Technological Workforce Research Articles

Teledentistry as a Tool for Health Care Transformation

Teledentistry is a valuable technology tool that supports dental professionals in improving access to oral health care. Technological infrastructure, workforce availability, staff readiness, reimbursement, and patient population served must all be considered when implementing teledentistry.

Bridging the gap: opportunities, challenges, and future directions for teleradiology in rural healthcare

Teleradiology, the electronic transmission of radiological images and data for diagnostic purposes, holds significant promise for improving healthcare access in rural and underserved regions. This review explores the opportunities and challenges of implementing teleradiology in rural settings, where limited access to radiology services exacerbates healthcare disparities. Teleradiology offers multiple benefits, including improved access to timely diagnostics, enhanced decision-making, and cost savings for rural patients who would otherwise need to travel to urban centers for radiology services. It has shown positive outcomes globally, with examples in India, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Brazil, demonstrating its feasibility and potential to reduce geographic health inequities. However, implementing teleradiology in these settings faces several challenges, such as technological limitations, workforce shortages, regulatory and legal barriers, data security concerns, and cultural acceptance issues. Solutions and recommendations include investments in infrastructure, workforce training, supportive regulatory frameworks, secure data management, and adaptable telehealth models that consider socioeconomic factors in rural areas. By addressing these challenges, stakeholders can enhance the impact of teleradiology in rural healthcare systems, ultimately contributing to reduced disparities and improved healthcare outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current landscape and suggests actionable pathways for advancing teleradiology in rural settings worldwide.

Talent Management in the Era of Digital Transformation: Challenges and Prospects

This article explores the intricate landscape of talent management in the context of digital transformation, highlighting the associated challenges and prospects that organizations face. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the study employs a comprehensive literature review and library research to synthesize existing knowledge on the evolving role of talent management in a rapidly changing digital environment. The findings reveal that digital transformation significantly impacts recruitment, retention, and development strategies, necessitating a shift in traditional talent management practices. Organizations must adapt to technological advancements and changing workforce expectations, embracing new tools and methodologies to effectively engage and develop talent. Key challenges identified include the skills gap, resistance to change, and the need for continuous learning and development. Conversely, the prospects for enhancing employee engagement and fostering innovation through strategic talent management practices are promising. The study concludes that organizations must adopt a proactive and adaptive approach to talent management, ensuring alignment with digital transformation initiatives to achieve sustained competitive advantage. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on talent management by providing valuable insights into the interplay between digital transformation and effective talent strategies, offering practical recommendations for practitioners and scholars alike.

Enhancing management performance in rapidly changing organizations: a conceptual exploration

In today's rapidly evolving organizational landscape, effective management is crucial for survival and success. This study addresses the complex challenges managers face in dynamic environments, aiming to fill gaps in existing literature on strategies for improving management performance. Drawing on diverse secondary data sources, the research identifies key factors influencing management effectiveness, such as adaptive leadership, change management models, and the concept of learning organizations. The review highlights that successful management in rapidly changing organizations requires strategic foresight, adaptability, and a culture of innovation, amidst challenges posed by technological advancements, globalization, and workforce diversity. The findings emphasize the critical role of communication, talent management, and organizational culture in shaping effective management practices. This study enhances understanding of management in dynamic contexts, offering practical implications for both industry and academia. Future research should focus on industry-specific applications, theoretical exploration, and methodological enhancements to further advance management practices. Despite limitations associated with secondary data, this study provides valuable insights into strategies that enhance management performance, ultimately enhancing organizational resilience and competitiveness in a constantly changing environment

