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The Determinants of Participation in Online Business Forums:Exploring the Interplay of Need Factors and Reciprocity
Get PDFAbstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to enhance the understanding of the drivers of participation in online business forums (OBFs). Specifically, it examines how reciprocity and three distinct types of needs (functional, psychological, and hedonic) shape the participation behaviour of members in OBFs.Design/MethodologyThis study employs a multilevel analysis, integrating Social Exchange Theory and Uses and Gratification Theory, to develop and validate a research framework. Data were collected via online questionnaires (N=596) from 48 business forums on LinkedIn. The data analysis was carried out using PLS-SEM in stages. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out to assess the measurement model including validating the reliability and validity of the measurement items. The direct hypotheses were tested followed by a post ad-hoc analysis to test the mediation and moderation hypotheses. Findings This study shows the impact of three need factors - functional, psychological, and hedonic – and reciprocity on community members' participation behaviour in OBFs. The findings indicate that fulfilling functional, psychological, and hedonic needs are key determinants driving active participation. The study further highlights the coexistence of two types of reciprocity: direct and indirect. However, the data analysis results show that only indirect reciprocity motivates participation in OBFs. Furthermore, the study reveals that indirect reciprocity not only precedes participation but also acts as a pivotal factor interacting with the interrelationship between the need factors and participation levels in OBFs.Originality This research advances theoretical understanding of participation in OBFs by offering novel insights into its complex, multi-faceted nature. Unlike some previous simplistic models, this study employs innovative multilevel analysis, uniquely demonstrating the synergistic impact of need factors and reciprocity on participation. It offers a nuanced perspective previously unexplored by addressing reciprocity's paradoxical role and uncovering interconnections between various factors. This approach provides groundbreaking insights into OBF dynamics, advancing theoretical understanding while offering actionable strategies for enhancing member engagement and community development.<br/
Compulsory voting, economic conditions and turnout:explaining the outcome of constitutional referendums
Get PDFReferendums were historically and theoretically justified as a people’s veto. Do voters use them as such or are referendums merely second-order votes? This article aims to answer this question through a comparative study of all constitutional referendums around the world between 1980 and 2022 using a VP-Function model. The results indicate that the support for constitutional referendums follows a pattern in which compulsory voting, economic conditions and voter mobilisation are important. Contrary to findings in more generic studies of referendums, there is no indication of a ‘honeymoon’ period for constitutional referendums. Also, in contrast to other studies, the presence of emotive words and what may appear as ‘leading questions’ favour higher support, though this is not present in countries with compulsory voting. The results contribute to the study of referendums and to the wider debate about voters’ preferences by showing that political factors are more important than structural factors
MARSRA: Mobility-Aware RAN Slicing Resource Allocation for Open RAN Deployments
Get PDFThe delivery of diverse services in 5G/6G networks is made possible through Network Slicing (NS). This paper focuses on Radio Access Network (RAN) slicing in the presence of user mobility, which can greatly affect the performance of the slices provided by mobile network operators. We provide a novel application called Mobility-Aware RAN Slicing Resource Allocation (MARSRA) xApp by utilizing the programmability of the emerging Open RAN architecture. The MARSRA xApp strives to maximize user satisfaction by leveraging Channel State Information (CSI) to meet user requirements. We introduce a joint online problem that considers user assignment, Physical Resource Block (PRB) allocation, and power allocation in Open RAN deployments. To cope with the nonlinearity and complexity of the formulated problem, a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) methodology is devised. It relies on a Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) algorithm that incorporates reduced state and action spaces to address the uncertainty caused by mobility. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed SAC method is highly effective, with an improvement of at least 22% in overall user satisfaction compared to two traditional baseline schemes.<br/
Pollen hydration and its induced effects on human bronchial epithelial cells:A comparative analysis of three species
Get PDFPollen-induced allergic diseases are on the rise globally with recent studies pointing towards climate change co-factors potentially influencing pollen seasons and pollen load. This study investigated the hydration-induced rupturing behaviour and allergenic potential of pollen belonging to species of ryegrass (Lolium perenne), golden wattle (Acacia pycnantha) and pine (Pinus radiata). Using an in vitro model of human bronchial epithelial cells (Calu-3), this study evaluated cellular responses upon exposure to pollen extracts through multiple experimental approaches. Initial hydration experiments revealed species-specific rupturing patterns. Ryegrass pollen demonstrated the highest rupture propensity (38% immediately upon hydration), with increased rupturing over time and enhanced effects in acidic conditions. Wattle exhibited moderate rupturing that plateaued after 10 min, while pine pollen showed minimal rupturing (≤2%). Nebulisation of hydrated pollen-water suspensions generated distinct aerosol profiles, with ryegrass producing significant numbers of sub-pollen particles in the respirable range. Cell viability of Calu-3 cells showed varied concentration-dependent responses among pollen species. Pine pollen induced the most significant reduction in cell viability (51% at 25 mg/mL pollen extract concentration), followed by ryegrass and wattle pollen. Notably, ryegrass pollen uniquely triggered substantial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, with rates increasing up to 33.8 times greater than controls at 25 mg/mL pollen extract concentration. This elevated ROS generation correlated with increased group 5 grass allergen (Phl p 5) levels (53.8 ng/mL at 25 mg/mL pollen extract concentration), suggesting a potential mechanistic link. In contrast, cell viability of Calu-3 cells was greater than 70% in the presence of wattle pollen with only a slight increase in cellular ROS generation, suggesting other mechanisms are involved in maintaining cell viability in this species. This research establishes a foundation for understanding cellular responses to pollen extracts of different species, including the impact of physical characteristics (rupture propensity and sub-pollen particle generation) and biochemical properties (ROS induction and allergen content), which can both contribute to overall allergic potential. The species-specific responses identified will also have important implications for clinical management strategies, particularly in the context of changing climate conditions.</p
