Virtuous Circle Research Articles

Social life is everyone's business, multi-disciplinarity in the living environment

Working in a multi-disciplinary environment in an assisted living facility for elderly people represents a "virtuous circle" in which a professional contributes to the resident, who in turn contributes to the professional. Cooperation, ingenuity, a questioning approach to everyday tasks and a quality relational approach are the foundations of personalized support and mutual enrichment. How can we transform the ordinary moments of residents' daily lives into extraordinary, meaningful moments?

From Conflict to Cooperation: Norwegian Labour Market Institutions in the Making

Moving a relationship of widespread conflicts and distrust into a virtuous circle of trust and cooperation is challenging, yet the case examined in this article shows that it is possible. A problematic start can indeed lead to a positive outcome. In the early twentieth century, Norway experienced the highest levels of labour conflict in Europe. Class conflicts were intense and often violent, with deep mistrust between the parties in the labour market. This situation changed markedly when the Norwegian Employers’ Confederation and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions signed the Basic Agreement in 1935. This agreement not only led to a lasting decline in labour conflicts, but it also marked a crucial early step towards a system of close collaboration between labour and capital in Norway. By focusing on the intimate relationship between beliefs, trust, and cooperation, this article explores how the labour market parties transitioned from widespread conflict and open struggle to a system of peaceful negotiations and compromises. Changes in beliefs enabled the parties to coordinate on a new cooperative equilibrium, an equilibrium that continues to characterise Norway’s labour market today.

Crossing Spatial Boundaries: A Study on the Impact of Green Human Resource Management on Employees’ Household Pro-Environmental Behaviors

To respond more effectively to the current increasingly serious environmental problems, the boundary of corporate social responsibility is expanding. In this context, how to take green responsibility for each stakeholder has become a topic of concern for all sectors of society. However, there is still a gap in research on how green human resource management (GHRM) affects employees’ household pro-environmental behavior (PEB) from a cross-domain work–family perspective to achieve CSR more comprehensively. Our study argues that companies can use GHRM across the work–family boundary to influence employees’ household pro-environmental behaviors to achieve positive contributions to the social environment. Our study uses 310 questionnaires collected in southeastern China to conduct an empirical analysis and concludes that GHRM can positively shape green attitudes, help employees perceive green subjective norms, and develop green self-efficacy. Consistent with the findings of the Theory of Planned Behavior, individuals’ green attitudes, green subjective norms, and green self-efficacy can effectively enhance individuals’ household pro-environmental behavioral intentions, which in turn enables the prediction of individuals’ household pro-environmental behaviors. In conclusion, our study extends the influence of GHRM to a wider range of non-work domains and points the way to the full realization of corporate social responsibility by companies. In addition, our study emphasizes that with the subtle cultivation of companies, individuals can become fans of green and low-carbon behaviors, and through the widespread implementation of pro-environmental behaviors, it can reach a virtuous circle of environmental protection as a whole.

It pays to be generous: How cooptation transforms power rivalries

ABSTRACT In some cases, hegemonic powers manage to turn dissatisfied (former) rivals into satisfied partners by means of cooptation. Yet, in other cases, similar cooptation attempts result in failure. Why? We argue that the generosity of the hegemon’s cooptation offer is of utmost importance for whether cooptation succeeds or fails to overcome the rivalry with coopted great powers. When hegemonic powers offer a generous cooptation deal, a virtuous circle sets in that may socialize great power rivals into the order dominated by the hegemon. When, by contrast, the cooptation offer is not generous, a vicious circle is likely to develop, which may even exacerbate the great power rivalry. To assess the empirical plausibility of this socialization-by-cooptation theory, we study the cooptation of Germany after World War II, the cooptation of Russia after the Cold War, and the contemporary cooptation of China into the international financial system.

Revisiting the Environmental Impact of Inappropriate Clinical Laboratory Testing: A Comprehensive Overview of Sustainability, Economic, and Quality of Care Outcomes.

