Open Innovation in Times of Crisis: An Overview of the Healthcare Sector in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused huge and disruptive technological changes in the healthcare sector, transforming the way businesses and societies function. To respond to the global health crisis, there have been numerous innovation projects in the healthcare sector, including the fast design and manufacturing of personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical devices, and testing, treatment, and vaccine technologies. Many of these innovative activities happen beyond organizational boundaries with collaboration and open innovation. In this paper, we review the current literature on open innovation strategy during the pandemic and adopt the co-evolution view of business ecosystems to address the context of change. Based on a detailed exploration of the COVID-19-related technologies in the UK and global healthcare sectors, we identify the key emerging themes of open innovation in crisis. Further discussions are conducted in relation to each theme. Our results and analysis can help provide policy recommendations for the healthcare sector, businesses, and society to recover from the crisis.

Talking About Childhood Obesity

While discussing obesity with pediatric patients and their families can be difficult, it is an essential step toward appropriate weight management. There is paucity of data regarding language preferences when discussing obesity in this population. In this pilot qualitative study, we interviewed 8 parents of patients diagnosed with obesity to identify language and communication preferences for discussing their child’s weight. Interviews were analyzed for emerging themes. Important trends appeared revealing that parents prefer neutral, medical terms discussed at well-child checks or obesity-specific visits. Providers should frame lifestyle changes as positive for all patients and set achievable goals with the help of visual aids. Our analysis uncovered several important communication strategies that can better equip providers to discuss obesity with their pediatric patients. This research may serve as a foundation for larger studies into the topic.

Defense in Social Insects: Diversity, Division of Labor, and Evolution

All social insects defend their colony from predators, parasites, and pathogens. In Oster and Wilson's classic work, they posed one of the key paradoxes about defense in social insects: Given the universal necessity of defense, why then is there so much diversity in mechanisms? Ecological factors undoubtedly are important: Predation and usurpation have imposed strong selection on eusocial insects, and active defense by colonies is a ubiquitous feature of all social insects. The description of diverse insect groups with castes of sterile workers whose main duty is defense has broadened the purview of social evolution in insects, in particular with respect to caste and behavior. Defense is one of the central axes along which we can begin to organize and understand sociality in insects. With the establishment of social insect models such as the honey bee, new discoveries are emerging regarding the endocrine, neural, and gene regulatory mechanisms underlying defense in social insects. The mechanisms underlying morphological and behavioral defense traits may be shared across diverse groups, providing opportunities for identifying both conserved and novel mechanisms at work. Emerging themes highlight the context dependency of and interaction between factors that regulate defense in social insects.

Promise versus reality: a systematic review of the ongoing debates in people analytics

PurposeAccording to the significant growth of literature and continued adoption of people analytics in practice, it has been promised that people analytics will inform evidence-based decision-making and improve business outcomes. However, existing people analytics literature remains underdeveloped in understanding whether and how such promises have been realized. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the current reality of people analytics and uncover the debates and challenges that are emerging as a result of its adoption.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducts a systematic literature review of peer-reviewed articles focused on people analytics published in the Association of Business School (ABS) ranked journals between 2011 and 2021.FindingsThe review illustrates and critically evaluates several emerging debates and issues faced by people analytics, including inconsistency among the concept and definition of people analytics, people analytics ownership, ethical and privacy concerns of using people analytics, missing evidence of people analytics impact and readiness to perform people analytics.Practical implicationsThis review presents a comprehensive research agenda demonstrating the need for collaboration between scholars and practitioners to successfully align the promise and the current reality of people analytics.Originality/valueThis systematic review is distinct from existing reviews in three ways. First, this review synthesizes and critically evaluates the significant growth of peer-reviewed articles focused on people analytics published in ABS ranked journals between 2011 and 2021. Second, the study adopts a thematic analysis and coding process to identify the emerging themes in the existing people analytics literature, ensuring the comprehensiveness of the review. Third, this study focused and expanded upon the debates and issues evolving within the emerging field of people analytics and offers an updated agenda for the future of people analytics research.

