Theoretical Understanding Research Articles

Robust Semi-Supervised Learning by Wisely Leveraging Open-Set Data.

Open-set Semi-supervised Learning (OSSL) holds a realistic setting that unlabeled data may come from classes unseen in the labeled set, i.e., out-of-distribution (OOD) data, which could cause performance degradation in conventional SSL models. To handle this issue, except for the traditional in-distribution (ID) classifier, some existing OSSL approaches employ an extra OOD detection module to avoid the potential negative impact of the OOD data. Nevertheless, these approaches typically employ the entire set of open-set data during their training process, which may contain data unfriendly to the OSSL task that can negatively influence the model performance. This inspires us to develop a robust open-set data selection strategy for OSSL. Through a theoretical understanding from the perspective of learning theory, we propose Wise Open-set Semi-supervised Learning (WiseOpen), a generic OSSL framework that selectively leverages the open-set data for training the model. By applying a gradient-variance-based selection mechanism, WiseOpen exploits a friendly subset instead of the whole open-set dataset to enhance the model's capability of ID classification. Moreover, to reduce the computational expense, we also propose two practical variants of WiseOpen by adopting low-frequency update and loss-based selection respectively. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of WiseOpen in comparison with the state-of-the-art.

Exploring the institutional factors in mitigating rural gentrification-led displacement: The case of Xiaozhou Village in Guangzhou, China

Displacement remains a critical issue in global gentrification research, highlighting class tensions and social injustices. While recent literature has increasingly examined gentrification-led displacement, particularly in rural settings, the experiences of rural China in managing displacement have received comparatively limited attention. This paper offers two primary contributions. First, it proposes an institutional factors-based understanding to elucidate the distinctive nature of gentrification-led displacement in rural China. Second, it explores the mitigating effects and mechanisms of formal and informal institutional factors based on the analysis of the case of Xiaozhou Village. Our study finds that: 1) Formal institutional factors, including laws, regulations, planning documents, and legal titles, provide a bottom-line guarantee for villagers, mitigating spatial and economic displacement pressures. 2) Informal clan-based institutional factors mitigate sociocultural displacement pressure by reinforcing shared consensus, behavioral norms, and self-imposed codes of conduct. 3) The mitigation of direct displacement is attributed to the cooperation between these institutional factors, enabling villagers to return to their communities and rebuild their homes. These structural experiences offer valuable insights that can be flexibly integrated into the global anti-gentrification movement, advancing the theoretical understanding and practical management of rural gentrification.

ICT skills, entrepreneurial self-perceived creativity, and digital entrepreneurship: Insights from the stimulus-organism-response model

This study, anchored in the Stimulus-Organism-Response theory, aims to explore how ICT skills-related stimuli (information skills, operational skills, and creative skills) stimulate cognitive organisms (entrepreneurial self-perceived creativity), which, in turn, increases behavioral responses (attitude towards digital entrepreneurship and digital entrepreneurial intention) as well as investigate the detrimental effects of technology anxiety. Employing a cross-sectional design, the study leverages data from a sample of 604 higher education students across six universities in Vietnam. Hypotheses are assessed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal positive influences of operational, informational, and creative skills on entrepreneurial self-perceived creativity, which significantly affected attitudes toward digital entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention. While technology anxiety negatively impacts entrepreneurial self-perceived creativity and attitudes toward digital entrepreneurship, its significant influence on digital entrepreneurial intention is not observed. The study also unveils the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-perceived creativity in the relationship between ICT skills, technology anxiety, and attitudes toward digital entrepreneurship and digital entrepreneurial intention. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of digital entrepreneurial ventures, shedding light on the intricate dynamics among ICT skills, entrepreneurial self-perceived creativity, technology anxiety, and entrepreneurial responses. It also explores the applicability of the SOR model in emerging economies, providing valuable insights into the digital entrepreneurial landscape.

