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BACKGROUND: The invasive freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata is an agricultural pest with a certain level of tolerance to abiotic stress. After the harvest of late rice, the snails usually burrow themselves into the soil surface layers to overwinter and pose a renewed threat to rice production in the following year. Revealing the response of snails to environmental stresses is crucial for developing countermeasures to control their damage and spread. RESULTS: In this study, we conducted a 120‐day in situ experiment during the winter to investigate the survival and physiological changes of hibernating snails in 0‐5 and 5‐10 cm soil depths, aiming to explore their overwintering strategies. Our results showed that 73.61%, 87.50%, and 90.28% of male, female, and juvenile snails survived after hibernation for 120 days in 0–10 cm soil depth, respectively. The differences in survival rates based on sex and size of snails potentially reflect the countermeasures of snails to rapidly reproduce after hibernation. Simultaneously, the hibernating snails exhibited the ability to maintain a certain level of body weight. During this period, the snails increased their antioxidant enzyme activities to cope with oxidative stress, and enhanced their lipid storage. The hibernation survival of snails was not significantly affected by different soil depths, indicating that they have the potential to hibernate into deeper soils. Furthermore, snails were capable of increasing their contents of bound water and glycerol to cope with sudden cold spells during hibernation. CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize the adaptive changes of P. canaliculata snails overwintering in paddy soils. In future studies, the vulnerabilities of P. canaliculata during hibernation (e.g. shell characteristics, nutrient reserves, and dehydration tolerance, etc.,) should be investigated to develop effective control methods for this period. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the validity of self-report measures, researchers should control for response style (RS) effects, which can be achieved with IRTree models. A traditional IRTree model considers a response as a combination of distinct decision-making processes, where the substantive trait affects the decision on response direction, while decisions about choosing the middle category or extreme categories are largely determined by midpoint RS (MRS) and extreme RS (ERS). One limitation of traditional IRTree models is the assumption that all respondents utilize the same set of RS in their response strategies, whereas it can be assumed that the nature and the strength of RS effects can differ between individuals. To address this limitation, we propose a mixture multidimensional IRTree (MM-IRTree) model that detects heterogeneity in response strategies. The MM-IRTree model comprises four latent classes of respondents, each associated with a different set of RS traits in addition to the substantive trait. More specifically, the class-specific response strategies involve (1) only ERS in the "ERS only" class, (2) only MRS in the "MRS only" class, (3) both ERS and MRS in the "2RS" class, and (4) neither ERS nor MRS in the "0RS" class. In a simulation study, we showed that the MM-IRTree model performed well in recovering model parameters and class memberships, whereas the traditional IRTree approach showed poor performance if the population includes a mixture of response strategies. In an application to empirical data, the MM-IRTree model revealed distinct classes with noticeable class sizes, suggesting that respondents indeed utilize different response strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accepted by: Giorgio Consigli In this article, we consider a reinsurance contract design by taking into account the joint interests of multiple insurers and a reinsurer. The reinsurance contract consists of optimal reinsurance strategies and reinsurance prices. The former are chosen by the competitive–cooperative insurers and the latter are determined by a reinsurer. Both insurers and the reinsurer can invest in the common risk-free asset and one different risky asset. The optimal time-consistent reinsurance–investment strategies of the insurers and the optimal reinsurance prices and investment strategy of the reinsurer are derived analytically. Numerical experiments are carried out to illustrate the influences of model parameters on the optimal reinsurance contract and optimal investment strategies. We find that the establishment of the reinsurance contract is affected by the correlation between the claim sizes of insurers as well as that of claim numbers. The results reveal that competition and cooperation will lead to a decrease and increase of the reinsurance price, respectively, showing the importance of opting for cooperation among insurers. Both competition and cooperation are beneficial to insurers, especially for those with high risk aversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster management, mainly related to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents, is a critical field that requires constant evaluation to improve preparedness and response strategies. This review synthesises evidence on global health sector strategies for CBRN preparedness, gathering lessons to enhance policymaking for future response and readiness. This review included original English and French research addressing healthcare preparedness for CBRN threats. Database searches, such as EBSCO, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Ovid, Lissa, and Santécom, were conducted until November 2022. The Joanna Briggs Institute's tools were utilised to assess the risk of bias. Al‐Raayan® and Nvivo® version 12 software were employed for the review and analysis. 57 articles in English and 6 in French met the inclusion criteria. The analysis identified numerous strategies, concentrating on chemical and biological incidents (Chemical and biological bioterrorism: n = 27; Epidemics and Outbreak: n = 15). "Hospitals", "responsibility", and "health" emerged as prominent keywords, emphasising institutional roles and health outcomes in CBRN incidents preparedness. Key findings highlighted the need for a unified global definition of bioterrorism to align international efforts. Hospital‐level initiatives were emphasised as the foundation for national preparedness, emphasising specialised training, community engagement, and robust coordination mechanisms. Geographical variability in response strategies was noted, necessitating a harmonised global approach. Continuous research, epidemic management, and addressing radiological/nuclear threats emerged as crucial elements. Among others, strategies defined under "Emergency Response Preparedness" and "Intersectoral Policy Development" outlined comprehensive preparedness contexts for CBRN incidents. The review suggests an imperative shift towards building collaborative networks and enhancing health sector operational readiness to mitigate the impacts of CBRN incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Natural Gas & Oil is the property of Editorial Department of Natural Gas & Oil and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sediments, waters