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This column is a reflective response to Dr. Jung Mi Scoulas' recent column, Navigating and evaluating ongoing assessment efforts in the University Library, that was published in the most recent issue of the Journal of Library Administration (Scoulas, 2024). In this column, the guest contributor discusses an evolution of assessment practices at a large public research university library in the southeastern United States. At this library, assessment has shifted from a practice that was routine and periodic to an approach that is purposeful, necessary, and helps to drive data-informed decision making that is actionable, impactful, and in alignment with the goals and mission of the organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demonstrated importance of both university innovations and entrepreneurial ecosystems has led to an increasing interest in university innovation entrepreneurial ecosystems (UIEEs) and how to create ecosystems that will realize their potential benefits. With widely dispersed scientific knowledge, there are dozens if not hundreds of research universities that could (and have tried to) anchor successful UIEEs. Since only a handful have been able to emulate the most successful ones, such as those in Boston or Silicon Valley, we ask why more are not successful. We examine the case studies of four successful UIEEs in two sectors (i.e., electronics and biotechnology) and two regions of California (i.e., San Francisco and San Diego) with similar legal and cultural contexts. By contrasting these cases across three phases of development—birth, growth, and maturity—we identify common patterns for key success factors from both the ecosystem and the university programs, and then we contrast these with less successful efforts in Los Angeles. From this, we propose three extensions to existing UIEE frameworks: the central role of finding a market opportunity, the priority of establishing an entrepreneurial ecosystem before university programs to support that ecosystem, and the differences in university roles between science- and engineering-based ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's "war for talent," effectively managing the salesperson lifecycle is more crucial than ever. This process, which encompasses hiring, onboarding, managing, developing, retaining, and terminating salespeople, is fraught with many challenges that have been neglected by academic research. This special issue helps to close the prevailing research gaps through six high-quality articles about salesperson lifecycle management, answering important research questions related to the stages of hiring, onboarding, managing, and retaining. In addition, this editorial outlines key managerial challenges and emerging research priorities, laying the foundation for future research on salesperson lifecycle management. It also presents the results of a survey conducted with sales managers, confirming the challenges they face and the importance of the proposed research priorities. Future articles can draw on these statistics to find and motivate research topics worthy of investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column reflects the author's conversation with the University Library Dean about ongoing assessments and future directions. It raises a key question for assessment professionals and library leadership: "As the current assessment is proceeding according to plan, should we continue with the existing approach or explore potential changes?" To address this, the author will present the background of assessments at a public research university, highlighting outcomes and challenges using current examples. Additional questions will be provided to encourage reflection on assessment efforts at their institutional library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since their beginnings, virtual worlds have experienced two major media hypes in their short lifetime—the first in 2003 after the launch of Second Life and the second in 2021, with Mark Zuckerberg announcing his strategy for the Metaverse. Most academic research on virtual worlds emerged between these two peaks of interest. This article delves into the enduring relevance of such research, contrasting the two hype cycles. It analyzes the reasons behind current caution expressed by companies and offers insights into the future trajectory of the Metaverse and which crucial developments are needed for sustained traction in virtual worlds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing integration of AI tools like Yewno Discover, Scholarcy, and Grammarly in academic libraries, undergraduate research has witnessed transformative changes. These tools, while elevating the research process, also bring forth challenges rooted in ethics and application. This paper explores the synergy between modern technology and academic exploration, highlighting the benefits and potential pitfalls of using AI in the research workflow. It emphasizes that while Yewno Discover and similar tools offer streamlined navigation of vast information databases, it is imperative for undergraduates to remain cognizant of potential biases and other ethical considerations. This paper underscores the need for proactive measures in academic settings, including specialized training and policy development, to ensure that undergraduate researchers harness the power of AI responsibly and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines data from a survey conducted at a U.S. public research university, focusing on students' behaviors and attitudes toward the library, both physical and online. The analysis categorizes student users and nonusers based on demographics such as full-time enrollment, first-generation status, college, and grade point average (GPA). Results indicate that first-generation students were most likely to never use the online library. Low GPA respondents visited the physical library most frequently, whereas high GPA students were more inclined to use e-resources. The discussion section includes suggestions for improving services and resources to support student success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practitioner-focused research syntheses are widely used in many disciplines as an effective, routine means to transfer knowledge from research to practice. We suggest that accounting academics develop research skills to enable them to create a practitioner-responsive research synthesis. We provide a step-by-step primer for conducting and reporting results on a focal research question in a research synthesis. We draw from our experience in creating a practitioner-validated research synthesis on issues related to group audits to illustrate the process concretely. This paper addresses the mindset necessary to assemble and convey research findings relevant to practitioners. Our goal is to equip accounting researchers with tools to develop high-quality research syntheses comparable to those that other disciplines use in communicating with their practitioner communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutronics characteristics are examined by the MCNP6.2 code with ENDF/B-VII.1 for a light-water-moderated and graphite-reflected core with highly enriched uranium fuel at the University Teaching and Research Reactor in Kindai University (UTR-KINKI), demonstrating the meaningful degree of computational accuracies of the criticality, the reactivity, and the reaction rates. The eigenvalue calculations, and the uncertainty analyses for criticality and reactivity are performed using the KENO-VI, the TSUNAMI-3D, and the TSAR modules of the SCALE code system, respectively. The eigenvalue calculations with MCNP6.2 and KENO-VI show a discrepancy between experimental and numerical results of the effective multiplication factor (keff) in the UTR-KINKI core. Regarding TSUNAMI-3D calculations, the uncertainty of keff is found to be attributable mainly to those of a series of uranium-235 cross-section data related to fission reactions with the support of uncertainty analyses of reactivity by TSAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a numerical analysis of dam-break flow over a solid downstream structure, with a focus on the drag force exerted and the effects of porous media and bed slope. Dam-break events are high-energy phenomena capable of causing significant structural damage, primarily due to the intense forces involved. This research addresses a critical gap in understanding how porous media and bed slope can affect structural impacts in dam-break scenarios. Findings indicate that introducing porous media can reduce the drag force, though the degree of reduction varies with porosity. Similarly, increasing bed slope results in higher drag forces, though this effect is not uniform across slope increments. This study contributes practical recommendations on selecting effective porous media and bed slope configurations to enhance structural resilience in dam-break scenarios. These results, validated against experimental data, provide valuable guidance for both academic research and hydraulic engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF), defined as blunting of counterregulatory hormone and symptom responses to recurrent hypoglycemia, remains a therapeutic challenge in diabetes treatment. The opioid system may play a role in HAAF pathogenesis since activation of opioid receptors induces HAAF. Blockade of opioid receptors with intravenous naloxone ameliorates HAAF experimentally yet is not feasible therapeutically. Objective To investigate the effects of opioid receptor blockade with intranasal naloxone on experimentally induced HAAF. Design Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study. Setting Academic research center. Participants Healthy nondiabetic volunteers. Interventions Paired 2-day studies, 5 to 10 weeks apart, each consisting of 3 consecutive hypoglycemic episodes (hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemic clamps, glucose nadir: 54 mg/dL): 2 on day 1 with administration of intranasal naloxone vs placebo, followed by the third episode on day 2. Main Outcome Measures Differences in counterregulatory hormones responses and hypoglycemia symptoms between first and third hypoglycemic episodes in naloxone vs placebo studies. Results Out of 17 participants, 9 developed HAAF, confirming variable interindividual susceptibility. Among participants susceptible to HAAF, naloxone maintained some hormonal and symptomatic responses to hypoglycemia and prevented the associated requirement for increased glucose infusion. Unexpectedly, naloxone reduced plasma epinephrine and GH responses to the first hypoglycemic episode but prevented further reduction with subsequent hypoglycemia. Conclusion This is the first study to report that intranasal naloxone, a widely used opioid receptor antagonist, may ameliorate some features of HAAF. Further investigation is warranted into mechanisms of variable interindividual susceptibility to HAAF and the effects of intranasal naloxone in people with diabetes at risk for HAAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine why academics and practitioners researching inequalities choose to collaborate and to what extent such collaborations have the potential to address knowledge inequalities in the research process. We maintain that the mere act of collaboration does not inherently lead to the tackling of knowledge inequalities and that the motivations for collaboration matter. We argue that although in single collaborations partners can create equitable relationships where the knowledge of both academic and practitioner partners are valued, transforming the dominant epistemological hierarchies within academia and policymaking will require time and structural change. We end by considering how such change will be difficult to achieve but is not impossible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsEmotion-Focused Therapy is one of the evidence-based psychotherapies for a range of psychological problems. While most evidence was gained from randomized controlled studies or process research at university settings, there is a need for more outcome research conducted within practitioner–researcher networks assessing the effectiveness of Emotion-Focused Therapy in private practice.A total of N = 70 clients with a variety of psychiatric disorders have been included in the bi-national practitioner researcher network for Emotion-focused Therapy Switzerland–Germany. Symptom change was assessed using CORE-OM, BDI-II, IIP and WSAS. Therapist adherence was assessed by the self-reported version of the PCEPS. Pre–post-follow-up analyses were conducted using paired sample t-tests and hierarchical linear modeling.Pre–post-assessment shows small to medium effect sizes for all outcome measures (except for interpersonal problems which did not change). Symptom reduction is maintained for CORE, BDI and WSAS, and increased for IIP at 3 and 6 months follow-up. Therapist adherence is good to excellent in this sample.Emotion-Focused Therapy is effective in the real-world practice, as suggested by the small to moderate effect sizes. The smaller effects found in the current study as compared to randomized controlled trials are consistent with the literature and suggest that EFT remains moderately effective when applied in a naturalistic context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to assess the outcomes of a grant-funded intervention designed to provide comprehensive training and support for holistic admissions in 26 STEM PhD programs at five California research universities. This pilot intervention combined a flexible, research-based model of holistic review, training for faculty involved with admissions, and informal coaching in how to critically analyze and redesign their admissions processes. Using a theoretical framework centered on organizational learning as a mechanism of equity-minded change, we assessed evidence of learning in two ways: 1) adoption of admissions practices that align with a new paradigm, and 2) changes in the racial and gender composition of applicants, admits, and