Transformation Efforts Research Articles

AI Empowerment in SMEs: Bridging the Post-Pandemic Recovery and Innovation Gap

This paper investigates the pivotal role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) during the post-pandemic era,focusing on recovery and fostering innovation. Through a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data analysis and qualitative interviews from different sources, the study explores how SMEs are adopting AI tools and solutions to navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings indicate that AI has significantly enhanced operational efficiencies, customer engagement, and product innovation within SMEs. Furthermore, the research highlights a notable acceleration in digital transformation efforts among SMEs, driven by the integration of AI technologies. Despite the potential benefits, the study identifies barriers to AI adoption, including lack of expertise, funding constraints, and data privacy concerns. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for SMEs to leverage AI for sustainable growth, and for policymakers to support AI-driven ecosystems through targeted initiatives and regulatory frameworks, thereby bridging the innovation gap and contributing to resilient economic recovery. This research underscores the importance of AI in enabling SMEs to adapt and thrive in the post-pandemic landscape, offering insights for both business leaders and policymakers to capitalize on AI for enhanced competitiveness and innovation.

Bojonegoro Regent’s Leadership: Role in Development Transformation Effort

Bojonegoro Regent’s Leadership: Role in Development Transformation Effort

OPTIMALISASI KINERJA: RENCANA DAN PROGRES REFORMASI BIROKRASI KEMENTERIAN PERHUBUNGAN

Bureaucratic reform has become an important agenda in efforts to improve the performance and effectiveness of government institutions in various countries, including Indonesia. The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) has been actively carrying out various organizational transformation efforts to improve its performance and responsiveness to community needs since 2010. This reform process is based on the theory of organizational change, which emphasizes the importance of commitment from all parties involved, support from organizational leadership, and change that carried out gradually and measurably. Analysis of the implementation of bureaucratic reform at the Ministry of Transportation shows that the steps taken have provided positive results in improving operational efficiency and service quality in the transportation sector. Commitment from all levels of employees, led by visionary leaders, is the key to success in implementing these changes. However, there are still several challenges that need to be overcome in continuing bureaucratic reform at the Ministry of Transportation. Effective and efficient budget management remains a major concern, and a clear understanding of the benefits of bureaucratic reform needs to be disseminated more widely. Open and ongoing communication with stakeholders is essential to ensure continued support for the changes being made. By strengthening commitment, developing human resources, and using information technology more effectively, the Ministry of Transportation can continue to improve its performance and services for the community in a continuously developing transportation context.

Decoding the Digital Landscape: An Empirically Validated Model for Assessing Digitalisation across Public Administration Levels

This research advances the field of digital government by developing and empirically validating a model for measuring the digital state of public administration, with a specific focus on Slovenia. Moving beyond traditional digital maturity models, our study introduces a holistic framework that integrates elements of technology, process, structure, people and organisational culture, enriched by dimensions of digital principles, good governance, and external environmental factors. This framework is grounded in an adaptation of Leavitt’s diamond model, tailored to capture the nuances of digitalisation in public administration. The empirical validation is conducted through a comprehensive questionnaire administered to Slovenian public administration organisations at both local and state levels. The results provide a nuanced understanding of the current digital state that extends beyond technological aspects, including process optimisation, organisational structure, people elements and culture dynamics, and insights into internal and external barriers to digitalisation as well as principles of good governance and digitalisation. The study’s results show that ministries in Slovenia generally possess a more advanced digital infrastructure than municipalities, particularly in various aspects of ICT development and integration. While Slovenia aspires to align with the EU digital strategy, it faces various challenges, particularly at the municipal level, in achieving coherent development of digital skills and policy implementation. The comprehensive approach allows for a more informed evaluation of digital transformation efforts, offering insights into areas of strength and opportunities for further development. The findings have significant implications for policymakers and stakeholders, highlighting critical areas for targeted improvement and strategic planning in the digitalisation of public administration.

