34575 research outputs found
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Navigating CEO Characteristics, Strategic Choices, and Firm Success
No full textThis study explores the relationship between the CEOs’ demographic characteristics (age, tenure, and professional qualification) and business strategy (prospector vs defender) development. Using evidence from a sample of 4,826 Australian firm-year observations, the findings suggest that CEO age and tenure are negatively associated with the prospector business strategy, while CEO education is positively associated with the prospector business strategy. Further analysis suggests that CEO age negatively impacts firm performance. The results are robust based on firm-fixed effects, propensity score matching, and lagged CEO demographic characteristics. Policymakers in Australia could consider introducing CEO Mandatory Retirement Policies (MRPs)
Digital Transformation Impacts Organisational Change in the Role of Accountants and Auditors: An Exploratory Study
No full textThis study explores the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on accounting and auditing professionals as businesses navigate digital transformation.
A qualitative research approach was adopted, analysing data from 10 podcasts and 17 semi-structured interviews using NVivo software. Key themes were identified to provide insights into AI’s influence on organisational change in accounting practices.
The research constructs a thematic framework comprising three aggregate dimensions: triggers of digital transformation in accounting practices, opportunities and challenges in transforming accounting practices, and changing routines for accounting professionals. The results are further interpreted using Lewin’s 3-Step Model of Organisational Change to comprehend the impact of AI and understand how accountants can adapt to these technological changes to sustain their practices.
This study provides a good understanding of the social shifts towards utilising AI in increasingly automating accounting tasks, reshaping professional roles, and creating both opportunities and challenges. AI enhances efficiency in bookkeeping, reporting, auditing, and risk analysis but also raises concerns about data integrity and trust. Blockchain technology emerges as a potential solution, enhancing transparency, security, and reliability in AI-enabled accounting systems.
To remain relevant, accounting professionals must bridge digital skill gaps and adopt interdisciplinary collaboration. As AI continues to evolve, blockchain integration could reinforce trust and accountability, shaping the future of accounting and auditing
A Narrative Theoretical Framework for integrating AI into Electronic Medical Record Management for Allied Health Practice
No full textThis conceptual paper investigates the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in advancing human-centered Electronic Health Medical Records (EMRs) to enhance care delivery by Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) from hospital to home care. Anchored in the Technology–Organisation–Environment (TOE) review framework, the study explores the enablers and barriers to AI integration into EMRs during an organisation’s digital maturity journey, with the aim of guiding product and project management to successful deliverables and acceptance by underrepresented Allied Health users. A literature review was conducted using Scopus, EBSCO, and websites of professional bodies. AI is positioned not as an end goal, but as a mediating tool that - when aligned with the nuanced needs of AHPs - can enhance clinical outcomes. This paper proposes a conceptual framework and literature-informed propositions to support future empirical testing in international, digitally diverse healthcare environments, with particular attention to deployment challenges and opportunities in the US and the UK
MultiModX - Technical Summary
No full textThis MultiModX Technical Summary provides an overview of the solutions developed under the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking’s MultiModX project. It describes the scope, methodological approaches and capabilities of the three solutions – Multimodal Performance Assessment, Multimodal Schedule Design, and Multimodal Disruption Management – and outlines how they collectively contribute to advancing multimodal transport integration in Europe. The document serves as a comprehensive reference for understanding the design, operation, and potential applications of the MultiModX solutions in supporting more efficient, resilient, and passenger-centred transport systems
eWOM and content marketing strategies: maximizing brand engagement among social media users in Spain
No full textThis study analyses how brands' content marketing strategies on social networks influence electronic word of mouth (eWOM), a major predictor of business success that reflects consumer engagement and shapes behaviours such as increased purchase intention, willingness to pay more, reduced perceived risk, and strengthened brand trust and loyalty. While prior research has focused on isolated aspects of digital communication, such as message format or content appeal, this work incorporates additional key elements—brand humanization, personalization, and conversational relationships—that are essential for fostering trust and engagement in today's audiovisual content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Grounded in theories such as Service-Dominant Logic, brand personalization and humanization, Uses and Gratifications, trust transfer, Marketing Communications Theory, and Media Richness Theory, this research proposes a conceptual model based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework. The study analyses 250 Instagram posts and 250 TikTok posts from top-interaction consumer brands in Spain, measuring independent variables such as brand consistency, post position, message format, celebrity endorsement, content attractiveness, and interactivity, with eWOM operationalised as the volume of likes and comments. Control variables included posting day, emoji use, and post length, with content analysis applied for coding and negative binomial regression for hypothesis testing.