and vegetation work together and cooperate mutually to maintain normal function of mangrove wetland ecosystem. To gained a comprehensive understanding of the response strategies existed by the leaf traits of Aegiceras corniculatum and to identity the key factors that drive leaf traits variation in the response to shrimp aquaculture wastewater, we sampled leaves of A. corniculatum, sediments and interstitial water from non-discharge area (CK), direct discharge area (DDA) and landfill restoration area (LRA) in Qinzhou Bay in southeast coast of China. We established a correlation between leaf vein traits and stomatal traits and abiotic conditions such as pH, nutrient content in sediment. In comparison to CK and LRA, leaf vein traits (primary vein diameter, secondary vein diameter, tertiary vein diameter, enclosed circular area, vein spacing, and tertiary vein density) exhibited a decrease in DDA. This observation suggests that the persistent discharge of shrimp aquaculture wastewater exerts a detrimental impact on the leaves' mechanical support, nutrient, and water transport capacity. Furthermore, a marked negative correction emerges between stomatal density and length. In contrast, within LRA, an increase in stomatal density and a corresponding reduction in stomatal length indicate a heightened transpiration function of the leaves, thereby enhancing the efficiency of water and inorganic salt transport. Subsequently, the leaf vein traits in LRA are observed to be higher than in CK, suggesting that the leaf traits of A. corniculatum has undergone pre-adaptation to DDA and possesses high phenotypic plasticity. Through the analysis of leaf vein and stomatal traits in diverse shrimp aquaculture wastewater discharge habitats, this study demonstrates that such pre-adaptation and elevated phenotypic plasticity facilitates the adaptation of A. corniculatum to the challenging shrimp aquaculture wastewater environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This research delves into the nuances, origins, and societal effects of irrational religious orientations within China’s Generation Z, employing grounded theory methodology for a comprehensive analysis. The focus is on those born between 1995 and 2010, a demographic raised amidst rapid information technology growth and significantly influenced by digitalization and globalization. The study identifies three primary dimensions of irrational religious orientations in Generation Z: religious spiritual dependence, religious instrumental tendency, and religious uniqueness identity. These are shaped by factors such as the overwhelming influx of information via digital media, societal pressures and psychological dilemmas, conflicts in values and identity crises, as well as feelings of social isolation and the need for group belonging. To address these trends, the study suggests several interventions: enhancing multicultural and values education, implementing stricter online information regulation and literacy programs, boosting mental health awareness and support, and fostering engagement in social and cultural activities. These recommendations are essential for comprehensively understanding and effectively responding to the irrational religious orientations of Generation Z, ultimately contributing to their overall well-being and healthy development.

The JN.1 variant of COVID‐19 has emerged as the dominant strain worldwide since the end of 2023. As a subclade of the BA.2.86 variant, JN.1 harbors a unique combination of mutations inherited from the BA.2.86 lineage, notably featuring the novel L455S mutation within its receptor‐binding motif. This mutation has been linked to increased transmissibility and enhanced immune evasion capabilities. During the rise of JN.1, evidence of resistance to various monoclonal antibodies and reduced cross‐neutralization effects of the XBB.1.5 vaccine have been observed. Although the public health threat posed by the JN.1 variant appears relatively low, concerns persist regarding its evolutionary trajectory under immune pressure. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving JN.1 variant, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and investigation of new variants that could lead to widespread infection. It assesses the efficacy of current vaccines and therapeutics against emerging variants, particularly focusing on immunocompromised populations. Additionally, this review summarizes potential vaccine advancements and clinical treatments for COVID‐19, offering insights to optimize prevention and treatment strategies. This review thoroughly evaluates the JN.1 variant's impact on public health and its implications for future vaccine and therapeutic development, contributing to ongoing efforts to mitigate the risk of virus transmission and disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is currently actively carrying out risk management in the food industry chain, and the safety and reliability of feed raw materials constitute an important aspect of food security. The risk management of the grain industry chain is closely related to the feed industry in processing, storage, transportation, trade and consumption, and requires the feed industry to reduce the occupation of arable land by feed grains, reduce external dependence and implement reduced substitution of feed grains. It is necessary to strengthen the risk awareness of the feed industry, expand the sources of raw materials in the feed industry, and establish a diversified supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research delves into the nuances, origins, and societal effects of irrational religious orientations within China's Generation Z, employing grounded theory methodology for a comprehensive analysis. The focus is on those born between 1995 and 2010, a demographic raised amidst rapid information technology growth and significantly influenced by digitalization and globalization. The study identifies three primary dimensions of irrational religious orientations in Generation Z: religious spiritual dependence, religious instrumental tendency, and religious uniqueness identity. These are shaped by factors such as the overwhelming influx of information via digital media, societal pressures and psychological dilemmas, conflicts in values and identity crises, as well as feelings of social isolation and the need for group belonging. To address these trends, the study suggests several interventions: enhancing multicultural and values education, implementing stricter online information regulation and literacy programs, boosting mental health awareness and support, and fostering engagement in social and cultural activities. These recommendations are essential for comprehensively understanding and effectively responding to the irrational religious orientations of Generation Z, ultimately contributing to their overall well-being and healthy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global climate change, driven by increasing carbon emissions, has posed a significant challenge to both human survival and development, becoming a major issue for the sustainable progress of human society. This paper examines the characteristics and differences in the spatio-temporal distribution