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Many business transactions and employment contracts are wrongfully exploitative despite being consensual and beneficial to both parties, compared with a nontransaction baseline. This form of exploitation can present governments with a dilemma. Legally permitting exploitation may send the message that the public condones it. In some economic conditions, coercively enforced antiexploitation law may harm the people it is intended to help. Under these conditions, a way out of the dilemma is to enact laws with provisions that lack coercive enforcement. Noncoercive law would convey the state's condemnation of wrongful exploitation without risking the harmful effects of coercively enforced law. It would also give firms and their agents a way of explaining nonexploitative pricing decisions to investors, and it may help give precise content to the moral duty to set prices and wages fairly. Governments should thus consider noncoercive law a viable component of their responses to exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the nonworseness claim, it cannot be morally worse to exploit someone than not to interact with them at all when the interaction 1) is mutually beneficial, 2) is voluntary, and 3) has no negative effects on third parties. My aim in this article is to defend the moral significance of exploitation from this challenge. To that end, I develop a novel account of why sweatshop owners have a moral obligation to pay sweatshop workers a nonexploitative wage despite the fact that their relationship is entirely optional. More precisely, I defend two main claims. First, I show that sweatshop owners are morally obligated to pay sweatshop workers a nonexploitative wage even though they have a right not to hire them and even though that will require them to pay sweatshop workers a wage that is higher than the one they voluntarily accepted. Second, I explain why this obligation on the part of sweatshop owners is not defeated by the fact that other individuals not party to the transaction would benefit even more than sweatshop workers from receiving this additional level of pay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooperation and conflict are common in plant–pollinator interactions. Flowering plants often entice pollinators to visit by offering floral food rewards, thereby facilitating pollination. However, pollinators such as bees can learn to improve their collection of floral rewards (such as pollen), changing how they interact with the flower's reproductive organs, which together could reduce pollination success. Consequently, complex flowers that slow pollinator learning might benefit the plant. Yet how pollinator learning and flower complexity interact to affect pollination success is unknown. We therefore asked how differences in complexity of 4 flower types (Phacelia campanularia, Exacum affine , Solanum elaeagnifolium , and Erythranthe guttata) affected learning by pollen-foraging generalist bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) and how learning affected pollen collection and pollen deposition on these flowers. We found that bees generally learned how to efficiently handle more complex flower types more slowly. Bees that required more visits to become efficient foragers collected less pollen, with no effect on pollen deposition. Except for the simplest flower type, learning also involved development of motor routines unique to each flower type. Experienced bees overall collected more pollen, but individual differences in motor routines did not affect pollen collection. Conversely, individual differences in motor routines affected pollen deposition, but there was no overall effect of experience. Thus, even though learning overall benefits the bee, it does not alter female (and potentially male) fitness benefits for the plant. We discuss potential reasons for these patterns and consequences for bee behavior and flower evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The boundaries between tourism and migration are blurry. This blurring has been beneficial for the governments of wealthy countries enabling them to import a large and flexible temporary workforce that can be directed toward regions and industries where there are labour shortages. Such is the case with the Australian Working Holiday Program (AWHP); a historically tourism-focused cultural exchange program that began in 1975. Since the 1990s, the Australian Government has leveraged the AWHP to support several of Australia's critical industries. This has been achieved through the tweaking of mobility infrastructures that link Working Holiday Makers' (WHMs) ability to stay in Australia to employment conditions. Such conditions increase precarity among WHMs, directing them towards remote regions and industries where there are evident labour shortages. While these mobility infrastructures significantly benefit Australia's economy, they result in WHMs being highly vulnerable to exploitation. Such vulnerability is layered with WHMs from less wealthy, non-English-speaking countries facing the highest levels of vulnerability. This study investigates the way mobility infrastructures in the AWHP influence WHMs' mobilities, as well as how such mobilities are experienced in uneven and unjust ways. There is urgency to interrogate the role that such programs play in contributing to unjust mobilities, and to query the attendant implications for sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immortality constitutes a very human desire and its pursuit arguably shapes prominent features of human societies. In the twenty-first century, capitalism develops technologies that promise immortality as indefinite survival. Scholars who study immortality often showcase the links between technology, social structures and immortality projects, but a critical inquiry is needed to examine how (techno-)capitalism creates immortality projects that expand the frontiers of capital in contemporary societies. In this article, I highlight how techno-capitalism configures three prominent immortality imaginaries: transhumanist digital immortality, radical biological life-extension, and cryonics. I identify three tendencies of techno-capitalism − 1) expanding commodification to new realms of life, 2) creating new forms of alienation and 3) subordinating life to the private accumulation of capital – and explain how they shape the immortality imaginaries. I argue that pursuing techno-capitalist immortality would induce significant harms for human beings, promising freedom from death but actually sustaining techno-capitalism's exploitative relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic workers used to be treated virtually as members of the family in South Asian contexts, with much evidence of various forms of exploitation. Presently, the increasing prevalence of formal patron–client dynamics among part-time domestic labourers in urban India takes specific hybrid forms that require further research. The article examines to what extent efforts to establish purely commercial arrangements