Transformative Horizons in Education: Navigating Challenges, Embracing Innovations, and Shaping Global Landscapes

The global education landscape stands at a crossroads, grappling with multifaceted challenges that demand transformative solutions. The inertia within traditional educational systems, financial constraints, stakeholder resistance, reliance on standardized testing, digital inequalities, and a gap between education and needs of the workforce collectively hinder the necessary evolution. Bringing change in education requires a concerted, collaborative effort to embrace disruptive innovations. Reshaping curricular frameworks, bridging digital divides, and fostering a culture that values adaptability and inclusivity are priority. As we navigate this transformative journey, the solutions to educational challenges can be achieved by recognizing the interconnected nature of these challenges and addressing them collectively. That will also ensure that the pursuit of innovation in education becomes a global priority. Through sustained commitment, collaboration, and strategic planning we can equip learners to be ready to face the complexities of the 21st century. In closing, we welcome the readers of the 'International Journal of Change in Education.' The journal envisions itself as a catalyst for positive change, providing a space for cutting-edge research and innovative ideas that address the critical issues facing education globally. By fostering a community of scholars, educators, and policymakers, this journal aspires to generate insights and solutions that will shape the future of education. As contributors and readers, your support is pivotal. We encourage you to share your expertise, experiences, and groundbreaking studies that delve into the heart of educational transformation. Thank you for joining us on this transformative journey.

Race, representativity, and the (im)probability of being a Black African professional psychology graduate: an institutional case study

The process of transforming South African psychology requires several coordinated initiatives. One initiative likely to unlock the transformation process in exponential ways is through attaining race-based representativity in the South African psychology workforce. Using graduation data, this article reports on the pace of racial transformation and representativity among professional psychology graduates from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Since its inception in 2004, the University of KwaZulu-Natal has made concerted efforts to transform the racial, gender, and socio-economic diversity of its student and staff body. The institution has produced at least 469 professional psychology master’s degree graduates in clinical, counselling, educational, industrial, and research psychology during this time. However, only 43.9% of these professional psychology graduates have been Black African, while the average year-on-year increase in Black African graduates was only 9.7% between 2005 and 2020. A forecasting model predicts that the University of KwaZulu-Natal is only likely to achieve national race-based representativity among its professional psychology graduates in the 2026 graduation cohort, and provincial representativity in the 2028 cohort. This article discusses why race-based representativity remains foundational in transforming professional psychology, and how and why the pace of racial transformation among professional psychology graduates at the University of KwaZulu-Natal has been relatively slow, despite transformational efforts and successes at an institutional level.

Lived experiences of study programme leadership in Norwegian higher education

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of study programme leadership in development processes in higher education (HE). Study programme leaders are considered crucial in enhancing high-quality study programmes. Using a phenomenological hermeneutic approach, we analysed data from 18 interviews representing study programme leaders from six distinct health profession bachelor programmes at two Norwegian multi-campus institutions. Our findings paint a metaphorical picture of study programme leadership, likening it to leading as in alternating currents where signals flow and change direction. These leaders adeptly navigate an ever-evolving educational landscape filled with horizontal and vertical signals, tensions, and expectations. However, some express a lack of motivation and preparation to enter this field of tension. Our analysis identifies three aspects of study programme leadership: transforming, bridging, and balancing. Through their leadership, study programme leaders serve as vital antennas in development processes, capturing signals, coordinating activities, and fostering connections. Furthermore, they are a pivotal nexus through their transformative and bridging efforts. Balancing various leadership approaches enables them to navigate the changing currents. This study's implications are relevant to the HE field, offering valuable insights into study programme leadership. By emphasising the pivotal role of study programme leaders, it contributes to advancing HE development processes, underscoring the need for heightened awareness and further development of these leadership roles.

Industry 5.0: Do risk assessment and risk management need to update? And if yes, how?

In relation to the new vision of Industry 5.0 released in January 2022 by the European Commission for pushing the human centricity of any transformative effort in present and future industrial developments, we pose the daunting question of whether the existing and practiced approaches of risk assessment and risk management are fit to follow and contribute to such vision or require updating. Some reflections are provided and, even more, points of discussion are raised. We argue that the human-centric and environment-concerned vision of Industry 5.0 extends the boundaries of the risk landscape, with resilience standing out as a core value to drive industrial decisions on system reliability and operation safety. We argue that a change is, then, needed in the perspectives of risk assessment and risk management, that calls for the introduction of specific metrics to measure vulnerabilities and the performance of preventive, mitigative, and recovery solutions in relation to the objectives of human wellbeing and environment protection.

