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Work-life balance practices as a determinant of sustainable development in agile organizations : insights from our research
Get PDFPURPOSE: The article aims to analyze the impact of work-life balance practices on the
sustainable development of agile organizations. It focuses on key factors such as flexible
working hours, professional development, financial support, and social integration.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research was conducted using a survey of 745
respondents and a multivariate analysis (MCA). This approach enabled the identification of
practices that promote employee well-being and organizational effectiveness.FINDINGS: The study reveals that work-life balance practices enhance employee engagement,
boost productivity, and strengthen organizational adaptability in a dynamic environment.
These practices contribute to building a sustainable, resilient workforce aligned with longterm organizational goals.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results provide HR leaders and managers with actionable tools
to design strategies that align employee needs with organizational objectives. By
implementing these practices, organizations can enhance employee satisfaction and overall
effectiveness.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The study's originality lies in integrating work-life balance and
sustainable development perspectives. This comprehensive approach highlights the
relationship between employee well-being and organizational success, offering valuable
insights and practical recommendations for further research and application.peer-reviewe
Market reaction to the interaction between top management tone and earnings management : evidence from South Africa
Get PDFSouth Africa has been severely impacted by several high-profile corporate scandals, with significant financial manipulation involving both the content of financial statements and the tone set by top executives. Notably, CEOs such as Markus Jooste from Steinhoff have been accused of misleading investors through both earnings management and the use of an authoritative management tone. This study investigates the market's reaction to the interactive effect of top management tone and earnings management, employing a short-window event study methodology. The tones of two distinct management styles—autocratic and pragmatic—are examined by analysing CEO statements using the DICTION textual analysis software. The sample comprises 944 firm-year observations spanning from 2011 to 2018. The results indicate that the market did not respond to earnings management in isolation. However, a significant negative market reaction was observed when earnings management occurred in conjunction with an autocratic tone. This suggests that South African investors are particularly attuned to multiple signals of potential fraud and will adjust their valuations accordingly. The findings underline the importance of considering not only financial disclosures but also the behavioral cues given by top management in assessing firm performance and risk. Investors, regulators, and analysts must therefore remain vigilant to the combined risks posed by earnings manipulation and the tone of management communications. The study contributes to the limited literature on the stock market's response to the interplay of earnings management and management tone, particularly in the context of South Africa, and is the first to explore the combined effects of these two forms of manipulation.peer-reviewe
Mental resilience in business : a case study using TOP360 Kaminsky Academy tool
Get PDFPURPOSE: The main objective of the article was to identify and analyse the scientific output
over 25 years in the study of mental resilience, which has become firmly established not only
in the field of psychology or medicine, but also in management science. The specific
objective of the paper was to analyse a case study of the study of psychological resilience of
employees in three companies using Kaminsky Academy's TOP360 tool.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research used the method of literature analysis and
critique, as well as the TOP360 Kaminsky Academy psychometric tool to identify and
analyse the psychological resilience of 140 business people employed at company A (87
people), company B (25 people) and company C (28 people).FINDINGS: The results of the survey indicate that the employees surveyed have a fairly high
level of mental resilience and have the resources to cope with difficult situations and
recover. This may indicate that the companies employing them have the right organisational
culture and have created a suitable working environment for them to ensure healthy
functioning while performing their professional duties.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The practical business implications relate primarily to the possibility
for managers to use the results of the research in effective human resource management, but
also to the validity of using the TOP360 tool to test the mental toughness of business people.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Research has shown that the TOP360 tool has great potential to explore
the mental resilience of business employees.peer-reviewe
Accident and emergency presentations in patients in their last year of life
Get PDFPresentation of patients with incurable, terminal illness to the emergency department (ED) may prove distressing for patient and caregivers alike. The last year of life has been widely used as a proxy for patients with palliative needs. This retrospective study is the first local study to determine how many patients presenting to the ED are in their last year of life, and thus by association, what percentage of patients presenting to the emergency department would require palliative care. In Malta, 16.66% of patients presenting to the ED were in their last year of life, and despite this value being lower in comparison to overseas, it is still significant keeping in mind that locally palliative care caters only for oncology cases. There was no observed gender difference, and the mean age was of 77.6 years. Most patients presented more than one time to the ED more than once, and the largest cohort of patients presented 3 times to the ED in their last year of life. Community- based palliative care has been shown to reduce presentations to the emergency department and our focus must therefore shift towards strengthening this field.peer-reviewe
Introducing social exchange theory (SET) in outreach practices - enhancing student engagement
No full textAcademic libraries are essential hubs for student learning and research, yet many struggle to attract and sustain student engagement with their services. Traditional outreach efforts often focus on information dissemination rather than fostering meaningful interactions. This study introduces Social Exchange Theory (SET) as a novel framework for library outreach, emphasising the role of reciprocity, trust, and perceived benefits in shaping student-library relationships. By viewing engagement as a dynamic social exchange rather than a one-way service offering, libraries can create more compelling and participatory outreach initiatives. This research employs a qualitative case study approach to examine outreach practices at the University of Malta Library. Using interviews, surveys, and observational analysis, the study explores how SET-driven strategies impact student perceptions, participation, and resource utilisation. Findings reveal that when students perceive tangible and intangible benefits, such as academic support, social connections, and personal growth, they are more likely to engage actively with library services. Additionally, fostering trust and two-way interactions between students and librarians enhances not only library usage but also the library’s role as a vital academic and social space. By reimagining outreach through the lens of SET, this study offers actionable insights for academic libraries seeking to move beyond passive service promotion toward strategies that cultivate sustained student engagement and long-term institutional value. The paper concludes with practical recommendations for leveraging SET to design more interactive, student-centered outreach models that transform libraries into dynamic learning communities.peer-reviewe