enrollees. Drawing on administrative and survey data from participating programs, we find evidence suggestive of positive, sustained changes in both adoption of new admissions practices and racial diversity. This indicates that systemic, scaffolded approaches may promote more equitable processes and outcomes in the graduate and professional education context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this paper is to examine, both theoretically and empirically, two distinct approaches through which artistic research intersects with academia. This examination is undertaken to critically evaluate the paradigmatic tensions arising from the juxtaposition of unfettered artistic exploration and the escalating pressures for demonstrable outcomes, accountability, and process transparency inherent in managerial contexts. Consequently, the theoretical underpinnings of artistic interventions within organizational settings will be explicated, emphasizing the academic community's exploration and application of such modes of artistic inquiry. Conversely, the approach of art-based research will be delineated, emphasizing its utilization of artistic modalities to investigate phenomena through a scientific lens. Moreover, prominent theories positing academic research as constraining artistic experimentation will be outlined. Finally, drawing upon four case reports conducted within academic environments, a novel method will be proposed to mitigate the encroachment of increasingly institutionalized approaches towards the arts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many academics prioritise research activity over the pursuit of teaching excellence – a prioritisation that threatens the European Commission’s agenda for teaching excellence in higher education. This article considers what underpins such prioritisation, and how the tension it creates may be addressed. The discussion centres on micro-level theoretical perspectives on people’s attitudes to their work. The author’s ‘proximity theory’ explains such attitudes as determined by what people perceive as the proximity between their ‘actual’ and their ‘ideal’ job situations, and the extent to which their work requires them to compromise on their values and priorities – which for some academics may be research-focused and for others teaching-focused, while some may value a teaching-research balance. A policy of specialisation is accordingly proposed for the European HE sector, allowing academics to play to their strengths – teaching for some, research for others – with the aim of, collectively, achieving sector-wide excellence in both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has sped up the trend of the transformation of the world into the bipolar world of the Cold War, this time centered on Washington and Beijing.11 Serhii Plokhy, The Russo-Ukrainian War. The Return of History (W. W. Norton & Company 2023). Amid the war, Ukraine faces the dilemma of how to maintain the strategic balance with China and the U.S. while harmonizing with the EU approach. This article aims to examine the evolution of Sino-Ukrainian relations over a 32-year history of development and addresses two research questions: what internal and external factors have been critical in influencing bilateral relations during this historical period and how these factors have led both countries’ decision-makers to transition from high-level strategic interactions to those predominantly based on trade, resulting in the current de facto political disregard of Ukraine by China. This academic research provides valuable insights for both academic and policymaking communities into the behavior and diplomatic outcomes between Ukraine and China, demonstrating how geopolitical shifts and internal political dynamics have influenced the trajectory of their bilateral relationship. It elucidates the current stance and future developments of their relations. Additionally, it serves as a case study for smaller countries, particularly other post-Soviet states, in navigating their engagements with China in a changing geopolitical landscape.Serhii Plokhy, The Russo-Ukrainian War. The Return of History (W. W. Norton & Company 2023). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quantity and quality of international collaborative academic papers is one of the important issues in promoting the internationalization of academic research. Taking economics as an example, based on the data of international collaborative papers in mainland China for a total of four years (2018–2022) before and after the epidemic, this article analyses the outputs, the main collaborating countries, and the changes in quality of international collaborative papers in mainland China through bibliometric methods. Research shows that in the early times of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a brief surge (or outbreak) in academic output and international collaboration. In the middle and later times, due to multiple impacts of the pandemic and technological blockade, the quantity and quality of international collaborative papers in China declined significantly, especially with developed countries, mainly the United States. The research suggests the necessity of continuing to promote the internationalization of academic research and promote academic innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increased awareness in academic public relations (PR) circles about the need for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) research community that fosters representation of different perspectives and backgrounds. This study aims to expand the concept of DEI within the PR community to a geographical-institutional perspective, exploring its potential benefits and proposing strategies for enhancing geographical-institutional scientific collaborations. Utilizing Social Network Analysis (SNA), the study analyses co-authorship patterns and relationships among PR researchers, communities, and academic institutions to explain the landscape of international academic collaboration over the past decade. The dataset comprises 575 articles on social media-related PR topics from nine prominent PR journals spanning 2010 to 2020. Through a multi-level analysis, including macro, mezzo, and micro perspectives, the study reveals a predominately geographically homophilic landscape. Most coauthored works originate from scholars affiliated with American universities, with minimal representation from geographically remote academic institutions. