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This study aims to analyze the award-winning efforts from the 2019/2019 edition of the National Innovation Award (Premio Nacional de Inovacao – PNI), based on the different types of innovation in Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs). The support of public policies for Brazilian businesses, boost awards in terms of recognition for the search for new solutions in order to make businesses more sustainable through innovation. Methodologically classified as of an applied nature, this research has a qualitative descriptive-explanatory approach. Its object of analysis is a group of companies with innovative characteristics, validated by PNI awards. Such companies were selected among the winners of PNI’s most recent edition that were also participating in SEBRAE’s and CNPq’s Local Innovation Agent Program (Agente Local de Inovacao – ALI). Data has been obtained through structured individual interviews with the companies’ representatives, questionnaire application and documentary research. After conducting the study, similarities were observed between the surveyed companies. They have been in the market for at least 7 and at most 26 years, and they have used the award’s questionnaire as a self-assessment tool. It was observed that their representatives are also involved in different types of ventures. It is important to highlight the presence of some of these in the international market and in startup investments. The results obtained are presented as the set of implementations of the types of innovation in the companies studied, which, through their efforts and actions, become subjects that enable mechanisms to stimulate competitiveness in small businesses. With the aid of literature, supported by researchers and authors, followed by the use of multiple case studies and document analysis, this study’s relevance has been associated with PNI’s award-winning companies, incorporating them into a context of innovative practice models and allowing them to contribute to business sustainability

Commercialization of technology is vital to the survival and success of biotechnology firms, which offer solutions to key environmental concerns, such as air pollution, soil pollution, and climate change. Although a number of technology commercialization models have been proposed, the specific requirements of biotechnology commercialization, which include specialized infrastructure, intense research and development interactions, time-sensitive decision making, and pilot scaling have been addressed in the limited way in the previous literature. In this article, we study the process of technology commercialization through in-depth interviews with managers of biotechnology firms in India and propose a commercialization model that is tailored to biotechnology firms operating in an Indian setting. With the help of a two-tailed multiple case study design, we develop a commercialization model that identifies six new subprocesses and three valleys of death. The model can assist managers and entrepreneurs throughout the commercialization journey by defining objectives, activities, and outcomes of each of the 18 subprocesses of technology commercialization. Biotechnology firms can use this model to minimize errors, reduce time to market, and ensure time-sensitive decision making.

The study aims to discover the extent to which organizations support the careers of skilled contingent workers (SCWs) by providing them with organizational career management (OCM) practices. Analyzing three Belgian companies from different sectors, we find that SCWs do benefit from OCM practices. Such practices cover three dimensions: formalization, individual focus, and differentiation. Subsequently, we explain the three dimensions, respectively, through three contextual variables: the legal and regulatory framework, companies’ human resource management (HRM) configurations and the value of human capital, and the roles of third-party actors. The association of the variables with such dimensions enables the development of three research propositions. This study paves the way for additional research on SCWs and their careers as well as incorporating this population in HRM strategies, including that of OCM practices.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how family businesses utilise social media tools, to determine what the purposes, benefits and challenges are, and to discover competencies that are important in social networking and cooperation. A multiple case study method was employed based on semi-structured interviews with six wineries located in the Balaton region, Hungary. The interviewees and the wineries they represented were selected among the 55 wineries applying the non-probability sampling purposive technique and the interviews were analysed using a case study method and qualitative content analysis. The results show that Facebook is the most popular social media tool that wineries use to increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers. This study also presents a “Social media roadmap” framework for good practice and proposes practical steps family businesses may take to help them succeed in their marketing activities.

A multiple case study has been carried out of four teacher groups who engaged in collective lesson design, observation, and reflection to support their professional learning. The teacher groups were examined on what and how they learned from their collaboration over time. For each meeting, teachers’ learning logs and transcripts were analysed. The results show that the groups differed in the amount, consistency, and stability of self-reported learning outcomes throughout the meetings. Differences between groups also relate to the number and type of dialogic moves between the teachers within each group. A main conclusion includes that challenging each other in their dialogues supported teachers’ learning. Additional explanations of learning outcomes relate to teachers’ collective participation and facilitation in the group.

The meaningful engagement of community-based actors in climate change adaptation planning is crucial for effective plans, but achieving it is an ongoing challenge, even with participatory methods. In this paper we explore very different approach, using shared-values crystallization as a pre-process to standard vulnerability risk assessments (VRAs), which recently reported significant impacts on plans produced. We posit this could be due to learning via changed local perceptions of roles, and we use multiple-case study work with five Village Development Committees (VDCs) in North East District, Botswana, and examine VRA outputs, and pre- and post-VRA interview transcripts, for evidence. Findings indicate that VDC members who took part in the shared-values pre-process significantly clarified and prioritized their general roles, and subsequently engaged more deeply in the planning process, taking more responsibility and ownership for the final adaptation plans. They related climate risks to their local lived-realities better, producing quality action plans, funding innovations and mainstreaming of adaptation into wider local plans, alongside an eagerness to present ideas to higher-governance levels. These findings suggest the shared-values pre-process could be immediately valuable for multilevel adaptation planning practices, and that the concept of role clarification deserves more specific consideration in academic studies on participation.