Integrating argumentation features for enhanced propaganda detection in Arabic narratives on the Israeli war on Gaza
Get PDFPropaganda significantly shapes public opinion, especially in conflict-driven contexts like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This study explores the integration of argumentation features, such as claims, premises, and major claims, into machine learning models to enhance the detection of propaganda techniques in Arabic media. By leveraging datasets annotated with fine-grained propaganda techniques and employing cross-lingual and multilingual NLP methods, along with GPT-4-based annotations, we demonstrate consistent performance improvements. A qualitative analysis of Arabic media narratives on the Israeli war on Gaza further reveals the model’s capability to identify diverse rhetorical strategies, offering insights into the dynamics of propaganda. These findings emphasize the potential of combining NLP with argumentation features to foster transparency and informed discourse in politically charged settings.peer-reviewe
Low back pain : the forgotten public health epidemic
Get PDFLow back pain (LBP) is a global public health concern, resulting in significant healthcare utilisation and eco- nomic losses. The rise in LBP cases, particularly following lifestyle changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, is seen as a pressing issue. Contributing factors such as obesity, sedentary behaviour and psychosocial stressors are frequently highlighted. In the context of future healthcare, it is argued that evidence-based management strategies, including clinical guidelines and rehabilitation services, must be prioritised. The integration of pri- mary care with community-based support is essential to reduce unnecessary referrals to specialised care. Future healthcare systems will need to adopt more proactive approaches, emphasising prevention, early intervention and patient education. Addressing LBP effectively will not only reduce the current burden, but also help build resilient healthcare models capable of managing chronic conditions more efficiently. The focus on LBP in public health agendas is crucial for shaping a more sustainable and effective future healthcare landscape.peer-reviewe
Investigating reinforcement shadow visibility on formed concrete surfaces using visual inspection and colour variation analysis
Get PDFThe research presented in this article seeks to identify the possible causes of reinforcement shadows (RS) on the surface of concrete test specimen produced under laboratory conditions. Different hypotheses about RS were selected based on factory practices and simulated in the study. The test specimens were cast horizontally in contact with steel form-facing surfaces coated with a water-soluble release agent. In addition, two scenarios were analysed during specimen production: reinforcing mesh was fixed using plastic spacers or tie wire. The analysis of the reinforcement shadows was based on visual inspection, taking photos, surface moisture content measurements, and colour variation analysis using the Natural Colour System. It was concluded that RS, which are typically characterized by darker lines, can be defined by the percentage of black colour present in the shadowed area compared to the percentage of black colour in the surrounding area. This percentage can be quickly assessed on a factory scale using digital colour readers that provide timely information. The reduced concrete cover thickness from 35 mm to 10 mm revealed light horizontal dark lines on the exposed surface. It was hypothesised that the gap of less than 10 mm between the reinforcing bars and the steel form-facing plate, along with the sieving effect of the fresh concrete, can retard the cement paste hydration process, resulting in unhydrated ferrite phases that contribute to the dark colour of the unhydrated cement. The release agent sprayed on the steel form-facing surface straight through the reinforcing mesh created a RS effect of the reinforcement on the exposed concrete surface. The absence of a release agent under steel rebars decreased the wettability at the interface between the formwork and fresh concrete, resulting in dark lines during the curing process. It is important to avoid such cases when manufacturing precast reinforced concrete elements. Quantitatively assessing RS and proposing a standardized method for calculation and categorization could be a new research direction in the future.peer-reviewe
A framework for resilient and sustainable health systems in the European Region
Get PDFHealth systems across the World Health Organization’s
European Region are under unprecedented pressures.
They have not improved after the COVID-19, and they
continue to struggle with a constellation of demographic,
economic, societal and environmental shifts—including
conflict—without mounting an adequate response. A new vision for health systems was adopted by all 53
countries of the WHO European Region during the 74th
Regional Committee to serve as a compass guiding
WHO’s and countries’ efforts to transform and improve
health systems in this new era, making them more
sustainable and resilient in the long run.peer-reviewe
Retrospective audit on the management of newly diagnosed non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients and their oncological outcomes
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a heterogenous subclassification of urothelial carcinoma with variation in risk of recurrence and progression. The aim of this audit was to assess whether the clinical management of NMIBC was being carried out according to the recommendations provided by the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines.METHOD: 154 patients who were newly diagnosed with NMIBC were selected. Details about presentation, risk factors and clinical management were collected for analysis. The clinical standard of care used was the EAU Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Guidelines 2020. Oncological outcomes for this patient group was also documented. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTIC) risk table was used to predict recurrence and progression in NMIBC. The risk group stratification table in the EAU guidelines (2020) was used to classify tumours according to their characteristics. SPSS and Kaplan Meier curves were used to analyse the results.RESULTS: TURBT was carried out in 52.9% of indicated patients; intravesical therapy in 14.1% of indicated patients; CT-IVU follow up according to guidelines in 64.3%; urine cytology follow up according to guidelines in 66.9% patients. Cystoscopy carried out after 3 months showed a recurrence rate of 12.3%.CONCLUSION: The clinical management of NMIBC has an important bearing on the progression of the cancer. Stricter adherence to the guidelines will enable the clinician to strike a balance between cost cutting and reduced tumour progression.peer-reviewe