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed, highlighting avenues for enhancing geographical-institutional diversity and collaborations within the PR research community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With its focus on repairing, restoring, and rebuilding, regenerative approach marks a strategic shift for the tourism businesses. The purpose of this study is to explore regenerative tourism from the consumers' perspective. The study employed a two-step approach to reach its goals. The findings reveal that regenerative tourism includes two key dimensions: sustainability and restoration. Moreover, regenerative tourism is perceived as inspiring, and it has a positive impact on both personal legacy and consumers' willingness to participate again. Academic research in this domain is scarce, and the study provides a crucial exploration of the regenerative actions from the consumers' perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xi Jinping Thought on Culture has become a prominent topic in contemporary academic research. Using CiteSpace, this study visualizes and analyzes 465 relevant articles from core journals on CNKI published between January 2014 and April 2024. The findings reveal a general upward trend in the volume of literature related to Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, with intermittent fluctuations and periods of rapid growth. Research activity in this field has been increasing, and the body of research has yielded significant outcomes. Collaboration among scholars is characterized by close-knit clusters within specific areas, with some dispersion and limited aggregation. Existing studies have comprehensively addressed the theoretical implications, distinctive features, practical significance, and potential pathways for implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. A research framework has emerged, led by Marxism and enriched by contributions from various disciplines. However, there is a need for deeper theoretical systematization, greater innovation in content, and more emphasis on practical applications. Future research should focus on refining the theoretical framework, enhancing the research content and discourse system, and prioritizing practical application through targeted, solution-oriented studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wellness tourism is a significant way to improve physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects. However, an appropriate scale for measuring the wellness tourism experience in academic research remains lacking. Most existing research had measured wellness tourism experience using full or part of the well-established tourism experience scales, ignoring the unique context of wellness tourism. Considering these issues, this paper first clarifies the essential connotations of the wellness tourism experience. Then, following the scale development process (literature review, content analysis, expert scoring, and two rounds of large-scale questionnaire surveys), this paper proposes the wellness tourism experience as a multidimensional construct comprising three dimensions, including "regain health," "escape from stress" and "discover oneself." This study provides a scientific and reliable measurement tool for further exploration of the antecedents and consequences of the wellness tourism experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Technology is sometimes used to support assessments of academic research in the form of automatically generated bibliometrics for reviewers to consult during their evaluations or by replacing some or all human judgements. With artificial intelligence (AI), there is increasing scope to use technology to assist research assessment processes in new ways. Since transparency and fairness are widely considered important for research assessment and AI introduces new issues, this review investigates their implications. Design/methodology/approach: This article reviews and briefly summarises transparency and fairness concerns in general terms and through the issues that they raise for various types of Technology Assisted Research Assessment (TARA). Findings: Whilst TARA can have varying levels of problems with both transparency and bias, in most contexts it is unclear whether it worsens the transparency and bias problems that are inherent in peer review. Originality/value: This is the first analysis that focuses on algorithmic bias and transparency issues for technology assisted research assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Academic conferences play a crucial role in fostering scholarly exchanges and discussions among core members, thereby shaping the core performance of these events. Understanding the contributions of scholars in academic conferences is essential for advancing the goals and development of such events. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned idea. Design/methodology/approach: This paper proposes a comprehensive measurement method for measuring scholars' academic activeness in academic conferences. Based on the essence of academic activeness, a measurement model is constructed, comprising the breadth of academic activeness using the RFM model and the depth of academic activeness using the ATM model. Additionally, effective categories of scholars are derived from the model, facilitating the identification of valuable scholars in academic conferences. Findings: Empirical evidence from ASIS&T conference records over the past 20 years demonstrates that the proposed measurement indicators have better coverage compared to traditional evaluation indicators, thus complementing existing scholar evaluation indictators. Furthermore, the academic activeness measurement model presented in this paper exhibits good efficacy in identifying important value and active scholars. Originality/value: This paper pays attention to the activeness of scholars in academic conferences. It broadens the evaluation of academic conferences and scholars and supplements the evaluation indicators of academic influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unethical research practices are prevalent in China, but little research has focused on the causes of these practices. Drawing on the criminology literature on organisational deviance, as well as the concept of cengceng jiama, which illustrates the increase of pressure in the process of policy implementation within a top-down bureaucratic hierarchy, this article develops an institutional analysis of research misconduct in Chinese universities. It examines both universities and the policy environment of Chinese universities as contexts for research misconduct. Specifically, this article focuses on China's Double First-Class University Initiative and its impact on elite universities that respond to the policy by generating new incentive structures to promote research quality and productivity as well as granting faculties and departments greater flexibility in terms of setting high promotion criteria concerning research productivity. This generates enormous institutional tensions and strains, encouraging and sometimes even compelling individual researchers who wish to survive to decouple their daily research activities from ethical research norms. This article is written based on empirical data collected from three elite universities as well as a review of policy documents, universities' internal documents, and news articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to gain a better understanding of co-creative research key principles and their enactment in real-life practices. The study is based on interviews