Enhancing Carbon Trading Mechanisms through Innovative Collaboration: Case Studies from Developing Nations

Against a backdrop of global climate change mitigation efforts, carbon trading has emerged as a critical mechanism, yet developing countries often lack the necessary infrastructure and collaborative frameworks. The research investigates how intermediaries facilitate stakeholders and employ innovative practices to foster effective carbon trading markets. Methodologically, it employs a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth case studies of four intermediaries through 32 semi-structured interviews and archival document. Findings underscore the pivotal role of digital platforms in enabling real-time trading, rigorous standardization processes to ensure market credibility, and multi-stakeholder engagement strategies that promote inclusive participation. This research contributes to the theoretical understanding of carbon trading by illustrating how digital platforms and technological integration enhance resource acquisition and allocation. It emphasizes the significance of standardization and verification processes in building trust among stakeholders, crucial for effective supply chain collaboration. Practically, the study highlights the benefits of these approaches in enhancing market efficiency and transparency. It also underscores the importance of multi-stakeholder engagement strategies and strategic alliances for creating resilient and inclusive carbon trading markets, offering actionable insights for stakeholders and policymakers alike.

Zero-Shot Neural Architecture Search: Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities.

Recently, zero-shot (or training-free) Neural Architecture Search (NAS) approaches have been proposed to liberate NAS from the expensive training process. The key idea behind zero-shot NAS approaches is to design proxies that can predict the accuracy of some given networks without training the network parameters. The proxies proposed so far are usually inspired by recent progress in theoretical understanding of deep learning and have shown great potential on several datasets and NAS benchmarks. This paper aims to comprehensively review and compare the state-of-the-art (SOTA) zero-shot NAS approaches, with an emphasis on their hardware awareness. To this end, we first review the mainstream zero-shot proxies and discuss their theoretical underpinnings. We then compare these zero-shot proxies through large-scale experiments and demonstrate their effectiveness in both hardware-aware and hardware-oblivious NAS scenarios. Finally, we point out several promising ideas to design better proxies.

Optimization of Motion Planning for Quadrotor-Equipped Robotic Manipulators

The focus of the work is on optimizing motion planning for quadcopter-equipped robotic manipulators by integrating quadcopter design, modeling, and path planning for a robotic arm mounted on a quadcopter through MATLAB. Recently, quadcopters have also been used in many application fields with increased viability. This paper will attempt at bringing a complete framework that enhances the operational capabilities of quadcopters through optimized path planning algorithms. The approach will rely on obstacle avoidance techniques for safe operation with satisfactory efficiency in unstructured environments. Advanced algorithms such as Rapidly-exploring Random Trees and dynamic window approaches provide solutions to this challenge of redundancy in the path followed and adaptability in its surroundings. Simulations prove that the proposed optimization methods strongly improve the accuracy and efficiency of the path planned by the robotic arm as it adheres to the dynamic constraints imposed. This work can apply practical insight into many real-world fields such as logistics, surveillance, and search-and-rescue applications aside from contributing to the theoretical understanding of quadcopter dynamics.

An empirical analysis of user intention to use chatbots for airline tickets consultation

Purpose This study aims to empirically analyze the factors influencing users’ intention to use chatbots for airline ticket consultation. It seeks to introduce a comprehensive framework based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) that integrates key factors alongside traditional TAM constructs to understand what drives behavioral intention to use chatbots in the context of airline ticket consultation. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to validate the proposed model empirically. Data were collected through a survey questionnaire distributed to potential users in Saudi Arabia, with 393 valid responses from a total of 409 received being included in the analysis. Findings The empirical analysis confirms the significance of perceived usefulness and user satisfaction as direct determinants of behavioral intention. Additionally, it reveals that factors such as perceived ubiquitous access, perceived completeness, perceived accuracy, perceived unbiased response and perceived convenience have both direct and indirect significant impacts on the behavioral intention to use chatbots for airline ticket consultation. Originality/value This research advances theoretical understanding and holds practical implications for designing and implementing effective chatbot services. By investigating the complex interplay of these factors, the study makes substantive contributions to both theoretical advancements and practical applications in the field, particularly in enhancing the user experience and acceptance of chatbots for airline ticket consultations.

