Disruption Time Research Articles

EU Cohesion Policies and interregional inequalities in disruptive times

Despite the numerous contributions assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of Cohesion Policies, their role in stimulating growth and cohesion in different macroeconomic settings and in different business cycle periods remains highly debated. This article aims at contributing to this literature by investigating the link between Cohesion Policy, economic growth and interregional inequalities over periods of crisis and recovery. In particular, the article analyses whether Cohesion Policy is beneficial for the recovery of those regions mostly hit by the crisis and contributes to narrowing interregional gaps enhanced by the crisis. In addition, the paper analyses how the link between Cohesion Policy and interregional inequalities changes by investment axes, as it is the case of Research, Technology Development and Innovation funds, targeted to different goals. Based on an analysis covering all EU27 and UK NUTS2 regions in the period 2008–2019, the article confirms the multifaceted nexus between Cohesion Policy and interregional inequalities. It also raises warnings about the potential conflicts between its overarching goals and its multiple and expanding strategic objectives.

Communication, Contact, and Intergenerational Dynamics: Aging in Not-So-Normal Times.

This Epilogue extends themes from the Special Issue, with a particular focus on how communication operates during times of social disruption. Three forms of disruption are discussed: societal-global disruption (manifested in the Covid-19 pandemic), individual-relational disruption (manifested in a dementia diagnosis), and societal progress (manifested in technological change). The Epilogue discusses how these disruptions affect the quality and quantity of intergenerational contact, and feed into hostile and benevolent forms of ageism. The conclusions discuss connections between disruptions and the Communication Ecology Model of Successful Aging, as well as links to societal segregation, thus suggesting the multiplicity of ways that communication serves as a platform for healthier approaches to aging in society.

Enhancing the sustainability of careers in disruptive times

Our current world is putting to the test the resilience of many workers when dealing with uncertainty and adjusting to changing ways of working, rapid digitization, combined with a pressure to perform and stay employable. In these uncertain times, it has become even more clear that careers cannot be seen as a linear sequence of predictable work experiences one has full control over, and that individuals cannot just rely on others to take care of their career security. At the same time, it provokes questions regarding the role of different stakeholders involved. This article summarizes the key elements of sustainable careers theory and discusses the relevance of this framework for understanding and addressing contemporary career challenges and implications for career counseling. It is a summary of my keynote address at the NICEC conference in Birmingham, July 2024.

10.A. Round table: Transforming public health systems at large scale: no pain, no gain

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic, acceleration of climate change, and geopolitical turmoil have triggered discussions about how public health systems in Europe need to transform to be adequately equipped for the so-called “permacrisis”. The challenges to policy makers, health institutions and health services have become so multifaceted, that single solutions from the health sector alone no longer work. Yet, despite the complexity, countries seek to get its own house in order whilst building on inter-sectoral and European approaches in parallel. Germany, Ireland, and Ukraine have all embarked upon ambitious public health services and institutional reforms, leading to transformative change in public health systems. WHO has been accompanying these reforms. The workshop will provide a platform to draw insights and lessons on transforming public health systems from all three countries, although their population size, their socioeconomic and political situation and their public health system design is so different. As the smallest of the three countries in population, Ireland created coherence and is aligning public health actors within “Healthy Ireland” and the Sláintecaire and the Crowe Horwath public health reforms. Germany’s “Pact for the Public Health Services” has been one of the greatest public health investment programs in Europe that was initiated following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. And Ukraine has undertaken important legal steps to adopt a Public Health System Law, in the middle of a war of aggression on its territory. The workshop will exhibit the process of large-scale public health system transformation in each of the three countries. The purpose is to identify the enablers that make large scale system transformation possible and addressing some of the pains and gains. The workshop will have three parts. Part one consists of three presentations on large scale system reforms from each of the participating countries. Part two consists of a moderated Q&A session. Part three will focus on the synthesis of enablers for large scale public health system reforms through interaction with the workshop participants, using a digital white board. Key messages • Disruptive times can create enabling conditions for large scale public health system transformation. • Designing and implementing large scale public health system reforms is complex, requiring passion, resilience, and collaborative leadership.