in the domestic service sector may avoid traditional forms of exploitation. Or do more formal professional relationships still tend to benefit employers more, allowing them to assign additional tasks without offering corresponding extra benefits? The findings identify that establishing and maintaining purely professional relationships remains challenging in India due to deep-rooted ethical and cultural considerations and adaptability issues. Employers often unwittingly perpetuate traditional personalised domestic work settings. The article shows how both sides in this complex relationship struggle to identify and practice new modalities of fair interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Sustainable Lot Size Optimization is an important challenge of Supply Chain Management as it seeks to balance the economic goals of minimizing costs with environmental and social objectives, ensuring efficient production and inventory management while reducing environmental impact and enhancing social responsibility. Metaheuristic algorithms play a crucial role in solving Sustainable Lot Size Optimization problems by efficiently exploring large and complex search spaces to find near-optimal solutions that balance economic, environmental, and social objectives, often outperforming traditional optimization methods in terms of flexibility and scalability. With this attitude, in this paper, a new metaheuristic algorithm called Sales Training Based Optimization (STBO) is designed to solve Sustainable Lot Size Optimization applications. The fundamental inspiration in the design of STBO draws upon human behaviors observed during sales training. The theoretical framework of STBO is thoroughly described, and its implementation process is mathematically formulated in two distinct stages: the exploration phase and the exploitation phase. The efficiency of STBO to address Sustainable Lot Size Optimization applications has been evaluated on 10 study scenarios. The optimization outcomes reveal that STBO consistently delivers highly effective solutions by seamlessly integrating exploration with exploitation throughout the search. Furthermore, a thorough comparison was conducted, revealing how STBO's results stack up against those from twelve widely recognized metaheuristic algorithms. The simulation findings conclusively demonstrate that the STBO approach consistently outperforms competitors, achieving superior performance across all study scenarios. These insights confirm that the STBO approach serves as a highly reliable and potent optimization tool, capable of addressing a wide range of optimization challenges in diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of literature on the barriers and facilitators to exiting the commercial sex industry, but little empirical research on how this process may be different for those who have experienced sex trafficking. In this study, we explored the barriers that people who have experienced sex trafficking encountered when they considered leaving their trafficker or leaving the commercial sex industry, as well as facilitators that helped them overcome those barriers. To address these questions, we used qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 158 people who had experienced sex trafficking. Among study participants, the circumstances of leaving a trafficking situation incredibly varied. Most participants faced complex barriers to exiting their trafficking situation and their exit pathways reflected these differences. Despite these barriers, most study participants had left their traffickers. We found that there were two broad ways that study participants left their trafficking situations: either actively or passively. We discuss implications for service providers, law enforcement, and policymakers to help support individual agency and decision-making to better facilitate trafficking exit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel metaheuristic technique named Far and Near Optimization (FNO) is introduced, offering versatile applications across various scientific domains for optimization tasks. The core concept behind FNO lies in integrating global and local search methodologies to update the algorithm population within the problem-solving space based on moving each member to the farthest and nearest member to itself. The paper delineates the theory of FNO, presenting a mathematical model in two phases: (i) exploration based on the simulation of the movement of a population member towards the farthest member from itself and (ii) exploitation based on simulating the movement of a population member towards the nearest member from itself. FNO's efficacy in tackling optimization challenges is assessed through its handling of the CEC 2017 test suite across problem dimensions of 10, 30, 50, and 100, as well as to address CEC 2020. The optimization results underscore FNO's adeptness in exploration, exploitation, and maintaining a balance between them throughout the search process to yield viable solutions. Comparative analysis against twelve established metaheuristic algorithms reveals FNO's superior performance. Simulation findings indicate FNO's outperformance of competitor algorithms, securing the top rank as the most effective optimizer across a majority of benchmark functions. Moreover, the outcomes derived by employing FNO on twenty-two constrained optimization challenges from the CEC 2011 test suite, alongside four engineering design dilemmas, showcase the effectiveness of the suggested method in tackling real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe agri-food industry in Southern Europe and elsewhere is typically seen as a place of harsh exploitation of immigrant workers. This article aims to give a more comprehensive picture of immigrant work in the Italian agrifood system. Based on nine case studies of local production systems, it elaborates on the concept of “subordinate integration,” showing its different variants. In addition, it discusses the relationship between subordinate integration at work and different forms of social insertion on the territory, mainly focusing on the housing question. In conclusion, the social regulation of work in agriculture and the role of trade unions is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent need to mitigate and adapt to climate change necessitates a comprehensive understanding of carbon cycling dynamics. Traditionally, global carbon cycle models have focused on vegetation, but recent research suggests that animals can play a significant role in carbon dynamics under some circumstances, potentially enhancing the effectiveness of nature‐based solutions to mitigate climate change. However, links between animals, plants, and carbon remain unclear. We explored the complex interactions between defaunation and ecosystem carbon in Earth's most biodiverse and carbon‐rich biome, tropical rainforests. Defaunation can change patterns of seed dispersal, granivory, and herbivory in ways that alter tree species composition and, therefore, forest carbon above‐ and belowground. Most studies we reviewed show that