Search

This study examines the relationship between Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and smart governance in smart cities, emphasising the importance of participation and responsiveness for effective governance. Focused on India, it evaluates global smart city governance models, comparing them with the Indian system. The study analyses the current governance structure and the potential of ICT to enhance participatory governance in smart cities. Despite challenges, including limited participation and responsiveness, ICT holds promise for improving governance. The study proposes a governance framework based on pluralist democracy, with ICT playing a central role in fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Despite obstacles like the digital divide, this model prioritises people and ICT within India’s governance, offering insights relevant globally to democratic nations. It presents a new conceptualisation for smart city governance, applicable not only to India but also to democracies worldwide.

In Major construction projects execution and performance were being negatively impacted by claims and disputes in terms of cost overrun, quality, stakeholders relationships, and productivity. Therefore understanding the significance of underlying the claims is essential. In this study, the primary root causes behind delay claims and disputes in construction projects were identified, examined, and rated. The significance of these factors was assessed using Relative Importance Index (RII) values. In addition, a machine learning model employing the Random Forest Genetic Algorithm (RFGA) was implemented to foresee the related risks and ascertain their levels. In a pilot survey, the data were collected across multiple construction projects at different phases such as scrutiny stage, design and planning stage, bidding stage, operation stage, and maintenance or after-construction stage. From Relative Important Index values from the statistical approach, it emerges that delay claims are generally causes from the owner followed by project-specific activities. Delays in processing bill payments, natural disasters, lack of contract awareness, and delay in final bill payment are the top causes of delay claims which converted to conflicts and disputes in mostly operating stage. The Random Forest Genetic Algorithm model predicted that factors like altering the original design, reluctance to cooperate by contractor, and increase of wages have lower risk whereas factors Poor site conditions, delay in approvals of schedules and change orders, natural calamities, late in running bill payment, repetition of work due to error in original work are at higher risk in terms of conflict and dispute. The model gives an accuracy of 0.89 and 0.87 for training data and testing data. The study will highlight possible research avenues and enhance project management strategies so that the project succeeds its goal.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic variation in exon 6 of the LHX4 gene in Ganjam and Black Bengal goats. DNA was extracted from the buccal swab samples. By using specific primers, the target partial sixth exon of the LHX4 gene was amplified (382 bp). PCR amplification and DNA sequencing analysis revealed two non- synonymous transitions namely c.44997A>G and c.45028 C>A which caused a change in amino acid from histidine to glutamic acid and valine to isoleucine, respectively. Genotype frequencies in the Ganjam population were 0.32 and 0.68 for GG and AA genotypes, whereas the same in the Black Bengal population were 0.10 and 0.90 for GG and AA genotypes, respectively. The heterozygote GA genotype was missing in both populations and significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The Black Bengal goat had a significantly smaller body size than the Ganjam goat. Black Bengal goats had a significantly greater twinning percentage than the Ganjam breed. They also had a significantly lower age at sexual maturity (ASM), age at first kidding (AFK), and shorter kidding intervals (KI) than the Ganjam goats underscoring their superior reproductive potential. Except for chest girth, the effect of genotypes on body weight and morphometric traits was determined to be statistically non-significant. The effect of genotype was found to be non-significant on the reproductive traits.

Abstract Inadequate care within Tanzania’s primary health system contributes to thousands of preventable maternal and child deaths, and unwanted pregnancies each year. A key contributor is lack of coordination between three primary healthcare actors: public sector Community Health Workers (CHWs) and health facilities, and private sector Accredited Drug Dispensing Outlets (ADDOs). The Afya-Tek program aims to improve the continuity of care amongst these actors in Kibaha district, through a mobile-application based digital referral system that focuses on improving maternal, child and adolescent health. The digital system called Afya-Tek was co-created with users and beneficiaries, and utilises open-source technology in-line with existing government systems. The system guides healthcare actors with individualised decision support during client visits and recommends accurate next steps (education, treatment, or referral). From July 2020 to June 2023, a total of 241,000 individuals were enrolled in the Afya-Tek program covering 7,557 pregnant women, 6,582 postpartum women, 45,900 children, and 25,700 adolescents. CHWs have conducted a total of 626,000 home visits to provide health services, including screening clients for danger signs. This has resulted in 38,100 referrals to health facilities and 24,300 linkages to ADDOs. At the ADDO level, 48,552 clients self-presented; 33% of children with pneumonia symptoms received Amoxicillin; 34% of children with diarrhoea symptoms received ORS and zinc; and 4,203 referrals were made to nearest health facilities. Adolescents preferred services at ADDOs as a result of increased perceived privacy and confidentiality. In total, 89% of all referrals were attended by health facilities. As the first digital health program in Tanzania to demonstrate the linkage among public and private sector primary healthcare actors, Afya-Tek holds promise to improve maternal, child and adolescent health as well as for scale-up and sustainability, through incorporation of other disease conditions and integration with government’s Unified Community System (UCS).

Background This study aims to review the extant literature on talent management with the objective of influencing library and information management by addressing the key facets of talent management, such as talent management strategies, importance of career development, evaluation of talented employees, and organizational resilience. Methodology Literature on the development of talent and career management was retrieved from various scholarly papers indexed in Scopus and Web of Science to have a meticulous literature review serving as the platform of the present study. In light of the authors’ observations, two models were developed. The literature provides precise information that talent management plays a decisive role in promoting organizational excellence invariably in all kinds of organizations in general and libraries in particular. Results This study provides constructive recommendations for the implementation of effective talent management and retention policies for library and information professionals. Moreover, this study adds immense value to the corpus of existing literature to set a platform for the augmentation of library management in futuristic vision. Conclusion This study provides constructive recommendations to policy makers and library administrators to foster talented employees for excelling library and information services for the next several decades.