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The University of Missouri-Columbia's career center began to develop placement services for liberal arts students by conducting an environmental scan that acquired information from faculty, students, and employers. A strategic plan that focused on the specific career needs of liberal arts majors was developed. (SK)

Describes a successful strategic planning process at a large community college, which linked the analytic inputs of research with the authority and intuition of leaders. Reports key factors attributed to the process' success, including a collegial and organized structure, detailed project management plans, and confidence in the environmental scan. (Contains 53 references.) (CB)

Describes the status of two-year college development in the 1950s, tracing events that led up to the overwhelming demand for two-year colleges in the following decades. Asserts that if a college is to truly serve its community, it must comprehensively and continuously assess the community's needs. (AUTH/EMH)

An annual survey to determine pressing campus information technology (IT) challenges revealed that campus IT staffing challenges have eased, while security management has emerged as an issue of strategic importance. Numerous other findings were also gathered. (EV)

Strategic thinking is an organized, analytical process by which college leaders can assess: (1) existing and potential competitors; (2) sources of competitive advantage; and (3) college capabilities and competitive position. Three outcomes of strategic thinking are: (1) clear institutional strategy and direction; (2) improved institutional performance; and (3) institutional synergy. (PGS)

A market intelligence database is a vital tool for continuing education providers and brokers. Its components are as follows: layout of potential markets; analysis of population, demand, environment, and competitors (market opportunities analysis); market performance measures; and college consumer trends. (SK)

A study investigated the hypothesis that strategic human resource development shapes rather than supports corporate strategy. Data from 96 companies were used to analyze and revise a model of strategic partnerships. (Contains 92 references.) (SK)

Interviews with administrators, faculty, and support staff (n=42) in a university agriculture department revealed that they recognized distance technology as a means of reaching new audiences; policies and procedures must expand to address technology issues; competition, external dependence, and Internet misinformation were threats. Recommendations to diffuse distance education technology included administrator support, training, and incentives. (SK)

In response to the American Dental Association's (ADA) Future of Dentistry Project, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) provided perspective on the most critical issues facing the dental profession. ADEA responded in six areas, each corresponding to areas of focus in the ADA project. This report reflects comments provided to the ADEA panel in each of the six areas. (EV)

The environment most characterizing today's public schools is continuous change, spurred by increased demands for performance and accountability. However, discontinuous change, in which organizations must question basic operating assumptions, is imminent. Continuous learning must be built into an organizations' fabric and it needs acceptable scorecards for measuring progress. (MLH)

Presents advantages and disadvantages of environmental scanning for assessing the context of professional continuing education. Provides a checklist for evaluating the quality and usefulness of information sources. Addresses the ethics of scanning. (SK)

There is no single best decision-making approach. This article reviews and compares six contemporary models (classical, administrative, incremental, mixed-scanning, garbage-can, and political) and develops a framework and 10 propositions to match strategies with circumstances. A contingency approach suggests that administrators use satisficing (a realistic version of rational decision making) and mixed scanning for solving routine administrative problems. (33 references) (MLH)

Develops a general framework and matrix for assessing ethical behavior from a campus perspective and illustrates how visual anthropology can be used to implement the matrix. Claims that indices, such as photographs on bulletin boards, architecture, graffiti, and other environmental elements, can portray a campus's ethical climate. (RJM)

Chronicles the efforts of North Carolina's James Sprunt Community College to improve the quality of life for residents of its service area through the use of community-based programming (C-BP). Reviews the C-BP process utilized at the college, highlighting the formation of three planning teams charged with developing coalitions, strategic plans, and community leadership. (AJL)

Panoramic scanning is the capacity to perceive, interpret, and appreciate complex problems from a big-picture vantage point. Barriers to panoramic scanning (sensory bombardment, superficial polarized thought, and tunnel vision) and facilitators (broad interests and knowledge, pattern finding, and connection-making skills) are identified. Educators of the gifted are urged to foster development of panoramic scanning. (Author/DB)

Describes how SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis can be used by business educators to find the best match between environmental trends (opportunities and threats) and internal departmental capabilities (strengths and weaknesses). An example from accounting education is provided. (JOW)