defaunation reduces carbon storage 0−26% in the Neo‐ and Afrotropics, primarily via population declines in large‐seeded, animal‐dispersed trees. However, Asian forests are not predicted to experience changes because their high‐carbon trees are wind dispersed. Extrapolating these local effects to entire ecosystems implies losses of ∼1.6 Pg CO2 equivalent across the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and 4−9.2 Pg across the Amazon over 100 years and of ∼14.7−26.3 Pg across the Congo basin over 250 years. In addition to being hard to quantify with precision, the effects of defaunation on ecosystem carbon are highly context dependent; outcomes varied based on the balance between antagonist and mutualist species interactions, abiotic conditions, human pressure, and numerous other factors. A combination of experiments, large‐scale comparative studies, and mechanistic models could help disentangle the effects of defaunation from other anthropogenic forces in the face of the incredible complexity of tropical forest systems. Overall, our synthesis emphasizes the importance of—and inconsistent results when—integrating animal dynamics into carbon cycle models, which is crucial for developing climate change mitigation strategies and effective policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continual innovation is essential for new ventures' growth and survival. New ventures must combine their capacity to keep exploiting their current lines of business while exploring the products and markets that will constitute their future. The allocation of time and resources to innovation alternatives is a strategic decision between short-term and long-term performance. Since the new venture team (NVT) dictates new ventures' strategic decisions, understanding an NVT's configuration and individual characteristics can shed light on the type of innovation a new venture pursues. Drawing from regulatory mode theory and the upper-echelons perspective, we propose that organizations with NVTs with a predominantly single regulatory mode (either assessment or locomotion) show higher degrees of exploitation but lower degrees of exploration. However, NVTs with members who have a combined orientation toward both dimensions produce higher levels of exploration than NVTs conformed to a predominant single regulatory mode. Moreover, we theorize that environmental dynamism adds an important boundary condition to the relationship between NVTs' regulatory modes and new ventures' innovative activities. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 20th centuary, the economically important carp species Labeo rohita, Tor tor, & Labeo calbasu and the catfishes Rita rita & Bagarius bagarius contributed substantially to the total fish catch from the Ganga River system in India. Samples were recorded between December 2003 and June 2004 from fish landing centers in the Ken, Paisuni, and Tons rivers for L. rohita, T. tor and L. calbasu. Rita rita and B. bagarius were sampled between September 2001 and September 2003 in the Ganga River system. The data were used to evaluate the growth and age structures of fish populations. Age classes varied 0+-5+ for L. rohita in the Ken & Paisuni rivers and 0+-8+ in the Tons River. For T. tor, the age classes varied 1+-6+ in the Ken & Paisuni rivers and 1+-8+ in the Tons. Age classes of L. calbasu varied 1+-6+ in the Ken River, 1+-5+ in the Paisuni River, and 1+-7+ in the Tons. In the Ganga River, age classes of R. rita & B. bagarius varied 0+-7+ and 0+-6+, respectively. The L. rohita, age pyramid showed a tendency for bell shape in Ken River, base tends to be broader through bell shape in Paisuni River, and bell-shaped age pyramid was slightly distorted in Tons River. In case of T. tor, tendency for bell shape in Ken River and bell-shaped age pyramid in Paisun River & Tons River were obtained. In case of L. calbasu, heavy bottom shaped age pyramid was recorded in Ken and Paisuni rivers, while base tends to be broader in the Tons River. Bell shaped age pyramid was recorded for B. bagarius in the Ganga River while heavy bottom shape for R. rita in the Ganga River. Overall, T. tor is facing heavy fishing pressure and also targeted fish species by fishermen from the Ganga River system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to demonstrate that the indenture system contributed to the development of a work ethic that facilitated the development of the Mauritian economy. The indentured labor system in Mauritius, though crucial for the island’s economic boom in the 19th century, involved harsh realities for laborers. Long contracts, limited freedoms, and debt bondage masked the ‘free’ labor narrative. Despite the exploitation, some former laborers achieved land ownership and entrepreneurship, showcasing resilience. Recognizing the vulnerability of a sugar-dependent economy, Mauritius embarked on diversification efforts, fostering tourism, manufacturing, and financial services. By examining the indentured labor system, we gain insights into the human cost of economic growth, the complexities of ‘free’ labor, and the long-term consequences of migration. This historical exploration sheds light on Mauritius’ social and economic transformation, highlighting its journey from a sugar-reliant nation to a more diversified and resilient economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile cloud computing (MCC) is one of the most visible efforts to take computing technology beyond the use of tools and achieve universal penetration. Mobile and cloud computing are becoming increasingly important in people's daily lives, highlighting the urgent need for new approaches. The motivation of mobile users and the nature of cloud computing make it ideal for developing mobile cloud services. The focus of this paper is on the cognitive, social, and technical motivations that mobile users experience when owning, interacting with, and using mobile devices through MCC. We also explore the moderating role of network externalities between perceived utility of MCC, usage attitudes, and actual use of MCC. The results show that the positive effects of perceived utility and attitudes on mobile cloud computing usage increase gradually with network externalities. This study provides a theoretical basis for academics and practical guidance for service providers to promote MCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major challenge in ecology is to understand how different species interact to determine ecosystem function, particularly in communities with large numbers of co‐occurring species. We use a trait‐based model of microbial litter decomposition to quantify how different taxa impact ecosystem function. Furthermore, we build a novel framework that highlights the interplay between taxon traits and environmental conditions, focusing on their combined influence on community interactions and ecosystem function. Our results suggest that the ecosystem impact of a taxon is driven by its resource acquisition traits and the community functional capacity, but that physiological stress amplifies the impact of both