ECONOMIC THEORY AND PRACTICAL IMPACTS OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMIZATION

Digital transformation has emerged as a critical driver of innovation and efficiency in supply chain management, reshaping traditional economic paradigms and yielding profound practical implications. This paper delves into the economic theory underpinning digital transformation in supply chain optimization and explores its practical impacts on businesses and industries. In terms of economic theory, we examine the evolution from traditional supply chain models to digitally-enabled ecosystems. The integration of digital technologies such as big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and blockchain revolutionizes supply chain dynamics, enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and mitigating risks. Drawing on game theory applications, we elucidate strategic interactions among supply chain stakeholders and the implications of digital transformation on their decision-making processes. Turning to practical impacts, we investigate how digital transformation enables enhanced visibility, real-time tracking, and predictive analytics, fostering agility and responsiveness in supply chain operations. Automation and AI-driven insights empower decision-makers to optimize resource allocation and mitigate disruptions effectively. Through case studies, we illustrate the tangible benefits and strategic advantages accrued by organizations embracing digital transformation. However, this transformation is not devoid of challenges. Cybersecurity threats, data privacy concerns, and the integration complexities of legacy systems pose significant hurdles. Addressing these challenges necessitates a holistic approach encompassing technological innovation, regulatory frameworks, and workforce development. Looking ahead, future trends such as blockchain integration, IoT applications, and sustainability initiatives promise further advancements in supply chain optimization. This paper underscores the imperative for ongoing research and adaptation to harness the full potential of digital transformation in reshaping the future of supply chain management. Keywords: Economic Theory, Practical Impacts, Digital Transformation, Supply Chain Optimization.

Study on Patent Analysis in the Field of Aging Diagnosis/Treatment Technology and Fluctuations in Scientific and Technological Workforce

Study on Patent Analysis in the Field of Aging Diagnosis/Treatment Technology and Fluctuations in Scientific and Technological Workforce

Maritime Society 5.0: a global transition on human economy and civilisation for maritime sustainability

ABSTRACT Society 5.0 is a transformative concept that envisions the integration of advanced technologies, sustainable practices, and socio-economic considerations to shape the future needs of the maritime industry. The industry faces significant challenges in addressing issues related to environmental sustainability, workforce transformation, and technological advancements. In response to these challenges, this research aims to propose a definition for Maritime Society 5.0 (MS 5.0), outline its key elements and implications, and suggest future research directions for MS 5.0. This research employs a qualitative methodology that uses document analysis as a primary method. The research highlights three key elements for MS 5.0: advanced technology integration, sustainable practices, and socio-economic considerations. MS 5.0 has significant implications for the maritime industry, including technological advancements, sustainability, workforce transformation, economic growth, societal well-being, and policy frameworks. To further understand MS 5.0 and address emerging challenges, focus on impact assessment, human-centric approaches, cybersecurity, sustainability, collaborative governance, and digital transformation. Prioritising research in these areas and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration will lead to evidence-based strategies, informed decision-making, and sustainable growth, creating a resilient and socially responsible maritime industry for the future.

Reputation aware optimal team formation for collaborative software crowdsourcing in industry 5.0

Collaborative software crowdsourcing (CSC) is now a vital part of the technological workforce due to the rising need for software solutions in an industry 5.0 smart city that exceeds performance standards without sacrificing cost-effectiveness. When a buyer intends to hire a group of productive workers within their budget limit and time frame, the CSC offers a potential solution for executing a software module in crowdsourcing. Existing literature works are limited by team-building mechanisms in CSC without considering reputation and technical competency, which are crucial to building an effective team. In this paper, we have developed an AI-based meta-heuristic particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, which gives personalized solutions for intelligent CSC team-building problems, namely PCS system, that effectively forms worker-teams. We furthermore develop a reputation-based scheme by considering workers’ competency and prior performance to enhance the dependability and trustworthiness of the workers in the CSC platform by employing an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and the multi-step time balancing weight-based method. The developed PCS system also offers a utility function to buyers weighing the cost against task quality. All experiments are carried out in MATLAB and the results have shown that the developed PCS system enhances the buyer’s quality-of-experience (QoE) and utility as high as 30% and 25%, respectively compared to the state-of-the-art works.