The role that luck plays in management success is a disputed topic. Overall, managers tend to take credit for their successes and attribute failures to bad luck. Luck also undermines the claims of management training to guarantee positive results. Overall, luck is less important for library managers because most libraries have guaranteed funding in contrast to those organizations that depend upon generating revenue from their less predictable customers and clients. The physical world offers bad luck with fires, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Luck from people can include both—an assault in the library or an unexpected grant opportunity. Library managers should not attribute failures to bad luck before emotionlessly evaluating the reasons and taking away any lessons for future success. They should also be open to finding good luck by continuously scanning their environment and then acting quickly to benefit from any opportunities before they slip away. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the prevalence of traditional fuels and the increasing awareness of their negative effects on sustainability, policymakers and government authorities in Nepal have been compelled to transition towards promoting the adoption of clean energy. Nevertheless, as a result of numerous obstacles, the rate of renewable energy utilization has remained sluggish. Therefore, the country's policymakers must become acquainted with the factors that impede the progress of renewable energy. The objective is to pinpoint the constraints, restrictions, and barriers that hinder the advancement of renewable energy access to rural communities in Nepal. The current study used the Delphi Technique of Environmental Scanning to identify the barriers impeding the adoption of renewable energy. In addition, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed to redefine categories of bottlenecks depending on the direction of the factors in the context of Nepal. Ultimately, the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process (FAHP) has been employed to determine the priority of distinct bottlenecks of clean energy development. The study suggests that Nepal's advancement in sustainable energy is hindered by financial obstacles, primarily due to the significant initial investment, which accounts for 19% of the challenges, and the lack of effective fiscal incentives provided by the government to developers and users, which accounts for 10.6% of the challenges. The research identified many contributory reasons, including the function of regulatory organizations (6.4%), inadequate political commitments (6%), inefficient existing energy policy (5%), and poor public knowledge (5%). To promote the development of sustainable energy sources in rural areas, it is crucial to implement economic incentives, provide financial support, establish partnerships between the public and private sectors, and utilize innovative financing methods such as green bonds, crowdfunding, and carbon financing. Additionally, it is necessary to increase political commitments to amend existing renewable energy policies in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business analytics presents significant opportunities for enhancing strategic decision-making (SDM), which is crucial for organizational competitiveness. However, there is a knowledge gap in understanding the interactions among environmental dynamism, business analytics use, environmental scanning, and rational and intuitive SDM. This paper addresses this gap by leveraging the information processing view and analyzing 218 survey responses using partial least squares (PLS) path modeling. It reveals that environmental dynamism influences business analytics use and environmental scanning. Business analytics use positively impacts rational SDM but negatively affects intuitive SDM. Environmental scanning partially mediates the relationship between business analytics use and rational SDM, and there is an inverse correlation between rational and intuitive SDM. This research introduces a novel theoretical framework, enriching the information processing view, and deepens understanding of how strategic information processing capabilities influence SDM. It also provides practical insights for organizations using business analytics to improve SDM processes in uncertain environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community resource mapping (CRM) is a process for identifying community resources vital to the successful post-secondary transition to adulthood for youth with extensive support needs (ESN). By adopting the four-step process delineated in the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition's Essential Tool: Community Resource Mapping, we present an adaptable digital CRM process that aligns with transition services as an outcome-based process. This is shown through enhancing internal and external collaboration efforts with various agencies, school staff, and families in identifying community resources in a streamlined and accessible process for youth with ESN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key factors influencing an organisation's profitability and success in the business world is its productivity. This explains why manufacturing companies want to reach high productivity levels in order to generate more profit, succeed and stay relevant in the marketplace. This study examined the relationship between strategic management practices and organisational productivity (OP) of aluminium manufacturing firms in Delta State, Nigeria. To obtain primary data from study participants and determine the relationship between the study's constructs, the researcher used survey research designs in this study. A total of 383 copies of the questionnaire were given to the study participants in order to assess the study hypotheses, of which 348 were considered to be valid. Both