BackgroundFood insecurity (FI), the limited access to healthy food to live an active and healthy life, is a social determinant of health linked to poor dietary health and difficulty with disease management in the United States (U.S.). Healthcare experts support the adoption of validated screening tools within primary care practice to identify and connect FI patients to healthy and affordable food resources. Yet, a lack of standard practices limits uptake. The purpose of this study was to understand program processes and outcomes of primary care focused FI screening initiatives that may guide wide-scale program implementation.MethodsThis was an embedded multiple case study of two primary care-focused initiatives implemented in two diverse health systems in Chicago and Suburban Cook County that routinely screened patients for FI and referred them to onsite food assistance programs. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and an iterative process were used to collect/analyze qualitative data through semi-structured interviews withN = 19 healthcare staff. Intended program activities, outcomes, actors, implementation barriers/facilitators and overarching implementation themes were identified as a part of a cross-case analysis.ResultsPrograms outcomes included: the number of patients screened, identified as FI and that participated in the onsite food assistance program. Study participants reported limited internal resources as implementation barriers for program activities. The implementation climate that leveraged the strength of community collaborations and aligned internal, implementation climate were critical facilitators that contributed to the flexibility of program activities that were tailored to fill gaps in resources and meet patient and clinician needs.ConclusionHighly adaptable programs and the healthcare context enhanced implementation feasibility across settings. These characteristics can support program uptake in other settings, but should be used with caution to preserve program fidelity. A foundational model for the development and testing of standard clinical practice was the product of this study.

Resumen Las prácticas de enseñanza en las asignaturas de índole teológica ofrecidas por universidades católicas a todos sus estudiantes en respuesta a su misionalidad y su deseo de formación integral son el tema del presente artículo, cuyo objetivo es caracterizar tales prácticas en relación con las concepciones de teología, intencionalidades formativas, contenidos, métodos, recursos y evaluación. El método de la investigación es el estudio de caso múltiple y se llevó a cabo en cuatro universidades de Colombia (dos en Bogotá y dos en Cali). En su propósito de identificar las construcciones metodológicas y las acciones intencionadas que se implementan para que los estudiantes aprendan a pensar teológicamente la realidad, se encontró que: existen prejuicios por parte de los estudiantes que van desapareciendo a lo largo de la asignatura; los profesores no se inscriben en un único enfoque pedagógico y, en consecuencia, no se identifica una didáctica específica; y, finalmente, aunque hay un aporte significativo en la formación humana de los estudiantes, lo propio de la teología queda diluido en asuntos religiosos, morales, sociales, políticos y ecológicos. Abstract Teaching practices in theological courses offered by Catholic universities to all their students in response to their mission and comprehensive education are the subject of this article. In this sense, its objective is to characterize such practices concerning theology conceptions, formative intentions, contents, methods, resources, and assessment. The method used in our research is a multiple case study carried out with four universities in Colombia (two in Bogotá and two in Cali). In identifying the methodological constructions and intentional actions implemented so that students learn to weigh reality theologically, we found that students have prejudices that are overcome throughout the course; professors do not restrict themselves to a single pedagogical approach and, consequently, specific didactics is not identified; and, finally, there is a significant contribution to the human education of students, but theology itself becomes blurred among religious, moral, social, political, and ecological issues. Resumo As práticas de ensino das disciplinas de índole teológica oferecidas por universidades católicas a todos os estudantes em resposta a sua missão e a seu desejo de formação integral são o tema deste artigo, cujo objetivo é caracterizar essas práticas com relação às concepções de teologia, às intencionalidades formativas, aos conteúdos, aos métodos, aos recursos e à avaliação. O método da pesquisa é o estudo de casos múltiplos e foi realizado em quatro universidades da Colômbia (duas em Bogotá e duas em Cali). Em seu propósito de identificar as construções metodológicas e as ações intencionadas que são implementadas para que os estudantes aprendam a pensar teologicamente na realidade, constatou-se que existem preconceitos por parte dos estudantes que vão desaparecendo ao longo do curso; que os professores não estão vinculados a uma única abordagem pedagógica e, em consequência, não é identificada uma didática específica; finalmente, que, embora haja uma contribuição significativa na formação humana dos estudantes, o objetivo em si da teologia se dilui em assuntos religiosos, morais, políticos e ecológicos.

Hospitals operate in increasingly complex and dynamically uncertain environments. To understand how hospital organizationscan cope with such profound uncertainty, this article presents a multiple case study of five hospitals during the COVID-19crisis in a heavily hit region of the Netherlands. We find that hospitals make adaptations in five key categories, namely:reorganization, decision-making, human resources, material resources, and planning. These adaptations offer insights intothe core capabilities needed by hospitals to cope with dynamic uncertainty. Our findings highlight the need for hospitals tobecome more flexible without sacrificing efficiency. Organizations can accomplish this by building in more sensing and seizingcapabilities to be better prepared for and respond to environmental change. Furthermore, transforming capabilities alloworganizations to be more resilient and responsive in the face of ongoing uncertainty. We make recommendations on howhospitals can build these capabilities and address the core challenges they face in this pursuit.

Diversity is a great challenge for software engineers in the social sector context. The objective of this paper is to contribute to the identification of the RE processes and associated challenges in releasing the software in the social sector markets for which an exploratory case study is conducted. The outcome of the case study indicates that the diversity limits the ability to involve the representative samples of user populations using the same set of RE tools and techniques as one size fits all solution for all segments. The diverse user base must be partitioned into different segments, with each segment triggered using a suitable set of RE techniques i.e., traditional and crowd-based RE. The diverse perspectives learned as a result of the interaction with each segment, must be merged together into a single perspective about the software meant to be used in the social sector. There is a need for a new RE process specially designed for handling the complexities of the social sector, which this paper terms as Social Sector Requirement Engineering (SSRE). There is an increased need for collaboration between government social sector institutions and software engineers to get access to diverse customers to improve software quality.

The interconnection between innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development is a subject of immense concern these days, as society considers answers leading to sustainable development. Further, Social Innovations play a significant role in the development of Sustainopreneurship in the context of sustainable development. Given this context; this study investigates the barriers in developing the Social Innovation and Sustainopreneurship barriers in Sri Lanka. The study used the multiple case study method, and data were collected via in-depth interviews with fifteen Sustainopreneurs in Sri Lanka. The study's findings reveal several barriers in developing Social Innovations and Sustainopreneurship as; a) competition arises from non-sustainable businesses, b) lack of government support, c) high prices, and d) people’s attitude towards Social Innovations and Sustainopreneurship. Due to the dearth of research conducted on this area, this study contributes to the Social Innovations and Sustainopreneurship literature. The recommendations provide useful information for future strategic developments to practitioners and policymakers.