positive and negative interactions. Furthermore, net positive impacts on ecosystem function can arise even as microbes have negative pairwise interactions with other taxa. As communities shift in response to global climate change, our findings reveal the potential to predict the biogeochemical functioning of communities from taxon traits and interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interpersonal objectification, treating people as tools and neglecting their essential humanness, is a pervasive and enduring phenomenon. Across five studies (N = 1183), we examined whether subjective economic inequality increases objectification through a calculative mindset. Study 1 revealed that the perceptions of economic inequality at the national level and in daily life were positively associated with objectification. Studies 2 and 3 demonstrated a causal relationship between subjective economic inequality and objectification in a fictitious organization and society, respectively. Moreover, the effect was mediated by a calculative mindset (Studies 3–4). In addition, lowering a calculative mindset weakened the effect of subjective inequality on objectification (Study 4). Finally, increased objectification due to subjective inequality further decreased prosociality and enhanced exploitative intentions (Study 5). Taken together, our findings suggest that subjective economic inequality increases objectification, which further causes adverse interpersonal interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses the influences of organizational ambidexterity and new public management (NPM) innovations on public service quality in the under-researched and changing context of the Arabian Peninsula Gulf States. The data used were obtained from government organizations in the Sultanate of Oman and were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that exploitation is associated with public service quality and this relationship is partially mediated by public service innovation. The results show an indirect relationship between NPM practices and service quality mediated by service innovation. Moreover, the relationship between exploration and service quality is fully mediated by service innovation. This study extends the existing research on ambidexterity in government organizations and contributes to the international public administration reform and innovation literature by examining the applicability of Western practices in changing societal and politico-administrative cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although contemporary researchers suggest that abuse is especially prevalent in sport, athletes' experiences of coaches' emotional abuse are not well understood. To address this gap, the present study was designed to examine how former intercollegiate student-athletes described experiences of emotional abuse in the coach-athlete relationship. Twenty former student-athletes were interviewed, and an inductive comparative analysis was utilized to interpret and situate the data. Results were framed in terms of power and were organized into four distinctive categories. Results highlight a critical need for institutions to reflect on current policies and practices regarding the prevention and investigation of athlete abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking, the recruitment and transportation of persons by use of force, coercion, or deception for exploitation is one of the largest illicit industries worldwide. In the execution of anti-trafficking policies to combat this phenomenon, nation-states have assigned a decisive role to criminal justice actors as they are not only responsible for the detection, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators but also for the identification and (legal) protection of victims of human trafficking. However, research has shown that criminal justice actors encounter many challenges whilst carrying out their tasks, which is also reflected in the low numbers of successful prosecutions and identified victims. To our knowledge, the reasons behind this observation have never been studied systematically. This systematic review aims to collect and synthesise empirical literature on factors that influence the criminal justice response to human trafficking to better understand and identify gaps in knowledge. In total, 35 empirical studies were included. Findings were discussed in light of theory and previous research and were used to provide recommendations for policy and future research. These studies suggest that factors such as prevailing stereotypes, an absence of legal guidance and a lack of capacity and expertise interact and even amplify each other and that strengthening the criminal justice response to human trafficking requires a multi-layered approach that simultaneously addresses several challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethical issues specific to payment in academic research via crowd work (a.k.a. crowd work-based research) have not been extensively examined or discussed in the prior literature, while similar topics have been debated in biomedical research for years. In particular, IRBs' perspectives are lacking in the current scholarship about research ethics and crowd work in the U.S. where crowd work-based research has become a popular arena for human subjects research. To fill these gaps, we interviewed 32 scholars and IRB directors and analysts in the U.S. to probe their perspectives on ethical issues in crowd work-based research. In this paper, we revealed an ethical dilemma between undue influence, fair payment, and whether the monetary incentive can be regarded as a research benefit to crowd workers. Based on these findings, we reflected on the origin of this ethical dilemma, compared and critiqued the scholars' and IRBs' ethical positions in this respect. Afterward, we discussed our research implications for scholars, IRBs, and crowd work platforms in the U.S. and reported our research limitations and plans for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the theory of exploitation which Marx sets out in Capital. It argues that Marx assumes that there are five modes of extraction of surplus value. These are associated with the following principles: (1) extended duration of the working day; (2) enhanced productivity (due to the introduction of new technology); (3) efficient organization of the process of production; (4) increased intensity of labour and (5) depressed consumption of the labourer. The article argues that Marx's theory of exploitation is not as systematic as it could have been. For this reason it is ripe for a theoretical reconstruction. The article also discusses the views of recent commentators who have developed the idea of 'super-exploitation', which is taken from Marx's writings. There is a tendency in this literature to associate this notion with the principle of depressed consumption and to argue that it is especially relevant for understanding of what is happening in the societies of the Global South. Those concerned identify this as a third mode of extracting surplus value, in