interitem covariance and multiple regression analysis were utilised in this study for data analysis via Stata. Findings revealed that the dimensions of strategic management practices (environmental scanning (ES), strategy formulation (SF), strategy implementation (SI) and strategy evaluation (SE), have a positive significant effect on OP. Based on the study findings, it was recommended that organisations, particularly aluminium firms, should be actively engaged in strategic management practices like continual and effective ES, sound SF, timely and efficient SI and a standard process for SE in order to achieve a high level of OP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmental pressures intensify and digital technology advances rapidly, many countries, including China, are looking to more effectively heed social and environmental responsibilities by effectively integrating digital technology with traditional industries. Digital green innovation is gradually becoming a necessary direction for enterprises in various countries as they strive for high-quality development. How enterprises can achieve digital green innovation through the duality of digitalization and sustainability has become a crucial research question. However, existing research rarely addresses the mechanisms that lead to the formation of digital green innovation within enterprises. This study uses a sample of 305 manufacturing enterprises in China. Based on strategic orientation theory, this study introduces the concept of digital sustainability orientation, integrating both digital and sustainability orientations. A model is constructed to examine the impact of digital sustainability orientation on digital green innovation in enterprises, analyzing the mechanism of action through the mediation of capability reconfiguration and the moderation of environmental scanning. The study finds that digital sustainability orientation significantly positively impacts digital green innovation, highlighting the integrated effect of digital and sustainability orientations. The findings indicate that digital sustainability orientation significantly positively impacts digital green innovation, whereas a single strategic orientation does not effectively promote digital green innovation; capability reconfiguration partially mediates the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and digital green innovation in enterprises; and environmental scanning positively moderates the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and capability reconfiguration and further influences the mediating role of capability reconfiguration. This study contributes to the advancement of digital sustainability theory in the field of digital green innovation; moreover, the results of this study offer significant practical insights for enterprises aiming to successfully implement digital green innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Horizon scanning is a process to generate foresight – insight into how the future could unfold. Horizon scanning involves systematically searching a wide range of information sources for early signals of change, collecting those signals in a database, and exploring their possible implications for the future. The focus is often on external change in the broad contextual environment of a field or organization, i.e., the social, economic, technological, and governance domains. External change could be highly disruptive and is unlikely to be on the radar of decision makers. Early awareness of changes and monitoring their development over time can help natural resource planners, managers, and policymakers prepare for emerging challenges and opportunities. This paper introduces horizon scanning, characterizes different approaches and techniques, outlines the basic process, and briefly describes artificial intelligence in horizon scanning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promotion of high-quality, environmentally sustainable practices in enterprises in the digital age has become an important topic in business and academic circles. In this study, by employing a perspective combining digital orientation (DO) and sustainability commitment orientation (SCO), the concept of digital sustainability orientation (DSO) is presented, and digital green capability (DGC) is introduced as the mediating variable. Moreover, the driving mechanism model of corporate environmental sustainability practice (ESP) is constructed, and the moderating role of environmental scanning (ES) is taken into consideration. Using two sets of research data from 353 manufacturing enterprises in China, the empirical test results show that DSO has a significant role in improving ESP, and DGC is important in mediating between DSO and ESP. ES acts as a moderating variable between DSO and DGC and further moderates the mediating role of DGC between DSO and EPS; that is, the stronger the ES, the more significant the mediating effect of DGC. The conclusion of this study broadens the application scope of strategic orientation theory in the study of digital sustainability and has theoretical and practical implications for exploring the development of DGC and the dynamic mechanism of ESP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to external information is considered crucial to achieving organizational ambidexterity (OA) while presenting specific challenges for SMEs due to their limited resources. However, little is known about how SMEs can best benefit from their external information‐seeking activities for OA purposes, given specific organizational practices. Our paper addresses this research gap by analyzing the effects of external information seeking (i.e., environmental scanning and external managerial networking) on OA while considering the moderating role of empowerment climate in SMEs. Based on a survey administered to CEOs of 1439 French manufacturing