of carbon emissions and sinks across Wuhan Region that is stratified into three spatial levels: Hubei Province, the Wuhan Metropolitan Area, and Wuhan City. On a finer spatial scale within Wuhan, it uncovers the spatial correlations and disparities between carbon emissions and sinks. Accordingly, the paper proposes strategies and suggestions for reducing carbon emissions and enhancing carbon sinks at the provincial, metropolitan, and municipal levels. These findings are valuable for sustainable regional development and construction of low-carbon eco-cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global food system is recognized as the largest source of pressure on the Earth's stability, and there is a pressing need for a swift global transformation toward a sustainable food system, which is also crucial for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement goals. While various response strategies have been developed to achieve the sustainable food system, it remains unclear how different response strategies and their combinations interactively affect global environmental functions. Here, we use a system dynamics‐based integrated assessment model to quantitatively assess the effects of five representative response strategies, which are well‐recognized to be potential for achieving a sustainable food system, and their combinations on the global environment. We use six boundary indicators, corresponding to six key Earth system processes and indicating the safe‐operating spaces of the global food system, to define the global environmental performance. Our results show that the effects of response strategies may have a synergistic effect or counterbalance. While some individual strategies are sufficient to maintain certain boundary indicators within their safe zones, only the combination of all strategies can simultaneously prevent all boundary indicators from entering high‐risk zones. More coordinated solutions within and outside the global food system are required to restore all boundary indicators to their safe zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study argues that the degree of linguistic abstraction in negative reviews can lead to varying levels of persuasiveness and that tailoring response strategies and voice according to the situation mitigates the impact of negative reviews. This study examines the impact of language abstraction in negative online reviews on potential customers' attitudes and purchase intention, as well as the moderating effects of managerial responses, response strategies, and response voices on the persuasiveness of negative reviews. The data were collected through three studies that focused on reviews and managerial responses across both the service and functional product categories. The mediation analysis showed that, compared to abstract negative reviews, concrete negative reviews could significantly enhance potential customers' attribution of responsibility toward service or product providers and their perception of stability and controllability of negative events, leading to a more negative perception of the company, but not lower purchase intention. Additionally, the moderation analysis showed that corporate responses could significantly reduce potential customers' attribution of responsibility to the disputing company and improve their evaluation. Accommodative responses to concrete negative reviews and defensive responses to abstract negative reviews induced potential customers to make favorable judgments about the firm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the context of the investor–management interaction platforms "E‐Interaction" and "Interaction Easy," this paper investigates the influence of investor and management interaction on accounting conservatism and explores the strategic response behavior of management. The findings indicate that both the intensity and depth of investor inquiries contribute to the enhancement of accounting conservatism. Moreover, compared to "template" responses, management's "targeted" responses to investors significantly increase the accounting conservatism of companies. Mechanism tests reveal that investor–management interaction, by enhancing investor monitoring capabilities and increasing the litigation and reputational risks faced by companies, subsequently enhances the accounting conservatism of companies. Further analysis shows that in cases where companies are audited by non‐Big Four auditor and have lower analyst coverage, indicating a weaker external information environment, investor–management interaction can yield better governance effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the strategies utilized by small-scale sport event organizations to respond to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In doing so, it helps inform future crisis management preparedness in small-scale sport event organizations. Using semi-structured interviews, the crisis management experiences of eight participants from six small-scale UK-based sport event organizations were scrutinized. The interviews focused on a holistic understanding of their pre-, during, and post-pandemic experiences. Three key themes emerged from the data. They were (i) the diversification of revenue streams and reduction of costs; (ii) ensuring a customer centric approach; and (iii) the importance of fostering entrepreneurial and innovative characteristics. The study proposes a framework of effective crisis response strategies to help inform small-scale sport event organizations to better plan, prepare, and prevent future crises. Through the theoretical lens of resilience studies, it advances knowledge on the COVID-19 experiences of small-scale organizations in the events industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The JN.1 variant of COVID‐19 has emerged as the dominant strain worldwide since the end of 2023. As a subclade of the BA.2.86 variant, JN.1 harbors a unique combination of mutations inherited from the BA.2.86 lineage, notably featuring the novel L455S mutation within its receptor‐binding motif. This mutation has been linked to increased transmissibility and enhanced immune evasion capabilities. During the rise of JN.1, evidence of resistance to various monoclonal antibodies and reduced cross‐neutralization effects of the XBB.1.5 vaccine have been observed. Although the public health threat posed by the JN.1 variant appears relatively low, concerns persist regarding its evolutionary trajectory under immune pressure. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving JN.1 variant, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and investigation of new variants that could lead to widespread infection. It assesses the efficacy of current vaccines and therapeutics against emerging variants, particularly focusing on immunocompromised populations. Additionally, this review summarizes potential vaccine advancements and clinical treatments for COVID‐19, offering insights to optimize prevention and treatment strategies. This review thoroughly evaluates the JN.1 variant's impact on public health and its implications for future vaccine and therapeutic development, contributing to ongoing efforts to mitigate the risk of virus transmission and disease severity.