Findings reveal platform-specific patterns: while message format drives eWOM on TikTok, content attractiveness is more influential on Instagram. Celebrity endorsement is the only variable showing similar effects across platforms, increasing likes on both networks and comments on TikTok. This work addresses the gap in comparative analyses of content effectiveness between platforms with distinct social and technical dynamics, offering evidence-based insights for optimising brand communication strategies according to platform-specific audience interaction styles, message temporality, and visual engagement
Language Contact and Semantic Development in Late Medieval English
No full textThe multilingual context of medieval Britain has been a focus of historical linguistic scholarship for some time, but Middle English has often been examined in isolation. This book analyzes a large dataset of English vocabulary from the late Middle Ages, a time when the language was gaining new importance, with attention paid to parallel lexical developments in French and Latin. It explores lexical and semantic innovations and losses, and its findings challenge the notion that native and borrowed words were in competition during the period. The book presents a new picture of ongoing bilingualism in the late medieval period and a growth in vocabulary that heralded the beginnings of standardization in English
Seroprevalence of antibodies against hepatitis A and E among the general population in 5 provinces, Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Variation according to location
No full textHepatitis A and E viruses (HAV and HEV) are transmitted through the faecal-oral route: via contaminated food, water, and contact with infected people and/or animals for HEV. Due to limited data from Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), we assessed HAV and HEV seroprevalence in the Lao general population. A cross-sectional study collected 2412 serum samples and demographic information from participants (5–93 years) across five provinces. Anti-HAV (IgM and IgG) and anti-HEV antibodies (IgG) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dia.Pro). The overall seroprevalence of anti-HAV was 84.3% and anti-HEV was 57.9%. Seropositivity was associated with occupation, location, increasing age, ethnicity (only for anti-HAV) and sex (only for anti-HEV). The age at which 50% of the population was seropositive differed from 12 years (Oudomxay) to 26 years (Savannakhet and Vientiane) for anti-HAV and from 22 years (Savannakhet) to 49 years (Vientiane) for anti-HEV. The prevalence of double seropositivity was high overall (53.4%), particularly in Savannakhet and Champasack. These significant differences according to location and socio-demographics may be the result of variation of exposure to the viruses, such as through water, sanitation and hygiene-related risks, occupational exposure and animal contact. Further studies are warranted to identify the most important risks for transmission in Lao PDR in order to develop targeted public health interventions
Automated Bi‐Ventricular Segmentation and Regional Cardiac Wall Motion Analysis for Rat Models of Pulmonary Hypertension
No full textArtificial intelligence‐based cardiac motion mapping offers predictive insights into pulmonary hypertension (PH) disease progression and its impact on the heart. We proposed an automated deep learning pipeline for bi‐ventricular segmentation and 3D wall motion analysis in PH rodent models for bridging the clinical developments. A data set of 163 short‐axis cine cardiac magnetic resonance scans were collected longitudinally from monocrotaline (MCT) and Sugen‐hypoxia (SuHx) PH rats and used for training a fully convolutional network for automated segmentation. The model produced an accurate annotation in < 1 s for each scan (Dice metric > 0.92). High‐resolution atlas fitting was performed to produce 3D cardiac mesh models and calculate the regional wall motion between end‐diastole and end‐systole. Prominent right ventricular hypokinesia was observed in PH rats (−37.7% ± 12.2 MCT; −38.6% ± 6.9 SuHx) compared to healthy controls, attributed primarily to the loss in basal longitudinal and apical radial motion. This automated bi‐ventricular rat‐specific pipeline provided an efficient and novel translational tool for rodent studies in alignment with clinical cardiac imaging AI developments
Maximizing Efficiency in Game Development Through Art Styles, AI Integration, and Creative Expression
No full textIn the increasingly competitive landscape of the games industry, working efficiently is essential for ensuring products meet audience expectations and work as intended. Various elements can play a key role when attempting to develop games smoothly and successfully, as time, money and technical capabilities can be very limiting factors that can require careful consideration. For this research, this paper will explore three key examples of such elements, which are art styles, AI tools, and the role of creative expression during the development process. Each of these examples can be notable factors towards streamlining production tasks and accelerating development, which can be especially important in the fast and competitive games industry. The choice of an art style, for instance, can save time, effort and costs while also being more optimal for performance and for supporting a chosen theme. The role of creative expression is also something that should not be understated, as it can be vital for finding solutions to problems, as well as preventing other potential issues. Finally, AI tools have demonstrated significant potential and numerous possibilities to help streamline various tasks related to the games industry, such as programming, artistic production and organizing data. By analyzing these three elements—art styles, AI tools, and creative expression— this paper will aim to provide a stronger understanding of how they can contribute to ensuring a more efficient game development process
Belonging theory into practice: A framework to enhance student success in higher education
No full textThe importance of supporting students to experience a sense of belonging during their higher education has been shown to have wide-reaching positive outcomes. From improving students’ experiences through a heightened connectivity to their institutions, its staff members and their fellow students within, to increasing the perceptions of accessibility to our support services and overall learning, which in turn leads to improved student outcomes. A focus on fostering student belonging has received increased attention by universities during and post the Covid-19 pandemic, where changes in modes of learning and the negative impact of the pandemic’s social distancing measures on student mental health have created a challenging context for student engagement. In addition, student outcome disparities amongst minority and historically marginalised groups have created an urgent need to address strategies for creating sense of belonging and policy holistically at our universities to improve overall student success. Drawing on a research study from a small and specialist UK university during Covid-19, this chapter will present a Belonging Framework to guide university leaders of services, faculty, and providers in fostering a sense of belonging. The chapter will also illustrate suggestions for how the framework can be applied