An integrated fuzzy intuitionistic sustainability assessment framework for manufacturing supply chain: a study of UK based firms
Get PDFThe increasing importance of sustainability has put pressure on organisations to assess their supply chain sustainability performance, which requires a holistic set of key performance indicators (KPIs) related to strategic, tactical and operational decision making of firms. This paper presents a comprehensive set of KPIs for sustainable supply chain management using a mixed method approach including analysing data from the literature survey, content analysis of sustainability reports of manufacturing firms and expert interviews. A 3-level hierarchical model is developed by classifying the identified KPIs into key sustainability dimensions as well as key supply chain decision-making areas including strategic, tactical and operational. A novel multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) based sustainability assessment framework is proposed. The proposed framework integrates value focussed thinking (VFT), intuitionistic fuzzy (IF) Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and IF Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) methods. The novelty of the research lies in (1) using a rigorous mixed method approach for KPIs identification and industrial validation (2) the development of a novel integrated intuitionistic sustainability assessment framework for decision making and (3) the innovative application of the proposed framework and associated methodologies in the context not explored before. The practical data on the performance ratings of various KPIs were obtained from the experts and a novel intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS was applied to benchmark the organisations for their sustainability performance. Furthermore, the case study shows the applicability of the proposed framework to evaluate and identify the problem areas of the organisations and yield guidance on KPIs by recognising the most significant areas requiring improvement. This research contributes to the practical implication by providing an innovative sustainability assessment framework for supply chain managers to evaluate and manage sustainability performance by making informed decisions related to KPIs.</p
The impact of hospital surge capacity during the 2009 influenza pandemic on patient safety:A systematic review
Get PDFDuring severe influenza pandemics, healthcare demand often exceeds clinical capacity forroutine care. This systematic study examined secondary and tertiary hospital surge capacityinterventions and outcomes during the H1N1 pandemic. We searched seven databases fororiginal research on hospital, acute, secondary, and tertiary patient safety outcomes duringthe 2009–2020 influenza pandemic. A descriptive narrative synthesis assessed influenza-related data. We used the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cross-Sectional Studies toevaluate each study’s methodology. The study found hospitals use various methods tomanage their workforce during an influenza pandemic. All hospitals’surge capacity plansmodified staff, resources, structure, and system which contributed to improve patient safety,patient and family satisfaction, fewer adverse events, shorter wait times, and better patientflow. Surge capacity strategies improved patient safety by influencing variables such asadverse events, patient and family satisfaction, wait times, and the number of patients wholeft without being seen. Thefindings highlight the significance of incorporating surgecapacity strategies into healthcare pandemic planning. However, more research in a varietyof settings and countries is required to strengthen the evidence bas
Compulsory voting, economic conditions and turnout:explaining the outcome of constitutional referendums
Get PDFReferendums were historically and theoretically justified as a people’s veto. Do voters use them as such or are referendums merely second-order votes? This article aims to answer this question through a comparative study of all constitutional referendums around the world between 1980 and 2022 using a VP-Function model. The results indicate that the support for constitutional referendums follows a pattern in which compulsory voting, economic conditions and voter mobilisation are important. Contrary to findings in more generic studies of referendums, there is no indication of a ‘honeymoon’ period for constitutional referendums. Also, in contrast to other studies, the presence of emotive words and what may appear as ‘leading questions’ favour higher support, though this is not present in countries with compulsory voting. The results contribute to the study of referendums and to the wider debate about voters’ preferences by showing that political factors are more important than structural factors
The predictive ability of share-based compensation expense
Get PDFThis paper examines the ability of share-based compensation expense (SBCE) to predict future firm performance relative to other employee compensation expenses. It also examines whether cash settled-based compensation expense has greater predictive ability for future performance than equity settled expense. Using a sample of 443 firms listed in the UK between 2005 and 2018, we find that the predictive ability of SBCE is statistically significantly higher than that of other employee compensation expenses. Furthermore, the results show that the predictive ability of SBCE classified as cash settled is statistically significantly higher than that of equity settled SBCE. Overall, our findings suggest that recognised SBCE, particularly cash settled SBCE (i.e. fair value-adjusted expense), is useful for predicting future firm performance
The Anti-Social Triad of Grievance Politics:An Integrated Model of Reactionism, Ressentiment, and Collective Narcissism
No full textIn this article, we undertake a comprehensive examination of reactionism, ressentiment, and collective narcissism, collectively termed as the “ anti-social triad of grievance politics.” Although these constructs are conceptually distinct, they are psycholoically intricately linked. Reactionism denotes a backward-facing political orientation, ressentiment signifies a chronic and embittered emotional mechanism, and collective narcissism reflects a precarious and wounded psychological state. Together, they constitute a potent blend of anti-social sentiments within grievance politics, yet their interconnectedness is overlooked when they are studied in isolation. Our study pioneers in establishing original connections between reactionism, ressentiment, and collective narcissism, providing empirical evidence of their coexistence and interactions. We introduce a novel scale to measure reactionism and explore its associations with existing measures of ressentiment and collective narcissism, as well as their associations with values, authoritarianism, and populism. By elucidating the tight interplay among these phenomena, we offer valuable insights into their implications for responses to social change and the essence of democracy
