13361 research outputs found
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System Dynamics simulation of factors influencing organizational resilience for subway construction in emergency situations
No full textRapid urbanization has accelerated subway construction, introducing complex technological and safety challenges that heighten project risks. Enhancing organizational resilience and emergency risk management is thus critical for project success. However, existing studies often rely on static assessments and overlook dynamic interactions among key resilience factors. To address this, this study proposes a simulation framework integrating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and System Dynamics (SD) to identify, prioritize, and simulate factors affecting organizational resilience in emergencies. Based on accident reports, literature, and expert input, 28 key factors were categorized into four dimensions: prevention, adaptation, restoration, and external environment. AHP assigned factor weights, which were incorporated into an SD model based on China's Z subway project to simulate resilience evolution. Using causal loops and stock-flow diagrams, the model captures feedback mechanisms, with sensitivity analysis identifying leadership mental resilience and accountability in accident investigations as the most critical drivers. The AHP-SD framework offers a structured approach to analyzing resilience dynamics, supporting improved emergency preparedness and risk mitigation in large-scale infrastructure projects.</p
Fibre manipulation to manage symptom severity and quality of life in patients with functional bowel disorders: A systematic review
Full text linkBackground & AimsFunctional Bowel Disorders (FBD) are clinically diagnosable conditions impacting the mid to lower gastrointestinal tract. Fibre manipulation (through amount or type) is commonly employed as a first-line treatment for symptom management. This systematic review will investigate the impact of fibre manipulation on symptom management and quality of life in adults diagnosed with FBD. MethodsFour electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central) were systematically searched from January 2013 to December 2024. Studies were included if they reported Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) examining the impact of fibre manipulation in adults (≥ 18 years) with FBD. The primary outcome was symptom management, and secondary outcome was Quality of Life (QoL). Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool 2. Data were narratively synthesised.ResultsSearches identified 8864 records; 5167 were screened against the eligibility criteria, and 47 records were assessed at full-text review. Ten studies reporting eight parallel and two crossover RCTs evaluating differing fibre supplements and doses for people with various types of FBD were included. Intervention length ranged from one to eight weeks, and the number of participants ranged from 11 to 250. The reported results varied. Seven studies reported significant improvements in symptom severity, and one study reported significant worsening of symptoms when compared to controls. The results indicated that fibre supplementation with agave fructans improved constipation but worsened flatulence, acacia fibre improved stool frequency, psyllium improved stool consistency, nopal fibre improved symptom severity, vege-powder improved stool hardness and amount, incomplete evacuation, straining and evacuation frequency, pectin powder improved abdominal pain, bloating, stool consistency and symptom severity, and a combination of sugarcane bagasse and resistant starch improved flatulence. One study reported significant worsening in QoL in the intervention group when compared to the placebo control group. ConclusionsThis review concluded that fibre supplementation may be an effective treatment to improve symptom management for patients with FBD, though high heterogeneity precluded meta-analysis. Two studies were assessed as low risk of bias, seven had some concerns, and one was assessed as high risk of bias. The included studies reported short-term interventions for small groups of participants. Further research with greater numbers of participants with FBD that evaluate interventions for longer time periods are warranted
Global Health as the Canary in the Globalisation Coal Mine
No full textGlobalisation offers a mixed bag of risks and benefits for global health. Many promised benefits of globalisation—increased access to expertise, technologies and products offering solutions to global health challenges—have not equitably improved health outcomes. Institutions associated with globalisation and health have delivered uneven results, partly because of incoherence in functions and objectives. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated deep structural weaknesses affecting healthcare within the existing model of globalisation. Issues included breakdown of information-sharing between states, hampering surveillance and identification efforts; politicisation of governance and funding arrangements underpinning the World Health Organisation; inadequacies within the IP protection system; and re-emergence of sovereignty-based restrictions on global flows of critical resources including vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment. COVID-19 highlighted vulnerabilities to rapid global dissemination of disease outbreaks mediated by human migration, supply chain disruption of critical resources and commodities, and under-development of domestic research, development and manufacturing capabilities. This chapter reviews COVID-19 through a public health globalisation lens. It focuses on the conflicting roles and priorities of key institutions responsible for the global response to the pandemic, considering failures and frequently disregarded successes. It identifies the impact of key post-pandemic responses including the US withdrawal from the WHO and the recent Pandemic Agreement. It concludes by considering potential futures for existing models of globalised health in an erratically de-globalising world