Artificial intelligence and health information: A bibliometric analysis of three decades of research.

Information on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is needed to align healthcare transformation efforts. This bibliometric analysis aims to establish the patterns of publication activities on the application of AI in health. A total of 1083 scholarly papers published between 1993 and 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. R Studio and VOSviewer were applied to quantify and illustrate publication patterns and citation rates. Publication rates grew by an average rate of 13% yearly, with each document being cited averagely 12 times. The articles had a mean of five co-authors, with a global co-authorship rate of 10%. COVID-19, artificial intelligence, and machine learning dominated the publications. The US, China, UK, Canada, and India coordinated most of the collaborative research. AI-based health information research is growing steadily. International collaborations can be leveraged to ensure the spread and interoperability of AI-based healthcare innovations globally.

Metode Participatory Action Research dalam Pemberdayaan Pengrajin Batik Berbasis Budaya Lokal

This article specifically examines how the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method is applied in empowering local culture-based batik craftsmen in Kamonji Village, West Palu District, Palu City. In applying the PAR method, several techniques are used, including: observation, focus group discussion (FGD), sharing knowledge, in-depth interviews, training, and documentation. In the FGD, the batik craftsman community, as well as participants, can critique their social conditions, making them aware of the problems, needs, potential, and efforts to solve them in a participatory manner with the parties involved in the transformation effort. FGD participants recommended holding printed batik-making training activities to strengthen batik-making skills. This is considered more effective, efficient, and economically profitable compared to woven batik. Additionally, it can meet the need for developing local culture-based souvenirs in Palu City. This recommendation was followed up with training in making printed batik and sharing follow-up plans.

DRIVING FACTORS FOR USING QR CODES AND DIGITAL WALLETS IN BLITAR

This study examines the significance of perceived ease of use and usefulness in driving the intention to use cashless transactions through QR codes and digital wallets in Blitar, a small city in East Java Province, with most informal workers lacking access to traditional banking services. Thru 220 respondents completing 22 research questionnaires, the findings indicate that perceived ease of use and usefulness positively and significantly affect the intention to use cashless transactions. However, the direct effect of perceived ease of use did not show statistical significance. These insights offer valuable guidance for stakeholders aiming to create a user-friendly technological landscape. Emphasizing the importance of perceived usefulness in motivating cashless transaction adoption, especially in communities with limited banking access, stakeholders can design strategies to enhance usability and effectively communicate the benefits. Further examination is necessary to fully understand the influence of perceived ease of use in this context. These findings contribute to ongoing digital transformation and financial inclusion efforts, particularly in underserved communities like Blitar.

Decolonising the African doctorate: transforming the foundations of knowledge

Despite revolutions, ongoing student protests, and long-standing transformational efforts, African higher education remains steeped in a colonial model, with current structures, approaches, and purposes paralleling Western universities. The doctorate, the highest level of formal education one can attain, reflects this commitment to Western domination, relying upon European conceptions of knowledge to shape the entire research process. Thus, knowledge construction in higher education, and particularly in the African doctorate, has remained fixed to Eurocentrism. This conceptual article presents a critical race theory model to transform the African doctorate towards a social justice orientation, arguing for investments in race-conscious, Black affirming approaches that recognise doctoral researcher positionalities and African languages as ways to disrupt socio-political and racialised contexts. This transformation requires re-alignment of the entire research endeavour through an Ubuntu lens, with doctoral recipients engaging in training and support that embody antiracist, decolonial, and African Indigenous-affirming approaches.