The Right to Success: Paradoxical tensions between contested logics in a multi-sectoral collaboration to promote scientific excellence in Israel

The research examined the interplay between institutional logics in a multi-sectoral initiative. Taking a longitudinal approach, we tracked the first three years of an initiative that aimed to reduce social inequality by promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in Israel. We observed how the paradoxical dynamics between multiple logics unfolded over time, following the alternating dominance of business, civil and state actors. Results showed the initiative oscillated between a civil society logic, seeing STEM as a ‘springboard’ for equal opportunities and social change, and a market logic, seeing STEM as a ‘pipeline’ towards a technological workforce and economic profit. The state logic influenced this oscillation by converging with one of the two other logics, affecting both the working processes and the social impact of the initiative. We contribute to paradox theory by developing a process model of the paradoxical dynamics between multiple institutional logics in multi-sectoral initiatives. We identify three main mechanisms that drive this process: power shifts, logic divergence/convergence and turning points. We suggest implications for the management of complex organizational environments.

Development of a sustainable corporate social responsibility index for performance evaluation of the energy industry: A hybrid decision-making methodology

The ever-increasing pressure from stakeholders and policymakers on energy companies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) mission requires them to reinvent their policies and practices. This study aims to examine the performance of alternative business models for the oil and gas industry by employing a hybrid business analytics methodology under a fuzzy environment resulting in a generalizable model named “Sustainable Development Goals-oriented CSR Index.” The proposed methodology employs a hybrid framework that utilizes bipolar Q-rung Orthopair Fuzzy (q-ROF), Multi Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (M-SWARA), and Elimination and Choice Translating Reality (ELECTRE) methods. The findings show that (i) the proposed model is reliable and consistent throughout the similar fuzzy set value ranges, (ii) clean energy is the most important SDG-oriented CSR Index factor for the sustainable energy industry in emerging economies, (iii) drilling is the best alternative energy sourcing for the oil and gas industry, and (iv) clean energy projects have the highest priority for energy investors. The results also highlight that global warming can be managed with effective energy practices for long-term sustainability. Finally, the findings suggest that energy companies should have the essential technological infrastructure and capable workforce to increase investment efficiency.

Technology Improvement and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on Regional Development in Special Region of Yogyakarta

A new perspective on regional economic development is development capital generated from the region. MSMEs and Higher Education as development capital of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) have different characteristics. Development is recognized as a process in which interrelationships and effects between the variables lead to regional development. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the effect of regional development capital on regional development. This study aims to examine the use of PLS-SEM in designing a model of the relationship between technological innovation, capital, and workforce on regional development. This current study also aims to observe the effect of latent predictor variables (Xi) of technology, innovation, capital, and workforce on LPE, HDI, and poverty rate as the latent dependent variable of regional development (Yi). Regional development capital has a positive effect on LPE. Technology has a positive and significant effect on innovation by 92.6%. Innovation Technology positively affects Economic Growth by 14.44% but is not significant. Though it is not significant, regional capital proxied by MSMEs positively affects economic growth. The workforce has a negative and insignificant effect on the economic growth of -28.3%. LPE and HDI have a negative effect on the poverty rate, although not significant at -6.8% and -13.3%, respectively. LPE and HDI play a role in reducing poverty. However, they perform on different paths. Workforce productivity is still low. Thus, it has not been able to boost economic growth and reduce poverty. These results are expected to be utilized as a basis for developing strategies for technology utilization by MSMEs