Balance perturbation studies during walking have improved our understanding of balance control in various destabilizing conditions. However, it is unknown to what extent balance recovery strategies can be generalized across different types of mediolateral balance perturbations. Do similar mediolateral perturbations (foot placement versus surface translation) have similar effects on balance control and corresponding balance response strategies? Kinetic and kinematic data were previously collected during two separate studies, each with 15 young, healthy participants walking on an instrumented treadmill. In both studies, medial and lateral balance perturbations were applied at 80% of the gait cycle either by a treadmill surface translation or a pneumatic force applied to the swing foot. Differences in balance control (frontal plane whole body angular momentum) and balance response strategies (hip abduction moment, ankle inversion moment, center of pressure excursion and frontal plane trunk moment) between perturbed and unperturbed gait cycles were evaluated using statistical parametric mapping. Balance disruptions after foot placement perturbations were larger and sustained longer compared to surface translations. Changes in joint moment responses were also larger for the foot placement perturbations compared to the surface translation perturbations. Lateral hip, ankle, and trunk strategies were used to maintain balance after medial foot placement perturbations, while a trunk strategy was primarily used after surface translations. Surface and foot placement perturbations influence balance control and corresponding response strategies differently. These results can help inform the development of perturbation-based balance training interventions aimed at reducing fall risk in clinical populations. • Surface and foot placement perturbations influence balance control. • Balance disruptions following foot placement perturbations are larger. • Balance response strategies are different between perturbations. • These results have implications for designing perturbation-based balance training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative and positive views on service and brand quality are generally shared on various social media platforms and are categorised as user-generated content (UGC). Both negative and positive UGC can either damage or enhance a company’s reputation or consumer-based brand equity, and this may ultimately have an impact on the organisations financial performance. This study sought to examine whether UGC does influence consumer-based brand perceptions, and if so, to determine whether negative or positive UGC exerted the most influence on these perceptions. The data for the study was collected using a mono-method quantitative research approach, which included a sample of 513 Generation Y respondents who completed self-administered online questionnaires distributed using Survey Monkey. Data analysis was based on both descriptive and regression models using SPSS version 27. As its major result, the study found that UGC does exert an influence on consumer-based brand equity, while positive UGC exerted a more significant influence than negative UGC. Similarly, both positive and negative UGC had an influence on other brand equity elements, such as brand credibility, brand loyalty and purchase intentions. From a policy perspective, it is imperative for companies to implement strategies or interventions in the form of promotional and information campaigns that enhance positive UGC while at the same time countering negative UGC that is damaging to the business.

Copyright of World Food Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this study, we investigate the response intentions of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during the recent economic crisis initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We draw on the cognitive appraisal theory and investigate how an SME's level of proactivity triggers top managers' emotional reactions, which in the end shapes an SME's response strategies (investment vs divestment). To test our assumptions, we use survey data from 155 top managers of Croatian SMEs operating in business-to-business industries. We find that an SME's proactivity positively (negatively) influences the emergence of positive (negative) emotions. Also, we find that top managers charged with positive (negative) emotions are more prone to engage in investment (divestment) as a response to economic crisis. Furthermore, through the broaden-and-build perspective we reveal the mediating effect of emotions on the relationship between proactivity and response intentions as well as the mediating effect of performance expectations on the link between emotions and response intentions. JEL CLASSIFICATION M10; M19 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the communication actions and response strategies adopted by the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development, of the State of Minas Gerais (Semad) and by the National Mining Agency (ANM), public bodies that act in the concession and inspection mining activity in the State and Brazil, during the crises caused by the failure of the ore tailings dams in Mariana (2015) and Brumadinho (2019), operated by the mining companies Samarco and Vale, respectively. From the content and discourse analysis of a set of 357 notes issued to the media, notices, bulletins and videos published on their websites and online social networks, it was concluded that state bodies failed to provide local communities with information that could be substantial in providing security for their lives, property and the environment in which they live. It was found that there was: i) the production and dissemination of information, but without attention to message recipients and marked by unidirectional, top-down, non-dialogical communication; ii) intergovernmental communication, when state organizations speak within the very government entities to which they are linked or hierarchically submitted; iii) low presence and use of social media; iv) low interactivity with users on online social networks; and, v) non-existent interactivity channels, for direct communication