Purpose This study aims to empirically investigate how organizations delivering services in business-to-business relations deal with the boundary paradox and knowledge asymmetry in value co-creation. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted a qualitative multiple case study strategy. Datas were gathered through 13 semi-structured interviews that were then analyzed through the content analysis. Findings The authors identified three mechanisms that organizations use to deal with the boundary paradox and two strategies to handle the knowledge asymmetry. Research limitations/implications First, no opportunities were afforded to involve more participants. Second, owning to confidentiality reasons, not all organizations provided us documents to be analyzed. Practical implications The findings guide managers in balancing the use of contracts and trust in inter-firm collaborations and fostering the learning of customers. Also, insights to protect knowledge based on the paradox of openness in value co-creation. Originality/value This study’s findings address the gap in value co-creation literature concerning the lack of empirical studies.

This paper states that the epistemic potentialities of writing and arguing are largely derived from the interweaving of four dimensions. Three of them are constitutive (the logical, rhetorical, and dialectical dimensions), and one is integrative (the epistemic dimension). Thus, we characterize how these four distinct dimensions operate in texts produced by first-year university students in two disciplines (Linguistics and Biology) and how those students reflect on their processes of writing and arguing. The results belong to qualitative research designed as a multiple case study, which focused on teaching practices that intertwine disciplinary contents, writing, and argumentation in Argentinian university classrooms. These results deepen the academic literacies’ lines of research regarding the role that argumentation plays in academic writing. We analyze texts produced by students and interviews with them to characterize the dimensions that such students deploy when writing and arguing to learn in their disciplines.

Anticipation is an inheritance pattern where disease severity increases and/or age of onset decreases in successive generations. It has been documented in neurodegenerative disorders [1,2], autoimm...

Purpose This descriptive multiple case study examined the effects of a contextualized expository strategy intervention on supported and independent note-taking, verbal rehearsal, and reporting skills for three elementary students with language disorders. Method Two 9-year-old fourth grade students and one 11-year-old sixth grade student with language disorders participated. The intervention was delivered as sixteen individual 20-minute sessions across nine weeks by the school speech-language pathologist. Students learned to take written and pictographic notes from expository texts and use verbal formulation and rehearsal of individual sentences and whole reports in varied learning contexts. To explore both emergent and independent accomplishments, performance was examined in final intervention session presentations and pre/post intervention testing. Results Following the intervention, all three students effectively used notes and verbal rehearsal to prepare and present fluent, organized, accurate, confident oral reports to an audience. From pre- to post-test, the students showed a range of improvements in the quality of notes, use of verbal rehearsal, holistic quality of oral and written reporting, and strategy awareness. Conclusions Sketch and Speak shows potential as an expository intervention for students who struggle with academic language learning. The results support further examination of this intervention for supported strategy use by younger students and independent use by older students.

In this study we posed the questions (i) What network mechanisms do family firms (FFs) use in their entry and post-entry? (ii) How do they use these network mechanisms? (iii) Why do they use these mechanisms? We based our study on social network theory, and on two opposing network mechanisms, network closure and structural holes, referring also to research on FFs and international networking. Applying a multiple case design with 15 Finnish FFs, we identified four types of FFs – trotter, preserver, explorer, and conqueror – based on how they used their network mechanisms at entry and post entry. We offer a new mechanism that we label network termination, and explain the heterogeneous networking behaviour of the investigated cases. During post entry, bifurcation-biased FFs used network mechanisms differently from FFs that were able to rely on non-family relational assets. The study contributes to social network theory, and sheds light on FF heterogeneity in the context of international networking.

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use to effectively integrate knowledge management (KM) into business practices. The study population comprised of five managers from two SMEs operating in Uganda. The eligibility criteria were that participants had to be managers from Ugandan SMEs with a knowledge-intensive environment, with some responsibility of KM in the organization, and experienced with at least 1 year of successful KM practices. The conceptual framework for this study was theory z. Data were collected through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, and reviews of company documents. Member checking was completed to strengthen credibility and trustworthiness. Synthesis: After methodological triangulation of the data sources collected and completion of Yin’s 5-step process of data analysis, five themes emerged: having supportive leadership, ensuring sustainability, embedding KM practices in the organization culture, socialization, and embracing modern technology. The findings of this study might promote social change by supporting small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) managers’ use of KM to expand opportunities for employees to learn new skills and knowledge leading to the expansion of employment opportunities.

OBJETIVO: O estudo visa identificar em que medida a participação no Programa Residência Pedagógica (PRP) pode gerar uma mudança de concepção dos participantes acerca do ensino na Educação Física (EF) escolar.MÉTODOS: Pautada numa abordagem mista, quantitativa e qualitativa, a pesquisa se caracteriza como um estudo de casos múltiplos, no qual sete acadêmicos e três professores, responderam um questionário e uma entrevista. RESULTADOS: Os resultados indicam que a maioria dos participantes do PRP relata a ocorrência de uma mudança na compreensão do sentido da EF escolar, quando comparada com o entendimento anterior à participação no programa, além de uma alteração na percepção em relação ao conhecimento sobre a pluralidade de temas pertinentes a essa disciplina. CONCLUSÃO: Os principais fatores que induziram a alteração foram: a criação e o desenvolvimento de uma proposta curricular, a compreensão da pluralidade dos temas da EF como direito de aprendizagem dos alunos e as experiências em desenvolver o planejamento em um contexto escolar real.