Effects of grassland degradation on soil ecological stoichiometry and soil microbial community on the South of the Greater Khingan Mountains

Grassland which covers 40% of terrestrial land is an important ecosystem having a multitude of functions, which has suffered various degrees of degradation with the interaction between global climate change and unreasonable human utilization (e.g., grazing and reclamation). Improved understanding of soil and microbial community diversity during meadow steppe degradation is crucial for predicting degradation mechanisms and restoration strategies. Here, we used Illumina sequencing technology to investigate the patterns of soil microbial community structure and the driving factors of its change across different degradation degrees of meadow steppe [i.e., non-degraded grasslands (NDG), lightly degraded grasslands (LDG), moderately degraded grasslands (MDG), and severely degraded grasslands (SDG)] south of the Greater Khingan Mountains. Our results showed a significant variation in soil properties, enzyme activity, and soil metal elements across the degraded meadows. Soil available phosphorus (AP), urease (UE), and cellulase (CL) in soils increased with the intensity of grassland degradation. Grassland degradation significantly decreased soil bacterial and fungal richness. In addition, grassland degradation significantly increased the relative abundance of Firmicutes (from 1.65% to 5.38%) and Myxococcota (from 2.13% to 3.13%). Degradation considerably increased the relative abundance of Ascomycota (from 66.54% to 75.05%), but decreased Basidiomycota (from 18.33% to 9.92%). The relative abundance of nitrogen fixation and cellulolysis decreased significantly due to grassland degradation. For fungal functional guilds, the relative abundance of pathotrophs increased while saprotrophs decreased significantly with increasing severity of degradation. Total nitrogen (TP), AP, available potassium (AK), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), UE, sucrase (SC), and alcalase protease (ALPT) were the main drivers of soil bacterial community composition, while TP, AP, AK, Pb, UE, and SC were the main drivers of soil fungal community composition in the degraded grassland. Our findings demonstrated that severe grassland degradation has an enormous effect on soil microbial communities and soil physicochemical dynamics. These findings improve our theoretical understanding of the interactions between soil microbial populations and soil environmental variables in degraded grassland.

Bridging theory and data: A computational workflow for cultural evolution

Cultural evolution applies evolutionary concepts and tools to explain the change of culture over time. Despite advances in both theoretical and empirical methods, the connections between cultural evolutionary theory and evidence are often vague, limiting progress. Theoretical models influence empirical research but rarely guide data collection and analysis in logical and transparent ways. Theoretical models themselves are often too abstract to apply to specific empirical contexts and guide statistical inference. To help bridge this gap, we outline a quality-assurance computational workflow that starts from generative models of empirical phenomena and logically connects statistical estimates to both theory and real-world explanatory goals. We emphasize and demonstrate validation of the workflow using synthetic data. Using the interplay between conformity, migration, and cultural diversity as a case study, we present coded and repeatable examples of directed acyclic graphs, tailored agent-based simulations, a probabilistic transmission model for longitudinal data, and an approximate Bayesian computation model for cross-sectional data. We discuss the assumptions, opportunities, and pitfalls of different approaches to generative modeling and show how each can be used to improve data analysis depending on the structure of available data and the depth of theoretical understanding. Throughout, we highlight the significance of ethnography and of collecting basic cultural and demographic information about study populations and call for more emphasis on logical and theory-driven workflows as part of science reform.