Reshaping the Landscape: the Impact of COVID-19 on Social Science Research Methods and Practices

TThe COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the field of social science research, necessitating a re-evaluation of research methods and practices. This research explores the transformative efforts of COVID-19 on social science research, focusing on the changes in methodologies and practices that have emerged in response to the pandemic.Existing literature was reviewed on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected research methods and practices in social sciences. Digital questionnaire was developed to collect primary data from social science researchers indicating the changes they have made in their research methods, the reasons behind these changes, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of these adaptations. Telephonic interviews and focused group discussions were conducted with the selected group of social scientists who have experienced significant changes in their research due to COVID-19. Their experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions they have employed have been explored. Secondary data was also generated from various online and offline platforms. Total 50 social science researchers were surveyed and interviewed. The results of the study shall be helpful to researchers, society, government and policymakers to pay special attention on this particular issue. The main findings and their implications for the field of social science research shall be summarized. The key ways in which the landscape has been reshaped by the COVID-19 pandemic shall be highlighted.

The Twin Transformation Butterfly

Complex digitalization and sustainability challenges shape today’s management agendas. To date, the dedication of Information Systems research to both challenges has not been equal in terms of effort and reward. Building capabilities to leverage the synergetic potential of digital and sustainability transformation may enhance organizational performance and imply new value creation for the common good. To uncover such synergetic potential, this work conceptualizes the “twin transformation” construct as a value-adding reinforcing interplay between digital transformation and sustainability transformation efforts that improve an organization by leveraging digital technologies to enable sustainability and to guide digital progress by leveraging sustainability. The twin transformation conceptualization is complemented with a capability framework for twin transformation drawing from dynamic capability theory. This work contributes to descriptive knowledge of the interplay between digital transformation and sustainability transformation, setting a foundation for further theorizing on twin transformation and enabling organizations to twin transform.

Regulation And Literacy Must Strengthen Digital Transformation

Indonesia has prepared a digital transformation roadmap for the next 25 years, which serves as a guideline for digital transformation in four strategic sectors: digital infrastructure, government, digital economy, and society. The government has accelerated digital transformation, but regulations must strengthen and anticipate all obstacles and impacts of digital transformation. To reduce adverse effects and increase the growth of various sectors, digital transformation must be guarded by adequate regulations that strengthen rather than hinder it. Currently, the acceleration of digital transformation is supported by Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation, Presidential Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 82 of 2023 concerning the Acceleration of Digital Transformation and Integration of National Digital Services, and a statement from related state institutions. A digital literacy program has been held, but a Microsoft survey shows that Indonesian society's digital civility still needs to improve. Based on the Global World Digital Competitiveness Index 2023, Indonesia is in the 45th position out of 64 countries, still behind Malaysia and Thailand. Completing the 2021-2024 Digital Indonesia Roadmap is one of the mandates from the five 2020. The roadmap focuses on four strategic domains: modernizing digital infrastructure, accelerating digital government, digital economy, and digital society. The government has embarked on an ambitious nationwide digital transformation program, and there is a palpable energy on digital transformation efforts at all levels of government.

Trajectories of Post-Sustainability

Faced with climate change and other ecological crises, sustainability has become an inescapable normative framework for organizations and societies worldwide. However, it conceals very different practices and imaginaries of a sustainable future. Firstly, this article introduces the three imaginaries of modernization, transformation, and control and explores what chances of implementation these trajectories have. Modernization is the dominant path driven by governments and corporations, transformation efforts by civil society actors are marginalized, and control is currently becoming more influential as a trajectory in the wake of a renaissance of strong nation-states. Secondly, this article works out the idea that sustainability, in the sense of an open future, is no longer achievable. Too many ecological burdens already exist, or can no longer be averted, so much so that one should be speaking instead about the politics of post-sustainability. It is highly probable that catastrophes and social collapses can no longer be prevented, and a rapid decarbonization of economies and societies in the coming years is so unlikely that the question thus arises as to how positive visions of the future for living together can still be derived from this. Finally, using the example of the rights of nature, it is discussed how there can, nevertheless, be forms of conviviality that could (albeit slowly) grow out of the multiple social and ecological crises and which are based on an amalgam of modernization, transformation, and control.

Revisiting the role of HR in the age of AI: bringing humans and machines closer together in the workplace.