Regionalism under test: justifying initial regional responses to the global Covid-19 crisis in Latin America

ABSTRACT This article explores the distinctive features of Latin American regionalism by examining its rhetorical justifications during the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic offered an exceptional opportunity to witness the professed role of regional organizations in the Global South as bridges between national and international systems: how this role is discursively constructed and the practical limitations it faces in times of disruption. We address different attempts to (self-)justify the relevance of regionalist visions, analyzing how three (inter-)regional organizations of the Americas reacted discursively to the global public health crisis: the Common Market of the South (Mercosur), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Ibero-American Summits (SEGIB). We examine three features that have traditionally shaped Latin American visions of regionalism: coping with world hegemony; striving for regional autonomy; and expressing transnational solidarity. The findings provide insights for further understanding the legitimation of regional and global governance under conditions of uncertainty.

Evaluating Higher Education Performance via Machine Learning During Disruptive Times: A Case of Applied Education in Türkiye

ABSTRACTIn response to the COVID‐19 pandemic, an abrupt wave of digitisation and online migration swept the higher education institutions around the globe. In the aftermath of this digital transformation which endures as the legacy of the pandemic, what lacks in knowledge is how effective the anti‐COVID measures were in maintaining quality education. Using machine learning to analyse student grades as a proxy for educational standards, this study investigates and demonstrates the evaluative potential of machine learning (vs. traditional statistics) with respect to not only crisis responses in education but also applied studies such as Information Systems and Tourism. Main implication of this study is the analytical utility of machine learning even when educational data are irregular and small. However, incorporating accurate and meaningful data points into the existing online educational systems is crucial to leverage this utility of machine learning.

The Impact of the Difficult Economic Situation on the Operation of Slovak Companies in the Shadow of War

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the organizational and human resource (HR) responses to the challenging economic conditions caused by the war and the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the limited evidence available on how organizations adapt to such crises, this research aims to develop a conceptual model and empirically investigate the influence of two specific factors: organizational size and direct economic ties with the Russian and Ukrainian markets. Methodology: This study employs a mixed-method approach, combining both theoretical and empirical research. A conceptual model was first developed to outline potential organizational reactions to crisis conditions. The empirical part of the study involved data collection from 128 organizations, including companies and institutions, in Slovakia. The analysis was conducted to test two hypotheses regarding how organizational size and economic connections with the Russian and Ukrainian markets affect organizational and HR responses in times of war. Findings: The findings of the study indicate that neither organizational size nor direct economic linkages with the Russian and Ukrainian markets significantly influenced the responses of the organizations studied to the economic difficulties caused by the war. This suggests that other factors may play a more critical role in shaping organizational and HR strategies in response to crises. Implications for theory and practice: For theory, this study contributes to the existing literature by challenging the assumption that organizational size and direct economic ties to conflict-affected markets are primary determinants of organizational responses to crisis. For practice, the findings suggest that managers and HR professionals need to consider a broader range of factors beyond size and market exposure when developing strategies to cope with economic disruptions caused by global crises. Originality and value: This research is original in its focus on the specific impacts of war and pandemic-induced economic conditions on organizations in Slovakia. The study provides valuable insights into how organizations navigate crises, expanding the understanding of crisis management and organizational adaptability. It adds value by highlighting the need for more comprehensive models that consider a wider array of factors influencing organizational behavior in times of global economic disruption.

Multiple Criteria-Based Intelligent Techniques for Efficient Handover in Next-Generation Networks

Background: Several wireless technologies are assumed to be operating in cooperation for next-generation networks. These networks offer various services to mobile users; however, efficient handover between different networks is the most challenging task in high mobility scenarios. The traditional signal strength-based handover algorithms are not able to cope with mobile users' high-quality requirements. Methods: In this paper, multiple criteria-based intelligent techniques are proposed to deal with inefficiencies related to handover. This technique makes use of artificial neural networks that take multiple parameters as inputs in order to predict the degradation of parameters. These predictions are further used to design rules for initiating handover procedures prior to service quality degradation. Results: Based on the prediction results obtained by deep neural networks, the handover decisions are recommended according to the type of application: conversational or streaming. Conclusion: The simulation results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method as there is an improvement of up to 40% and 25% in terms of handover rate and service disruption time, respectively, with an acceptable prediction error of 0.05.