Strategies for the development of international sport diplomacy in the volleyball federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran

In recent years, Iran's volleyball sport has made significant progress and the Iranian national team has been able to compete in the World Volleyball League. This situation has provided the Iranian Volleyball Federation with diplomatic opportunities. The purpose of this study was to develop strategies for the development of international sport diplomacy in the volleyball federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This study was conducted qualitatively by interviewing Iranian volleyball officials (N = 4), academic experts in sport diplomacy (N = 4) and internationally experienced coaches and referees (N = 5). Data analysis with theme analysis techniques revealed that the five emerging themes included: challenges, principles of effective international sport diplomacy, international sport diplomacy success factors, international diplomacy development strategies in volleyball federation, and the implications of international sport diplomacy, including 18 sub-themes and 43 open codes. All these aspects are analyzed and discussed in the present study. En los últimos años, el deporte de voleibol ha logrado un progreso significativo en Irán y el equipo nacional iraní ha podido competir en la Liga Mundial de Voleibol. Esta situación ha brindado oportunidades diplomáticas a la Federación Iraní de Voleibol. El propósito de este estudio fue desarrollar estrategias para el desarrollo de la diplomacia deportiva internacional en la federación de voleibol de la República Islámica de Irán. Este estudio se realizó de forma cualitativa entrevistando a funcionarios de voleibol iraníes (N = 4), expertos académicos en diplomacia deportiva (N = 4) y entrenadores y árbitros con experiencia internacional (N = 5). El análisis de datos con técnicas de análisis temático reveló que los cinco temas emergentes incluían: desafíos, principios de la diplomacia deportiva internacional efectiva, factores de éxito de la diplomacia deportiva internacional, estrategias de desarrollo de la diplomacia internacional en la federación de voleibol y las implicaciones de la diplomacia deportiva internacional, incluyendo 18 subtemas y 43 códigos abiertos. Todos estos aspectos se analizan y discuten en el presente estudio.

Social Justice as It Evolves in the LAM Sector

This chapter intends to explore the history of social justice in libraries, archives, and museums (LAM) in general and social inclusion in particular. The value of this chapter is in the identified indicators, also known as characteristics (e.g., title words and its relation to citation behavior) in the current literature. A profile of over 500 articles, from 2001 to 2021, is analyzed. Journal articles from 2016 to 2021 are used to test three hypotheses. The findings of this study facilitate in understanding the emerging themes and interdisciplinary areas in the field of social justice.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT IN THE TIME OF COVID 19: EFFORTS & APPROACHES OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIES

Objective. This paper aims to investigate the types and scope of community engagement and outreach activities of academic libraries while the physical library spaces remain closed or operating on a limited capacity. It also looks at the tools and methods employed to implement such activities. The paper also attempts to uncover patterns or emerging themes as libraries explore innovative ideas and take new initiatives for the betterment of the community they serve. Methods. The study employs a website and Facebook page survey of AUN (ASEAN University Network) Inter-Library Online (AUNILO) member-libraries. The following six outreach categories will be utilized: (1) Collection-Based Outreach; (2) Instruction & Services-Based Outreach; (3) “Whole Person” Outreach; (4) Just for Fun Outreach; (5) Partnerships and Community-Focused Outreach; and (6) Multi-Pronged Themed Events and Programming. Said categories were derived from Farrell and Mastel (2016) paper entitled “Considering Outreach Assessment: Strategies, Sample Scenarios, And A Call to Action.” Results. Findings of the study will offer some insights on how libraries strengthen their roles in transforming societies as they provide opportunities to bring about positive change in their communities. Moreover, this paper will also challenge libraries to take a closer look at their own activities and consider how they can design creative and inspiring ways to connect with their communities. Conclusions. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, libraries are proactively pivoting their community engagement and outreach efforts online and are finding new ways to serve faculty, students, and partners. Libraries are committed to strengthening the resilience and recovery of the community through working collaboratively with its members and building partnerships with relevant organizations.

Public road transport system and the spread of communicable diseases: Perspectives of operators and passengers in Accra, Ghana

In spite of its role in the development of nations, transport has also been identified as a means of spreading some communicable diseases. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the spread of diseases on road transport. This study sought to explore the views of operators and passengers about the spread of communicable diseases on the public road transport system in Accra, Ghana. Adapting the Disease Transmission Cycle as the conceptual framework, and following a qualitative research method, data for the study were collected through in-depth interviews and observations and were analysed manually based on the emerging themes. Though various diseases were identified to spread on the public road transport system, there were divergent views on the risk of being infected. Meanwhile, respondents indicated they would feel uncomfortable putting up with people suspected to be infected with communicable diseases. The study emphasises strict adherence to internationally acceptable standards on road transport in order to minimize the spread of communicable diseases on public transport in Ghana.