with local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 also called coronavirus disease 2019 was first reported in the African continent on 14 February 2020 in Egypt. As at 18 December 2020, the continent reported 2,449,754 confirmed cases, 57,817 deaths and 2,073,214 recoveries. Urban cities in Africa have particularly suffered the brunt of coronavirus disease 2019 coupled with criticisms that the response strategies have largely been a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. This article reviewed early evidence on urban health nexus with coronavirus disease 2019 preparedness and response in Africa.MethodsA rapid scoping review of empirical and grey literature was done using data sources such as ScienceDirect, GoogleScholar, PubMed, HINARI and official websites of World Health Organization and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. A total of 26 full articles (empirical studies, reviews and commentaries) were synthesised and analysed qualitatively based on predefined inclusion criteria on publication relevance and quality.ResultsOver 70% of the 26 articles reported on coronavirus disease 2019 response strategies across Africa; 27% of the articles reported on preparedness towards coronavirus disease 2019, while 38% reported on urbanisation nexus with coronavirus disease 2019; 40% of the publications were full-text empirical studies, while the remaining 60% were either commentaries, reviews or editorials. It was found that urban cities remain epicentres of coronavirus disease 2019 in Africa. Even though some successes have been recorded in Africa regarding coronavirus disease 2019 fight, the continent's response strategies were largely found to be a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Consequently, adoption of 'Western elitist' mitigating measures for coronavirus disease 2019 containment resulted in excesses and spillover effects on individuals, families and economies in Africa.ConclusionAfrica needs to increase commitment to health systems strengthening through context-specific interventions and prioritisation of pandemic preparedness over response. Likewise, improved economic resilience and proper urban planning will help African countries to respond better to future public health emergencies, as coronavirus disease 2019 cases continue to surge on the continent.

Few studies have considered how signal detection parameters evolve during acquisition periods. We addressed this gap by training mice with differential prior experience in a conditional discrimination, auditory signal detection task. Naïve mice, mice given separate experience with each of the later correct choice options (Correct Choice Response Transfer, CCRT), and mice experienced in conditional discriminations (Conditional Discrimination Transfer, CDT) were trained to detect the presence or absence of a tone in white noise. We analyzed data assuming a two-period model of acquisition: a pre-solution and solution period (Heinemann EG (1983) in The Presolution period and the detection of statistical associations. In: Quantitative analyses of behavior: discrimination processes, vol. 4, pp. 21–36). Ballinger. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.536.1978andrep=rep1andtype=pdf). The pre-solution period was characterized by a selective sampling of biased response strategies until adoption of a conditional responding strategy in the solution period. Correspondingly, discriminability remained low until the solution period; criterion took excursions reflecting response–strategy sampling. Prior experience affected the length and composition of the pre-solution period. Whereas CCRT and CDT mice had shorter pre-solution periods than naïve mice, CDT and Naïve mice developed substantial criterion biases and acquired asymptotic discriminability faster than CCRT mice. To explain these data, we propose a learning model in which mice selectively sample and test different response-strategies and corresponding task structures until they exit the pre-solution period. Upon exit, mice adopt the conditional responding strategy and task structure, with action values updated via inference and generalization from the other task structures. Simulations of representative mouse data illustrate the viability of this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a series of theoretical considerations formulated by specialists in crisis communication, with the aim of highlighting the particularities of communication strategies employed in situations of organizational crisis, which seem to be caused more by managerial decisions than accidents or catastrophes. The article also aims to give a general understanding of the principles that should be respected once a crisis breaks out, as well as of the specific character of each stage in the development of a crisis. Given that the effectiveness of crisis communication results from its planning and evaluation, the article underlines the importance of having a communication plan, which is essential in communicating with the publics involved and in organizing the responses to situations of crisis. It ends with exploring several aspects regarding the way social media have transformed the nature of crises and their evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel risk management approach to develop a Time-Cost Trade-off (TCT) mathematical model under fuzzy uncertainty. In this paper, firstly, a Linear Assignment Method (LAM) is proposed to rank the activities of a project according to their encountering risks when the activities are crashed. Secondly, activities are grouped into different classes in accordance with their risk level so as to concentrate on high-risk activities. Then, a new fuzzy TCT mathematical model considering the risk criterion is presented. In the next step, a quantitative analysis of risks is proposed by Primavera Risk Analysis. Ultimately, risk response strategies are presented, and the results are meticulously scrutinized. Due to more precision in considering uncertainty and advantages of interval type-2 fuzzy set (IT2FS), this fuzzy set is applied throughout the whole methodology. An actual project of a company in the gas industry is adopted to examine the method efficiency.