Quantum technician skills and competencies for the emerging Quantum 2.0 industry

Quantum-based technologies have been instrumental in the development of a whole range of devices that are used these days (such as lasers, transistors, LiDAR, GPS, MRI, and many more). These technologies that emanated from the Quantum 1.0 Revolution have become ubiquitous in modern civilization over the past 50 years. The product commercialization and mass production were enabled by scientists, researchers, engineers, and most importantly, by the skilled technological workforce. This workforce played a critical support role in transforming inventions into high-volume, marketable products. We are currently at the heart of the Second Quantum Revolution, which is fueled by the research in quantum computing, quantum communication, quantum cryptography, and quantum sensing. The scientific progress that is currently taking place in these areas is going to fundamentally change the way we sense the world around us, approach our security, and process critical information. Governments and private entities across the world have recognized the strategic importance of quantum research-enabled technologies and have invested a significant amount of money to support graduate programs and research institutions where scientists, engineers, and other professionals are earning advanced degrees and immediately being engaged in active Quantum 2.0 research. To the best of our knowledge, and despite considerable investment in quantum research, no active efforts or programs exist that would train a quantum technological workforce at the technician level to support Quantum 2.0. The quantum industry, on the other side, has clearly identified the need for highly skilled quantum technicians that are able to support the commercialization of the new products and inventions. The lack of a trained quantum technician workforce is a major shortcoming that may have a profound negative impact on the long-term prospects and sustainability of the emerging quantum industry. The EdQuantum project, funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program, is an effort to close this shortcoming and propose a well-defined curriculum through which the incumbent photonic and laser technicians in the United States will be upskilled with the new skills and competencies from quantum research-enabled technologies. This paper presents the results of the first phase of the EdQuantum project—the quantum industry survey. Over the last few months, we sought input from the quantum industry as to what skills and competencies should a future quantum technician possess to support its emerging needs. The results collected during the survey are presented in this paper along with their impact on the proposed educational curriculum. This paper also elaborates on the alignment of the proposed curriculum with a few ongoing initiatives in the skilled technical workforce education (such as NSB Vision 2030, Convergence Accelerators Initiative, and Skilled Technical Workforce Initiative).

Defining Digital Excellence: Requisite Skills and Policy Implications for Digital Transformation

The skills required to realise the potential of technological transformation to preserve humanity and our fragile world ecosystem in the next decade will centre on the development of digital solutions. This paper discusses the issue of characterising these competencies, since a definition is needed in order to ensure an adequate supply of cutting-edge scholars and a highly educated and agile technological workforce. The paper takes a mixed methods approach combining insights distilled from a rapid literature review, with interviews with leading practitioners and industry leaders. The validity and reliability of the results have been ensured through expert workshops and focus groups. The outcome is a robust definition of what digital excellence entails as well as a road map guiding educational policy and the future supply of digital excellence in national workforces.

Innovation in the era of generalized monopolies: the case of the US–Mexico automotive industrial complex

ABSTRACT During the last three decades, profound changes have taken place in the organization and subordination of scientific and technological workforce in the automotive sector, in new forms of rent generation and corporate appropriation of knowledge that distinguish the restructuring of innovation systems in contemporary capitalism. This paper delves into the content and characteristics of these changes, focusing on the paradigmatic case of the scientific-technological city based in the Greater Detroit area. Using the case of the relation between Mexico and the United States, it argues that the global deployment of innovation systems in the auto industry occurs under regional patterns of uneven development where the US retains the bulk of scientific and technological activity, while Mexico has been assigned a subordinate role, excluded from the creation of knowledge, despite being an important auto manufacturer. This asymmetric relation is associated to the incorporation of Mexican engineers in the US knowledge intensive automotive complex.

Eurointegration tendencies in implementation of ‘Industry 4.0’ in European companies

The current level of technological development made it possible to predict upcoming changes, the expected commercial availability of breakthrough technologies and the impact they will have on business organization, manufacturing and labor market. The fourth industrial revolution, driven by automation, digital technology and Big Data, is expected to start in a few years. The number one external risk currently perceived by companies is digital disruption. The aim of the paper is to examine the current trends in terms of technological development and workforce transition for the preparedness of companies and labor market for the upcoming changes. The paper reviews the results of research, indicating the dominant orientation of companies, with regards to the expected digital disruption, trends shaping the fourth industrial revolution and strategies for preparation for the upcoming changes.

SPROUTING SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL WORKFORCE THROUGH TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA

The call for continuous creation of industrial and technological workforce cannot be overlooked, in view of the fact that it will boost the sustainable industrial and technological development of any nation. A vital programme that can bring into being requisite workforce for sustainable industrial and technological development is Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET). To this end, this study investigated the strategies for sprouting sustainable industrial and technological workforce through TVET in Nigeria using the descriptive survey research design. The study was guided with two research questions and two hypotheses. The sample was made up of 300 respondents comprising of 154 TVET Lecturers from Universities and 146 TVET industry-based workers in South-South Geopolitical Zone of Nigeria, who were selected using simple random and convenience sampling techniques respectively. The instrument used for data collection was a 69-item questionnaire which was validated by three experts. The reliability of the instrument was determined using Cronbach Alpha and a reliability coefficient of .86 was obtained. Mean and standard deviations statistics were used to answer the research questions, whereas t-test statistic was used to test the null hypotheses at .05 level of significance. The findings of this study revealed that TVET programmes had some policy-related challenges; and TVET institutions-workplace collaboration is a possible strategy for sprouting sustainable industrial and technological workforce in Nigeria. Thus, among others, it was recommended that firm TVET policy document be set-up by government and all stakeholders to appropriately synchronize TVET programmes towards sprouting sustainable industrial and technological workforce in Nigeria.