ПСИХОЛОГІЧНІ ОСОБЛИВОСТІ КОМУНІКАТИВНОЇ КОМПЕТЕНТНОСТІ МАЙБУТНІХ ВЧИТЕЛІВ-ЛОГОПЕДІВ

The article analyzes the concept of "communicative competence." The components of communicative competence are examined, along with obstacles in interpersonal interactions, such as communicative barriers and individual psychological properties. The necessity of developing communicative competence in future speech therapists is emphasized. The study found that students majoring in "Special Education" exhibit average to low levels of communicative competence. Regarding the level of shyness, the obtained results shoved that 15% of respondents have a low level of shyness, 17.5% have an average level, 50% have a high level, and 17.5% have a very high level of shyness. Further, it was found that 3% of respondents do not experience any emotional barriers in interpersonal communication, 10% have some emotional difficulties in everyday communication, 55% experience emotions that somewhat complicate interactions with others, and 32% find that emotions hinder their ability to establish contacts The article also discusses the communicative challenges faced by future correctional teachers, which significantly impede their ability to communicate with children who have speech disorders. To address these issues, the article proposes incorporating more communicative disciplines into the training curriculum for correctional teachers, increasing students' theoretical understanding of communication issues with children with speech disorders, creating a methodological base, and preparing teachers to use interactive methods in lectures and seminars. Additionally, it suggests employing training methods to help students acquire practical skills in business and interpersonal communication.

Biodiversity skepticism and measurement practices

AbstractThis paper challenges “biodiversity skepticism:” an inferential move that acknowledges the proliferation, heterogeneity, and lack of covariance of biodiversity measurements, and concludes that we should doubt the scientific validity of the biodiversity concept. As a way out of skepticism, philosophers have advocated for eliminating “biodiversity” from scientific inquiry, revising it, or deflating its meaning into a single measurable dimension. I present a counterargument to the inferential move of the skeptic by revealing how it stands on two unstated premises, namely a reflective view of measurements and the unidirectional dynamics between definitional and measurement practices, and corollary assumptions. These premises and assumptions are misaligned with a richer theoretical understanding of measurement and are sometimes inconsistent with how science operates. A more nuanced view of measurement could better explain measurement proliferation while being consistent with new ways in which the general biodiversity concept could be useful. To conclude, I urge philosophers of measurement and conceptual engineers to collaborate in tackling the interplay between conceptual change and measurement practices.

Unconventional philosophies and practices: Vietnamese family firm performance in multiple countries

ABSTRACT The diversity of business philosophies and practices across family firms suggests their performance is influenced by factors that can be hard to isolate or understand. Based on 215 observations of Vietnamese firms operating in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, we use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis techniques to discern the configurational relationships underlying their performance pathways. Of the 64 possible configurations, three pathways with a high consistency (95 percent) for high performance are distinguishable. These three pathways are characterized by varying degrees of family labor involvement, social network-based labor sourcing, and capital contributions from partners. They reveal how cultural factors, spiritual beliefs and practices, as well as the strength of firm networks influence the way these firms perform. Taken together, these insights offer valuable contributions to the theoretical understanding of family firm performance with practical and policy relevance.

Epistemic injustice in planning: a framework for identifying degrees of harm

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this paper is to nuance our understanding of how a knowledge-centred injustice can manifest in planning. To do so, the paper draws upon the concept of “epistemic injustice” from the field of social epistemology. Epistemic injustice occurs when certain voices are unjustly discredited and/or systemically marginalised. Recognising and addressing epistemic injustice is crucial as it can generate unjust harms in planning decision-making, as well as perpetuate institutionalised prejudice. The paper seeks to enhance our understanding of “epistemic injustice” by presenting a framework for identifying: (1) the conditions to be met for it to manifest; (2) how meeting different conditions generates different degrees of harm; and (3) detailing how meeting certain conditions may help to perpetuate institutionalised prejudice. The paper references a case of planning conflict in an informal settlement in Iran to illustrate the workings of this framework. The benefits and limitations of the framework are discussed. Suggestions for further research are identified. This paper contributes to the field by providing a framework for refining our theoretical understanding of epistemic injustice in planning and offering a practical illustration of the framework’s use in a context that is comparatively underrepresented in planning research.

