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Evidence on sexual and reproductive health service delivery during and post COVID-19: a multi-country facility assessment
No full textIntroduction: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted global health systems, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) were among the services often receiving less priority compared to other urgent health needs. Anticipated disruptions included limited access to contraception, abortion care, sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention, and gender-based violence (GBV) support, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess the availability, readiness, and recovery of SRH services during and after the pandemic across nine countries. Methods: This repeated cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was implemented in collaboration with national Ministries of Health across nine countries: Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, England, Ghana, Italy, Kenya, Pakistan, and Thailand. Data were collected from health facilities and SRH clients at two time points: during peak COVID-19 transmission and post-pandemic. Standardized facility assessments and client interviews were analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. Qualitative data were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions in selected countries to explore service disruptions, health system adaptations, and psychosocial impacts. Thematic analysis identified context-specific challenges and coping strategies. Results: Of 4,346 clients interviewed, 2,292 from seven countries were included in the final analysis. Post-pandemic improvements were modest, with gains in STI testing and GBV response training. Family planning and abortion services showed minimal recovery. Systemic vulnerabilities such as outpatient closures, staff shortages, and supply chain failures contributed to service disruptions. Facilities adopted resilience strategies including telemedicine, task shifting, and triaging. Qualitative findings revealed emotional strain among healthcare providers, stigma, and informal coping mechanisms, underscoring the need for integrated mental health support and flexible service delivery models. Conclusion: The pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in SRH service delivery but also highlighted opportunities for strengthening health system resilience. Integrating qualitative insights enhances understanding of lived experiences and local innovations, essential for building adaptable and accessible SRH systems. Sustained investment in workforce support, supply chains, and context-specific service models is vital for future health emergency preparedness.</p
Building human capital in the Dutch hospitality industry with a holistic EVP-model
No full textDeveloping human capital can significantly improve the competitive position of businesses in the hospitality sector. Insights are generated through combing the Job Embeddedness framework with the Employee Value Proposition model to analyze 10 semi-structured interviews with restaurant owners/managers in the Netherlands to reveal best practices for building human capital through successful employee retention. The results from the study highlight that many restaurants engage in one or more practices for building human capital. The identified practices include payment of wages above market rates, development of a realistic work-life balance, and investment in engaging with employees and in developing a supportive organization culture. However, the research revealed that most of these practices are not part of an integral plan. Findings support the development of a more structurally planned and aligned approach to retaining and engaging employees, which may help restaurants to develop their human capital to build and maintain a competitive advantage
Evaluating the Economic Impact of Digital Twinning in the AEC Industry:A Systematic Review
Get PDFThis study conducts a comprehensive systematic review of the economic impact of Digital Twin (DT) technology within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, following the PRISMA methodology. While DT adoption has been accelerated by advancements in Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics, significant challenges persist - most notably, high initial investment costs and integration complexities. Synthesising the literature from 2016 onwards, this review identifies sector-specific barriers, regulatory burdens, and a lack of standardisation as key factors constituting DT implementation costs. Despite these hurdles, DTs demonstrate strong potential for enhancing construction productivity, optimising lifecycle asset management, and enabling predictive maintenance, ultimately reducing operational expenditures and improving long-term financial performance. Case studies reveal cost efficiencies achieved through DTs in modular construction, energy optimisation, and infrastructure management. However, limited financial resources and digital skills continue to constrain the uptake across the sector, with various extents of impact. This paper calls for the development of unified standards, innovative public–private funding mechanisms, and strategic collaborations to unlock and utilise DTs’ full economic value. It also recommends that future research explore theoretical frameworks addressing governance, data infrastructure, and digital equity - particularly through conceptualising DT-related data as public assets or collective goods in the context of smart cities and networked infrastructure systems
Golden Geese' and the Rule of Seven strategies for business schools:Engaging with local SMEs: 'Golden Geese' and the Rule of Seven strategies for business schools'
