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Cultivating a culture of supports
No full textIn this article, the results from a survey of BSc pre-registration midwifery students exploring their experiences of practice-based support are discussed. The results suggest that while student midwives generally perceive adequate support in their clinical practice, more than half of the respondents feel they lack full support. Skills for effective clinical support are shared to inform practice development
Associations between dynamic strength index and jumping, sprinting and change of direction performance in highly trained basketball players
Get PDFThe aim of the study was to investigate associations and differences between dynamic strength index (DSI) and multi-directional jumping, linear and curvilinear sprinting and change of direc-tion (CoD). Highly trained basketball players (n = 44) performed 20-m linear sprint, 20-m 3-point line (curvilinear) sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ), bilateral horizontal jump, unilateral horizontal jump, lateral jump, basketball specific lateral jump and isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP). The results showed weak to moderate associations between IMTP performance and horizontal jump, lateral jump and curvilinear sprint (r = −0.33-0.41; p < 0.05). No correlations were found between CMJ peak force and performance variables, while weak correlations were observed between DSI and unilateral horizontal jump (r = −0.36; p < 0.05), lateral jumps, linear sprint and CoD deficit (r = −0.37, −0.38; p < 0.05), showing that lower magnitude of DSI is associ-ated with better performance in those tests. Additional analysis revealed that the low DSI sub-group had the highest IMTP peak force, while high DSI subgroup had the highest CMJ peak force. The low DSI group showed better performance in vertical, horizontal and lateral jump, while no significant differences were observed in DJ and curvilinear sprint performance compared to other groups. The findings indicate that athletes with lower DSI values exhibit superior physical per-formance, suggesting that a strength-oriented training approach may be beneficial for basketball players, Due to ballistic nature of basketball, more maximal strength training is required to op-timize the DSI ratio in basketball players. Additional studies are needed to determine the precise benchmarks for navigating training based on DSI values
Einflussfaktoren von Verkaufsprozessen im Spannungsfeld zwischen persönlichem und digitalem Verkauf. Mit den Eingrenzungen auf die Kundensicht und auf langlebige Produkte im deutschsprachigen Raum
No full textThis thesis deals with the influencing factors of sales processes in the area of conflict between personal and digital sales from the customer's perspective. The special focus is on the marketing of durable products in German-speaking countries.
To this end, qualitative expert interviews were conducted on the basis of guided interviews. The experts were asked around 15 main questions plus follow-up questions and sub-questions in order to find out the underlying reasons for their channel decisions.
Digitalization has now permeated all areas of our lives and many processes are or could be handled quickly, easily and conveniently digitally. In many cases, however, customers still prefer the personal approach and the majority of purchases are still made in analog form.
The aim and motivation of this study was to determine the underlying influencing factors as to when customers are more likely to use the digital channel, when they are more likely to use the personal channel and when a hybrid channel, i.e. a combination of both, is advisable. Since everything is now (also) offered digitally, but personal or at least partially personal purchasing contact is (still) preferred to a large extent, the underlying purchasing motives and influencing factors are of interest.
In the course of this work, ten main influencing factors with more than 30 sub-influencing factors were defined, which customers include in the consideration of the purchasing process. This research project concludes with recommendations for action for companies. Based on an action model with the influencing factors, the company can choose its optimal form of marketing based on the products it offers.
The influencing factors on which theory and empirical evidence agree are product complexity, time criticality, price-performance ratio, and the need for aftercare/service. If one of these influencing factors is rated highly from the customer's perspective, the customer will opt for an analog or at least partially analog customer journey. From the provider's perspective, it is therefore advisable to offer at least the analog channel as well.
This work represents a snapshot in time. The coronavirus situation is now over and the trend back to analog shopping has come to an end, but digital options are becoming increasingly widespread. It is therefore questionable and interesting to what extent people will become even more accustomed to digital (shopping) options and perhaps eventually use them completely independently
Applications of virtual and mixed reality in healthcare
No full textThis chapter explores the increasingly influential role of Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) in modern healthcare, focusing on their applications in therapeutic interventions, rehabilitation, and medical education. While one of the first viable applications of VR involved usage in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and phobias, these technologies have since expanded into a wide range of clinical applications. VR has proven particularly effective in exposure therapy, helping patients overcome anxiety disorders and phobias with a high degree of success. In physical rehabilitation, VR and MR are used to enhance motor recovery after stroke and manage chronic pain, further increasing efficacy by embodying participants in virtual avatars, thereby eliciting the phenomenon of embodiment and full-body ownership illusions.
The chapter also highlights the educational potential of VR and MR, particularly in medical and nursing training. These technologies are currently being utilised for a plethora of classroom activities, including anatomy instruction, surgical training, and simulation-based learning in nursing schools, significantly improving knowledge retention and clinical skills, while also bringing costs down. Finally, the chapter examines governmental initiatives, such as those by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK and the Department of Veterans Affairs in the USA, which have supported the integration of VR into healthcare for treatments like phobia therapy.
As VR, AR, and MR technologies continue to evolve, their impact on healthcare is expected to grow, offering innovative solutions for patient care, therapeutic interventions, and medical education
Social entrepreneurial ecosystems: human capital and alertness to opportunities
No full textPurpose
What shapes individuals’ decisions to pursue social entrepreneurship? Drawing on studies on human capital and alertness to opportunities, as well as research on entrepreneurial ecosystems, this research examines how the business context and entrepreneurial alertness influence the relationship between human capital and social entrepreneurship.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 84,340 observations from 32 countries, this research applies multilevel empirical models to analyse entrepreneurial ecosystems across different countries and the role of individuals’ alertness to entrepreneurial opportunities as moderators of the aforementioned relationship. This approach accounts for the multilayered nature of the context into account.
