The following paper, "Factors promoting value creation in lean management within public social and healthcare organisation" (International Journal of Services and Operations Management 49(5) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
Research in the International Journal of Services and Operations Management has shown that the success of lean management techniques in public healthcare depends not only on the tools used to implement it, but on a fundamental shift in organisational culture. Lean management has proved itself able to reduce waste and improve efficiency across the public and private sectors. This work, by Petra Hurme and Johanna Liljeroos-Cork of Tampere University, Finland, emphasises the need to encourage long-term collaboration and improve staff well-being to make it work well in the healthcare sector.
Lean management is designed to maximise value by eliminating waste, often by streamlining processes, reducing waiting times between steps in a process, and generally improving the allocation of resources. In public healthcare settings, early applications of the lean approach have led to positive outcomes, such as enhanced service delivery, improved staff satisfaction, and even cost savings. However, within this sector, many organisations have not reaped the rewards or gained only temporary or superficial improvements.
The research looked at several healthcare and social service organisations and found that transient and superficial benefits of lean in those settings were often down to a failure to change the organisation’s internal culture in order to embraces more fully the principles of lean to allow staff to engage in ongoing improvements. The team suggests that leaders need to prioritise the development of an environment that is supportive of staff where they will experience greater job satisfaction and be happier. When employees are emotionally engaged and feel included in decision-making, they are better able to drive the changes necessary to improve services, it seems.
One of the critical findings of the research is that organisations and management need to redefine how value is measured in this sector. It is not solely about operational efficiency as it might be in a factory where working more efficiently and faster towards greater profit are important. Instead, healthcare value should also be understood in terms of how well the service meets the needs and expectations of patients and service users and how well it treats its staff.
Hurme, P. and Liljeroos-Cork, J. (2024) ‘Factors promoting value creation in lean management within public social and healthcare organisation’, Int. J. Services and Operations Management, Vol. 49, No. 5, pp.1–21.
The International Journal of Economics and Business Research has published an Open Access issue. All of the issue’s papers can be downloaded via the full-text links available here.
The following paper, "The impact of digital marketing strategies on customer satisfaction and organisational performance: exploring the moderating role of entrepreneurial intention" (International Journal of Economics and Business Research 28(6) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "Education in the Metaverse: a bibliometric exploration" (International Journal of Economics and Business Research 28(6) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
The following paper, "The impact of digital transformation on the effectiveness of electronic financial systems" (International Journal of Economics and Business Research 28(6) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
A quiz bowl is usually an academic competition in which teams of students, typically from high schools or universities, compete by answering questions across a variety of subjects, such as history, science, literature, and current events. The format is often fast-paced, with teams buzzing in to answer questions posed by the moderator. Correct answers earn points, and the team with the most points at the end of the game wins. These tournaments can vary in size, but usually involve multiple rounds heading towards a grand final. Readers in the US and elsewhere will be familiar with College Bowl, a televised tournament and its spinoffs, such as the UK’s, University Challenge.
Organizing a quiz bowl tournament is no small feat. While the players compete in fast-paced intellectual battles, behind the scenes, the real work lies in preparing and fact-checking the questions. Traditionally, this has been a painstakingly manual task, requiring hours of work to ensure that questions are arranged in a balanced, fair, and engaging manner. However, research in the International Journal of Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies has demonstrated how technology might offer a more efficient but just as effective approach to the challenge.
Kara L. Combs and Trevor J. Bihl of Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, USA, have devised an approach to automating the organisation of quiz bowl question sets that uses optimisation techniques to reduce the burden on those responsible for preparing the competitions. The study focuses on applying mathematical models to arrange the questions in a way that meets the key criteria of any tournament: a smooth difficulty curve, thematic balance, and consistency. The team’s approach proves itself a timesaver but could also improve the overall quality and consistency of any quiz bowl competition.
The researchers used the well-known Python programming language to implement their solution. Optimisation algorithms were used to arrange the questions automatically so that the final set for each round of the competitions fits the requirements of a fair, balanced, and entertaining competition. They tested their approach and were able to cut in half the time needed to organise the questions.
Combs, K.L. and Bihl, T.J. (2024) ‘Question optimisation: building quiz bowl tournament sets’, Int. J. Data Analysis Techniques and Strategies, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp.386–409.
The following paper, "The lean management practices impact on the competitive advantage and business performance" (International Journal of Economics and Business Research 28(6) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.
It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.
As the commercial landscape evolves, the integration of technology into entrepreneurship education is emerging as an important part of educating the next generation of innovative business leaders. A study in the International Journal of Technology Enhanced Learning highlights the changes taking place and points to how technological tools are reshaping not only the design and delivery of entrepreneurial knowledge but also the very skills that students need to master in order to thrive in the commercial world today.
