The role of Omani academic libraries in supporting the knowledge economy

This study aims to Identify the role of Academic Omani Libraries in supporting knowledge economy, through Bryson's five indicators appeared in 2001: library infrastructure, information services; activities carried out by the libraries for creative ideas, and for supporting innovation. In addition to building collections that are capable to new requirements of Knowledge management. The study adopted the questionnaire as a tool of the descriptive method to collect and analyze data. The results indicate that Omani academic libraries have a good infrastructure in communications and information technology that supports research, and facilitates the use of electronic services. Moreover, Library catalogues and databases have been indicated by respondents as sufficient tools for exploring relevant information, especially in libraries, which are continuously organizing training programs in new developments of knowledge economy. On the other hand, the results show weaknesses of Omani academic libraries in supporting creative ideas, and in encouraging their employees to find out creative solutions for various problems facing them. The study concluded with many recommendations, the most important of which are: the need, for Omani academic libraries, to keep up with developments in the fields of knowledge management and economy, and to support creative ideas through collaboration with local and international professional associations. In addition, to encourage creative thinking with collaboration with organizations concerned with innovation in the country.

Knowledge Sharing among Public Health Professionals on Management of Zoonoses in Nigeria; dividends of the One Health Concept

Zoonotic diseases are characterized by significant morbidity and mortality in humans. In Nigeria, tragic effects of zoonotic diseases have been reported. This calls for a sustained collaboration among public health professionals to confront the ever-increasing challenges of managing zoonotic diseases. This study explores the perception of public health professionals about knowledge sharing and the absorptive capacity of health professionals in managing zoonotic diseases. Data were collected through a semi- structured interview. The analysis was done using qualitative content analysis. Findings revealed positive perception of public health professionals about knowledge sharing in managing zoonotic. Also, the study found that Public Health professionals acquire external knowledge for managing zoonotic disease through multidisciplinary networks and professional associations. The One Health initiative is one avenue where public health professionals can leverage on the strength and capacities of each other to respond competently to emerging health threats of zoonotic diseases.

Analysis of the main activities of regional teachers associations

Introduction. Regional pedagogical associations are a mechanism of teachers' professional development, their creative growth, competence enhancement. The research purpose was to analyze the areas of regional teachers association's activity, to identify the most important and interesting types of work in professional communities. Materials and methods. As part of the study, the experience of regional pedagogical associations' work was analyzed and the main areas, forms and types of their activities were identified. A survey of primary school teachers in Nizhny Novgorod was carried out, in which 117 teachers with various work experience in school took part. Research results. Based on the survey results, it was determined that teachers consider the most important and interesting areas of the regional pedagogical association's activity the informational and advisory support of teachers (more than 75% of the respondents), raising the prestige and popularization of the teaching profession (more than 65%), professional development (more than 55%), exchange of work experience (over 65%), conducting scientific-educational events for schoolchildren and their parents (over 60%). The most significant types of the association's work are as follows: advising teachers in the field of protecting their rights and protecting the interests of the teaching community on topical issues of professional activity; informing teachers through the association's website about education-related documents and materials and ongoing activities; conducting master classes, open lessons and other events for the exchange of work experience by teachers. Discussion and conclusion. The teachers' assessment of the importance of areas of the pedagogical association's work can be used to develop indicators of efficiency of professional associations' activities.

Journal Evaluation Systems: Evolution and Practices in China’s Social Sciences

Journal evaluation systems play an important role in academic evaluation. With many papers published in high-ranking journals, one can expect greater success in grant applications, higher internal resource allocations, faster promotions, and access to many other trappings of academic life. The expansion of China’s research and development systems and its rise as a significant contributor to global innovation have seen journal evaluation become a significant and much-scrutinized issue. Thus, in this chapter, we offer a comprehensive analysis of the current state-of-the-art in journal evaluation systems and practices. The review begins with a history of social science journal evaluation in China. We then systematically compare the two most influential journal lists of the present day: the Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI) and the “Attraction, Management and Influence” Comprehensive Evaluation Report (AMI). A small selection of influential lists produced by universities, research institutions, and professional associations are also discussed. The material presented provides deep insights into how social sciences research in China is assessed. These findings may also reveal some information about the journal evaluation activities of other countries. Overall, our aim is to make a valuable contribution to the theory and practice of journal evaluation so as to promote the sustainable and healthy development of journal management and evaluation systems both in China and abroad.

Ethical challenges of interpreter training at the University of Ljubljana

Modern society is changing and becoming increasingly multilingual and multicultural. There is a growing need for interpreting in different contexts and for languages that were previously rarely required in the Slovene context (e.g., Albanian, Arabic, and Persian). This paper is based on the premise that if higher interpreter education is to be performed ethically, it must respond to these changes within its capacity and educate interpreters for the languages and fields that society actually needs, thus ensuring respect of human rights in medical, asylum or judicial procedures. In the past, interpreter training at the University of Ljubljana was limited to conference interpreting. However, due to changes in practice the Faculty of Arts has responded to the emerging needs and also formed educational modules for interpreters working in court and asylum procedures, state administration and in medical settings. It continues to invest efforts to expand the range of language combinations to include languages of lesser diffusion, and to offer quality interpreter training to the interpreters of Slovenian sign language. In the academic environment, we are also constantly confronted with internal ethical dilemmas related to the assessment, enrolment, and accreditation processes. It is the latter that significantly slow down the response of the Faculty to needs in society. Despite the numerous administrative, financial and human resources challenges, we may conclude that the Faculty of Arts is committed to investing its maximum efforts and responding with a high level of awareness to the changing interpreting profession which has experienced, through the rapidly growing use of online interpreting platforms, the greatest leap since the introduction of simultaneous interpreting. All this can only be achieved in close cooperation with all the related stakeholders: professional associations, long-standing external trainers and state authorities.