The Critical Catalyst: Getting Open Innovation Projects Right in Times of Disruption

Disruptions often call for rapid innovation at scale. Open innovation (OI) is critical in such contexts because it allows organizations to access resources beyond the firm’s boundaries. Yet, many OI projects fail, posing significant risks during disruptions. This article examines 12 ventilator development projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which only seven succeeded. Fifty-five interviews were analyzed to understand how organizational roles influence the outcomes of OI projects in times of disruption. The key finding is that projects that succeeded involved an organizational role largely absent in those that failed: namely, a catalyst.

A system dynamics gamification tool to enhance supply chain resilience in times of disruptions

AbstractIn recent years, significant disruptive events have stressed the global business environment and supply chains worldwide, and these events have become more disturbing and frequent. Consequently, organisations have been facing many troubles in different echelons of their supply chains, such as high inventory stockouts or unplanned supply and recovery costs, significantly affecting their performance and stability. Accordingly, strategists must acknowledge enterprise and supply chain resilience as a vital competence in organisational strategies and ploys to guide decision-makers when dealing with disruptive events. This work aims to help organisations develop a powerful approach for testing and improving a decision-making process to minimise stockouts, through a simulation game that considers essential supply chain components, such as suppliers, products, and disruptive events, coexisting in a dynamic system. Upon implementing the proposed game within an organisation, the main expected outcomes include: (i) enhanced decision-making capabilities; (ii) increased awareness and preparedness to address disruptive events; (iii) improved practical understanding of resilient supply chain management practices; (iv) cost-effective training and awareness-building; and (v) repetitive learning opportunities, thereby enhancing supply chain management and resilience. The game’s simplicity is crucial to ensure that this tool remains accessible and practical for its intended audience, as excessive complexity may potentially discourage its use.

Binary black hole mergers from Population III star clusters

Binary black holes (BBHs) that are born from the evolution of Population III (Pop. III) stars are one of the main high-redshift targets for next-generation ground-based gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. Their predicted initial mass function and lack of metals make them the ideal progenitors of black holes above the upper edge of the pair-instability mass gap, that is, with a mass higher than ~134 (241) M⊙ for stars that become (or do not become) chemically homogeneous during their evolution. We investigate the effects of cluster dynamics on the mass function of BBHs that are born from Pop. III stars by considering the main uncertainties on the mass function of Pop. III stars, the orbital properties of the binary systems, the star cluster mass, and the disruption time. In our dynamical models, at least ~5% and up to 100% BBH mergers in Pop. III star clusters have a primary mass m1 above the upper edge of the pair-instability mass gap. In contrast, only ≲3% isolated BBH mergers have a primary mass above the gap, unless their progenitors evolved as chemically homogeneous stars. The lack of systems with a primary and/or secondary mass inside the gap defines a zone of avoidance with sharp boundaries in the plane of the primary mass-mass ratio. Finally, we estimate the merger rate density of BBHs. In the most optimistic case, we find a maximum of ℛ ~ 200 Gpc-3 yr-1 at ɀ ~ 15 for BBHs that formed via dynamical capture. For comparison, the merger rate density of isolated Pop. III BBHs is ℛ ≤ 10 Gpc−3 yr−1 for the same model of Pop. III star formation history.

Rootism, Modernity, and the Jew: Antisemitism and the Reactionary Imaginary, 1789–1945

Abstract The far-right identification of Jews with modernity has been noted by many scholars, yet most analyses have fallen short of offering a properly dialectical account of antisemitism, one that will scrutinise the antinomies at the heart of the antisemitic discourse and trace their relations to the contradictions of modernity itself. In this paper, I will make modernity as movement the focus of the analysis. Modernity, philosophically underpinned by the Enlightenment, and politically ushered in by the French Revolution of 1789, was seen by its reactionary and fascist opponents both as a time of great upheaval, constant change and social disruption, but also as the setting-up of an era of stasis and degeneration. It was paradoxically decried, sometimes simultaneously, as both helplessly nomadic and incurably sedentary. And in both respects ‘the Jew’ and ‘the Jewish spirit’ were often placed, no matter how spuriously, at the very centre of attacks. Qua ‘wandering’ or ‘eternal’, the Jews were seen as embodying the spirit of restlessness and lack of roots, undermining tradition and fixed national and racial identities; their dynamic role as revolutionaries, conspirators and rabble rousers was ritually denounced. Jews were also condemned, however, as a major obstacle to movement and expansion, the arch-enemies of imperialism, seeking to establish a realm of universal brotherhood, peace and egalitarianism. By attacking the Jews, reactionaries and fascists thus attempted to settle their scores with a modernity that they feared and loathed in equal measure.