No full textEngagement with local SMEs is crucial for business schools to fulfil their remit of delivering relevant, practice-based business and management curricula. Establishing strong relationships with SMEs enables the provision of consultancy-based live projects, work placements, internships, guest speakers, research collaborations, and CPD support. Additionally, SMEs play a pivotal role in business schools’ research and knowledge exchange efforts, including Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and participation in research bids and projects
State of Health Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries with Feature Interpretability Based on Partial Charge Curves
No full textAccurately estimating the state of health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries is crucial for ensuring their safety and reliability. The “black box” nature of neural networks makes it difficult to interpret prediction results, while the prediction accuracy of neural networks relies on the reliability of feature extraction. This study proposes a method that utilizes Layer-wise Relevance Propagation (LRP) to explain the importance of features, weights the features based on their relevance scores, and estimates SOH using the weighted features. Savitzky-Golay smoothing filter is applied to denoise aging feature data, enhancing the feature correlation of the smoothed data. Additionally, an LRP-LSTM model is employed to capture time-series information related to SOH. An interpretable model not only explains features but also provides feedback to the model, improving its generalization ability. The proposed method achieves an average RMSE of 1.345% and 1.347% on two datasets, respectively.</p
Guest editorial: Inclusive marketing introduction to the special issue: communication
Get PDFHaving witnessed significant growth and evolution over the past decade, inclusive marketing (IM) has emerged as a necessary element of business strategy. This change has been driven by broader societal shifts towards diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) (Grieco, 2024). IM encompasses business efforts to foster a more representative culture that embraces a broader spectrum of identities, communities and histories (Ferraro et al., 2024; Xavier, 2020). Today, inclusivity as an idea is not limited to the practice of marketing, as it has found itself extended into management strategy, where it is being considered as a mechanism for improving well-being and enabling businesses to fulfil their role as agents for positive societal change (Mende and Scott, 2021). In this strategic sense, inclusivity is based on a deep understanding of stakeholder diversity and a commitment to developing strategies as well as content that resonates with stakeholders from all backgrounds through appropriate channels to drive businesses towards more inclusive outcomes (Park et al., 2023) [...
Low-income consumers coping strategies to tackle marketplace exclusion:a developing country perspective
No full textColossal income inequalities and a lack of opportunities for low-income groups commonly characterise developing countries. These barriers prevent low-income consumers from fulfilling their basic needs and cause them exclusion from the marketplace. The present study explored how low-income consumers cope with marketplace exclusion and the consequences of their coping strategies. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews with 30 low-income consumers of a developing country. The findings illustrate that low-income consumers address marketplace exclusion by utilising personal, social, and market resources. The utilisation of personal and social network resources sometimes enabled participants to effectively tackle their resource constraints and marketplace exclusion. However, coping through market resources frequently exacerbated their powerlessness. Based on the findings, we provide policy implications for enhancing economic empowerment and promoting marketplace inclusion among low-income consumers
Champing—A Netnography Analysis
No full textThis research examines Champing, a new niche tourism phenomenon, enjoyed by over10,000 people, that until now has not been examined in academic literature. The study analyses how Champing markets itself and is perceived by users to evaluate its proposition and its possible categorization as a form of camping and staycation. The research also explores Champing’s potential to contribute to more authentic and experiential forms of tourism and a possible solution to the challenges of overtourism. A netnographic approach was adopted, combining content analysis from the Champing website with thematic analysis of over 142 ‘Champers’ reviews of their Champing experience. The website content and thematic analysis highlights how Champing is promoted through heritage narratives, minimalist facilities, and links to local cultural and natural attractions through three core themes: Peaceful, Explore, and Novel and New. Findings position Champing as a niche tourism product that extends the camping and staycation portfolio. Analysis highlights how Champing aligns with policy objectives of local economies and heritage and as an option to mitigate against overtourism and foster experiential travel. This paper provides the first empirical analysis of Champing and extends research on camping and staycations; and it demonstrates the value of Netnography to tourism practices research
CLARIN in the UK Digital Research Infrastructure
No full textThis paper describes the initiatives within the UK to develop a national digital research infrastructure. This infrastructure brings together different aspects, including digital resources, computing services, and associated skills to build an interconnected, human, FAIR and sustainable infrastructure which addresses the needs of Arts and Humanities (A&H) researchers and practitioners. Key elements include the CLARIN-UK repository, the CLARIN Knowledge Centre for DigitalResources for the Languages in Ireland and Britain, and Digital Skills in the Arts and Humanities Network (DISKAH). The paper explores these developments as well as the opportunities to interact with CLARIN infrastructures and initiatives to benefit the wider community