addition to the principle of extended duration (absolute surplus value) and enhanced productivity (relative surplus value). The article argues that this procedure overlooks certain aspects of Marx's theory of exploitation, especially those having to do with the efficient organization or rational administration of labour within the process of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Who benefits from the exploitation of women's work, and how? Marxist feminists in the 1970s–1980s and recently theorists of Social Reproduction argued that women's work is exploited twice, or "super-exploited," by capital and patriarchy. Such "super-exploitation" is sustained by the process of "housewifization," which legitimizes the extraction and accumulation of surplus value from the social reproductive work of women. The housewife ideology not only mystifies social reproductive work as natural — thereby legitimizing it as free — but also frames women's productive work as marginal — thereby legitimizing it as cheaper and more precarious. Building on Maria Mies' (1981) famous study of women lacemakers in India, where the devaluation of women's work is shown to serve both capital and patriarchy, I analyze the experiences of Punjabi "housewives" in central Italy, exploring them through the lens of one family and specifically its youngest and eldest daughters, whom I interviewed during ethnographic fieldwork. I show how, despite the essential role played by these women in their family mobility project, the housewife ideology — together with other patriarchal constructs of honor and caste endogamy — obscures the value of their social reproductive and productive work and imposes a number of restrictions on their freedom. I find, further, that their super-exploitation is aggravated in the context of migration: the labor exploitation and welfare exclusion that they face in Italy due to the country's exclusionary immigration regime and unregulated capitalist market complicate their chances to challenge the oppressive relations they are involved in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangrove clam is the most sought-after bivalve in the Philippines due to its taste, size, and nutrition. Due to its economic importance, this paper aims to determine the population dynamics of mangrove clam P. philippiana harvested in gleaning sites in the Davao region using the FAO ICLARM Stock Assessment Tool (FISAT II). A total of 2493 clams collected from December 2018-December 2020 with sizes ranging from 14-84 mm SL and 2.2-178.6 g were classified according to size classes with 5 mm intervals. The length-weight relationship was computed and showed negative allometry (a = 0.002, b = 2.6205, R² = 0.89). The estimated growth parameters using ELEFAN I was L∞ = 98.64 mm, K = 1.33 year-1, t0 = -1.07. Length converted catch curve routine estimated Z = 10.27year-1, M = 1.52 year-1, F = 8.75 year-1, E = 0.85, and backward extrapolation generated Lc50 = 34.83 mm SL which is below Lm = 65.76 mm SL. Recruitment patterns were highest during July and August 2020, and VPA showed a high F at 60 mm SL. Beverton and Holt Y/R analysis showed E0.5 = 0.328 and Emax = 0.551, yield isopleths derived from plotted Lc50/L∞ = 0.353 and E = 0.85 values were within quadrant D. The result revealed that Lm>Lc50 implies that mangrove clams gleaned in the area were small and immature. Moreover, F>Fopt and E>Emax and E>E0.5 suggest that mangrove clam fishery in the region was heavily exploited. The study concluded that the mangrove clam Pegophysema philippiana was overexploited and that a management strategy was needed in the Davao Region, Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lot of discussion is done these days regarding the actual novelty of newcomer nature-inspired approaches. Crucial role on that matter is played by the mechanisms included in these approaches, where many of these mechanisms have been previously introduced as part of another algorithm. On the other hand, a good practice would be to use the mechanisms of a nature-inspired algorithm to enhance the performance or to overcome the drawbacks of another one. This paper investigates this issue, where four mechanisms have been isolated and studied. Furthermore, the well-known Particle Swarm Optimization and Firefly Algorithm were used to test the effect of the studied mechanisms on the exploration and exploitation of established approaches that suffer from premature convergence or mostly explore the search space, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers a theory of disablement within contemporary capitalism by complementing and building on the UPIAS-inspired social model of disability. It first explores a variety of divergences between different models of disability, to then propose five tenets for the collective-materialist approach to disablement. These tenets are: considering disablement as both oppression and exploitation; using the "subjects of disablement" as a collective and non-identitarian concept alongside already-existing identity terms; centring the "collective" alongside the "social"; struggling for autonomy and Independent Living, and adopting an anti-productivist politics. The abolition of disabling capitalism and the transformation of the institution of work are the ultimate goals of the collective-materialist approach and its related practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithm termed the Fossa Optimization Algorithm (FOA), which emulates the natural hunting behavior of the fossa in its habitat. FOA draws its core inspiration from the two-stage hunting technique of the fossa, involving an initial attack on a spotted lemur followed by a pursuit through the trees. The theoretical framework of FOA is elaborated, and its implementation is mathematically modeled in two distinct phases: (i) exploration, which simulates the fossa's positional adjustments during the initial attack on the lemur, and (ii) exploitation, which models the positional changes of the fossa during the chase. The efficacy of FOA is tested against twenty-two constrained optimization problems from the CEC 2011 test suite, as well as four engineering design challenges. The optimization results demonstrate FOA's strong capabilities in both exploration and exploitation, maintaining a balance that facilitates convergence to optimal solutions. FOA's performance is benchmarked against twelve established algorithms, showing that it consistently outperforms its competitors by delivering superior results and ranking as the top optimizer in most of the evaluated functions. These findings indicate that FOA is highly effective in addressing optimization tasks in real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply Chain Management (SCM) applications represent real-world optimization tasks that require handling using appropriate optimization techniques. Metaheuristic algorithms are powerful optimization tools that are effective for solving complex optimization problems such as SCM. In this article, a new metaheuristic algorithm named Potter Optimization Algorithm (POA) is introduced