Technological Workforce and Its Impact on Algorithmic Justice in Politics

The use of algorithms can be highly beneficial and efficient to make statistical decisions in settings where data are voluminous. However, there are on-going concerns about the potential long-term negative consequences of the use of algorithms due to inherent biases against certain subgroups of the population which tend to be under-represented in the society. To address this issue, we propose that it is critical to develop ways to bring the technological capabilities that underlie these advances to the broadest group of people by focusing on the nature of workforce in the tech industry. Particularly, we propose that having a diverse workforce in the tech industry and inter-disciplinary education, including principles of ethical coding, can be a starting point to resolve this issue. Politicians, regulators, and educational institutions must be prepared to address these issues in order to set a system that works equally for all people in a democratic society.

Kanter’s Theory of Proportions: Organizational Demography and PhD Completion in Science and Engineering Departments

Increasing the size and diversity of the scientific and technological workforce is a national priority. Investments in policy and programmatic efforts toward increasing the representation of women in science and engineering fields have resulted in significant advances; however, a gender gap remains among PhDs and faculty in these fields. This study tests whether Kanter’s (Men and women of the corporation, Basic Books, New York, 1977) theory of proportions, which suggests that numerical representation of groups influence group dynamics and cultural context, applies to the proportion of female faculty and the probability that female doctoral students will complete their degrees in science and engineering. Using data from two research-intensive academic institutions, results show that female doctoral students are more likely to complete the degree in departments with higher proportions of female faculty. Further, female PhD students working with female faculty dissertation advisors are also more likely to complete the degree than female PhD students working with male faculty dissertation advisors. Departmental faculty sex ratios and whether their faculty advisor is male or female, however, have no effect on the completion probabilities of male PhD students. Consistent with Kanter’s theory, research findings illustrate the importance of organizational demography on the academic outcomes of PhD students, and provide support for initiatives and programs aimed at increasing the representation of female faculty in science and engineering.

Linking of Barriers to Energy Efficiency Improvement in Indonesia’s Steel Industry

Energy use in Indonesia’s steel industry accounts for about 20–35% of total production costs. Consequently, energy end-use efficiency is a crucial measure that is used to reduce energy intensity and decrease production costs. This article aims to investigate the relationships among different barriers to energy efficiency improvement (EEI), using a framework with the following six constructs: government policy, the financial–economic factor, the managerial–organizational factor, the technological factor, workforce, and quality and type of feedstock and fuel used. The data were collected from steel firm practitioners in Indonesia, using a questionnaire to test our framework. The results demonstrate that the applied framework was applicable. We find that EEI is moderately influenced by all constructs but that the managerial–organizational factor has the greatest direct effect on improvements and is the most significant factor.

In Praise of Workforce and Inclusion

In this issue of The Data Base for Advances in Information Systems, we are reminded of one of the key reasons why we engage in MIS research: to study ways in which technology management serves the enterprise. This connotes the notion of Work and the value of Workforces. This special issue, from the ACM SIGMIS Computers and People Research (CPR) Conference, provides a rich and impactful illumination on the nature of the technological workforce, both in terms of its composition and its management. This is vital research within our field. In this issue, we have a sampling of workforce research that focuses on computers and people issues in two broad ways: ensuring broad participation in the technology workforce through inclusion and informing wise managerial guidance of technological workforces. We typically call the former area of inquiry "inclusion research," while referring to the latter as "workforce research." They are really part and parcel of the same important underlying notion: what can we do to better manage the technological function in the firm, such that work proceeds effectively, productively, profitably?