Quantum valuation: Navigating the disruption, seizing the opportunities in the new era
No full textDigital technologies are reshaping the way property and asset values are assessed, regulated and trusted. From automated valuations to drone-assisted site inspections, these advances are influencing professional practice and testing the legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks – including those established by IVSC, API and RICS – that underpin it.This book examines how AI, drones and emerging digital tools are being integrated into valuation processes across varied contexts. Its scope extends beyond traditional property valuation to urban markets, public assets, infrastructure and ESG assessments. Drawing on insights from leading academics and industry experts in Australia and internationally, it’s organised into four sections: digital foundations and frameworks, real-world applications and innovations, advancing education and training, as well as legal, ethical and future perspectives. Across these sections, comparative analysis explores how different jurisdictions and sectors are adapting, with particular attention to regulatory compliance, professional standards and the boundaries of automation.Rather than framing technology as an inevitable disruption or existential threat, this book encourages careful, critical engagement with how digital systems shape professional judgement, data transparency and institutional trust. It is an essential resource for anyone concerned with the future of valuation, as well as those seeking to upskill and build confidence in using advanced technologies that are transforming property valuation methods and practices
Positive psychology and tourist well-being: reflections through a developmental lens
No full textThe well-being of global populations has become a significant concern, with the United Nations calling for immediate action through Sustainable Development Goal #3 to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for people of all ages. Tourism, in combination with positive psychology, has inspired a compelling avenue to promote human well-being. While research on positive psychology in tourism is expanding, understanding the psychological mechanisms underlying well-being throughout different life stages of tourists remains underexplored. Consequently, this chapter draws on empirical research focusing on senior tourists and then juxtaposes empirical findings with insights from existing research on children and working-age individuals, aiming to highlight the importance of adopting a developmental perspective in examining tourists’ well-being. Incorporating empirical findings and three key theories from tourism and positive psychology, a conceptual framework is proposed to advocate further studies to consider the evolving motivations and psychological needs of tourists in diverse stages of life in the conceptualization of well-being in tourism
Predicting Construction Cost Index using a VMD-GRU framework with the MHSA mechanism
No full textThe Construction Cost Index (CCI), published monthly by Engineering News-Record in the US, has fluctuations that create significant challenges in cost estimation, bid preparation, and investment planning. Accurate forecasting of the CCI is critical for improving the precision of cost estimates and capital project budgets, thereby facilitating the preparation of more reliable and competitive bids. To address these challenges, a hybrid forecasting model is introduced in this study, integrating variational mode decomposition (VMD), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and multihead self-attention (MHSA) mechanisms to predict the CCI over various time horizons. The VMD technique decomposes the CCI time series into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), effectively capturing distinct frequency components and mitigating the nonstationary characteristics of the data. The GRU captures temporal dependencies and extracts essential features. The MHSA mechanism enhances the model’s capability to focus on different segments of the input sequence, improving feature extraction and preserving contextual information. The effectiveness of the proposed model was assessed using CCI data from California and benchmarked against several conventional forecasting models. The results consistently demonstrate that the hybrid VMD-GRU-MHSA model achieves superior prediction accuracy across short-term, medium-term, and long-term forecasts. The application of hybrid models in construction cost time-series forecasting is advanced, and a novel methodology has been introduced for enhancing budget estimation and financial planning in the construction sector. By improving prediction accuracy, the VMD-GRU-MHSA framework strengthens financial management, supports informed decision-making, and drives strategic planning efforts
Australian General Practitioners’ perspectives, experiences and use of non-drug interventions in primary care: a qualitative study