El presente artículo analiza los factores claves que inciden en la construcción identitaria de la educadora infantil en sus primeros años de trabajo y en diferentes realidades educativas. La metodología aplicada consistió en un estudio de caso múltiple, con particularidades de tipo biográfico-narrativo, y la recogida de información se realizó a través de relatos de vida, específicamente incidentes críticos y biogramas, junto con entrevistas semiestructuradas y grupos focales. Los resultados dan cuenta de tres grandes dimensiones: biográfica, formación inicial y ejercicio profesional. Los hallazgos permiten concluir que el proceso de construcción identitaria resulta ser complejo, relacional, contextual y variable.

Forty-one percent of small American retail companies fail to succeed beyond 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study is to explore strategies small retail business owners need for sustainability beyond 5 years. This study's data were collected through face-to-face interviews with 4 small successful retail business owners located in the United States southeastern region. Based on the conceptual framework of Schumpeter’s innovation theory, the paper provides 3 strategies that may prevent failure and lead to small business sustainability: passion and determination, market development and customer satisfaction, and business model innovation.

This paper focuses on the critical role of institutional entrepreneurs’ social skills in enabling transformative change as described by the Multi-Level Perspective. Understanding the role of social skills is crucial for developing a micro-foundational view of sustainability transitions. We develop an analytical framework using a multiple case study on Swiss cantonal planners who acted as institutional entrepreneurs during comparable sustainability transitions by introducing sustainable planning practices within their cantons. We find seven applied skills (i) empathic, (ii) analytical, (iii) translational, (iv) framing, (v) tactical, (vi) organizational, and (vii) timing. Four propositions discuss the role of these social skills across transition phases: from pre-development to take-off, from take-off to acceleration, and from acceleration to stabilization. We present conclusions and implications for future research on the micro-foundations of sustainability transitions.

While smart maintenance is gaining popularity in professional engineering and construction management practice, little is known about the dimensions of its maturity. It is assumed that the complex networked environment of maintenance and the rise of data-driven methodologies require a different perspective on maintenance. This paper identifies maturity dimensions for smart maintenance of constructed assets that can be measured. A research design based on two opposite cases is used and data from multiple sources is collected in four embedded case studies in corporate facility management organizations. Through coding data in several cross-case analyses, a maturity framework is designed that is validated through expert consultation. The proposed smart maintenance maturity framework includes technological dimensions (e.g., tracking and tracing) as well as behavioral dimensions (e.g., culture). It presents a new and encompassing theoretical perspective on client leadership in digital construction, integrating innovation in both construction and maintenance supply networks.

Resumo Este artigo discute o tema das políticas de waterfront regeneration (WR) no Brasil. Especificamente, propõe uma sociologia política dos processos institucionais de produção de tais intervenções através da análise dos casos dos projetos Porto Maravilha, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ), do Cais Mauá, em Porto Alegre (RS) e do Porto Novo e Novo Recife, em Recife (PE). Para tanto, articula uma leitura teórica de diferentes abordagens direcionadas aos fenômenos do político e do urbano a uma pesquisa empírica qualitativa de estudo de casos múltiplos baseado em análises documentais e entrevistas. Ao final, propõe um modelo analítico para interpretação dos casos com base na síntese teórica desenvolvida e, especialmente, na perspectiva neoinstitucionalista, e apresenta um enquadramento possível de leitura dos processos de produção de tais políticas no Brasil. Abstract This article discusses the issue of the waterfront regeneration (WR) policies in Brazil. Specifically, it proposes a political sociology of the institutional processes of production of such interventions through the analysis of the cases of the projects Porto Maravilha, in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Cais Mauá, in Porto Alegre (RS), and Porto Novo and Novo Recife, in Recife (PE). For this purpose, it articulates a theoretical reading of different approaches directed at the phenomena of the political and the urban to a qualitative empirical research of multiple case study based on document analysis and interviews. At the end, it proposes an analytical model for the interpretation of the cases based on the theoretical synthesis developed and, especially, on the neo-institutionalist perspective, and presents a possible framework for reading the processes of production of such policies in Brazil.

