework: The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is a prominent theory in the field of information systems that explains how users adopt new technologies. Method: For this research, the methodology comprises quantitative method, PLS-SEM analysis, and structural model evaluation. Data collection was carried out through online questionnaires. Results and Discussion: The study supports the role of Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) in increasing Perceived Usefulness (PU) for audiobooks. Attachment to physical books seems to be a complex factor not solely influenced by ease of use or perceived benefits of audiobooks. Research Implications: The study highlights the importance of user-friendly audiobook platforms. Providers should design intuitive interfaces and emphasize ease of use to attract new customers, communicate the practical benefits of audiobooks, such as convenience and utility, consider offering resources or programs that improve technology literacy and comfort, and develop strategies to address attachment by emphasizing how audiobooks can complement, rather than replace, the traditional reading experience. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by highlighting attachment to traditional reading formats as a factor influencing audiobook adoption. Previous TAM studies primarily focused on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. This study suggests that emotional attachment to physical books can be a resistance mechanism hindering audiobook adoption.

The Moderating Effects of Gender and Study Discipline in the Relationship between University Students’ Acceptance and Use of ChatGPT

The intensive adoption of ChatGPT by university students for learning has encouraged many scholars to test the variables that impact on their use of such AI in their learning. This study adds to the growing body of studies, especially in relation to the moderating role of students’ gender and their study discipline in their acceptance and usage of ChatGPT in their learning process. This study expanded the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) by integrating gender as well as study disciplines as moderators. The study collected responses from students in Saudi universities with different study disciplines and of different genders. The results of a structural model using Smart PLS showed a significant moderating effect of gender on the relationship between performance expectancy and ChatGPT usage. The results confirmed that the impact of performance expectancy in fostering ChatGPT usage was stronger in male than in female students. Moreover, social influence was shown to significantly affect males more than females in relation to ChatGPT usage. In addition, the findings showed that study discipline significantly moderates the link between social influence and ChatGPT usage. In the same vein, social influence significantly influences ChatGPT use in social sciences more than in applied sciences. Hence, the various implications of the study were discussed.

The Moderating Effects of Gender and Study Discipline in the Relationship between University Students’ Acceptance and Use of ChatGPT

The intensive adoption of ChatGPT by university students for learning has encouraged many scholars to test the variables that impact on their use of such AI in their learning. This study adds to the growing body of studies, especially in relation to the moderating role of students’ gender and their study discipline in their acceptance and usage of ChatGPT in their learning process. This study expanded the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) by integrating gender as well as study disciplines as moderators. The study collected responses from students in Saudi universities with different study disciplines and of different genders. The results of a structural model using Smart PLS showed a significant moderating effect of gender on the relationship between performance expectancy and ChatGPT usage. The results confirmed that the impact of performance expectancy in fostering ChatGPT usage was stronger in male than in female students. Moreover, social influence was shown to significantly affect males more than females in relation to ChatGPT usage. In addition, the findings showed that study discipline significantly moderates the link between social influence and ChatGPT usage. In the same vein, social influence significantly influences ChatGPT use in social sciences more than in applied sciences. Hence, the various implications of the study were discussed.

New variants expand the neurological phenotype of COQ7 deficiency.

The protein encoded by COQ7 is required for CoQ10 synthesis in humans, hydroxylating 3-demethoxyubiquinol (DMQ10) in the second to last steps of the pathway. COQ7 mutations lead to a primary CoQ10 deficiency syndrome associated with a pleiotropic neurological disorder. This study shows the clinical, physiological, and molecular characterization of four new cases of CoQ10 primary deficiency caused by five mutations in COQ7, three of which have not yet been described, inducing mitochondrial dysfunction in all patients. However, the specific combination of the identified variants in each patient generated precise pathophysiological and molecular alterations in fibroblasts, which would explain the differential in vitro response to supplementation therapy. Our results suggest that COQ7 dysfunction could be caused by specific structural changes that affect the interaction with COQ9 required for the DMQ10 presentation to COQ7, the substrate access to the active site, and the maintenance of the active site structure. Remarkably, patients' fibroblasts share transcriptional remodeling, supporting a modification of energy metabolism towards glycolysis, which could be an adaptive mechanism against CoQ10 deficiency. However, transcriptional analysis of mitochondria-associated pathways showed distinct and dramatic differences between patient fibroblasts, which correlated with the extent of pathophysiological and neurological alterations observed in the probands. Overall, this study suggests that the combination of precise genetic diagnostics and the availability of new structural models of human proteins could help explain the origin of phenotypic pleiotropy observed in some genetic diseases and the different responses to available therapies.