and a focus group with academic researchers and professionals (n = 16) involved in eight co-creative research projects funded by the Brussels Regional Institute for Research and Innovation (Innoviris). The study demonstrates the tension between respondents' understanding of the key principles of co-creative research (e.g. a transformative aim, considering the community as actors, shared ownership, valuing experiential knowledge) and the power issues they face related to a 'project-funding' and 'academic research' logic when enacting those principles in real-life practices. This paper concludes that although dealing with power relations is inherent in co-creative research, power imbalances should be questioned on the level of (1) the linear, limited and inflexible nature of 'project-funding' logics and (2) the exclusive character of research methods, settings and institutions in 'academic research' logics. Finally, introducing a political and emancipatory dimension in co-creative research can contribute to reducing the gap between principles and their enactment in real-life practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work arises, on the one hand, from the need to digitally include people over 65 so that they can participate fully in today's society, and, on the other hand, to involve university students in their own training process through a research and participatory action project with older people. A process of adaptation and validation of an instrument to measure the level of digital competence of older people was carried out by means of an expert judgement, a pilot test and a final application to a sample of 210 older people. The 16 items of the instrument show stable and consistent measurements, fulfilling the required demands, and could be very useful for researchers working with this group, as it will allow them to know the starting point of the elderly at a digital level and design strategies that favour their technological inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain has recently garnered considerable attention in academic research across various fields. In the Internet of Things (IoT) domain, blockchain is viewed as a tool for establishing a decentralized, reliable, and secure environment. However, its application in IoT, especially for smaller-scale systems, is still nascent. Consequently, the future direction of blockchain in IoT remains somewhat uncertain, with numerous challenges and unresolved questions. Although many articles have explored the intersection of blockchain technology and IoT, most offer only surface-level discussions on the technological potential, with few addressing the complexities of implementing blockchain in IoT environments. This paper aims to provide a coherent and comprehensive overview of current leading efforts in this area. Specifically, we survey the integration of IoT and blockchain by examining key research themes and trends in blockchain-related methodologies and technologies applied to IoT. In this study, we reviewed articles published between 2021 and 2023 on blockchain-based IoT solutions, categorizing them into distinct research areas. We aim to explore the technologies, benefits, issues, and challenges related to the integration of IoT and blockchain, while also investigating the efforts made to address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Firms use design capability across the globe to compete and increase sales, e.g. Apple. However, the payoff from design know-how has been overlooked thus far. Academic research lags in this space despite the intersection of sales, technology and design in practice. This paper provides researchers and managers with implications of the interplay between design capability and technological market conditions to enhance a firm's sales. Design/methodology/approach: Firms' capability design, and sales impact have been studied in this paper across different technological market conditions. Primary technological conditions of the industry under which firms operate are captured, which are technological intensity (TI), technological competitive intensity (TCI) and technological maturity (TM). Their interplay has been studied using panel data analysis, examining fixed and random effects. Findings: Design is an important, interesting and non-imitable capacity that yields positive firm execution results. It provides an urgent differentiator and improves deal development. This study found that all four hypotheses are generally supported. The main finding is that, provided underlying technology is good, design significantly improves sales, but design alone cannot substitute for poor technology. Practical implications: The results of this study link the three technological environment conditions, namely, TI, TCI and TM with sales growth. The authors find that design can and does add to superior performance, provided technological excellence exists prior. But, in the absence of good technology, design alone will hinder performance. Originality/value: This paper examines the effect of firm design capability on sales growth. The paper finds a positive moderating effect of TCI and TM but a negative moderating effect of TI. The researchers believe these aspects of the design have not been studied before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: For more than four decades, scholars from diverse disciplines and countries have been interested in the act of whistleblowing. To battle financial fraud, financial regulators have been developing whistleblowing programs to motivate and protect whistleblowers, i.e. those who sound the alarm after witnessing an illegal act in their organization. The purpose of this article is to review five historical phases of whistleblowing research. The authors analyze the themes covered by whistleblowing studies conducted over the past 50 years and draw a snapshot of the evolution of whistleblowing research. Design/methodology/approach: The authors examine academic papers published between 1970 and 2022 and inventory the disciplines involved in the literature and changes in the definition of whistleblowing. Findings: The findings show the progress made in academic research (especially for the accounting discipline) regarding whistleblowing. The themes covered by academic studies became progressively diverse. However, this broader scope limited the depth of analysis and the level of self-criticism in the academic research. All but a few articles fail to view whistleblowing in light of its actual level of complexity, and the rationale behind limiting the definition of whistleblowing can only increase this myopia. Although most academic studies have adopted Near and Miceli (1985) definition of whistleblowing, the literature has yet to reach a consensus. Indeed, the analysis shows that Near and Miceli's (1985) definition of whistleblowing is incomplete and narrow by today's standards, not to mention out of step with regulators' needs. Originality/value: The main contributions are offering a big picture of whistleblowing academic research's evolution and