The functions of human resource management (HRM) have changed radically in the past 20 years due to market and technological forces, becoming more cross-functional and data-driven. In the age of AI, the role of HRM professionals in organizations continues to evolve. Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming many HRM functions and practices throughout organizations creating system and process efficiencies, performing advanced data analysis, and contributing to the value creation process of the organization. A growing body of evidence highlights the benefits AI brings to the field of HRM. Despite the increased interest in AI-HRM scholarship, focus on human-AI interaction at work and AI-based technologies for HRM is limited and fragmented. Moreover, the lack of human considerations in HRM tech design and deployment can hamper AI digital transformation efforts. This paper provides a contemporary and forward-looking perspective to the strategic and human-centric role HRM plays within organizations as AI becomes more integrated in the workplace. Spanning three distinct phases of AI-HRM integration (technocratic, integrated, and fully-embedded), it examines the technical, human, and ethical challenges at each phase and provides suggestions on how to overcome them using a human-centric approach. Our paper highlights the importance of the evolving role of HRM in the AI-driven organization and provides a roadmap on how to bring humans and machines closer together in the workplace.

City Managers as Digital Transformation Leaders: Exploratory and Explanatory Notes

This article examines the internal sources for digital transformation at the local level. It attempts to comprehend a public manager’s individual role in the introduction of digital tools to lower levels of governance, traces the institutional and personal motivators that encourage city managers in framing digital transformation efforts, and identifies barriers that temper their efforts in practice. The empirical study based on forty-seven interviews with Russian city managers explores the peculiarities of digital transformation comprehension, the key barriers hampering digital transformation, and the detours that city managers use to implement digital tools. The study explores why and how, in a situation of limited resources, unclear political attitudes, and restricted opportunities, city managers act in the direction of implementing digital tools and digital government transformation. The flexible thematic analysis shows that digital transformation at the local management level has the potential for leadership, as city managers recognize and articulate the importance of digital tools in transforming the urban environment. Digital transformation is integral to the image of the city managers’ profession and their mission to serve the local community. However, the leadership potential of digital transformation is significantly hindered by institutional factors, predominantly regulatory deficiencies, lack of resources, and social mistrust.

Evaluation of Teacher Empowerment Education Program 4th Batch in South Tanggerang Using the Krikpatrick Model

The Teacher Empowerment Program (PPGP) is a professional development initiative through education, training, and mentoring that focuses on instructional leadership to promote holistic growth and active, proactive participation of students. The program aims to actively develop educators to implement student-centered learning. This qualitative research employs a narrative approach. The research results show positive behavioral changes in teacher mover after completing PPGP, notably impacting the improvement of classroom learning quality and the cultivation of a learning culture among teachers within the school ecosystem. Although some schools have not fully optimized the growth of a learning culture among their teachers, they are moving in the right direction. Challenges and obstacles are inherent in transformation efforts, reinforcing the appropriateness of the Ministry of Education and Culture's decision to appoint Teacher Empowerment Program participants as school leaders. This move strengthens the force for change and minimizes resistance to or rejection of change.

Digital Maturity as a Strategy for Advancing Patient Experience in US Hospitals.

Patient experience is globally recognized as an important indicator of health system performance, linked to health system quality and improving patient outcomes. Post COVID-19, health systems have embraced digital health and advanced digital transformation efforts; however, the relationship between digital health and patient experience outcomes is not well-documented. Using HCAHPS hospital survey data to measure patient experience, and HIMSS EMRAM Maturity Model data to measure digital maturity, a cross-sectional design using multivariate analyses examined the impact of digital maturity on patient experience in US hospitals. Our analysis shows that advanced digital maturity in US hospitals is associated with stronger patient experience outcomes, particularly relative to communication with nurses, doctors, and communication about medicines and therapies. The findings suggest that there are significant differences in patient experience associated with teaching versus nonteaching hospitals, urban versus rural hospitals. As hospitals advance and progress digital transformation initiatives, evidence to inform how transformation efforts can engage and advance patient experience will contribute to health system performance well into the future.