SMEs, our main results indicate that empowerment climate positively moderates the effect of scanning breadth on OA but negatively moderates the effect of networking depth. This suggests that SMEs should emphasize external information‐seeking activities that are appropriate to their level of empowerment climate so that the positive effects on OA can be fully realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the organizational strategies employed by Chinese multinational contractors (CMCCs) operating in the construction industry across Southern African countries. By integrating the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory (DCT), the study aims to uncover the factors contributing to CMCCs' competitive advantage and ability to achieve sustained success. Through a comprehensive analysis of micro- and macro-environmental factors, the study reveals the significant impact of the local context on CMCCs' contract acquisition. Factors such as GDP, population, infrastructure needs, and transparency index rankings shape the market dominance of CMCCs in different countries within the region. The research identifies ten organizational strategies employed by CMCCs that have led to their recent success in Southern Africa. These strategies encompass financial, legal, and technical aspects, including competitive pricing, long-term partnerships with suppliers, access to funding from the Chinese government, fragile adherence to compliance and anti-corruption policies, specialized sub-companies, training and development of human resources, and various contract agreements. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of knowledge-based strategies for CMCCs' competitive advantage. The acquisition, transfer, and application of knowledge play a crucial role in adapting to local environments, continuous learning, innovation, and expertise development. The findings underscore the significance of considering political and cultural factors in the Southern African construction industry. CMCCs' ability to understand and adapt to the political and cultural context of the host country contributes to their successful operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are currently amid multiple interconnected and complex crises within the different dimensions of our society--a polycrisis, and the future promises even greater complexity in terms of threats. However, the existing crisis typologies and crisis identification often have an introspective organisational focus and tend to concentrate on a limited set of historically known threats. This study takes an exploratory, futures studies-based approach with a broader societal perspective. Through environmental scanning using 1714 literature sources and consultations with 54 experts, we have identified 153 potential future crises spanning various societal domains. We utilize the PESTLE framework to outline the possible emergence of these crises. Our findings reveal a considerably larger number of potential crisis phenomena than previously proposed, aiming for objective sensemaking of the complex crisis landscape. The results also demonstrate crises vary in their temporal development, albeit evaluating this is challenging. This study challenges the prevalent myopic and subjective prioritisation-based crisis identification and provides a comprehensive yet comprehensible list of possible future crises. In the current context of siloed decision-making structures, both public and private organisations can use this list to enhance their future-oriented preparedness and assess their responsibilities in managing these crises, as well as identifying necessary stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmental pressures intensify and digital technology advances rapidly, many countries, including China, are looking to more effectively heed social and environmental responsibilities by effectively integrating digital technology with traditional industries. Digital green innovation is gradually becoming a necessary direction for enterprises in various countries as they strive for high-quality development. How enterprises can achieve digital green innovation through the duality of digitalization and sustainability has become a crucial research question. However, existing research rarely addresses the mechanisms that lead to the formation of digital green innovation within enterprises. This study uses a sample of 305 manufacturing enterprises in China. Based on strategic orientation theory, this study introduces the concept of digital sustainability orientation, integrating both digital and sustainability orientations. A model is constructed to examine the impact of digital sustainability orientation on digital green innovation in enterprises, analyzing the mechanism of action through the mediation of capability reconfiguration and the moderation of environmental scanning. The study finds that digital sustainability orientation significantly positively impacts digital green innovation, highlighting the integrated effect of digital and sustainability orientations. The findings indicate that digital sustainability orientation significantly positively impacts digital green innovation, whereas a single strategic orientation does not effectively promote digital green innovation; capability reconfiguration partially mediates the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and digital green innovation in enterprises; and environmental scanning positively moderates the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and capability reconfiguration and further influences the mediating role of capability reconfiguration. This study contributes to the advancement of digital sustainability theory in the field of digital green innovation; moreover, the results of this study offer significant practical insights for enterprises aiming to successfully implement digital green innovation.