Resumen Objetivo . El propósito de esta investigación fue conocer las prácticas evaluativas diferenciadas que realiza el profesorado chileno de educación especial para estudiantes que presentan necesidades educativas especiales derivadas de discapacidad intelectual, quienes se integran en escuelas de educación general básica a través de los Proyectos de Integración Escolar (PIE). El estudio pretendió, además, analizar los significados que los equipos docentes de educación especial atribuyen a sus propias prácticas de evaluación. Metodología . La investigación se realizó desde un enfoque metodológico cualitativo con un diseño de estudio de caso múltiple. Las personas participantes fueron 10 docentes de educación especial en servicio, de 9 establecimientos educacionales diferentes de la región del Biobío, Chile. El instrumento utilizado para la recopilación de información fue la entrevista semiestructurada. La información recogida fue analizada a través de la técnica de análisis de contenido temático. Resultados . Los hallazgos muestran que los educadores y las educadoras especiales que se entrevistaron utilizan procedimientos de evaluación diferenciada alineados con los principios de la evaluación general, pero con una participación incipiente de elementos propios de la especialidad, para dar respuesta a las necesidades educativas especiales del estudiantado que presenta discapacidad intelectual. Conclusiones. Se concluye que es necesario que los centros reflexionen sobre los procesos de enseñanza y prácticas de evaluación que llevan a cabo, con el fin de establecer mejoras en sus dinámicas y procesos de aprendizaje del estudiantado con discapacidad intelectual que asiste a centros regulares de enseñanza. Abstract Objective. The purpose of this research was to know the differentiated evaluation practices implemented by the special education teachers for students with special educational needs deriving from intellectual disability and are integrated into basic general education schools through the School Integration Projects (PIE). The research also analyzed the meanings that the special education teachers attribute to their own practices. Method. The research was conducted under a qualitative approach with a multiple case study design. The participants were 10 Special Education teachers in service from nine different educational establishments. The instrument used to gather information was a semi-structured interview. The information was analyzed through the thematic content analysis technique. Results. The findings show that most of the differential educators interviewed perform differentiated evaluation procedures for students with intellectual disability; these procedures are aligned with the principles of the general evaluation in order to respond to the special educational needs of the students. Conclusions . It is concluded that the centers need to conduct a reflexive analysis of teaching processes and evaluation practices that they implement in order to establish improvements in their dynamics in favor of students with intellectual disabilities who attend regular teaching centers. Resumo Objetivo . O objetivo desta pesquisa foi conhecer as práticas diferenciadas de avaliação realizadas pelo corpo docente de Educação Especial para estudantes integrados nas escolas de educação básica, que apresentam necessidades educacionais especiais derivadas de deficiência intelectual, por meio dos Projetos de Integração Escolar (PIE). Outro propósito dessa pesquisa também foi analisar os significados que o corpo docente de Educação Especial atribue às suas próprias práticas de avaliação. Metodologia . A pesquisa foi conduzida sob uma abordagem metodológica qualitativa, com um desenho de estudo de caso múltiplo. Participaram 10 professores de Educação Especial de nove diferentes estabelecimentos de ensino. O instrumento utilizado para coletar informações foi a entrevista semiestruturada. As informações foram analisadas pela técnica de análise de conteúdo temático. Resultados. Os resultados mostram que a maioria dos educadores especiais entrevistados realiza procedimentos de avaliação diferenciados para os estudantes que apresentam deficiência intelectual, alinhados aos princípios da avaliação geral, com o objetivo de responder suas necessidades educacionais especiais. Conclusões . Conclui-se que é necessário que os centros realizem uma análise reflexiva dos processos de ensino e práticas de avaliação que realizam, a fim de estabelecer melhorias em sua dinâmica em favor dos estudantes com deficiência intelectual que frequentam os centros regulares de ensino.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore if and how informal governance mechanisms are used for coordinating actors of digitalized supply networks.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study analysis of ten German firms in digitalized supply networks is conducted. Data are collected through semi-structured expert interviews with interviewees having notable years of professional experience in purchasing or sales.FindingsThis research shows that reduced personal contacts in digitalized supply networks decrease the ability to coordinate with informal governance mechanisms. However, the need for informal governance in digitalized supply networks remains when facing supply network disruptions or building new business relationships.Originality/valueThis is the first study examining the role of informal governance mechanisms in digitalized supply networks. Theoretical and practical insights on the changing abilities and needs to use informal governance after the digital transformation are given.

Purpose: Participatory design (PD) is a collective creative design process involving designers and nondesigners. There is limited reporting on the experience of using PD for adolescent and young adult (AYA) care. This study summarizes lessons from employing PD to develop care for AYAs with cancer.Methods: A qualitative multiple-case study method was conducted of three PD processes addressing food (FfC), intimacy and sexuality (I&S), and integrative medicine (IM) in caring for AYAs with cancer.Results: Local key stakeholders, who were exposed to a problem and had not been successful at solving it individually, were recruited to “dream” together. Through this synergy, a shared understanding of the problem and a joint mission emerged to find a solution. PD tools were used to develop a problem definition. An open mind and explorative research helped to understand the problems, and stakeholders were managed such that idea-sharing and learning were enabled. Designers translated ideas into prototypes. The PD process was prolonged due to the hierarchical hospital environment, business considerations, and additionally required evidence. The FfC program produced an effective new food service for the whole hospital. The I&S initiative developed a podcast, two articles, and a prototype website. The IM project developed a pilot study.Conclusions: For a PD process to successfully develop care for AYAs, one needs to use designers and skilled people, PD tools, and an open-ended approach to visualize and materialize new forms of care. Furthermore, recruitment and facilitation techniques help leverage knowledge and create a synergy in a democratic environment between stakeholders.

This article presents the results of a research on transformation processes for creating more democratic and inclusive schools. Through a multiple case study of four Spanish schools, the authors analyse how the actors involved in participatory action research processes mobilise knowledge on inclusive education. The authors explore the strategies that favour said mobilisation when inclusive, democratic and community curricular practices are implemented. These practices are carried out in schools within the framework of Participatory Action Research (PAR) processes. The results show that collaborative and dialogical practices allow to question the pedagogical practices, and serve for linking contexts (school, territory and university) and mobilising the available knowledge (generate it,apply it, share it and disseminate it).

The high-temperature molten metal leakage accident and its secondary accidents have become urgent problems to be solved in the current metallurgical industry because of their destructive power. The description of the high temperature molten metal leakage accident structure is the basis for studying its evolution law. Based on the idea of collection, this article uses multiple case analysis methods to abstract the accident attributes, and constructs an accident institutionalized description framework with the content of accident types, internal attributes, environmental attributes, management attributes, and hazard assessment attributes. A structured description of the leak. Finally, the “4.18” ladle capping accident of Qinghe special steel in Tieling, Liaoning Province was selected for example verification, and the attribute relationship between the primary accident and the secondary accident was analyzed. The research results have reference value for studying the evolution law of high temperature molten metal leakage accidents and making emergency decisions.

Mental imagery of ‘future selves’ is considered a powerful means for motivating learners, and also teachers, whose own motivation is an important basis for the creation of engaging teaching–learning environments. This multiple case study accompanied Chilean novice teachers of English over 18 months and explores the use of visualizations of teacher selves as a reflection tool in early career development. What images of themselves and their classroom environments do novice teachers create when prompted to visualize themselves as ‘motivating teachers’? What role do these visualizations play in supporting novice teachers in implementing methodological innovations? And do novice teachers value the use of visualizations? Two contrasting cases demonstrate variability in the evolution of visions, and illustrate how these can fulfil different roles in assisting teachers during their induction phase.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are complex systems that face a high probability of failure, which require careful development by university management. This study aims at exploring the application of ERP implementation life cycle processes in the context of the higher education sector (HEIs). The study employed a multiple case study approach and semi-structured interviews with a number of information system managers, and other professional services managers across three HEIs from Jordan. Results indicate that ERP implementation life cycle consists of three phases and eight stages. Updating six stages identified in previous research, this study suggests two additional major stages, namely “testing” and “go live.” The proposed model in this study can be used by senior management, technical, and academics as clear guidelines while adopting and implementing ERP in the HEIs. Little is known of the application of ERP implementation life cycle processes in the context of HEIs. The study makes a unique contribution in two facets: first, its application to the HEIs with its specific features in comparison to business sector; and second, the study suggests two additional major stages to the traditional phases model for ERP.