The use of laboratory resources has seen a substantial increase in recent years, driven by automation and emerging technologies. However, inappropriate use of laboratory testing, encompassing both overuse and underuse, poses significant challenges. This review explores the complex interplay between patient safety, economic, and environmental factors-known as the "triple bottom line" or "3Ps" for people, profit, and planet-associated with inappropriate use of laboratory resources. The first part of the review outlines the impact of inappropriate laboratory testing on patient safety and economic outcomes. Then the review examines the available literature on the environmental impact of laboratory activities. Several practical solutions for mitigating the environmental impact of laboratories are discussed. Finally, this review emphasizes how decreasing unnecessary laboratory testing results in cost savings and environmental benefits, as evidenced by interventional studies, without compromising patient safety. The implementation of sustainable practices in laboratories can create a virtuous circle in which reduced testing enhances cost-efficiency, reduces the environmental footprint, and ensures patient safety, thereby benefiting the 3Ps. This review highlights the critical need for appropriate laboratory resource utilization in achieving sustainability in healthcare.

The Virtuous Circle of Governance in Tourism Destinations: Enhancing Competitiveness and Sustainability

Tourism governance has evolved significantly since the 1990s, shifting from traditional destination planning to more inclusive and collaborative models. This article explores the evolution of governance in tourism, emphasizing its potential to create a virtuous circle of continuous improvement. Governance in tourism is particularly relevant due to the sector’s transversal nature, which requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including public authorities, private enterprises, and local communities. Effective governance aims to enhance both competitiveness and sustainability, two central objectives for destination management. The article identifies seven key dimensions of governance—participation, coherence, responsibility, effectiveness, know-how/quality, openness, and simplification—each of which plays a crucial role in ensuring successful governance. Furthermore, it highlights the dynamics of the virtuous circle, where open communication fosters trust and capacity, enabling productive participation. This, in turn, leads to coherent action aligned with long-term goals, enhanced by expertise and a commitment to quality. Responsible decision-making ensures sustainability, thereby reinforcing the entire process. Ultimately, the virtuous circle of governance creates a self-reinforcing system that continuously improves the effectiveness and adaptability of tourism management. By adopting this governance model, destinations can better address the complexities of the tourism sector, fostering sustainable development while ensuring competitiveness.

Suggesting Priorities of Sustainable Development Goals Considering the Lingering Impacts of COVID-19

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed to be achieved by 2030, demand a more efficient approach for the remaining period due to the currently low achievement rate and the persisting impact of COVID-19. Consequently, this study analyzes United Nations statistics and previous studies to propose a global prioritization of SDGs. The arguments in each document were interpreted cross-sectionally with those of others. The analysis incorporates a simple system dynamics methodology and adds a national psychological and behavioral economic perspective. Among all SDGs, this study suggests that Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and ecosystem-related goals corresponding to Goals 13, 14, and 15 should be the foremost global priorities, given their capacity to establish the foundation for other goals. The general goals (Goals 1 to 9, 11, 12, and 16) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities) follow as the subsequent priorities, fostering the most effective progression. The paper also suggests that among the targets of Goal 17, targets 17.2 (fully implement the commitment to Official Development Assistance), 17.18 (support available data to developing countries), and 17.11 (increase exports of developing countries) should be globally prioritized to focus on the economic recovery of developing countries in a short time. Furthermore, this study recommends that while each region maintains its local priorities, the international community should adhere to the global priorities presented. This alignment will lead to a worldwide virtuous circle—a structure where following each other's priorities helps resolve the next set of issues.

Exploring the virtuous circle of societal value creation and capture by non-profit organizations from a Bourdieusian perspective

ABSTRACT For non-profit organizations, the way that societal value is created, captured and articulated remains ambiguous. While value creation is well-established in the literature, the understanding of value capture, particularly in its non-economic dimensions, is in its nascent stages. However, understanding value capture beyond its economic dimension is crucial, as it impacts the capacity to create more societal value. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of forms of capital (economic, social, cultural, and symbolic), this research proposes a theoretical framework to explain societal value creation and capture for the non-profit sector, illustrated by the case study of Doctors Without Borders.