Marsela Thanasi-Boçe and Selma Kurtishi-Kastrati of the American University of the Middle East in Egaila, Al Ahmadi, Kuwait, explain that conventionally entrepreneurship education focuses on foundational business skills such as planning and operations. However, their work suggests a more subtle approach is needed that also places emphasis on creativity and innovative thinking. Recent global events, such as the pandemic, have given this shift new urgency, catalysing the rapid adoption of digital learning platforms. With these new tools, educators can create a more engaging learning environment for their students and even mirror the complexities of real-world business challenges.
The team suggests that we need to have ongoing discussions about technology-enhanced education, and their work sheds new light on the various digital resources that might be used to support entrepreneurial training. Online learning platforms, business simulations, and other interactive tools not only engage students but also provide practical experiences that reinforce critical skills such as opportunity recognition, resource acquisition, and risk management. These skills can then be transferred to the businesses those students start when they enter the commercial world with all its uncertainties and opportunities.
The research also highlights how educators themselves need to be adept at using the new technologies. Knowledge of the curriculum is no longer sufficient, the must-have the skills to use the digital tools effectively in order to pass those skills. In other words, there is an increased pressure for ongoing professional development among educators in this field. Educational establishments, such as business schools, that invest in faculty training are in turn investing in their students and the quality of their entrepreneurship teaching.
In addition to investing in faculty education, the work hints that stronger partnerships between educational institutions and industry stakeholders should be mutually beneficial. Collaborations with businesses can provide students with opportunities to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical contexts. This can bridge the gap between classroom learning and the real-world, as well as offering networking opportunities for students and businesses.
Thanasi-Boçe, M. and Kurtishi-Kastrati, S. (2024) ‘The use of technology to develop students’ entrepreneurial mindset and competencies’, Int. J. Technology Enhanced Learning, Vol. 16, No. 4, pp.428–446.
A step towards improving online music education by developing an AI tool that can recognise musical notation is described in the International Journal of Wireless and Mobile Computing. The work of Ting Zhang of the Academy of Arts at Shangluo University, Shaanxi, China, addresses a longstanding problem in digital music instruction, where the ability to recognise and interpret musical notation often falls short due to platform limitations. The research shows how image processing and machine learning can help online learners, allowing them to gain a richer, more accurate grasp of musical concepts.
Zhang has developed the Pulse-Coupled Neural Network (PCNN), an artificial neural network inspired by the workings of biological neurons, which “fire” in response to certain stimuli. Traditionally, online music education has relied on simplified digital representations of musical notation, leaving students without crucial guidance when attempting to understand the intricacies of symbols and musical structures.
The PCNN model focuses on improving the digital segmentation of musical symbols within an image of a musical score, for instance. By incorporating oblique spectral correction in the system, Zhang is able to break down the image into segments for precise differentiation between symbols. This allows even distorted representations of the music score to be analysed accurately, taking into account tilted symbols or misalignments.
The use of an optimized Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for the image-recognition tasks makes the system efficient and accurate, giving it an up to 97 percent success rate.
For students, the enhanced notation recognition system could give them feedback in real-time even when no tutor is available for discussion. This system emulates face-to-face instruction, where instant feedback is usually available. The researchers saw notable improvements in student understanding of pitch and rhythm and in their grasping foundational music theory concepts.
Zhang, T. (2024) ‘Application of integrated image processing technology based on PCNN in online music symbol recognition training’, Int. J. Wireless and Mobile Computing, Vol. 27, No. 4, pp.369–380.
The population grows daily and with it the number of tourists heading for popular spots, attractions and cities. Research in the International Journal of Security and Networks has considered one aspect of the safety of large crowds, the sheer number of people that might be present in a given location. Qinqin Dong of Xinyang University, China, points out that the biggest challenge in managing dense groups of people in real-time is determining how many people are present in a crowd.
Dong has turned to artificial intelligence to develop a new took that can track and trace the movements of people in a crowd with unprecedented accuracy. The new system, SMACSTR (Scene Monitoring Algorithm based on Crowd Scene Type Recognition), could allow us to improve safety in bustling urban spaces and popular destinations.
The behaviour of a crowd is largely unpredictable unless barriers and other measures are in place to guide their movements. At popular tourist spots, there can be many hundreds or even thousands of people moving in unexpected surges that can represent a risk to safety. Overcrowding leads to bottlenecks and if an emergency arises, hazardous crowd movements that need to be addressed and controlled quickly to avoid injury and death.
Dong’s SMACSTR system can carry out crowd scene recognition, to interpret images of crowds and their behaviour. The system focuses on both static and dynamic features within the crowd and allows its operators to spot risky behaviour as it arises and so be able to implement a timely and effective response.