This paper reports on the results from a multiple-case study of how EFL school teachers in China coped with online assessment for 10 weeks caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. We looked into the online assessment practices of seven teachers from seven regions of China, through individual interview, teachers’ journals, instructional designs for online teaching, and online classroom observation. The findings reveal that the participants went through a transition from neglecting assessment to overdoing assessment in their online teaching process. Whilst they used a range of online assessment methods, they did not systematically incorporate online assessment into their online curricula. Analysis shows that this issue is most likely to result from teachers’ lack of understanding of the nature of online assessment as an intrinsic component of curriculum and a major means of enhancing students’ learning. Implications will be discussed.

PurposeLittle is known regarding triggers in the adoption of governance practices within family businesses. Enterprises can implement governance practices to avoid re-arising conflicts lived in the past. Moreover, the type of conflicts experienced can determine the order in which different types of governance practices are adopted, another issue that requires further investigation. To address these knowledge gaps, this study gathers evidence into how the adoption of governance practices is linked to the conflicts experienced in family businesses and how this adoption evolves.Design/methodology/approachA multiple case study was conducted with 15 family businesses in the agricultural sector. The conflicts experienced throughout the enterprises' trajectories and the governance practices adopted were analysed and classified according to their relationship with the family, business and ownership subsystems.FindingsThe study shows that there is no direct link between the conflicts experienced and the governance practices adopted in family businesses. The most recurrent conflicts have to do with the relationship between family and ownership; however, the adoption of governance practices is centred on the relationship between business and ownership. The practices that mediate the relationship between family and business are adopted second, and the practices that mediate the relationship between family and ownership are adopted last.Originality/valueThe study applies a classification of conflicts and governance practices that adjusts to the complexity of the family business. The research contributes to the field by providing an understanding of the integration of knowledge about the family business, governance systems and conflict.

ESL/EFL teachers, especially those working in higher education, across the world were required to teach online after the spread on COVID-19. Many empirical studies have been conducted in the last 1 year to investigate various aspects of online teaching and learning of languages. However, online ESL teaching in South Asian contexts remains almost unexplored. This paper reports a multiple case study that aimed to bridge this gap and explore online formative assessment (FA) and feedback practices of three ESL teachers working in three universities in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Data were collected through classroom observations, interviews and document analysis. The results indicate that all three teachers actively engaged their students in a variety of FA practices, although they did not use the obtained information from assessments properly and there remained many areas of improvement. Their feedback practices, which involved the integration of a few digital tools, were regular and student-friendly. The study is significant in that it is the first of its kind. Future researchers can conduct large scale studies to verify if the findings of the study are true for other university ESL teachers who are teaching online.

El presente estudio forma parte de un estudio más amplio sobre enfermedades poco frecuentes (EPF) e inclusión educativa. La respuesta educativa al alumnado con enfermedades poco frecuentes, también denominadas raras, minoritarias o de baja prevalencia, implica un abordaje integral desde el ámbito educativo, sanitario y psicosocial que supone un reto para los procesos de inclusión que se desarrollan en muchas escuelas. El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar cuáles son los procesos educativos que favorecen la inclusión del alumnado con enfermedades poco frecuentes en las aulas ordinarias. La metodología de estudio de casos múltiples, permite analizar en profundidad los procesos inclusivos desarrollados en tres centros educativos ordinarios de la Comunidad Valenciana que escolarizan alumnado con EPF. Se trata de una investigación cualitativa que recoge la voz de equipos directivos, personal docente y no docente, familiares y alumnado con EPF mediante entrevistas y grupos focales. Los resultados muestran qué procesos desarrollados en las escuelas garantizan la presencia, participación y aprendizaje del alumnado con EPF. Las conclusiones ponen de relieve la importancia de la planificación y la coordinación de los agentes implicados, la organización de los apoyos, sobre todo los específicos, y abre la discusión sobre los dilemas que plantea la evaluación de los aprendizajes. This study is part of a larger study on rare diseases (RD) and educational inclusion. The educational response to students with rare diseases, also known as rare, minority or low prevalence diseases, implies a comprehensive approach from the educational, health and psychosocial fields that challenges the inclusion processes that are developed in many schools. The aim of this research is to analyse which educational processes favour the inclusion of students with rare diseases in ordinary classrooms. The methodology of multiple case studies allows for an in-depth analysis of the inclusive processes developed in three ordinary schools in the Valencian Community that educate students with RD. This is a qualitative study that brings together the voices of management teams, teaching and non-teaching staff, families and students with RD through interviews and focus groups. The results show which processes developed in the schools guarantee the presence, participation and learning of the students with RD. The conclusions highlight the importance of the planning and coordination of the agents involved, the organisation of support, especially specific support, and open up the discussion on the dilemmas posed by the evaluation of learning

Engineering design has a major impact on downstream performance, but is often guided, in both procurement and solution type, by intuition rather than a solid science base. Engineering is also increasingly collaborative, crossing organisational boundaries. However, the long-term close partnerships, as often proposed, are difficult to achieve in the context of individual engineering projects. Building on concepts related to investments in specific assets, this study describes the underlying characteristics of engineering design investments and then prescribes the relational investment and contract forms to select them, thereby contributing to our understanding of the engineering design and relational investments that can and should be made. We undertook multiple case study research, which is presented in two phases. The descriptive phase identifies positive outcomes for solutions based on off-the-shelf designs with fixed price mechanisms, for solutions based on adaptive designs with target cost mechanisms, and for bespoke solutions contracted either on cost-plus mechanisms or, if in bite-sized pieces, on fixed price mechanisms. Negative performance outcomes were found for adaptive solutions with Fixed Price mechanisms. A prescriptive phase, yielding a visualized model, then offers guidance for relational investments and contract mechanisms that are suitable for different engineering designs. Applicability zones and three potential transitions to challenge and guide current practice are developed to inform decision making.