This study investigated the trait preferences for cassava in the context of climate change and conflict stressors among value-chain actors in Nigeria to strengthen social inclusion and the community-resilience outcomes from breeding programs. Multi-stage sampling procedures were used to select and interview male and female value-chain participants in the Osun, Benue and Abia States. The results indicated that farmers preferred cassava traits such as drought tolerance, early bulking, multiple-product use and in-ground storability to strengthen resilience. Climate change and challenges related to social change shaped the response strategies from both genders, and influenced trait preferences, including the early re-emergence of cassava leaves, stems that had ratooning potential, and especially the root milking that was important among female respondents. The major response strategies employed by men included frequent farm visits to prevent theft and engaging in non-agricultural livelihoods. Those employed by women included backyard farming, early harvesting, having preferences for food with fewer processing steps, and depending on remittances. The resilience capacity was higher for men than for women due to their better access to assets, as well as their abilities to relocate their farms and out-migrate in search of other livelihoods. Considering gendered cassava traits, and enhancing their resilience and response strategies, can complement efforts to make breeding more socially inclusive, resilient, and anticipatory to future challenges created by climate and related social changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the tourism industry, including hotels, has been ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, few empirical studies have systematically examined the typology and effectiveness of their responses. To capture common response strategies within the hotel industry and assess their effectiveness, two studies were conducted. Study 1 adopted a hybrid approach involving deductive and inductive thematic analyses to evaluate 4,211 news articles. Five broad themes emerged: (1) revenue management, (2) crisis communication, (3) alternative approaches to service delivery, (4) human resource management, and (5) corporate social responsibility. Drawing upon protection motivation theory, Study 2 included a pre-test, pilot study, and main experimental study to examine the effectiveness of several common response strategies. Results showed that reassuring crisis communication and contactless services can foster consumer confidence and response efficacy, leading to positive consumers' attitudes and booking intentions. Crisis communication and price discount were found to influence consumers' attitudes and booking intentions directly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work examines how we may be able to anticipate, respond to, and train for the occurrence of rare, uncertain, and unexpected events in human-machine systems operations. In particular, it uses a foundational matrix which describes the combinations of the state-of-the-world and the state-of-the-respondent, to formulate preferred response strategies, contingent upon what is knowable and actionable in each circumstance. It employs the dichotomy of System I and System II forms of cognitive response and augments these perspectives with a further form of decision-making, namely Systems III. The latter is predicated upon reactions to novel, unprecedented, and even 'unthinkable' events. The degree to which any human operator, the associated automation and/or the autonomy of a system, or each of these acting in concert, can best deal with these 'blue swan' events is explored. Potential forms of remediation, especially featuring training, are discussed, and evaluated in light of the skills needed to respond to even prohibitive degrees of situational uncertainty. Practitioners summary: Practitioners are liable to witness a growing spectrum of unusual and, on occasion, even unprecedented events in the operation of systems for which they are responsible. They will be required to account for their response to these circumstances to a spectrum of involved constituencies to whom they answer. This work aids them in succeeding to bring clarity to such difficult and challenging processes. Abbreviations: K: Known; Unk: Unknown; AI: Artificial Intelligence; ML: Machine Learning; CHARM: Cockpit Human-Automation Resource Management; SDT: signal detection theory; ASRS: Aviation Safety Reporting System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most serious global health crises. It has had a massive impact on the global workforce and workplaces, causing enormous changes in the working environment and raising concerns among organizations. Due to the pandemic, the construction industry has faced more challenges in delivering projects on time and within budget. This study aims to determine the relationship between the impacts and response strategies of COVID-19 in Sri Lankan construction projects. A systematic literature review and semi-structured interviews with industry professionals identified twelve COVID-19 impacts and twenty-two response strategies needed to mitigate the impacts. A structured questionnaire survey was then conducted with Sri Lankan construction professionals. The gathered data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). A model and six hypotheses were developed to explain the impact and strategy. The results revealed that it is necessary to focus on the impacts related to the project, develop the necessary strategies from a financial point of view, and supply the necessary materials and equipment. During COVID-19, organizational management and information exchange should be enhanced, along with a project's workforce and its provision. The study findings could aid industry professionals and policymakers in comprehending the pandemic and developing strategies to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on Sri Lankan construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nationwide survey of 162,738 firms in Vietnam asked firms to report the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health of the business, coping strategies used, and various firm and situational characteristics. More than 80% of firms reported negative impacts from the pandemic with fewer than 4% reporting positive effects; 63% of the firms adopted at least one coping strategy. The coping strategies were categorized into seven groups as follows: (1) Non-adoption, (2) promoting e-commerce, (3) transforming key products/services, (4) training employees to improve professional qualifications, (5) finding new markets for input materials, (6) finding markets for products outside of the traditional market, (7) producing new products/services according to market demand during the epidemic period, and (8) other strategies. A multinomial logit regression model showed statistically significant associations between a firm's selected coping strategy and several independent variables, as follows: (1) Firm size, (2) impact of the pandemic on firm health, firm access to inputs, and firm access to domestic markets, (3) decrease in firm revenue, and (4) receipt of government support. However, many businesses have not implemented coping strategies, leading to concerns regarding their resilience to upcoming threats and uncertainties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has impacted the events, tourism, and hospitality industries throughout most parts of the world, prompting the need for empirical work to explore the