Exploring Systemic and Behavioral Factors Influencing Corruption in Public Procurement: A Global Comparative Study

Public procurement is particularly vulnerable to corruption due to the substantial financial transactions and discretionary powers involved. Inadequate governance structures and cultural norms often exacerbate this vulnerability. This study explores the systemic and behavioral factors contributing to corruption in public procurement through a global comparative lens, focusing on regions including Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Americas. Systemic factors, such as weak legal frameworks, lack of transparency, and institutional weaknesses, are analyzed alongside behavioral influences, such as cultural norms, individual ethical considerations, and moral disengagement. By conducting a comprehensive literature review, this study consolidates existing knowledge to pinpoint areas for improvement and emerging trends concerning procurement corruption. The research reveals that corruption in public procurement is deeply ingrained in both institutional frameworks and the cultural context in which procurement occurs. It recommends an integrated anti-corruption strategy combining structural reforms, such as bolstering regulatory oversight, with behavioral interventions to reshape cultural norms and foster ethical behavior. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and academics, emphasizing the necessity of tailored and multifaceted approaches to combat procurement corruption effectively. The study's results enrich the theoretical understanding of corruption by connecting structural and behavioral strategies, guiding policymakers and international organizations striving to promote transparency and accountability in public procurement.

Assessment of Tourism Development in Belarus: A Comprehensive Analysis of Infrastructure, Cultural Heritage and Natural Resources

Purpose: This study examines the development of tourism in Belarus, evaluating its infrastructure, cultural heritage potential, and natural resources. The research aims to identify key factors influencing tourism development and assess their relative impact on the sector's growth. Design/methodology/approach: The study employs a mixed-methods approach, primarily utilizing a quantitative survey (n=512) of local stakeholders across six regions of Belarus, supplemented by comprehensive statistical analysis. The research instrument included 17 structured questions measuring perceptions of tourism development across multiple dimensions. Data analysis was conducted using chi-square tests and Cramér's V coefficient to determine statistical significance and relationship strength. Findings: The results indicate moderate tourism development in Belarus (39% of respondents rated it as average, 42% as high). Infrastructure quality shows significant regional variation (χ2(4)=31.50, p<0.001, V=0.56). Cultural heritage emerged as a primary attraction (72% agreement), while natural resources received varied evaluations (57% highlighting landscape value). The study identified key development barriers: visa restrictions (74% of respondents), insufficient marketing (62%), and underdeveloped transport infrastructure (51%). Research limitations/implications: The study's cross-sectional nature and focus on domestic stakeholders may limit its generalizability. Future longitudinal studies incorporating international perspectives could provide additional insights. Conclusion: The study reveals that Belarus's tourism development exhibits a complex pattern of strengths and challenges. While the country possesses significant potential through its cultural heritage (72% positive evaluation) and natural resources (57% positive assessment), its tourism development is constrained by structural barriers. The research demonstrates that future tourism growth requires a three-pronged approach: (1) systematic infrastructure modernization, particularly in regional areas; (2) reform of visa policies to enhance accessibility; and (3) development of comprehensive marketing strategies. The statistical significance of these findings (p<0.001) supports the need for evidence-based policy interventions. This research contributes to both theoretical understanding of tourism development in transition economies and practical policy formulation, while establishing a methodological framework for future studies in similar contexts.