The review analyzes the data of scientific publications on the effects of molecular mechanisms initiated by physical exertion on thefunction of the cardiovascular system and the course of cardiac diseases. As practice and a number of evidence-based studies haveshown, the beneficial effects of physical activity on the outcomes of diseases in a number of cardiac nosologies are comparable todrug treatment. Numerous mechanisms mediate the benefits of regular exercise for optimal cardiovascular function. Exercises causewidespread changes in numerous cells, tissues, and organs in response to increased metabolic demand, including adaptation of thecardiovascular system. Physical exercises, which include various types of aerobic exercises of varying intensity and duration, is animportant component of the therapeutic treatment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Knowledge of the molecular basis ofthe physical activity impact on the cardiovascular system makes it possible to use biochemical markers to assess the effectiveness ofrehabilitation programs.

The new marketing myopia portrays companies that focus excessively on the customer, neglecting other stakeholders' demands that can transform the market and lead companies to failure. Although this discussion is present in marketing literature, researchers and marketers miss trails to identify new marketing myopia. This study aims to analyze business strategies under the new marketing myopia perspective. Qualitative and descriptive research was undertaken through a multiple case study of five South American companies acknowledge by Forbes for the customer orientation. This study demonstrates the companies' difficulty to equilibrate customers and other stakeholders’ demands to define their business strategies.

A interação Universidade-Empresa (U-E) é propulsora do desenvolvimento científico tecnológico e, consequentemente, econômico e social nos países em desenvolvimento. No Brasil, contudo, esse processo ainda é recente, em parte porque foi em 2004, com a Lei de Inovação Tecnológica nº 10.973, que as universidades passaram a poder licenciar suas propriedades intelectuais e se a estruturar para tanto por meio de Núcleos de Inovação Tecnológica (NITs). Embora a interação U-E, incluindo o licenciamento, promova diversos benefícios, há dificuldades na sua execução, como as apontadas na literatura. Em Mato Grosso do Sul há universidades, com NITs estruturados e que se destacam, especialmente, pelo número de alunos e cursos oferecidos. A pesquisa buscou verificar, nos NITs de quatro universidades, as principais dificuldades que enfrentam no licenciamento, caracterizando-se como estudo de caso múltiplos, com dados advindos de pesquisa documental e entrevistas com os responsáveis pelos NITs. Os resultados revelaram que, dentre as dificuldades encontradas na literatura consultada, algumas delas também são encontradas nos NITs das universidades sul mato-grossenses estudadas, destacando-se a falta de interação U-E no desenvolvimento prévio de pesquisas. Os resultados podem fomentar ações para atenuar ou solucionar tais dificuldades, de forma a facilitar os processos de licenciamento U-E, promovendo benefícios.

Background Calls to improve learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and particularly engineering, present significant challenges for school systems. Partnerships among engineering industry, universities, and school systems to support learning appear promising, but current work is limited in its conclusions because it lacks a strong connection to theoretical work in interorganizational collaboration. Purpose/Hypothesis This study aims to reflect more critically on the process of how organizations build relationships to address the following research question: In a public-private partnership to integrate engineering into middle school science curriculum, how do stakeholder characterizations of the collaborative process align with existing frameworks of interorganizational collaboration? Design/Method This qualitative, embedded multiple case study considered in-depth pre- and post-year interviews with teachers, administrators, industry, and university personnel during the first year of the Partnering with Educators and Engineers in Rural Schools (PEERS) program. Transcripts were analyzed using a framework of interorganizational collaboration operationalized for our context. Results Results provide insights into stakeholder perceptions of collaborative processes in the first year of the PEERS program across dimensions of collaboration. These dimensions mapped to three central discussion points with relevance for school-university-industry partnerships: school collaboration as an emergent and negotiated process, tension in collaborating across organizations, and fair share in collaborating toward a social goal. Conclusions Taking a macro-level look at the collaborative processes involved enabled us to develop implications for collaborative stakeholders to be intentional about designing for future success. By systematically applying a framework of collaboration and capitalizing on the rich situational findings possible through a qualitative approach, we shift our understanding of collaborative processes in school-university-industry partnerships for engineering education and contribute to the development of collaboration theory. National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation (NSF) [DRL-1657263] Published version This study is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation (DRL-1657263) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. Thank you to the entire PEERS team and all the participants who took the time to contribute. Open access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.; Open access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

While music education researchers have examined cooperating teacher and student teacher interactions via classroom observations and interviews, there is little research on extended dialogues between the cooperating teacher and student teacher or various mentoring roles (coach, guide, model, and evaluator) assumed by cooperating teachers. During one 8-week student teaching placement period, I recorded extended dialogues between four student teacher-cooperating teacher pairs, along with individual interviews. Data were analyzed using the mentor roles in dialogues model. The mentoring role assumed during dialogues reflected the student teaching context, perceptions about appropriate roles, cooperating teacher and student teacher personalities, and their relationship. Mentoring dialogues were especially influenced by unique features of the music ensemble class.