perspectives and responses of industry stakeholders towards the pandemic. To characterize how managers in this space evaluated the impacts of the pandemic and the associated response system(s) and learning stories, in-depth interviews with N = 24 senior event and tourism managers in Iran were conducted. The findings revealed that COVID-19 was a complex external crisis that significantly fueled other internal crises, impacting the complex event and tourism system. The data revealed that understanding the full effects of the pandemic depends on how sufficiently Iranian stakeholders acquired knowledge of the virus and the scope of its outcomes on the layered event and tourism system. The profound structural and transformational changes to this system necessitate the call for a uniform, coevolving responses from multiple events, tourism, sport, and associated management/industrial sectors. Adaption to the new normal and transformational opportunities were recommended by interviewees as influential strategies extracted from crisis lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although negative employer reviews pose a threat to employers by reducing organizational attractiveness, employers can respond to reviews to avert these threats. However, we lack a clear understanding of the response strategies and factors that determine response strategies' impact. To address this issue, we introduce image repair theory (IRT) as a promising theoretical foundation in the study of employer response. Using an experimental design, we tested the effects of IRT's general image repair strategies (i.e., Denial, Evasion of Responsibility, Reducing Offensiveness, Corrective Action, and Mortification) and the mechanisms underlying these effects according to IRT. Moreover, we explored the role of review content (i.e., the type of employer image information the review entails) as a contingency factor. We found differences between Denial, Corrective Action, and Mortification, which show that the choice of response strategies can matter and that the relationship between response strategy and potential applicants' perceptions of organizational attractiveness is mediated by attributions of responsibility rather than by perceived offensiveness. In addition, our results suggest that when negative reviews contain information about instrumental rather than symbolic employer image attributes, potential applicants can attribute more responsibility to the employer. Furthermore, only the effects of Reducing Offensiveness and Mortification were dependent on the review's content. We discuss theoretical implications and practical recommendations for employers that respond to negative employer reviews. Practitioner points: Negative Online Employer Reviews can reduce an organization's attractiveness as an employer.Responding to such a review as an employer might not automatically be better than not responding.Evidence built up on the Image Repair Theory suggests that perceived responsibility rather than perceived offensiveness is an important factor related to the effect of the response.Using a defensive response can be superior to an accommodative response when mitigating a single negative review.Using positive information about one's company might be particularly helpful when the company is accused of negative symbolic attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the age of information explosion, it is easy for people to receive many messages, and it is difficult to verify the authenticity of each message. Therefore, people often quickly and forward the acquired information and share anonymous information, rather than absorbing it after verification. The study questions current Artificial Intelligence (AI) detection methods, arguing that a simple dichotomy cannot distinguish between true and false information. This study proposes a mixed method to analyze events based on the dissemination and interaction of false information in online enterprise communities from the perspective of an observer. The event explores multiple features based on various characteristics, such as motivation, purpose, intention, and behavior. Experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively identify false information with high risk. Additionally, this study discusses the effectiveness and response strategies of the enterprise cyber warrior based on the mixed multi-layer analysis. This study provides a preliminary study of mixed cognitive warfare identification and immediate response behavior for corporate Internet rumors.

Among the problems of modern psychology, the concept of «social intelligence» and the problems of its study attracts much attention of researchers and practitioners. The study of social intelligence in modern psychological science has a relatively short research history, but numerous studies by scientists have proven its importance in human social life. It is social intelligence that is associated with the success of human life. The scientific interest in the peculiarities of social intelligence formation is largely related to the search for ways of developing a modern integrated personality. The article is devoted to the problem of social intelligence development and the establishment of links between the level of social intelligence development and the choice of strategy for responding to adolescence conflict situations. The concept of social intelligence, its structure and functions, modern approaches to the problem of social intelligence development in young people are considered. Approaches to the interpretation of response strategy concept are revealed and the types of response strategies in a conflict situation are named. The results of empirical study on the influence of social intelligence development on the choice of response strategy in conflict situations are presented. The general level of social intelligence development in the group of young people is assessed as below average. Such indicators point out the need to develop the level of social intelligence in adolescence, which should contribute to the formation of appropriate social competencies of young people. The absence of low indicators of social intelligence in the study group was proved, which may in some way point out the compliance with the age norms of social intelligence and the general mental development of young people in general, as well as the advantage of using compromise strategy by young men. Among the less used strategies are cooperation and conflict avoidance ones, expressed by relatively identical indicators; the least used strategy is the struggle stategy. Positive relationship was established between the level of social intelligence and the strategy of behavior in a conflict situation: the highest level of social intelligence development is correlated with constructive strategies; the lowest level of social intelligence is correlated with unconstructive strategies. The data obtained point out the need for applying psychological and pedagogical measures to develop social intelligence in adolescence. One of the main and optimal means of developing social intelligence is a developmental program, which is defined as a set of group methods of forming skills and abilities of self-knowledge, communication and mutual understanding of people in the group. The objectives of the program are to form an idea of the essence of the process of identification with other people; awareness of identifying oneself with other people; elaborating individual strategies of identification process actualization; the development of prognostic abilities in communication.