Beyond the negativity of the emotion of fear: religious fear as a case in point

Fear is regularly cited as a typical example of a ‘negative emotion’. The present article considers alternative perspectives, seeking to develop a theoretical framework that takes into account the possibility of perceiving fear as an emotion that can carry ‘positivity’. As a test case of a possible positive function of fear, I analyse the religious discourse surrounding fear in Israeli ultra-Orthodox society, where fear is often regarded as a positive emotion. I argue that the ‘positive’ traits that the ultra-Orthodox ascribe to fear can be employed as a model for elucidating the ‘positive’ functions of fear in other contexts as well. The article’s first two parts are devoted to clarifying the relativist stance regarding the essence of fear and presenting the test case of religious fear. In the following parts I isolate three perspectives offered by the religious approach that may also shed light on a general understanding of how fear operates as a ‘positive’ emotion: (1) broadening the range of reactions to fear beyond the ‘fight or flight’ response; (2) the epistemological function of fear in constructing truth and knowledge; (3) the possibility that the very experience of fear can be framed and felt as positive. In conclusion, I will argue that the case of fear shows that the broad categorisation into ‘negative’ and ‘positive’ within the emotional realm may impair the theoretical and scholarly understanding of emotions, and I will propose an alternative approach to this categorisation.

Two linguistic levels of lexical ambiguity and a unified categorical representation

Lexical disambiguation is one of the oldest problems in natural language processing. There are three main types of lexical ambiguity: part-of-speech ambiguity, homonymy, and polysemy, typically divided into two tasks in practice. While this division suffices for engineering purposes, it does not align well with human intuition. In this article, I use lexical ambiguity as a representative case to demonstrate how insights from theoretical linguistics can be helpful for developing more human-like meaning and knowledge representations in natural language understanding. I revisit the three types of lexical ambiguity and propose a structured reclassification of them into two levels using the theoretical linguistic tool of root syntax. Recognizing the uneven expressive power of root syntax across these levels, I further translate the theoretical linguistic insights into the language of category theory, mainly using the tool of topos. The resulting unified categorical representation of lexical ambiguity preserves rootsyntactic insights, has strong expressive power at both linguistic levels, and can potentially serve as a bridge between theoretical linguistics and natural language understanding.

A thematic analysis of factors influencing small and medium enterprise adoption of social media marketing: a TOE framework perspective

Purpose This paper aims to examine the factors influencing the adoption of social media marketing by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Pakistan. By investigating the drivers and challenges/barriers affecting the adoption of social media marketing tools among SMEs, this study provides practical guidance to SMEs seeking to utilize social media platforms for marketing purposes in a developing context such as Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach Utilizing the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework as a theoretical framework, qualitative data were collected through semistructured interviews with representatives of SMEs in Pakistan, followed by thematic analysis of the data. Findings The research identifies several key factors influencing the adoption of social media marketing by Pakistani SMEs. These factors include doubts regarding the benefits of social media, alignment with regulatory requirements, challenges related to tracking social media performance, resistance from senior management (older employees), the positive influence of competitive pressure and the Covid-19 pandemic, political instability and increased government taxes on digital services. Stakeholders such as marketing professionals, academics, policymakers, government authorities and SME owners and managers can benefit from these findings. Originality/value This research contributes to the academic literature on the adoption of social media marketing by SMEs, especially within emerging economies. It enriches theoretical understanding of adoption processes and factors, filling gaps in existing knowledge and laying a foundation for future research in this domain. Using the TOE framework, the study reveals that when all factors are adequately considered, SMEs can transition from traditional marketing methods and embrace social media as a digital marketing strategy to enhance performance, profitability, and gain a competitive advantage over their rivals.

Theoretical understanding of gradients of spike functions as boolean functions

Theoretical understanding of gradients of spike functions as boolean functions

Abrikosov clusters in chiral liquid crystal droplets.

Self-organizing triangular lattices of topological vortices have been observed in type-II superconductors, Bose-Einstein condensates, and chiral magnets under external forcing. Liquid crystals exhibit vortex self-organization in dissipative media. In this study, we experimentally investigate the formation of vortex clusters, analogous to Abrikosov lattices, in temperature-driven chiral liquid crystal droplets. Based on a Ginzburg-Landau-like equation, we derive the interaction laws underlying the formation of these Abrikosov clusters of chiral domains. The origin of these is elucidated due to the competition between the repulsive interaction and the spatial effect of the confinement within the droplet. Our results advance the theoretical understanding of localized vortex self-organization in liquid crystals and open up possibilities for controlling the clustering of these topological defects.