Findings
The results reveal that for individuals with higher alertness to opportunities, human capital has a stronger positive impact as a driver of social entrepreneurship. This effect is further shaped by the macro-level ecosystems associated with national entrepreneurial environments.
Practical implications
This research provides insight for governments to facilitate social entrepreneurial activities. Human capital acts as a fundamental condition of social entrepreneurial activities. However, focusing only on micro-level antecedents does not fully explain the dependence of social entrepreneurial entry decisions on macro-level environments in which this decision-making takes place.
Originality/value
This research is the first attempt to examine a multilayered context influencing social entrepreneurship entry. It contributes to emerging research by integrating individual and contextual antecedents, while demonstrating how country-level entrepreneurial ecosystems establish boundary conditions for these relationships
‘How engaged are you?’ Pakistan vs. United Kingdom – A cross-cultural study of the effects of customer engagement in the digital era
No full textThe explosive global growth in digital media has given firms unparalleled opportunities to enhance their engagement with consumers and build brand relationships. However, consumers’ responses may vary depending on their national cultural context, and they may consume and share brand information differently. This study therefore explores, in different national contexts, the effects of social media marketing activities on customer engagement and customer engagement on brand trust, brand commitment, and brand value. We use commitment–trust theory to examine the model. Data were gathered from a total of 592 consumers in two different national market settings, i.e. the UK and Pakistan. The results confirm overall the effects of social media marketing activities on customer engagement, of customer engagement on brand trust and brand commitment, and of brand trust on brand commitment, both directly and based on the cultural moderator, suggesting the customer engagement effects are stronger in collectivist cultures. These findings fill several gaps in knowledge on the relationships between social media dimensions, customer engagement, and key brand outcomes, and also enable managers and policymakers to understand the need to take national culture into account in social media activities. The study’s limitations are also discussed
Content moderator mental health and associations with coping styles: replication and extension of previous studies
Get PDFThere is an increasing evidence base that demonstrates the psychological toll of content moderation on the employees that perform this crucial task. Nevertheless, content moderators (CMs) can be based worldwide and have varying working conditions. Therefore, there is a need for studies to be replicated to ensure that the results are robust. The current study used a large sample of commercial CMs employed by an international company to replicate the results from two previous studies that relied on an anonymous online survey. The results pertaining to mental health, wellbeing, and the effectiveness of wellbeing services for this population were mostly replicated. Over a quarter of CMs demonstrated moderate to severe psychological distress, and a quarter were experiencing low wellbeing. Further, the results suggest the potential utility for interventions that increase problem-focussed problem solving, as well as a need for the efficacy of wellbeing services to be evaluated more broadly
Writing a Recorder Concerto
No full textThis article introduces the author's Recorder Concerto which explores the recorder's potential as a concertante instrument and the protagonist of a dramatic structure. It outlines the piece's structure, instrumentation, stylistic references, and some of the compositional and performance techniques employed. The latter include aleatory counterpoint, multiphonics, microtones, harmonics and glissandi
Crisis-line workers’ perspectives on AI in suicide prevention: a qualitative exploration of risk and opportunity
Get PDFBackground
Crisis support services offer crucial intervention for individuals in acute distress, providing timely access to trained volunteers whose human connection is key to the effectiveness of these services. However, there are significant disparities in who utilises these services. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) present new possibilities for crisis intervention in the form of AI-powered conversational partners. Yet, there is little guidance on how AI might be used in this context; and the risks and opportunities remain largely unexplored. This study aims to explore the risks and opportunities of integrating artificial volunteers (AVs) into crisis support, focusing on meeting the needs of those at risk of suicide. It collects the perspectives of crisis service volunteers to contemplate an AVs potential effect on the quality and effectiveness of support provided in crisis situations.
Methods
A thematic analysis was used to interpret 13 semi-structured, exploratory qualitative interviews of an UK-based crisis service volunteers.
Results
Three concerns were identified regarding perceived inflexibility and inauthenticity of AI, and the potential for dehumanisation of texters, aligning with factors influencing suicidal behaviour, such as perceived rejection and feelings of entrapment. Despite these concerns, the study found potential advantages, including reduced perceived burden on texters, enhanced confidentiality, and consistent, impartial responses. Recommendations for potential implementations suggest a cautious yet open-minded approach to integrating AI into crisis support, emphasising the need for transparency, accountability, and clarity on the role of human oversight.
Conclusions
AI could complement rather than replace human support in the form of an AV, offering a differentiated, accessible avenue for those who might prefer or benefit from non-human interaction
Capacitive sensors for label-free detection in high-ionic-strength bodily fluids: a review
Get PDFCapacitive sensors are platforms that enable label-free, real-time detection at low non-perturbing voltages. These sensors do not rely on Faradaic processes, thereby eliminating the need for redox-active species and simplifying system integration for point-of-care diagnostics. However, their sensitivity in high-ionic-strength solutions, such as bodily fluids, is limited due to a reduced Debye length and non-specific interactions. The present review highlights advances in material integration, surface modification, and signal enhancement techniques to mitigate the challenges of deploying capacitive sensors in biofluids (sweat, saliva, blood, serum). This work further expands on the promise of such sensors for advancing liquid biopsies and highlights key technical challenges in translating capacitive systems to clinics