A Capacidade de Inovação (CI) e os Fundamentos Estratégicos (FE) são elementos potencialmente relevantes à diferenciação dos Negócios Tradicionais (NT), pois podem contribuir para a geração de inovação tecnológica. No entanto, uma questão importante é investigar se esses elementos são igualmente importantes para os Negócios de Impacto Social (NIS) que geram inovação social. Nesse contexto, buscaram-se respostas para a questão de pesquisa, como os fundamentos estratégicos (FE) (missão, visão, valores e estrutura) podem contribuir para a capacidade de inovação (CI) de NT e NIS? A fim de buscar resposta a essa questão o objetivo desse estudo é investigar as contribuições dos FE para a mobilização de recursos que fomentam a CI em NT e aqueles que promovem Inovação Social. Nesta pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa e descritiva, adotou-se como método o estudo de caso múltiplo, sendo as unidades de análises: um NT, a BRAILE, e um NIS, o CREN. Os dados foram coletados a partir de entrevistas semiestruturadas e levantamento de documentos. Para a interpretação dos dados, adotou-se a análise de conteúdo com o auxílio do software Atlas.Ti, para a organização e codificação dos dados. Os principais resultados apontam que os FE em todas as suas subdivisões fomentaram a CI nas duas empresas. A pesquisa contribui para o entendimento de que os NIS precisam de uma estrutura organizacional estabelecida, como ocorre nos NT (com fins lucrativos).

The research focused on revealing the practice that causes complaints heard when expropriation projects are implemented in Rwanda. To understand the real problem of claims, the study investigated the valuation methods in use for compensation determination during expropriation projects. To get data for this study, the researcher used multiple case study strategies. Three valuers teaching valuations at the University of Rwanda were the first key informants to discuss the problem of expropriation. Then, ten directors of valuation companies and four expropriating agencies helped to get rich cases upon which results were generalized. Afterwards 36 registered and non-registered valuers were given questionnaires to complete and 449 residents that were expropriated also participated in the study. Findings show that the expropriation projects are not the ones causing complaints. It was revealed that people quarrel due to that they are not given chance to negotiate the mode of taking their properties and choose option of compensation payment. It was discovered that complaints are caused by compensation determination. The payment of compensation is delayed and losses are roughly calculated using 5% of taken property value. Researcher revealed that the complaints are also provoked by non-adherence of professional ethics, applicable valuation methods not suitable to come up with the fair compensation and non-inclusion of affected people in expropriation matters. The challenges during expropriation can be tackled well by making sure that people are well informed on compensation determination and let them choose which option of compensation payment they are comfortable with. Finally, the researcher recommended that instead of adding a 5% of disruption allowance roughly for losses incurred, they may calculate each type of losses separate and show to people what they include as disturbance payment and how they are calculated

SummaryIntersectoral policymaking to improve public health includes integrated health promotion (HP) intervention packages that address a variety of health behavior determinants. The involvement of different partners is assumed to be necessary to implement such integrated packages. We examined how partnership diversity was associated with the composition of intervention packages implemented in Dutch municipalities. In a longitudinal multiple-case study (2012–14), we collected questionnaire data among 31 project leaders and 152 intervention implementers in 31 (alliances of) municipalities. Package composition was assessed in terms of intervention strategies, implementation settings and targeted behavioral determinants. Partnership diversity during the adoption and implementation phases was assessed in terms of the actors and sectors, as well as private partners and citizens involved. The association between partnership diversity and package composition was examined using crosstabs. Almost all packages integrated multiple strategies, but mostly education, facilitation and case finding, in multiple, but mostly health and public settings, such as schools. The packages targeted diverse behavioral determinants, although mainly personal and social environmental factors. A variety of partners from multiple sectors was involved, during both adoption and implementation of the packages. However, partners from the health, welfare and education sectors were mostly involved. More partnership diversity, especially during implementation, was associated with more integrated intervention packages. In intersectoral policymaking, investment in diversely composed partnerships seems worthwhile for implementing integrated intervention packages. However, investments in other conditions, like framing health issues and network management, are also needed to make environmental determinants of health behavior the object of HP.

The article concerns the revision of earlier decisions to offshore production activities (so called “relocation of second degree”); more specifically it is focused on the “reshoring” (also referred as “relocation to the home country”, “back-reshoring” or “back-shoring”). The research aims are to investigate what types of mistakes occur along the decision-making and implementation process and how they affect the outcome, in terms of success or failure, of a relocation strategy. A multiple case study involving four companies in the fashion industry from Portugal and Italy was conducted. The cross-case analysis allowed to differentiate decision-making mistakes from implementation ones and to assess differences and similarities among the cases in terms of content of the relocation, drivers and outcomes. The research contributes to previous literature on reshoring by bringing evidence of different types of mistakes to be considered, thus requiring further conceptualization of the reshoring process. Managers and entrepreneurs should consider the importance of doing the things right also during the implementation, too often underestimated. The present article is the first one in the reshoring literature bringing evidence of cases of failure in the relocation decisions and discriminating among different kinds of mistakes.

Background Daily use of chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) has been shown to reduce risk of healthcare-associated infections. We aimed to assess moving CHG bathing into routine practice using a human factors approach. We evaluated implementation in non-intensive care unit (ICU) settings in the Veterans Health Administration. Methods Our multiple case study approach included non-ICU units from 4 Veterans Health Administration settings. Guided by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety, we conducted focus groups and interviews to capture barriers and facilitators to daily CHG bathing. We measured compliance using observations and skin CHG concentrations. Results Barriers to daily CHG include time, concern of increasing antibiotic resistance, workflow and product concerns. Facilitators include engagement of champions and unit shared responsibility. We found shortfalls in patient education, hand hygiene and CHG use on tubes and drains. CHG skin concentration levels were highest among patients from spinal cord injury units. These units applied antiseptic using 2% CHG impregnated wipes vs 4% CHG solution/soap. Discussion Non-ICUs implementing CHG bathing must consider human factors and work system barriers to ensure uptake and sustained practice change. Conclusions Well-planned rollouts and a unit culture promoting shared responsibility are key to compliance with daily CHG bathing. Successful implementation requires attention to staff education and measurement of compliance.