to deal with optimization problems, especially in SCM applications. POA is mathematically modelled by the inspiration of the human process of pottery in two phases of exploration and exploitation. The exploration phase is designed based on mathematical modeling of making extensive changes to the clay (or other pottery materials) according to the given pattern. The exploitation phase is designed based on mathematical modelling of making precise and limited changes on the made pottery with the aim of creating more similarity to the given pattern. The effectiveness of the proposed POA approach to address real-world applications in SCM has been evaluated on sustainable lot size optimization. The optimization results show that POA has been able to provide effective solutions for sustainable lot size optimization case studies by managing exploration, exploitation, and balancing them during the search process at both global and local levels. In addition, the results obtained from the implementation of POA have been compared with the performance of twelve well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The analysis of the optimization results shows that POA has 100% superior performance compared to competing algorithms by providing better results in all ten case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambidextrous innovation is considered to be a key framework for innovation that offers organizations the ability to maintain their current level of competitiveness and develop and sustain a long-term competitive advantage. However, the implementation of ambidextrous innovation is constrained by an organization's culture. Thus, the aim and objective of the present research are to explore the literature deeply and attempt to understand both organizational culture and ambidextrous innovation, along with key cultural aspects with regard to ambidexterity. The present research deeply dived into the model of organizational culture and attempted to build synergy between each model with respect to ambidexterity. The results of the present research suggest that Cameron and Quinn's competing value framework, once amalgamated with the Schein model, creates an organizational culture framework that can be used to develop a culture that is best suited to the implementation of ambidextrous innovation. The Schein model provides a comprehensive guideline for each value of the competing value framework. Further, the present research also extracted key insights with regard to the role culture can play in innovation in general and ambidextrous innovation in particular. Finally, the present research also attempted to build a list of culture enablers and inhibitors that can facilitate and impede the process of ambidextrous innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nepal has a long history of labour migration over the years. Migrants can experience a range of problems in their destination countries, and women are more at risk than men. This paper is the first to explore the problems faced by Nepalese women migrants while working abroad. Methods: This study was conducted among 1,889 women who were registered as migrant returnees at an organisation called Pourakhi Nepal. The study extracted and analysed data from a non-governmental organisation that supports returning female migrant workers in Nepal. Results: Around half (43.1%) of the women were 35 or older, 30.9% were illiterate, and 63.6% were in their first overseas job. More than one-third (38.5%) had self-reported workplace harassment. Physical violence was the most prevalent (68%), followed by verbal abuse (37.5%), mental stress (29.7%), and sexual abuse (14.1%). Women who were illiterate (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.55), unmarried (AOR 1.27, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.56), worked abroad twice or more (AOR 1.35, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.66), changed their place of work (AOR 2.38, 95% CI: 1.42 to 4.01), lived without documents (AOR 1.24, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.50), worked as domestics (AOR 3.56, 95% CI: 2.03 to 6.23), worked in other than Gulf Cooperation Council countries (AOR 1.45, 95% CI: 1.06 to 1.99), women who did not have a fixed salary (AOR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.28 to 2.10) and did not receive salary (AOR 3.71, 95% CI: 2.88 to 4.77) were more likely to be harassed at work. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the host governments should introduce and enforce policies protecting women in the workplace. Migrant women should be provided with better information about health risks and hazards as well as how to improve preventive measures in destination countries to reduce workplace harassment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The development of technology in post-industrial society creates a knowledge economic system, with production that is not only based on things but also intensive knowledge. The workers who rely on knowledge and skills for the centre of their activities in the knowledge economy are called cognitive workers. The cognitive workers in the knowledge economy era just paid little attention to their rights and obligations. That’s why they get unfair and fewer benefits during work and often get exploited and disadvantaged when they work. The cognitive workers who have the exploitation are called cognitariat. Therefore, this research is new, empirically and theoretically. It is about the exploitation experienced by cognitive workers. Researchers used literature studies obtained through the University of Indonesia library software (remote-lib.ui.ac.id), and search engines such as Google Scholar, Science Direct (Elsevier), JSTOR, Web of Science, and other journal directories by open access with the keyword, “cognitive worker”, “knowledge-based economy”, “exploitation in cognitive labour”, “labour in knowledge era” and “cognitariat”. The results of the research reveal that exploitation of cognitive workers because of the responsibility of work and overstepping working. Thus, the exploitations is not only based on a material, like the proletariat., but also at a supra structural basis, that’s knowledge on the cognitariat.

The focus of this research is to identify and reveal how false consciousness is created and utilized to retain the authority of the industrialist Silco in the Netflix series Arcane. This research aims to show how false consciousness is through the creation of class consciousness, and how it is spread and maintained through state apparatuses and commodity fetishism as a method of exploitation to maintain his authority and status as a leader in Zaun. In this research, the Marxist theory of ideology and state apparatuses by Louis Althusser and commodity fetishism by Karl Marx were employed to answer the research questions. The research used a qualitative method of content analysis. The data is collected and identified by watching the series, where the relevant data is collected from visuals, activities, and dialogues within the series so that it can be analyzed further. Based on the data analysis, the series Arcane depicts false consciousness as a method to exploit the people from the proletariat and bourgeois classes to benefit certain people or groups. Silco creates and maintains false consciousness by utilizing state apparatuses such as ideological state apparatus and repressive state apparatus through ideology. Silco also utilizes commodity fetishism from Shimmer as a way to control the people through false consciousness. As a result, Silco managed to maintain his power as a leader in Zaun, which reveals how false consciousness can be utilized to benefit a certain people, group, or classes to maintain their power within society.