proposing a more complete and updated view of this act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel market-to-book value components (M/BVC) decomposition model, surpassing traditional two-component models by breaking down the market-to-book ratio (M/B) into five detailed components. This model significantly refines the understanding of the factors driving the value premium, emphasizing the critical role of retained earnings (RE) in predicting stock returns. Through a rigorous analysis across Fama–French industries, the authors reveal the model's enhanced predictive power, particularly highlighting firm-specific errors and the value-to-RE component as key predictors of stock performance. The authors' approach, combining portfolio sorts analysis and firm-level return regressions, confirms the persistence of the value premium and identifies specific valuation components as instrumental in forecasting stock returns. This research contributes to asset pricing theory by providing a deeper insight into the mechanics of the value premium, offering implications for both academic research and investment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is an exploratory study assessing the stance selected higher education institutes (HEIs) have adopted regarding the usage of generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications in academic research. The HEIs are selected based on purposive sampling in order to showcase different stances they have adopted to curb plagiarism and uphold academic integrity. The article also takes into account the approach of some of the major publishers towards the use of generative AI technologies and the methods in which this usage is cited in academic research. Citing them as authors or in acknowledgement sections equates them to humans but without any liability of ethical conduct towards research, thus impacting academic integrity. The discussion finds its theoretical background in the eight themes of anthropology of technology. Ingold (1997) has identified in which society accepts any new technologies. The article concludes with some common questions for further research that were identified based on the common observations in the policies of HEIs, which are mostly updated on their websites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented Reality (AR) has attracted unprecedented attention in industrial activities, especially after the emergence of HoloLens in 2016, which is considered as the state-of-the-art head-mounted-display AR glass that has been widely applied in human-centric intelligent manufacturing (HCIM) by enabling workers to access intuitive work instructions directly. Nevertheless, to the best of the authors' knowledge, there has not been a holistic perspective on HoloLens in HCIM from the underlying techniques associated with its on-site deployments, preventing workers from being adequately aware of its pros and cons when deploying it in manufacturing activities. To this end, this article aims to provide a systematic overview of HoloLens AR in HCIM that was published from 2016 to 2022. We analyze the underlying techniques of HoloLens primarily, mainly including tracking and registration, scene perception, multimodal interaction and display, which are significant for its actual deployments in HCIM. Followed by detailed discussions on the various human-centric manufacturing activities that benefit from HoloLens, as well as a summary of challenges and opportunities of HoloLens AR in HCIM. We find that, although the feasibility of HoloLens in various industrial scenarios has been shown, on-going improvements in the areas of tracking accuracy, reliable interaction, and usability are still necessary to promote the HoloLens applications. Besides, this review is also meaningful to the awareness on the current technical and practical situations of AR devices in HCIM, providing insights to facilitate on-site industrial AR applications or perform further academic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Courses: This activity can be used in writing-based (communication) courses across various disciplines including, but not limited to, introduction to writing and rhetoric, business communication, and communication research methods. Objectives: On completion of this activity, students will develop critical reading, thinking, and writing skills as they both write their own summary and then compare it to AI-generated summaries on the same reading. Students will practice making decisions about the practical and ethical use of AI tools for communication, especially regarding inclusion in an academic research project and citation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the ubiquity of partnering and alliancing in industry discourse and academic research, questions remain about the extent of transformational change within the sector towards more collaborative working. Revisiting earlier work that highlighted issues, problems and dilemmas of partnering related to definitional ambiguities, conflicting (commercial) orientations and cultural reach and readiness, this paper highlights continuing problems of definition, formalization, translation and performance. Attention is directed towards the lack of external validation and institutionalization, as well as the need for more comparative analysis, situated understanding, awareness of organizational pluralism and recognition of relational dynamics. From this critical review, a framework is presented that embraces the variety and indeterminacy in the many definitions, pathways to collaboration, realizations in practice and evaluative recipes used. Partnering is presented instead as being constituted through complex and interacting bundles of practices that cut across levels of interaction, and which reflect competing (and contested) institutional influences, situated practices, outcomes/effects and performance evaluations. This practice-based approach is more attuned to the diversity and fluidity of the institutional contexts, organizational processes, and project/programme settings wherein partnering is situated and through which it is instantiated, and thus affords new avenues of research into its nature and effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, China has issued a number of high-level policies aimed at reforming research assessment to establish its own research evaluation approach and replace the emphasis on quantitative performance measures that has persisted for decades. This study presents a landscape of institutional responses to the new research assessment reform in China. Drawing on theories of institutional complexity, we employ in-depth document analysis to analyse how national policy requirements are implemented at the university level. Our findings demonstrate that Chinese research universities have adopted blended hybrid strategies to address institutional complexity caused by the interplay of state, market, management, and academic professional logics. These strategies have enabled universities to incorporate their own attributes to negotiate