Single particle tracking reveals through-membrane diffusion of bacteriophage during process disruption of virus filtration

In the biopharmaceutical industry, virus filters are crucial for ensuring the removal of endogenous and adventitious viruses as part of the viral clearance strategy. Although traditionally described as a size-exclusion mechanism, virus retention has a process-dependent nature where challenging conditions, such as process disruptions, may compromise membrane retention and significantly increase virus filtrate concentrations. The detailed mechanisms underlying this loss of retention are challenging to determine using traditional breakthrough experiments. In this work, single particle tracking and kinetic simulations were employed to connect individual particle behavior to the observed macroscopic losses in virus retention. Our experiments, using fluorescently labeled ΦX174 bacteriophage as a model parvovirus, replicated conditions representative of process disruptions within the Pegasus SV4, a homogeneous polymeric virus filtration membrane. During flow, phage particles retained were trapped within relatively large cavity spaces that had downstream constrictions aligned with the flow direction; the trapped particles were dynamic and exhibited significant intra-cavity motion. Upon flow stoppage, particles escaped from these retention locations rapidly, with approximately 90 % of previously trapped particles being remobilized for process disruption times ranging from 2 to 10 min, suggesting that local cavity escape had reached saturation at these timescales. Diffusion experiments within the membrane revealed isotropic and Fickian motion, hindered by more than an order of magnitude compared to diffusion in unconfined liquid. Despite the reduced mobility within the membrane, the substantial diffusion coefficient of 4.19 ± 0.06 μm2/s indicated that virus particles could travel tortuous but non-retentive pathways through the membrane on length scales equal to or greater than the membrane thickness during a disruption event. A 1D kinetic Monte-Carlo simulation successfully connected single-particle behavior to macroscopically observed virus release, indicating that significant diffusive release into the filtrate can occur even without the resumption of flow. This work provides crucial insights into the retention behavior of homogeneous membranes during periods of disruption, enabling the design of more robust mitigation strategies and filter designs.

Lived Experiences of School Heads During Post-Pandemic: Building Resilience and Navigating Schools to Recovery Amidst Disruptive Times

Crisis management practices among school leaders are critical for effective emergency response and resilience. Crisis management studies are essential because unanticipated crises, such as health concerns and calamities, disrupt the learning process. This phenomenological research explores the lived experiences of school heads during the post-pandemic period when they built resilience and navigated their schools back to recovery. Adapting to changing circumstances, finding effective ways to bridge learning gaps and promoting staff and learner well-being are the major challenges facing school heads after pandemic. Real-life situations are further explored through this research to aid in crisis management. This study is crucial because it aids organizations in their effective planning, rapid response, and recovery from unexpected crises. Eight school heads from the Philippines were selected as participants. The researcher utilized a validated questionnaire to gather data on various school management strategies before and after the pandemic. The post-pandemic posed challenges, needs, and opportunities due to protocols, settings, and requirements while incorporating resilience strategies and implementing proactive school recovery approaches. The ANCHOR model was developed as a crisis management framework based on the findings and observations. This process consists of five stages: acclimatization, necessity appraisal, counter-response and handling, opportune resilience strategies application, and recovery and restructuring. It can be applied by organizations to manage crises and recover, emphasizing crisis management skills to improve organizational performance. The model can aid school heads in making informed decisions and navigate institutions to recovery. Finally, this research encapsulates that crisis management skills are essential to organizational performance, particularly in academic institutions.

The European response to Russian disinformation in the context of the war in Ukraine

AbstractDisinformation and propaganda directed at foreign countries is an important tool in Russia's geopolitical power ambitions, including its war against Ukraine. The European Union and individual nation states, both inside and outside the Union, have developed complex responses to this multifaceted phenomenon. This article focuses on just one of them: the EU embargo on the RT television channel. It will review media analyses of RT, some of the legal action taken against it, and analyse the background and rationale behind the EU's blocking regulation. It points out that, while international media law literature has examined the issue from the perspective of freedom of expression, the European Union has treated the channel as a political weapon. The article argues that democracies need to take decisive action to defend their structures, and that this may require unconventional measures in times of disruption to the international order.