Big data analytics has attracted significant scholarly attention over the past few years due to its critical role in directing organizational decision making. Big data analytics capabilities (BDAC) are increasingly being suggested to be of great help in providing competitive advantages to the firms across industrial settings. Although, prior research has examined the influence of BDAC from a technological perspective; there is a lack of a research from a broader strategic perspective. Correspondingly, this study builds on dynamic capabilities view to propose a conceptual model that investigates the direct and indirect effects between three dimensions of BDAC on environmental scanning and organization's strategic intent. This study adopted the questionnaire-based survey method to collect the data from 179 senior managers of pharmaceutical companies in Egypt. The results revealed that only the technological dimension of BDAC significantly affected the strategic intent only through supporting data-driven culture and organizational learning. The results also reveal that BDAC is positively associated with environmental scanning, which consequently affects strategic intent. Our results further reveal that environmental scanning mediates the relationship between BDAC and organization's strategic intent. The paper concludes by offering some valuable theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Iran Future Studies / Āyandah/pizhūhī-i Īrān is the property of Imam Khomeini International University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objetive. To investigate the effect of environmental scanning on the relationship between individual and organizational factors and the use of information by the electronic publishing managers. Method. The current research is completely practical. The survey-analytical method was applied on 152 managers which were active in the electronic publishing industry. Data was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire. Results. As the average results indicate, individual factors (information awareness = 16.21 and information disclosure =7.039), organizational factors (information climate = 7.105 and external attention = 9.96), T value in environmental scanning (50.197) and the use of information (62.92) are above the average level. The analysis and explanation of the findings in this case reveals that after imposing of a mediator, the β value was changes subsequently from (β=0.576) and (β=0.0383) to (β =0.267) and (β=0.341). This means and reinforces the trivial but crucial effect of the mediator. Conclusions. The positive attitudes toward the informational based activities, intermittent interaction with experts with high and enriched informational backgrounds and resources, the amount of conditional and organizational access to information and finally the reciprocal action with the environment has a great impact on the amount of environmental scanning and information to which the managers use.