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Phases and Circulation

With the increasing impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) on the world, this paper aims to discuss the current situation of ESG applications in China and abroad, as well as the corresponding impact of ESG disclosure, rating and investment. Furthermore, the paper adopts a systematic review method to sort out related literatures in the field of ESG, and then discusses the interaction of the three parts and the cyclical role of the components. The discussion found that investors attach great importance to the ESG disclosure and rating, and more and more mainstream investors are incorporating ESG factors into their investment decision-making process. Moreover, ESG disclosure, rating and investment are complementary to each other. If an enterprise discloses ESG information well, it will receive a relatively impressive ESG rating, which will ultimately attract more investors. Subsequently, as investment increases, companies will pay more attention to ESG disclosure, creating a virtuous circle.

When Politics Determines Policy Success and Failure. A Comparison of Offshore Wind Power in Denmark and Spain

Why do some European countries succeed in developing offshore wind power? This study compares the Spanish and Danish cases from the 1970s to 2021. By completing the literature on both policy failure and success with concepts from psychology, the study stresses the relevance of public funding instability, federal architecture, intertwined political interests and policy discourse as dimensions that impact the rise of offshore wind power. Drawing on this framework, the Danish success suggests that strong leadership based on a shared objective can create efficient institutions able to avoid veto players and secure financial investments over time. This process can boost the rise of a self-confident discourse that will reinforce the virtuous circle.

Profits, Innovation, Investment. Exploring the Virtuous Circle

Profits, Innovation, Investment. Exploring the Virtuous Circle

A Virtuous Circle: Explaining News Deserts and Their Relationships with Social Capital

ABSTRACT Popularized with the term “news desert,” the decline of the number of newspapers has cast a gloom over the future of American democracy. However, there has been little research on what factors are related to such phenomena. To fill this gap, we construct a theoretical framework based on previous research relating market conditions to news deserts, and study how news deserts relate to social capital. Our analyses find population, and education have strong negative associations with news deserts and potential journalism divides, where newspapers decrease disproportionately according to the community’s African American composition. Age has a weak negative association with news deserts. Furthermore, our analyses reveal that having more newspapers has a positive effect on community social capital in its economic connectedness, cohesiveness, and civic engagement. Consequently, economic connectedness and cohesiveness positively impact the number of newspapers next year, showing evidence of a virtuous circle. This study advances the discussions around the “news desert” a step forward by empirically investigating its social impact on our communities.

Use of biochar as a catalyst for biodiesel production

The economic viability of biodiesel (BD) production is highly dependent on conversion techniques using inexpensive oil feedstocks. In this study, BD was synthesised by the thermally induced (non-catalytic) transesterification of oil extracted from camellia seed (42.23 wt% lipid content). The BD yield from the non-catalytic transesterification of camellia oil was higher than that from the alkali-catalysed process. The BD yield from the alkali-catalysed transesterification of camellia oil for 60 min was 84.1 wt%, whereas that from the non-catalytic process for ≤ 1 min at 360 ˚C was 93.5 wt%. To realise a virtuous circle in the production of BD, this study sought a strategic way to valorise oil-extracted biomass waste (lignocellulose-based). Specifically, this study sought a method for valorising biochar as an effective catalyst, hypothesizing that earth alkaline metals finely dispersed within the porous structure of biochar would effectively enhance catalytic capability. The BD yield in the presence of camellia biochar was 92.4 wt% (saturated at ≥ 240 ˚C). Thus, the reaction kinetics for the transesterification of camellia oil over camellia biochar was catalytically accelerated. Such efforts provide opportunities to enhance economic viability and realise the concept of a sustainable cycle in BD production.