Full text linkObjective Non-drug interventions (NDIs) are underused in primary care, despite established effectiveness, safety, cost–benefit and guidelines. Existing research exploring barriers and enablers to NDI use primarily focuses on patients’ perspectives, leaving general practitioners’ (GPs’) perspectives underexplored, despite their critical role in NDI delivery. The objective of this study is to explore Australian GPs’ experiences and perspectives on the use of NDIs in primary care.Design An interview study informed by realist methodology. Transcripts were abductively analysed, with a sample analysed by two researchers, using the Theoretical Domains Framework, which allows identification of individual and contextual factors that influence behaviour, and discussed in team meetings to develop themes.Setting Interviews took place either in person or online via Zoom, were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.Participant A convenience sample of GPs working in Australian primary care.Result 14 GPs were interviewed for an average of 59 min. Four themes were developed representing the latent mechanisms underlying GPs’ prescription and use of NDIs. (1) Obtaining and sharing knowledge: GPs’ learning about NDIs is limited through medical school and continuing education, highlighting gaps in tertiary and specialty training. Sharing knowledge occurs bidirectionally. GPs share their learnt knowledge about NDIs with patients, who in turn share their lived experience knowledge. (2) Considering the patient: patient characteristics, circumstances and actual or perceived expectations influenced GPs’ NDI prescription. Influences included financial status, therapeutic relationship, patient motivation, presenting condition and medication expectation. (3) Influence of primary care environment: time constraints, billing and policies influenced when and how GPs used and prescribed NDIs. Interprofessional collaboration and distributing patient resources were strategies used by GPs to overcome barriers. (4) NDIs part of GPs’ role and identity: NDIs were prescribed as first-line treatments, preventative strategies or as an adjuvant to medication for both acute or chronic conditions, highlighting NDIs as core to GPs’ role and care.Conclusion This study reveals the interplay of factors and mechanisms influencing Australian GPs’ use of NDIs, including systemic, educational and interpersonal dynamics. To optimise the integration of NDIs in primary care, prioritised training, clearer guidance and better access to evidence-based resources are required
How regulatory focus influences perceived control and product choice
Full text linkPurpose:This research aims to examine how regulatory focus influences individuals’ preference for personal control strategies, which in turn affects their selection of effortful options. Across four experiments, the study tested this framework.Design/methodology/approach:To test these hypotheses, four between-subjects laboratory experiments were conducted [Experiment 1 (n = 261), Experiment 2 (n = 175), Experiment 3 (n = 141) and Experiment 4 (n = 292)].Findings:Experiment 1 shows that promotion-focused individuals favour primary control, whereas prevention-focused individuals favour secondary control. Experiment 2 demonstrates that a sense of “feeling right” mediates the effect of regulatory focus on control strategy choice. Experiment 3 reveals that alignment between regulatory focus and control strategy increases preference for high-effort over low-effort options. Experiment 4 replicates these effects using a real-world product and an alternative control manipulation, further confirming the mediating role of “feeling right.”Originality/value:The findings contribute to the literature by (1) establishing a novel link between regulatory focus and control preference, (2) demonstrating how regulatory fit enhances perceived control through a feeling-right mechanism and (3) illustrating that a regulatory fit can lead consumers to make high-effort product choices as a means to restore perceived control
How does mindful leadership affect individual innovative behavior in megaprojects?–A cross-level study
No full textPurpose: While mindful leadership attracts growing attention, research remains siloed in single-level analyses, neglecting cross-level dynamics between individual and organizational dimensions. This study investigates how mindful leadership drives individual innovation through individual-organizational multilevel interactions, with psychological empowerment mediating and organizational innovation climate (OIC) moderating these cross-level mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach: A non-probability sampling strategy was employed to gather data from 421 organizational members involved in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) project. Subsequent analyses utilized SPSS 25.0 for preliminary diagnostics, AMOS 24.0 for confirmatory factor analysis, and HLM 6.08 for multilevel regression modelling, thereby rigorously testing the proposed theoretical framework. Findings: The multilevel analysis reveals that organizational-level mindful leadership significantly predicts individual innovative behaviour (γ = 0.26, p < 0.01), while simultaneously enhancing psychological empowerment across levels (γ = 0.31, p < 0.01). Psychological empowerment played a partial mediating role (indirect effect=0.15, p < 0.05). OIC both mediates the leadership-innovation link (γ = 0.28, p < 0.01) and moderates the empowerment-innovation relationship (interaction effect γ = 0.18, p < 0.05). Originality/value: These findings address the critical gap in multilevel leadership studies by revealing cross-level mediation-moderation mechanisms. The research extends the explanatory boundaries of mindful leadership theory through organizational-individual integration, providing empirical evidence for innovation management in megaproject contexts