Purpose - This study develops a research framework to examine the role of strategic foresight on organizational success at Jordanian financial services companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. Design/Methodology/Approach - This study targeted the most important Jordanian financial services companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange, (171) questionnaires were retrieved, and responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and SMART PLS & SEMANN method. Finding - The findings indicated that three out of four dimensions of strategic foresight significantly impact organizational success, which are scenario planning, future vision, and environmental scanning. In contrast, the strategic choice did not have any significant impact on organizational success, and this was confirmed by testing the ANN model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Majority of the small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya are conventionally family businesses owing to their initial source of capital, ownership and day-to-day operations. Kenya's economy represents a feudal-like family economy dominated by a few well-capitalized family-owned units at both the top and mid-tier. Strategic management practices are usually geared towards increasing managerial efficiency and effectiveness so as to increase the current and future operations. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of strategic management practices on the performance of family-owned manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study included: environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation and monitoring. Methodology: The study adopted descriptive research design using purposive sampling strategy targeting 4 heads of departments per firm from 20 firms yielding a total of 80 respondents. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Profitability ratio was collected using a secondary data collection sheet. Primary data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. Data was analyzed both descriptively as well as inferentially using and presented using statistical distribution tables. Findings: The results established that environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation and monitoring positively and significantly affect the organizational performance of family-owned manufacturing firms. The results hence indicate that increasing each of the variable with one-unit results to increase in organizational performance of these firms with their respective beta values. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored on the following theories: agency theory, transaction cost theory, transformational and stewardship theories. The study recommends that the family-owned manufacturing firms operating in Nairobi City County, Kenya to enhance their environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy evaluation and monitoring practices since the practices positively and significantly affects organizational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk and ambiguity, distinctive facets of environmental uncertainty, significantly influence a firm's disclosure decisions. In theoretical and empirical literature, risk disclosure emerges as a pivotal facet of interpretive disclosures within corporate financial reports, representing a rational response to uncertainty. Nonetheless, the mechanism guiding risk disclosure determinations amidst conditions of risk and uncertainty, while considering the equilibrium between agency advantages and costs, remains a gap within risk disclosure literature. This study investigates the nexus between risk disclosure and uncertainty at the corporate level, hinging upon business strategy and alertness criteria. Employing a multiple regression model, the research examines these hypotheses within firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the 2016-2021 period. The risk disclosure was assessed through content analysis of annual financial reports. The results demonstrate that firms pursuing the prospector-oriented strategy provide more risk disclosure than defender-oriented firms, aiming to mitigate information asymmetry and its agency benefits. Moreover, the findings illustrate that alert firms, through continual environmental scanning, diminish ambiguity cyclically, enhancing their comprehension of exposed risks and consequentially augmenting risk disclosure. In essence, this research underscores that a firm's strategic stance encompasses implications beyond operational and competitive domains, permeating financial reporting and risk disclosure determinations. Consequently, this study underscores the criticality of incorporating risk dimensions and environmental ambiguity into the interpretation and scrutiny of disclosure of risk related information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Les Cahiers du CREAD is the property of Centre de Rrecherche en Economie Appliquee pour Developpement and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sustainable innovation now plays a leading role in the transformation and upgrading activities of enterprises, and the new business model is increasingly a typical form of innovation. Therefore, based on neo-institutional theory of organization, this study mainly analyzes the impact of cognitive schemas on new ventures' business model innovativeness by selecting new service industry enterprises as the research object and referring to data from the China Statistical Yearbook and "China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Index". In addition, we entrusted professional market research companies and business incubators to collect 142 valid questionnaires. The results show that general cognitive schema negatively affects business model innovativeness, while specific cognitive schema positively affects it. Specifically, general cognitive schema reduces the level of effort and sustainability of entrepreneurial environmental scanning activities, which is not conducive to the design of highly innovative business models; specific cognitive schema not only improves the level of effort and sustainability of entrepreneurial environmental scanning activities, but also drives the entrepreneurs to pay more attention to new information outside the industry, which is conducive to the design of a highly innovative business model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct growth of large-area vertically stacked two-dimensional (2D) van der Waal (vdW) materials is a prerequisite for their high-end applications in integrated electronics, optoelectronics and photovoltaics. Currently, centimetre- to even metre-scale monolayers of single-crystal graphene (MLG) and hexagonal boron nitride (h -BN) have been achieved by epitaxial growth on various single-crystalline substrates. However, in principle, this success in monolayer epitaxy seems extremely difficult to be replicated to bi- or few-layer growth, as the full coverage of the first layer was believed to terminate the reactivity of those adopting catalytic metal surfaces. Here, we report an exceptional layer-by-layer chemical vapour deposition (CVD) growth of large size bi-layer graphene single-crystals, enabled by proximity catalytic activity from platinum (Pt) surfaces to the outermost graphene layers. In-situ growth and real-time surveillance experiments, under well-controlled environments, unambiguously verify that the growth does follow the layer-by-layer mode on open surfaces of MLG/Pt(111). First-principles calculations indicate that the transmittal of catalytic activity is allowed by an appreciable electronic hybridisation between graphene overlayers and Pt surfaces, enabling catalytic dissociation of hydrocarbons and subsequently direct graphitisation of their radicals on the outermost sp2 carbon surface. This proximity catalytic activity is also proven to be robust for tube-furnace CVD in fabricating single-crystalline graphene bi-, tri- and tetra-layers, as well as h -BN few-layers. Our findings offer an exceptional strategy for potential controllable, layer-by-layer and wafer-scale growth of vertically stacked few-layered 2D single crystals. [Display omitted] ● An ad-layer FM growth mechanism of graphene bi- and few-layers under CVD is uncovered for the first time. ● Real-time monitored growth in environmental scanning electron microscopes (ESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). ● Proximity activity enabled tri- and tetra-layer graphene and bilayer h-BN growth on Pt(111) supported by DFT calculations. ● A new strategy for the investigation of catalyzed surface reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a knowledge-based customer-centric strategic model to respond to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in the supply chain management (SCM) context. The proposed model strives to leverage knowledge-based distinctive core competencies (DCCs) to improve customer satisfaction and achieve SCA. An exploratory research design has been adopted. The study undertook a systematic literature review approach with 36 articles or books published between 1970 and 2020 to construct the strategic planning model. The paper presents an integrated multi-dimensional model for SCM, including value chain activities, competitiveness strategies, business process re-engineering (BPR), and SCA. The practical result of the article is to develop a theoretical strategic planning model for SCM as a holistic framework for using the company’s DCCs and creating an SCA in a highly competitive and dynamic business environment. The proposed model comprehensively covers the supply chain (SC)’s competitive advantage strategy. For businesses that tend to adapt and triumph, the proposed model helps reduce order cycle times, reduce inventory levels, increase accuracy and efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer service and satisfaction.