Unearthing Unique Value: Exploring the Potential of Protected Designation of Origin on the Tangerine Industry of Patate, Tungurahua

The purpose of this study is to analyze the potential of the Tangerine of Patate (Citrus x clementina) to obtain a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). The study emphasizes the crucial role of local climatic conditions, unique soil characteristics, and traditional cultivation techniques in determining the fruit's organoleptic properties. The methodology consists of applying two stages of the virtuous circle proposed by Vandecandelaere: (1) Identification and (2) Proposal of Qualification. Information on cultural practices and post-harvest techniques was gathered through surveys. Qualitative data from surveys were processed using the MAXQDA software. Tangerine and other samples were analyzed with normalized physicochemical analyses in the lab. The first data were compared with samples from two different cantons to validate the intrinsic value of Patate's tangerine. Results demonstrate that the tangerine exhibits differentiated characteristics in terms of aroma, color, and flavor, as well as a traditional inherited practice that is part of the attributes supporting its potential DO status. It is concluded that the mandarin meets the requirements to obtain a Protected Designation of Origin based on specific conditions of production and harvest, as well as is a potential economic aspect to consider increasing farmers' incomes.

How does participating scientific research projects affect postgraduates’ academic aspiration and interest? Grounding theory research based on six universities in H province

Participation in scientific research projects is the main way of postgraduate training, and academic aspiration and interest is an important variable affecting the quality of postgraduate training. So, how does participating in scientific research projects affect the academic aspiration and interest of master students? By interviewing 28 master students from 6 universities in H Province and using the grounded theory research method, a path model of the impact of participating in scientific research projects on the academic aspiration and interest of master students is formed: taking personal characteristics as the initial condition, important others such as tutors and research group examples and scientific research environment as the support category, and the change of graduate students' psychological state as the intermediary, Graduate students will take active or passive action strategies in scientific research activities, which will enhance or reduce their academic aspiration and interest. The change of academic aspiration and interest will react on their psychological state, forming a virtuous circle or bad circle. The model has important enlightening significance for graduate education and management.

Recent Innovations Brought about by Weight-Bearing CT Imaging in the Foot and Ankle: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The decade from 2010–2020 has seen the development of cone beam weight-bearing CT (WBCT) as a major innovation in the foot and ankle realm, becoming an important modality for bone and joint imaging. The ability to provide three-dimensional images of the naturally loaded skeleton has enabled several subsequent innovations to arise with aims to hasten image processing and to extend the clinical applications of WBCT. The objective of this work was to identify, categorize and explain those emerging techniques. We performed a structured review of the literature according to PRISMA standards, finally including 50 studies. We subsequently proposed a classification of these techniques. Segmentation and distance mapping were identified as key features. We conclude that although WBCT has already been adopted in a number of clinical communities with an immediate improvement in patient workflows, adoption of advanced techniques is yet to come. However, that relies mostly not on the technology itself, but on improvements in AI software allowing practitioners to quickly process images in daily practice and enabling the clinicians to obtain an accurate three-dimensional evaluation of the segment considered. Standardization will be paramount to amass large amounts of comparable data, which will fuel further innovations in a potentially virtuous circle.

The role of labor discrimination in spatial sorting: the USA as an example of ethnic groups staying apart

AbstractDespite the vast research about discrimination, there is little evidence about how space interacts with it. Our main hypothesis is that a discriminated group could have incentives to stay together, even if the location is less dynamic—avoiding areas where firms do not usually hire workers of their group. A virtuous and/or vicious circle emerges for each group, even in the long run. Using USA as an example, this article introduces a theoretical economic model to explain the incentives of ethnic groups in terms of location. We extend the well-known model of discrimination with imperfect information to a spatial framework. The results seem to indicate that the initial population distribution and the barriers to agglomerate activity (transport costs), as well as the behavior of employees, are key elements to determine the equilibrium. As a general conclusion, discrimination processes could clearly modify the location pattern of the population. Hence, the discriminated group could suffer from lower incentives to move from non-agglomerated areas to dynamic areas. These processes could help to explain why some populations prefer to maintain their traditional location in poor areas even if there are places with higher wages or better quality of life.