The static component of the system, the static density field, reveals crowd positioning and numbers, while the dynamic, the motion feature maps, indicate how the crowd is behaving. It can distinguish between calm and peaceful movements of individuals in the crowd or the emergence of erratic or panicked behaviour. By combining both characteristics of the crowd, the system can assess risks more effectively in real-time in a way that conventional systems, such as human monitoring of CCTV feeds, might not.
Dong, Q. (2024) ‘Safety monitoring system for tourist scenic spots based on crowd scene type recognition’, Int. J. Security and Networks, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp.128–137.
A study in the International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics suggests that minimalism is perhaps the only viable, sustainable path forward to address the problem of environmental damage due to ever-increasing consumption. Global consumption is thought to account for almost two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions. Our seemingly endless buying and discarding of material goods at a rapid pace has also become an important factor in environmental degradation.
Varghese Joy and Vijay Kumar Jain of DIT University Dehradun in India, have explored minimalism, a lifestyle shift that emphasizes reduced consumption and purposeful living, as a promising antidote to modern consumer excess.
In the 1970s, the voluntary simplicity movement began in the USA. This advocated for a less material-focused life, but today that kind of minimalism has taken on added urgency. Rather than a lifestyle trend, minimalism could have policy implications and reshape how we think about happiness and well-being and to weave that into mental clarity, purposeful experiences, and environmental responsibility. The team suggests that such a shift in attitude away from endless consumerism could reduce our environmental footprint, as well as moving society towards a less materialistic future.
The team has looked at what they call, enablers, factors that drive people towards a minimalist approach to life. They used interpretive structural modelling to analyse these enablers. At the top of the list were personal attitude, cautious shopping habits, self-sufficiency, and the strategic elimination of clutter. Each of these enablers could have a role in helping people adopt minimalism.
Personal attitude reflects a mindset that eschews the cultural push and pull of materialism. It is an attitude that values experiences over possessions, prioritises environmental responsibility, and allows us to appreciate the non-material side of life. In adopting this positive personal attitude towards minimalism, we might take on conscious consumption where we buy only what we need and not everything we want.
The next enabler is self-sufficiency. This encourages us to focus on using what we already have, maximizing our skills and resources before buying more of anything. This attitude shuns our dependency on novelty and so reduces demand on production, which in turn lessens waste and resource depletion.
Clutter elimination is third on the list and involves removing non-essential items from one’s living space to create a calmer, more organized environment, which might then boost mental clarity and reduce stress.
While minimalism seems to offer many personal benefits, such as a less stressful existence, better mental health, and greater fulfilment. The true potential could be on a global scale.
Joy, V. and Jain, V.K. (2024) ‘Quest for less! Living with minimalism for building a better sustainable world – a qualitative study exploring millennials perspective’, Int. J. Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp.405–428.
Remote working and working from home have changed the daily routine for many people around the world allowing them to balance work and life in ways that were simply not possible with the conventional commuter-bracketed 9-to-5. However, a study in the International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management reveals that there is a growing problem, a habit among home-based workers known as “cyberslacking” where they use their normal paid working hours to carry out personal internet activities. Whether doom-scrolling through social media or messaging with family and friends, cyberslacking has, the study suggests, become a common distraction from their work for many home-workers.
It could be that the rush to create a better work-life balance is actually now tipping the scales in a direction detrimental to the employers that rely on their workers to be diligent and fulfil their obligations in a timely, effective, and efficient manners.
The focus of the work by Natasha Tageja and Vijit Chaturvedi of Amity University Noida in Uttar Pradesh and Deepika Mishra and Namita Rajput of the University of Delhi, India, is on the idea that stress, rather than procrastination tendencies or simple laziness, is fuelling this trend. The team used structural equation modelling to analyse surveys from 272 employees across three private information technology companies to see what patterns there might be linking job stress and cyberslacking. Cyberslacking, the team suggests, offers a quick mental escape for the digital nomad or the homeworker, a few stolen moments to distract briefly from the pressures of a demanding job. They suggest that strong ethical values built into the workplace are needed to reverse this trend.
As companies adjust to the new normal of flexible working arrangements, it is time to recognise the implications of job stress on employees and employers alike. For sectors such as information technology, education, and finance, where stress is almost part of the job description, there is an urgent need to address this hidden loss in productivity, especially as it erodes both team performance and organizational goals.
Tageja, N., Mishra, D., Chaturvedi, V. and Rajput, N. (2024) ‘What is behind cyberslacking? Investigating the effects of job stress and ethical climate at workplace’, Int. J. Public Sector Performance Management, Vol. 14, Nos. 3/4, pp.530–544.