Urban shrinkage poses significant challenges to Real Estate markets in Shrinking Cities and has multiple negative impacts on society, environment and economy. Although major cities are growing rapidly, a significant volume of building stock and population will endure in shrinking cities in the future. To enhance the resilience of local real estate markets and communities, forces that offer novel possibilities for shrinking cities should be actively studied. This study deepens understanding of the forces affecting the real estate market environments of Shrinking Cities by examining the public discourse and the perceptions of local market participants, both of which steer future market development. To identify and analyse these forces, an environmental scanning method was employed, using as data sources 872 Finnish newspaper articles and 45 interviews with market actors in eight Shrinking Cities in Finland. The results categorise the identified forces under three themes that describe the drivers of future market development. The findings indicate that, although the Real Estate markets of Shrinking Cities face challenges, forces such as telecommuting, multi-local living and emerging industries may offer new opportunities and slow urban shrinkage. The findings may be utilised to steer the development of Shrinking Cities in a more resilient direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a knowledge-based customer-centric strategic model to respond to environmental challenges and achieve sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) in the supply chain management (SCM) context. The proposed model strives to leverage knowledge-based distinctive core competencies (DCCs) to improve customer satisfaction and achieve SCA. An exploratory research design has been adopted. The study undertook a systematic literature review approach with 36 articles or books published between 1970 and 2020 to construct the strategic planning model. The paper presents an integrated multi-dimensional model for SCM, including value chain activities, competitiveness strategies, business process re-engineering (BPR), and SCA. The practical result of the article is to develop a theoretical strategic planning model for SCM as a holistic framework for using the company's DCCs and creating an SCA in a highly competitive and dynamic business environment. The proposed model comprehensively covers the supply chain (SC)'s competitive advantage strategy. For businesses that tend to adapt and triumph, the proposed model helps reduce order cycle times, reduce inventory levels, increase accuracy and efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer service and satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A substantial part of the work conducted by librarians at Swedish regional libraries concerns staying alert and informed in ways that allow for continuous development of the kind of knowledge and abilities that are required for doing a qualified job, but this part of the work is elusive and hard to identify. This paper presents an empirical study that elucidates this specific kind of work of keeping abreast and updated with professional information. Empirical data were produced through interviews and logbooks with 10 members of staff at 4 regional libraries in Sweden. The data were analysed by employing Marcia Bates' model of different information-seeking modes. The results of the study show that the activity in focus is seamlessly intertwined with other work activities and enacted in a variety of ways that are adapted after other work tasks (than the information seeking in itself) and dependent on individual preferences and routines. Since there is a certain conception of this activity as something that should be carried out in a certain systematic way and since it is something that one as a librarian ought to be good at, it is furthermore often associated with a normative dimension that provokes a sense of guilt among the study participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic's characteristics, including how quickly it spread, and the emergence of new virus variations, raise serious questions about the pandemic's potential repercussions and complications in the food and beverage industry, among other industries. The global COVID-19 pandemic highlights the pressing need to reconsider how we manufacture and market food and beverage goods. During the epidemic, SMEs must build organizational resilience (OR) in order to recover economically, socially, and communally. Relational capital (RC) is a crucial factor that can be deployed by SMEs to acquire the resources existing in the external networks to adapt to disturbances; however, the impact of RC on the resilience of Egyptian food and beverage SMEs is under-examined. Additionally, it is unclear how RC promotes organizational resilience. In this regard, we argue that social interactions and regular communication can let an SME and its business partners exchange information and best practices, thereby enabling it to immediately establish backup plans to deal with the disruption. In order to achieve our aim, we investigated how relational capital affected organizational resilience both directly and indirectly through environmental scanning, utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS--SEM).The results from 217 Egyptian food and beverage SMEs demonstrate that relational capital directly and positively affected organizational resilience. Besides, the RC--OR relationship is partially mediated by environmental scanning. Our current study, therefore, adds to the extant literature through being one of the few studies to address the topics of relational capital and resilience altogether during crisis times within a developing country, an issue that has not been sufficiently investigated in exiting literature. Moreover, our current study is the first one to empirically investigate the role of relational capital in facilitating environmental scanning activities of SMEs to ultimately foster their resilience. Our results, thus, prove that a large amount of information relevant for recovery are inherent within an SME's external relations network. We provide implications for theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The COVID-19 pandemic’s characteristics, including how quickly it spread, and the emergence of new virus variations, raise serious questions about the pandemic’s potential repercussions and complications in the food and beverage industry, among other industries. The global COVID-19 pandemic highlights the pressing need to reconsider how we manufacture and market food and beverage goods. During the epidemic, SMEs must build organizational resilience (OR) in order to recover economically, socially, and communally. Relational capital (RC) is a crucial factor that can be deployed by SMEs to acquire the resources existing in the external networks to adapt to disturbances; however, the impact of RC on the resilience of Egyptian food and beverage SMEs is under-examined. Additionally, it is unclear how RC promotes organizational resilience. In this regard, we argue that social interactions and regular communication can let an SME and its business partners exchange information and best practices, thereby enabling it to immediately establish backup plans to deal with the disruption. In order to achieve our aim, we investigated how relational capital affected organizational resilience both directly and indirectly through environmental scanning, utilizing partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM).The results from 217 Egyptian food and beverage SMEs demonstrate that relational capital directly and positively affected organizational resilience. Besides, the RC–OR relationship is partially mediated by environmental scanning. Our current study, therefore, adds to the extant literature through being one of the few studies to address the topics of relational capital and resilience altogether during crisis times within a developing country, an issue that has not been sufficiently investigated in exiting literature. Moreover, our current study is the first one to empirically investigate the role of relational capital in facilitating environmental scanning activities of SMEs to ultimately foster their resilience. Our results, thus, prove that a large amount of information relevant for recovery are inherent within an SME’s external relations network. We provide implications for theory and practice.