Growth of ZnO thin Films from Depleted Batteries for Water Remediation

AbstractZnO films were obtained by electrodeposition technique from commercial Zn2+ solutions and those obtained from spent alkaline batteries. The type of counterion and pH impact directly on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the electrodeposited ZnO films. The morphological and crystallographic orientation differences observed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and high‐resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (HR‐FESEM), demonstrates the influence of the type and origin of precursors used in the ZnO synthesis process. Those samples grown from commercial nitrate solutions exhibit nanocolumns revealing a preferential growth in the (002) direction. On the other hand, random growth (hexagonal plates, agglomerations, clusters, etc.) is observed in samples obtained through recycled solutions. All deposited samples achieved a transparency close to 80 % and an optical band gap of around 3.30 eV. The as‐deposited films were evaluated toward the photodegradation capacity of methylene blue (MB) for potential technological applications. Results exhibit that samples prepared from recycled ZnCl2 solutions presented more than 80 % degradation per mass of ZnO. This work demonstrates a virtuous circle since ZnO films are deposited by a facile and scalable technique from discarded batteries and used for MB photodegradation. Furthermore, the simplicity of recovery of these substrates after application makes them an attractive and pragmatic option for a range of water treatment applications. Synopsis: Zinc from depleted alkaline batteries is reused to obtain ZnO thin films that remove contaminating dyes from water.

Building capacity and status through transnational joint doctoral programs: a case study in China

PurposeThrough a case study of a recently established but rapidly growing research-intensive university in China, this study explores how transnational joint doctoral programs are strategically instrumentalized to overcome policy restrictions on postgraduate degree accreditation. It utilizes the cumulative (dis)advantage theory as the analytical lens. This study investigates the innovative, bottom-up initiation of transnational higher education tailored to the development goals of the university and this region, thus providing an alternative perspective for the dominant top-down discourse on transnational higher education research in China.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs a qualitative case study design that incorporates semi-structured interviews and document analysis to investigate the examined university’s joint doctoral programs.FindingsThe study examines how, through its transnational joint doctoral programs, the case university actively accumulated the advantages of recruiting excellent research students, cultivating the public’s confidence and deepening international collaboration. These advantages created a virtuous circle, which further reinforced each other and accelerated the university’s development. The disadvantages include power disparities between the case university and its partners, students’ study discontinuity because of temporal and spatial division and the challenges of co-supervision. Accordingly, the university implemented counterstrategies such as adopting a differentiated stance with varying partners, offering flexible administrative and management supports and aligning differently with various supervisors’ collaboration styles.Originality/valueThis study presents innovative institutional strategies in the Greater Bay Area of China to pursue rapid development and internationalization through transnational higher education programs. It also strives to illuminate the significant role of transnational higher education in facilitating experimental governance with Chinese characteristics.

Related or unrelated diversification: What is smart specialization?

In this paper, we investigate the nature of path dependency in specialization of countries in terms of international trade. Our focus is on the product space density metric, which is employed in the literature on smart specialization and the product space. We find that although density is supposed to capture relatedness between a country's current specialization pattern and potential products that it may diversify into, density also contains a large component of what we call unrelated diversity, i.e., country- and product fixed effects. Together, these fixed effects capture 97 % of the variance of density. We isolate the related variety component in density and then estimate logit regressions that predict gains or losses of specialization. The relative influence of unrelated variety on changes of specialization increases with the level of diversification of the country: only countries that are not already diversified are strongly influences of related variety. We also show that the impact of the country effect in the impact of unrelated diversity in gains or keeps of specializations increases with diversity. This suggests that existing capabilities breed new capabilities, i.e., diversification is a virtuous circle that is largely independent of relatedness, and that the source of path dependency in international specialization patterns lies much more in generic production capabilities rather than relatedness in product space.