Bullied adolescents experience myriad poor outcomes, yet certain responses can have significant mitigatory effects. However, research has yet to examine how the racial context of these interactions affects adolescents' evaluations of and beliefs about responding to social-exclusionary bullying (SEB). The sample comprised 219 ninth-grade Black (N = 84; females = 46) and White (N = 135; females = 81) students (Mage = 14.84, SD = 0.68; Nfemales= 92) recruited from 5 schools in a large, racially diverse, middle-class Mid-Atlantic metropolitan area of the United States. Participants judged the wrongfulness of 4 scenarios of same- and cross-race SEB and selected how the victims should respond to the victimization. Responses were coded as aggressive, assertive, adult assistance-seeking, or avoidant. Gender, scenario, and response strategy main and interaction effects emerged. The Black-excluder and White-victim scenario was rated least wrong. Assertive responses were selected more often in scenarios with White-excluders; avoidant responses were selected more often in scenarios with Black-excluders. Results suggest that racial context relates significantly to adolescents' evaluations of and responses to SEB scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the responses of Lithuanian exporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to institutional voids using the typology of strategic responses to institutional processes of Oliver (1991). Study design/methodology/approach: The qualitative research case study method was selected by implementing semi-structured interviews with directors and founders of Lithuanian exporting manufacturing SMEs to collect the primary data. Findings: Drawing on the semi-structured interviews, the study identified responses of the Lithuanian exporting manufacturing SMEs to institutional voids that portrayed two main strategies: acquiesce and avoidance. Originality/value: The results provide contextual contributions exploring firms' strategic responses to institutional voids, identifying the most fatal institutional voids faced by SMEs within the sector.

The aim of this study is to assess the economic costs of tourism seasonality on hotels, and strategies for addressing these costs by taking Aksum, northern Ethiopia, as a research context. Semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data from 14 hotel managers in Aksum town and the data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings from the study showed that seasonality causes large occupancy drops during off-months and brings about a considerable drop in hotels’ revenue. However, in terms of recruitment and staff-related costs, hotels in Aksum do not concede serious economic costs and this is mainly attributed to their size. Study results also revealed that increasing supply of additional hotel products in peak season and diversifying products that cater to local markets are the major strategies for addressing tourism seasonality. The study offers an important theoretical contribution as it presents the economic costs of tourism seasonality on small hotels, and the major ways of overcoming it in a developing-destination context.

• The theoretical framework of urban shrinkage and urban resilience is constructed. • A system dynamics model to measure the resilience of shrinking cities is provided. • The evolution process of the resilience of shrinking cities is identified. • The response policy of shrinking cities is analyzed from the perspective of resilience. Enhancing urban resilience is increasingly crucial for cities to achieve sustainable development. However, existing studies have a limited understanding of the resilience of shrinking cities and their response policies. Taking Yichun, a typical shrinking city in China, as an example, this study constructs a system dynamics model to assess urban resilience from a subsystem perspective and explores the relationship between the dynamic development of resilience and urban shrinkage from 2008 to 2028. Then, a smart decline response policy of Yichun is put forward. The findings indicate that the evolution curve of urban resilience shows a fluctuating growth trend as a whole and that the dominant subsystems of resilience are changing. The occurrence of urban shrinkage inhibits the dynamic development of urban resilience and has various effects on the subsystems of resilience. Compared with the regrowth strategy, the smart decline strategy can effectively improve the resilience and mitigate the adverse impact of urban shrinkage on the resilience under the condition of limited resources. Resilience can be proven to be a viable perspective to help formulate a response strategy of shrinking cities. These findings will enhance comprehension of the resilience of shrinking cities and provide a reference to address urban shrinkage and formulate corresponding governance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers may sense hypocrisy in corporate social responsibility (CSR) if they note inconsistency in enterprises' words and deeds related to CSR. This inconsistency originates from the intentional selfish actions and unintentional actions of enterprises. Studies have revealed that consumers' perception of hypocrisy has a negative influence on enterprise operation. However, studies have not examined how corporate responses to consumers' hypocrisy perception affect consumers' attitude and behavior. Therefore, the present study attempted to determine the measures that should be undertaken by enterprises to reduce consumers' negative response to them when consumers perceive them to be hypocritical. We conducted a situational simulation experiment to explore the effect of the match between corporate hypocrisy manifestation (moral hypocrisy vs. behavioral hypocrisy) and the corporate response strategy (reactive CSR communication vs. proactive CSR communication) on consumers' negative behaviors toward an enterprise and to test the mechanism influencing this effect. The results indicated that the interaction between the type of corporate hypocrisy and the corporate response strategy has a significant effect on consumers' negative behaviors toward an enterprise. Consumers' negative emotions have a mediating influence on the aforementioned effect. This study explored the response strategies of enterprises during a corporate hypocrisy crisis, classified corporate hypocrisy crises into two types (moral hypocrisy vs. behavioral hypocrisy) according to the different manifestations of corporate hypocrisy, and introduced situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) into research on corporate hypocrisy. The present results help expand knowledge on corporate hypocrisy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]