Due to increased global environment volatility and uncertainty, organizations are constantly faced with unexpected events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought large international disruptions for several firms. Organizational resilience is a potential notion for describing how firms might stay alive and thrive in such a volatile environment. Therefore, this study aimed to examine how SMEs can foster their resilience through investigating the roles of environmental scanning and process innovation while testing the moderating role of environmental uncertainty. To achieve this aim, we tested a structural model through an empirical investigation with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) using a sample of 249 Egyptian SMEs. The results reveal that process innovation is a necessary condition for environmental scanning to affect organizational resilience. Furthermore, the results do not support the moderating role of environmental uncertainty the indirect relationship between environmental scanning and organizational resilience. Our findings contribute to innovation and resilience literature by proving that process innovation is a necessary mechanism to translate environmental scanning information to enhance resilience. This research is the first to highlight the role of process innovation in linking environmental scanning to organizational resilience. Our results provide insights about how Egyptian SMEs could remain resilient amidst the COVID-19 through scanning their environments to improve internal processes. We discuss related theoretical and managerial implications.

The HTA progress requires analyses of existing and forthcoming needs as well as the development of tools meeting these needs. The proposed research presents hierarchical scheme for HTA development created based on Environmental Scanning and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The scheme presents the overall prognosis of HTA development indicating the key blocks of needs and relevant tools. Each of these tools are considered to be exclusively important for HTA development. Local registries are considered to be the priority for further HTA improving meeting more needs and providing less risks comparing to other tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the product innovation process, companies are required to design their product according to diverse external influence dimensions from the product environment. By the analysis of these influence dimensions, companies gain insight into the urgency or possibility to innovate their product accordingly. As the majority of data within the business context available is text data, there is a need to formulate a method that enables companies to evaluate the data relevant for the product innovation accordingly. As the manual evaluation of this data is not feasible due to the high data amount, especially for small and medium sized companies, a concept for an automated evaluation method is required. This concept uses approaches from the field of text mining and applies them to the innovation management in order to gain insight from diverse texts about innovation potentials. This concept includes the definition of a suitable preprocessing, a topic modeling approach for this use case and a collection of options for the topic exploration. The preprocessing defines how usually occurring text documents can be converted into a format that is manageable for the text mining approach. The topic modeling is based on a constrained TF-IDF- weighted Latent Dirichlet Allocation to identify preferably new and unique topics within the considered dataset. Afterwards, the identified topics can be explored in differentiated ways in order to gain a better insight into the product environment. The validation of this method on three sample datasets tests its limitations but indicates also the potential of an automated text analysis for innovation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]