DEVELOPING SPECIALIZED SOFTWARE FOR PROGRESSIVE COLLAPSE ANALYSIS OF PLANE FRAME STRUCTURES USING THE PLASTIC DAMAGE INDEX

In this study, the authors developed software named Sonar to analyze the progressive collapse of structural elements. This software is capable of assessing the level of damage to each structural component and automatically updating the structural model for subsequent analyses. The software features a user-friendly interface, intuitive graphics, easy input of parameters, and presents computational results in 2D graphics. Through the use of the developed software, damaged structures were analyzed and studied to conclude that considering the progressive collapse of elements based on the plastic damage index serves as a basis for investigating specific design problems to propose more optimal design solutions.

Design of Structures Subjected to Blast Loads: Analysis and Design Review

When designing structures to withstand explosions, the main goals are to minimize the number and extent of occupant injuries and to reduce the chance of catastrophic damage to structures. Although there is uncertainty in the source, extent, and location of explosions, the assessment of blast loading and structural performance is important when designing blast-resistant structures. This study is a review of the literature on the prediction of blast loads, structural modeling and analysis, and design criteria for structures to resist explosions. The paper provides in one concise document the general guidelines, references, and tools that structural engineers and researchers need to analyze and design structures subjected to blast loading. References on the topics discussed in this work are provided for more detail.

Big Data Value Proposition in UK Facilities Management: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Big data analytics (BDA) has been introduced in the past few years in most industries as a factor capable of revolutionizing their operations by offering significant efficiency opportunities and benefits. To compete in this digital age, businesses must adopt a client-centric service model, founded on data delivering continuous value and achieving optimal performance, whilst also upgrading their own decision-making and reporting processes. This article aims to explore how UK FM organizations are currently capitalizing on BDA to drive innovation and ‘added value’ in their operations. The objective is to shed light on the initial BDA adoption efforts within the UK’s FM sector, particularly capturing the benefits experienced by FM organizations in relation to customer value and improved decision-making processes. Drawing upon exploratory sequential research including a qualitative stage with 12 semi-structured interviews and an industry-wide questionnaire survey with 52 responses, a novel fifteen-variable model for BDA outcomes was developed. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and a Higher-Order model using Partial Least Square Structural modelling (PLS-SEM) were used to validate the scale. The EFA output generated three dimensions with 14 items. The dimensions included Improved client value, FM business operations added value, and Improved efficiency added value. Furthermore, the results of PLS-SEM confirmed the validity of the scale items and the reflective–formative measurement model. The findings suggest that the contemporary digitization trend offers the FM service the unique opportunity to develop a smarter, client-centric strategy resulting in more personalized services and stronger customer relationships. Furthermore, efficient resource management and planning powered by analytics and data-driven insights emerge as a key driver for competitive differentiation in the field. As one of the first studies to develop and validate scale items measuring specific dimensions of BDA adoption outcomes, the study makes significant contributions to the literature.

Design of Structures Subjected to Blast Loads: Analysis and Design Review

When designing structures to withstand explosions, the main goals are to minimize the number and extent of occupant injuries and to reduce the chance of catastrophic damage to structures. Although there is uncertainty in the source, extent, and location of explosions, the assessment of blast loading and structural performance is important when designing blast-resistant structures. This study is a review of the literature on the prediction of blast loads, structural modeling and analysis, and design criteria for structures to resist explosions. The paper provides in one concise document the general guidelines, references, and tools that structural engineers and researchers need to analyze and design structures subjected to blast loading. References on the topics discussed in this work are provided for more detail.