complexity and have helped universities maintain their legitimacy and competitive advantage. The findings highlight both the progress and challenges in building a new research evaluation system in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the adoption and impact of academic research tools among South African academicians. The research objectives include evaluating awareness, perceived importance, motivations, and challenges related to using these tools. Employing a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from a representative sample using rigorous sampling techniques. The findings reveal high awareness and utilization of various research tools, with motivations centred on improving research quality and productivity. Challenges include difficulties in tool understanding and trust issues. The study underscores the significance of academic research tools in scholarly practices and provides insights for stakeholders such as librarians, publishers, and developers. Future research directions include longitudinal studies and integrating emerging technologies to enhance scholarly workflows and address evolving academic challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) have made significant progress in engineering application research and industrialization, as well as in academic research. However, the engineering application research field of RIS still faces several challenges. This article analyses and discusses the two deployment modes of RIS‐assisted wireless networks, namely network controlled mode and standalone mode. It also presents three typical collaboration scenarios of RIS networks, including multi‐RIS collaboration, multi‐user access, and multi‐cell coordination, which reflect the differences between the two deployment modes of RIS. The article proposes collaborative regulation mechanisms for RIS and analyses their applications in the two network deployment modes in‐depth. Furthermore, the article establishes simulation models of three scenarios and provides rich numerical simulation results. An actual field test environment is also built, where a specially designed and processed RIS prototype was used for preliminary field test and verification. Finally, this article puts forward future trends and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Performance framework (PF) is a well-established practice to measure innovation performance and identify improvement opportunities. However, whether PFs academic research are applicable to companies remains unclear, as well as their support in the definition of improvement actions. This study aims to present the implementation and assessment of a new and updated PF proposed in previous research in a real industrial context. Design/methodology/approach: The PF was implemented through an in-depth case study carried out in a European machinery manufacturer and further assessed by practitioners. Findings: The results indicate that the PF enabled the creation of a multidimensional view of the innovation performance and the definition of improvement projects in the company. Additionally, the findings also reveal an overall positive assessment of the PF by senior managers who work with the innovation process. Research limitations/implications: As a case study, this research is inherently limited in the extent to which results can be generalised. Thus, the analyses are reductive and rationalising. Future research is needed to assess the replicability of the PF. Practical implications: The study's practical contribution is based on the combination of insights and steps that provide a straightforward and actionable approach for the company to improve performance. Originality/value: This study aims to advance the importance of implementing the new and updated PF after its proposition, which is often overlooked in preceding research. Furthermore, the assessment of the PF also enables to infer its value to the company's employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of advancing technology and the convergence of diverse disciplines, collaborative research across academic sectors has become instrumental in fostering innovation and tackling multifaceted challenges. The inherent complexity of such multidisciplinary endeavors, characterized by a myriad of research trajectories and a spectrum of expertise, poses significant challenges to effective review. This study aims to identify and analyze the factors influencing the review efficiency of multidisciplinary scientific research projects to ensure their smooth development and improved quality. To address this challenge, we employ the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method with a 5-point scale. First, we introduce an indexing framework to systematically identify factors influencing the appraisal of multidisciplinary efforts. This framework is then complemented by expert-driven questionnaires, harnessing domain-specific insights to ascertain the significance and interconnectedness of these factors. Using the DEMATEL method, we distill the data to identify key influencing factors that enhance review efficiency for multidisciplinary projects. Our findings provide pragmatic strategies and policy guidance, equipping institutional bodies and program leads with tools to refine the review process of multidisciplinary scientific research projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes what the geoeconomic tools of the European Union (EU) and China are and examines their nature from a comparative perspective. To this end, a literature review is conducted, accounting for the tools known as geoeconomic, and this is complemented by a content analysis of official documents, which include lesser‐known geoeconomic tools. The results indicate that although a similar number of geoeconomic tools have been identified, their salience and nature vary. While the EU's usage of these tools has lately been reactive to external developments and is not very often researched by academics, the Chinese usage takes a proactive stance. The paper concludes by pointing out that the development and relevance of these tools mirrors the systemic rivalry between the EU and China and indicates the geoeconomic shift that is taking place in international relations. Similarly, it also shows that the literature does not address all the geoeconomic tools there are and therefore this paper contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive list of the instruments mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of cognitive warfare is currently gaining ground in the policy discussion and in academic research as a way of conceptualizing the 'weaponization of the neurosciences'. Introducing the Science and Technology Studies-inspired concept of 'neuropolitical imaginaries' and assessing discussions on cognitive warfare launched by the NATO Innovation Hub in 2017, this article explores how the contemporary turn to the brain sciences in defense and security reimagines politics. The article argues that seeing the human mind as increasingly vulnerable to external interference