Survey among Russian doctors on routine electroencephalography

The aim of the work was to assess how accurately specialists, performing EEG, apply the recommendations in their daily practice.Materials and Methods. An anonymous survey was conducted of 210 specialists in functional diagnostics and neurologists performing routine electroencephalography. The survey consisted of nine mandatory single-choice questions.Results. Only 9 respondents out of 210 (4.3%) perform routine EEG completely in accordance with the Recommendations of the Expert Council of Neurophysiology of the Russian Anti-Epileptic League on performing the routine EEG.' Of these, only three specialists (1.4% of the total number of respondents) answered that a functional diagnostics doctor is present throughout the entire examination.Conclusion: Despite the wide distribution and extensive experience in the use of EEG, there is no uniform practice of its implementation by doctors in the Russian Federation. Standardization of the methodology of its performance will increase confidence in EEG results among doctors of clinical specialties, increase the degree of inter-expert agreement among functional diagnostics physicians, and improve the quality of diagnosis of central nervous system diseases. To do this, it is necessary to develop webinar and educational programs on the methodology of EEG under the auspices of professional associations of doctors of functional diagnostics, neurophysiologists, neurologists.

Scientific and methodological support of pedagogical workers in the process of interaction of a pedagogical university and basic schools

The article considers the problem of including universities in the continuous development of pedagogical workers and proposes a model of a scientific and methodological center for supporting of pedagogical workers. The purpose of the article is to describe the model of the scientific and methodological center for supporting pedagogical workers in the process of interaction between a pedagogical university and basic schools, which allows the university to be included in the regional system of continuous development of pedagogical workers. The authors consider the scientific and methodological center for support of pedagogical workers, created on the basis of the university, as a system-forming element of the system of interaction between the university and basic schools, which makes it possible to ensure the coordination of actions of the pedagogical university, regional government bodies, professional associations (communities) of teachers and basic schools. The article reveals the main elements of the center model (principles, directions and lines of interaction, functions and interaction mechanisms) that determine its effectiveness. The proposed model was developed in the course of a study conducted on the basis of the Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University in 2021.

An empirical investigation of the professional identification of sales managers and their ethical intentions

Purpose The purpose of this study is to show how senior management can create work environments conducive to ethical behavior in organizations through the use of sales managers’ professionalism and professional identification. The study also aims to demonstrate the influence of professional identification in occupations other than those requiring certification. Design/methodology/approach This study conceptualizes and tests a model using data collected from a survey panel of 350 sales managers. To test the hypotheses, this study makes use of covariance structured analysis. Findings The results demonstrate the importance of developing sales managers’ professionalism as an antecedent to professional identification. The findings also show professional identification positively affects professional ethical values, work-related norms and occupational commitment. This study finds that work-related norms moderate the relationship between professional ethical values and ethical intentions and directly and positively influence ethical intentions. Research limitations/implications This study used a panel sampling technique and these findings cannot be generalized to other populations. This study recommends that this study is replicated not only with sales managers but also with other categories of marketers. This study also highlights that more work using methods such as longitudinal panel data and experimentation is required to validate the current findings. Practical implications The findings are of particular interest to senior managers and managers of professional associations, as well as other sales practitioners. Because ethical intentions are affected by work-related norms and from an interaction between work-related norms and professional ethical values, senior managers need to ensure both the work activities in which their staff are involved and the professional ethical values of their employees contribute to appropriate ethical intentions. Originality/value This study introduces professional identification into the sales ethics literature and theorize relationships among the professionalism of sales managers and their professional identification, work-related norms, professional ethical values, occupational commitment and ethical intentions. This study empirically measures the professionalism of sales managers.

Midwifery as the first official profession of women in Russia, 18th to early 20th centuries

The authors study the institutionalization of midwife specialization among women in Russia in the period from the 18th through the early 20th centuries. The main sources are legislative acts, clerical documents, as well as reports on the activities of medical institutions and maternity departments. The authors use the approaches of gender history, and the concept of professionalization as developed by E. Freidson. Midwifery was the first area of womens work that was officially recognized by the state. There were three main stages on the way to professionalizing the midwifery profession among women. The first stage (covering the 18th century) is associated with attempts to study and systematize the activities of midwives. The practical experience of midwifes was actively sought by doctors whose theoretical knowledge was limited. The second stage of professionalization (corresponding to the first half of the 19th century) was associated with the normative regulation of midwife work and the formation of a professional hierarchy in midwifery. The third stage (comprising the second half of the 19th century and the early 20th century) saw a restriction of the midwives spheres of activity, as well as the active inclusion of male doctors in practical obstetrics and their rise to a dominant position. With the development of obstetric specialization, operative obstetrics, and the opening of maternity wards, midwives were relegated to a subordinate position in relation to doctors. In contrast to the United States and Western European countries, Russia did not have professional associations of midwives. Intra-professional communication was weak, and there was no corporate solidarity. In Soviet medicine, finally, the midwives subordinate place in relation to doctors was only cemented.