Many professional football clubs in Europe have youth academies. The business model of such academies is that a club invests resources in training a player and then, when the player is old enough to sign an adult contract, either sells the player or offers him an adult contract. According to Fédération Internationale De Football Association (FIFA), international transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of 18. There are five exceptions to this rule. One of them is that if the player is between 16 and 18 and the transfer takes place within the territory of the European Economic Area (EEA), then an international transfer is allowed. This article is a discussion of the FIFA rules that mandate non-uniform age limits for when players can first transfer to clubs within the EEA area. The conclusion of the article is that FIFA is morally unjustified in setting a higher minimum age for transfer to EEA clubs for non-EEA players than for EEA players. The article first develops an argument for its conclusion. It then discusses, and rejects, the five best objections to this argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this paper is to identify teacher-level latent profiles of open innovation mindset and explore how these profiles moderate the effects of leader-member exchange on their exploitation and exploration activities. We also aim to investigate the indirect effects of principal transformational leadership on exploration activities via leader-member exchange. Research Design: Using a sample of 3,075 teachers working in 261 schools from 12 provinces across Türkiye, this study, first, employed a moderation analysis with latent profiles variables and, second, conduct a two-level structural equation model. Findings: Latent profile analysis produced three types of teacher mindset profiles: growth, average, and fixed. Findings indicate the quality of the dyadic exchange with the school principal did not influence engagement in exploitation activities of teachers with a growth mindset, whereas it contributed to the exploration activities of those teachers. Our results showed that when teachers perceived that their principal exhibited a higher level of transformational leadership behavior, they were more likely to have a higher leader-member exchange, which in turn increased the teachers' exploration behavior. Implications: This study highlights both exploitative and explorative activities are facilitated by high-quality work-related social processes within the school, and we need to recognize affective and relational contexts in the schools, as they are primarily social institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explains the three dimensions of Marx's philosophy of work: work as production, work as subjectivation, and work as integration. From this, the article defends the following thesis: while Marx allows us to shed much light on exploitation (social pathology of work as production) and alienation (social pathology of work as subjectivation), in particular in capitalism, nonetheless, he lacks an understanding of the ins and outs of emancipation as it is effectively deployed in our wage societies, far from the radicalism of his communist utopia. JEL Classification: B14, B40, B52 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I identify a hitherto unrecognized contribution of labor to production stemming from an innate sense of psychological ownership of the fruits of one's labor. This is rooted in the consciousness accompanying all human activities and is distinct from legal ownership. Consciousness is inalienable; it cannot be contracted on. Labor's psychological ownership generates quasi-rents, which can be appropriated by capitalist firms with market power. Monopsony power, now empirically seen to be ubiquitous in labor markets, has more serious efficiency and equity consequences than recognized. In a neoclassical framework, I also show why labor is uniquely vulnerable to exploitation—reconciling it with Marxian views. If capitalist owners are taken to be unaware of their workers' psychological ownership, this exploitation occurs even in competitive labor markets. JEL Classification: P12, J22, J3, J42, D41 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevailing discourse around AI ethics lacks the language and formalism necessary to capture the diverse ethical concerns that emerge when AI systems interact with individuals. Drawing on Sen and Nussbaum’s capability approach, we present a framework formalizing a network of ethical concepts and entitlements necessary for AI systems to confer meaningful benefit or assistance to stakeholders. Such systems enhance stakeholders’ ability to advance their life plans and well-being while upholding their fundamental rights. We characterize two necessary conditions for morally permissible interactions between AI systems and those impacted by their functioning, and two sufficient conditions for realizing the ideal of meaningful benefit. We then contrast this ideal with several salient failure modes, namely, forms of social interactions that constitute unjustified paternalism, coercion, deception, exploitation and domination. The proliferation of incidents involving AI in high-stakes domains underscores the gravity of these issues and the imperative to take an ethics-led approach to AI systems from their inception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the recognition that the determinants of exploratory and exploitative innovation differ, whether and how corporate culture affects exploratory and exploitative innovation has not been examined much in the literature. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature and empirically examines the relationship between corporate culture and product innovation using a unique survey of Japanese firms. From the survey, we identify four types of corporate culture in the Competing Values Framework and two types of product innovations (product novelty): explorative innovations (new-to-market products) and exploitative innovations (new-to-firm products). We employ a bivariate probit model to examine the effect of corporate culture on making new-to-market products and new-to-firm products. We find that firms that selected the words "market impact" and "creativity", both of which represent a Create-oriented culture, to describe their corporate culture in the survey are more likely to introduce new-to-market products. In contrast, firms that selected "bottom-up approach", which represents a Collaborate-oriented culture, have a higher likelihood of introducing new-to-firm products. The results suggest that the link between corporate culture and product innovation depends on whether a firm pursues explorative or exploitative innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the field of sustainable supply chain management by shedding light on the relationship between overdependence on supply chain partners, exploitation, and the willingness of business-to-business partner firms to focus on sustainability performance. This study further investigates how ethical culture moderates this relationship. Drawing on the resource dependency theory, the study involves developing a model and validating it using multivariate analysis among 120 dyads. The findings reveal that a business-to-business firm's overdependence on its supply chain partners can lead to it being exploited, which in turn negatively impacts its willingness to prioritize sustainability within the supply chain. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the stronger the firm's ethical culture, the weaker the effect of overdependence on exploitation, while at a lower level of the firm's ethical culture, the effect of overdependence on exploitation is stronger. The utilization of resource dependency theory unveils the potential downsides of overreliance on business-to-business supply chain partners and its consequences within the supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Wolverine Optimization Algorithm (WoOA), a biomimetic method inspired by the foraging behaviors of wolverines in their natural habitats. WoOA innovatively integrates two primary strategies: scavenging and hunting, mirroring the wolverine's adeptness in locating carrion and pursuing live prey. The algorithm's uniqueness lies in its faithful simulation of these dual strategies, which are mathematically structured to optimize various types of problems effectively. The effectiveness of WoOA is rigorously evaluated using the Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC) 2017 test suite across dimensions of 10, 30, 50, and 100. The results showcase WoOA's robust performance in exploration, exploitation, and maintaining a balance between these phases throughout the search process. Compared to twelve established metaheuristic algorithms, WoOA consistently demonstrates a superior performance across diverse benchmark functions. Statistical analyses, including paired t-tests, Friedman test, and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, validate WoOA's significant competitive edge over its counterparts. Additionally, WoOA's practical applicability is illustrated through its successful resolution of twenty-two constrained scenarios from the CEC 2011 suite and four complex engineering design challenges. These applications underscore WoOA's efficacy in tackling real-world optimization challenges, further highlighting its potential for widespread adoption in engineering and scientific domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two opposing views concerning intuitive cases of wage exploitation. The first denies that they are cases of exploitation at all. It is based on the nonworseness claim : there is nothing wrong with a discretionary mutually beneficial employment relationship. The second is the reasonable view : some employment relationships can be exploitative even if employers have no duty towards their employees. This article argues that the reasonable view does not completely defeat defences of wage exploitation, because these do not rely solely on the nonworseness claim. They also rely on the idea, popularised by Alan Wertheimer, that exploitation is a form of disequilibrium price occurring in defective markets. The article then proceeds to criticise Wertheimer's account through neoclassical, new institutional, and Austrian economics. It concludes that considerations for economic efficiency are irrelevant to assessing intuitions regarding exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Digital transformation is a pivotal strategic pillar for companies. Despite its relevance, incumbent companies still face challenges in implementation due to the complex character of transformation processes. We provide a framework serving as guidance for leaders of digital transformations. Based on an explorative research design, we conducted 33 semi-structured interviews with experts of digital transformations of incumbent companies. Our findings indicate that leaders need to understand the terminologies related to exploration, exploitation, and digital transformation, and the complex interaction between all three areas. This includes digital literacy and being aware of differentiated treatment of exploration and exploitation in innovations and the relevance of both. Leaders must acknowledge that industry and organizational characteristics influence organizations’ tendencies towards exploration or exploitation in innovations. Exploration in digital transformation is about using digital technologies to rethink business models. Using digital technologies to optimize existing processes, products, and IT infrastructure is associated with exploitation. In sum, we need different target settings and approaches for the required activities.

The study aimed to investigate the experiences and exploitation of Ugandan migrant domestic workers who returned from Saudi Arabia. The study followed a constructivist paradigm, an interpretive framework that focuses on individuals' understanding of the world and their creation of unique meanings. A qualitative approach was utilised, specifically employing a phenomenological case study design. Data was gathered through unstructured interviews with twenty-eight (28) migrant domestic workers. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. The findings regarding the lived experiences and exploitation of returnee Ugandan migrant domestic workers were visualised through concept maps created using NVivo version 10.0. The study discovered that the returnee workers' experiences were primarily related to their interactions with various individuals in their employers' households, including dealing with abusive employers, inconsiderate children and relatives, and challenging working conditions. Other experiences involved working in an unfriendly environment, carrying out difficult tasks, facing heavy workloads, experiencing occupational health difficulties, enduring physical abuse, inadequate rest, food deprivation, sexual advances, and false allegations. Consequently, providing legal protection for domestic workers in Saudi Arabia is crucial. Although progress has been made in addressing legal gaps, particularly regarding weekly rest days, more work remains. This includes implementing or expanding minimum wages and aligning working hour restrictions with those applicable to other workers. It is therefore recommended that Uganda and Saudi Arabia revise labour export laws to ensure that the rights of migrant domestic workers are respected.