redefines the nature of human agency by giving precedence to the skilful 'cartographer' employing neuroscientific techniques and methods for persuasion. This emerging vulnerability of the human mind reshapes security into a zero-sum game for 'cognitive superiority', making brain science scholars authorities in security. Finally, speaking to the literature on security expertise and science in security, the article argues that the envisaged arms race for cognitive superiority gives rise to a neurosecurity dilemma: as the neurosciences becomes entangled with security, neuroscientific practices simultaneously arise as a core vulnerability, making their work conditional upon compliance with security practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cloud-edge-end scenarios, how to achieve rational resource allocation, implement effective service deployment, and ensure high service quality has become a hot research topic in academic domains. Service providers usually deploy services by considering the characteristics of different geographical regions, which helps to meet the diverse needs of users in different regions and optimize resource allocation and utilization. However, due to the widespread distribution of users and limited server resources, providing all types of services to users in every geographical region is not feasible. In addition, edge servers are prone to operational failures caused by software anomalies, hardware malfunctions, and malicious attacks, which will decrease service reliability. To address the problems above, this paper proposes a metric for service priorities based on user demands and regional characteristics for different geographical regions. Building upon this foundation, a Multi-Service Geographic region Deployment based on Priority (MS-GD-P) is proposed. This method takes user coverage and service reliability into consideration, which facilitates users' needs for multiple services in different geographical regions. Experimental results on real datasets demonstrate that MS-GD-P outperforms baseline methods in user coverage and service reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this learning paper, I briefly reflect on the essential interdisciplinary experience gained during my dissertation research project (“Connected food: An interdisciplinary approach into interspecies encounters of food”). I begin by emphasizing the importance of starting with broad and flexible research questions that can evolve through engagement with various disciplines. I then focus on the value of supportive interdisciplinary communities. Through three examples of my own interdisciplinary collaborations, I share how these voluntary efforts, despite requiring significant time and yielding no direct academic outputs, have profoundly enriched my research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are increasingly considered as crucial actors for innovation and regional development through university-industry collaborations. Extant research suggests that the impact of knowledge transfer is largely related to the multi-dimensional proximities between universities and knowledge recipients. However, majority of them approached the issue of proximity by treating collaborations between universities and their industrial partners as geographically static. Our case study looks at one Chinese research university which adopted an innovative outreach solution by setting up off-campus institutional arrangements to mitigate the problem caused by the geographical constraint, exploring how such entrepreneurial effort can pose an impact on the various dimensions of proximity. By doing so, this paper aims to enrich the knowledge of university entrepreneurship, elucidate the dynamic nature of proximity in the context of university-industry collaborations and draw practical implications for the promotion of such collaborations at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Questionable research practices (QRPs) and research misconduct (RM) involving university scientists waste resources and erode public trust in science and academia. Theories put forth for the occurrence of these transgressions have ranged conceptually from that of errant individuals ("bad apple") to an environment/culture which is conducive for, if not promotive of, QRP/RM ("bad barrel"), or a combination of both. These ideas appear to provide explanations for lapses in epistemic responsibility and offer reasons for instances of transgression. Some have even argued that scientific conclusions need not be accurate, justified, or believed by their authors. I take the opposite view and instead argue that academic research should be carried out such that a scientist's fundamental commitment to their epistemic responsibility triumphs over all reasons and incentives to err. In other words, carrying out and publishing research in which the results are authentic and veracious to the best of the scientist's knowledge and ability should be a default state of mind, a preferred path of action, or a moral axiom. This is a notion that should permeate any courses on research ethics and integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In research on videogame production, much attention has been given, justifiably, to 'crunch', whereby employees in large studios work extremely long hours for months at a time prior to a game's launch, at the request of management. There has to date been limited research about how duration and urgency are experienced at other periods, and also in the economically and culturally significant 'independent' (or indie) sectors and companies. This article draws on a Deleuzian framework initially developed to analyse experience of temporality in academic research, and applies it to data generated by an ethnography of a UK-based indie game studio, which examined how games are produced as part of a more routine working life. The framework enables a re-examination of how 'passionate' work in the cultural industries is lived day-to-day, and aims to contribute to debates about the politics of time in the games sector, offering analytic resources which expand the vocabulary for expressing desired experiences of time in game work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity in academic medicine and research enhances the quality of the science produced and the efficacy of patient care. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) statements have recently been suggested or required by academic job postings as a way to measure candidate's commitments to fostering DEIA in their role. In this perspective, we discuss steps to craft effective DEIA statements that convey your actions in, and commitment to, DEIA. We recognize that mandating DEIA statements may actually result in inauthentic or disingenuous statements and offer solutions to encouraging academics to arrive at a meaningful statement that represents their own perspectives on diversity. Last, we provide examples of DEIA statements from three academics at different career points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]