It’s all about resources: Narcissistic CEOs and entrepreneurial orientation during disruptions

Research regarding the influence of personality traits, such as narcissism, on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is burgeoning, yet the role of affective and cognitive mechanisms is under-examined. Drawing from research on conservation of resources (COR) theory, entrepreneurial cognition and emotion, we examine the narcissism-EO relationship nexus. Specifically, we analyse the mediating role of the resource-induced coping heuristic (RICH) and the moderating influence of fear on the relationship between narcissism and EO. Longitudinal data from CEO-entrepreneurs of SMEs in six countries were collected during the COVID-19 disruptions. Results suggest that the RICH fully mediates the relationship between narcissism and EO. Fear of COVID-19 (FC-19) positively influenced EO and strengthened the narcissism-RICH relationship. Further, pandemic-related disruptions negatively influenced EO and attenuated the positive influence of FC-19 on EO. These findings offer insight into the drivers of entrepreneurial behaviour during times of disruption.

SME supply chain resilience in disruptive times: the effects of supply chain robustness, access to government assistance and disruption intensity

SME supply chain resilience in disruptive times: the effects of supply chain robustness, access to government assistance and disruption intensity

Resistive wall tearing mode disruptions

Abstract This paper deals with resistive wall tearing mode (RWTM) disruptions. RWTMs are closely related to resistive wall modes. RWTMs are tearing modes whose linear and nonlinear behavior is strongly dependent on the resistive wall outside the plasma. The consequence for ITER, is that the thermal quench timescale could be much longer than previously conjectured. Active feedback stabilization is another possible way to mitigate or prevent RWTM disruptions. Simulations of RWTM disruptions are reviewed for DIII-D and MST. MST has a longer resistive wall time than ITER, and disruptions are not observed experimentally when MST is operated as a standard tokamak. Simulations indicate that the RWTM disruption time scale is longer than the experimental shot time. Edge cooling causes contraction of the current profile, which can destabilize RWTMs. The equilibria studied here have the q = 2 rational surface close to the edge of the plasma, and low current density between the q = 2 surface and the wall. A sequence of low edge current model equilibria has major disruptions only for a resistive, not ideal, wall, and edge q ⩽ 3.4 . This is consistent with regimes of tokamak disruptivity, suggesting that tokamak disruptions caused by edge cooling at low edge q could be RWTMs.

High-quality early care and education for low-income families: Toddlers' cognitive and emotional functioning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

High-quality early care and education (ECE) programs are associated with positive outcomes, especially for children from low-income families. During the initial COVID-19 pandemic lockdown many of these families faced an abrupt halt to ECE. Here, we examined how toddlers from economically disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in high-quality ECE programs in the United States during the 2020 pandemic (n=48) fared on cognitive and socioemotional outcomes compared to a 2019 pre-pandemic cohort (n=94) and a pandemic 2021 cohort (n=132). Toddlers in the 2020 cohort scored significantly lower on executive function compared to toddlers in 2019 and 2021 cohorts. Toddlers in the 2020 cohort had higher ratings self-regulation compared to the pre-pandemic cohort, but not 2021 cohort. There were no differences on attachment ratings between cohorts. Findings suggest that the abrupt halt to ECE programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic impacted US toddlers' cognitive and socioemotional abilities. This underscores the importance of continued high-quality ECE for infants and toddlers from low-income families during disruptive times. Further work is needed to investigate the long-term impacts of experiencing an abrupt halt to ECE due to COVID-19.

The State of Public-Private Partnerships in Times of Global Economic Disruption

Growth in large private business enterprises in the 20th century established an environment that enabled a competitive relationship through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with the public sector, which historically suffered from inefficiencies and an over-reliance on projects and services, especially in emerging economies. PPPs can positively impact public safety, quality of life, new economic opportunities, poverty reduction, and benefit from long-term private capital and outside expertise. However, PPP investment is sensitive to critical factors such as: the macroeconomic environment, institutional and regulatory conditions, market size, rule of law, and enforceable contracts, among others. Thus, managing PPP projects is a very complex task, due to its multidisciplinary characteristics and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. In times of global economic disruption, this task becomes even more challenging. This study presents threats and opportunities for the execution of PPPs in times of global crises and their relationship with globalization trends.