The year 2021 of the International Journal of Innovation – IJI

The International Journal of Innovation: IJI has been making some changes in recent years and, therefore, increasingly improving its content. These are transformations that would not be possible without the incessant collaboration of the entire IJI team. Ther are always tireless and impeccable. It would not be possible without all the articles submitted by the authors who believe and choose the IJI for their publications. It would not be possible either, without the reviewers who contribute with a lot of dedication, spending their time and knowledge on improving the articles to publish the IJI. We are immensely grateful to everyone! Special thanks to UNINOVE, who have always supported and continue to support IJI.At the end of 2021, we would like to present some data and information that enable readers, authors, and reviewers to follow the evolution of the IJI. We remain dedicated to raising the bar for the IJI. IJI is in the main databases: Dialnet, EBSCO, ERIHPLUS, Latindex, ProQuest, Redalyc, Redib, Spell, Web of Science and Zeitschriften Datenbank. It is classified in stratum B1 of the new QUALIS/CAPES proposal. It is published every four months (January-April; May-August; September-December) and accepts submissions in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, and published in English only.The International Journal of Innovation: IJI's mission is to serve as a vehicle for the periodic publication of scientific and technological works in innovation with a focus on emerging markets, which study individuals, organizations, ecosystems, and policies. The journal's topics of interest focusing on emerging markets are Innovative Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Learning, Innovation and Sustainability, Internationalization of Innovation, Innovation Systems, Emerging Themes of Innovation, and Digital Transformation. As we have already mentioned in another editorial comment, the IJI accepts scientific articles, technology articles, perspectives, and reviews, in addition to the editorial comment.We now present some data from IJI submissions for this year, 2021 (Table 1). Table 1Submissions to the IJIWorks submitted87Rejections65%Acceptance35% Eighty-seven works were submitted to the IJI, of which 65% were rejected and 35% were approved. With these numbers, we observe that rejection is still high. The rejection happens; most of the time, in the desk-reject the editors perform that. The reasons are: a) the submitted works are not following the scope of the IJI; b) the submitted works do not meet the minimum requirements for a publication and are not considered to proceed to a peer review and blind.When articles move to the stage of blind and peer review, the number of rejections gets smaller. Generally, works are rejected at this stage when the authors do not comply with the evaluators' recommendations. Our intention is, with the help of reviewers and authors, to increasingly improve the quality of submitted articles and increase the number of publications in the IJI.Submissions are from different countries. In this year of 2021, we had the following scenario (Table 2). Table 2Submissions to the IJI - by countryCountrySubmissionsBrazil59Argentina1Colombia1Cuba1Algeria2Indonesia2India3Jordan1Sri Lanka1Mexico1Malasia1Nigeria3Portugal2Saudi Arabia3Tunisia1Turkey1Ukraine1Vietnam2South Africa1TOTAL87 The most significant works submitted are from Brazilian authors, but with a balanced distribution among other countries. We are happy that the IJI is considered a possibility for authors from different countries on our continent and other continents. We want to increase the number of foreign submissions and their publications. We believe that this action is important for the academic community due to the diversity of contexts.The IJI counts on the valuable availability of the evaluators, who we know have to dedicate their precious time to help us improve our work. Our evaluation time is still high, up to 98 days. Some reasons impact this deadline: a) the reviewers are very demanding with researchers with little experience, causing back and forth in the assessments until they reach the expected quality for the article; b) holidays in the middle of the year and at the end of the year delay the evaluations a little; c) evaluators also divide their time with evaluations of academic events throughout the year. Due to these reasons, the publication of the works is also compromised. We took up to 122 days to publish the articles.Another interesting piece of information that we would like to share with our readers is the number of registered users of IJI. IJI has 1270 registered users, including authors, reviewers, and readers. In the last year of 2021, there were 534 new users. It makes us very happy, as the number of users has almost doubled. This action makes us hope to have more works submitted and, consequently, more quality works published.We aim to improve and make the IJI a journal with more impact in the academic and practical environment. With the help of everyone involved, we will improve the level of evaluations and significantly improve the published works. We want to bring relevant content that contributes to science in Brazil and other countries around the world.We thank you all for your help and support in this growing IJI journey!