Boundary resource interactions in solution networks

Purpose This study aims to explore the interactions between two different and potentially complementary boundary resources in coordinating solution networks in a digital platform context: boundary spanners (those individuals who span interorganizational boundaries) and boundary interfaces (the devices that help coordinate interfirm relationships, e.g. electronic data interchanges, algorithms or chatbots). Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted a multiple case study of three firms using digital platforms to coordinate solution networks in the information communication technology and lighting facility industries. Data were collected from 30 semi-structured interviews, which are complemented by secondary data. Findings As task complexity increases, smarter digital interfaces are adopted. When the intelligence level of interfaces is low or moderate, they are only used as tools by boundary spanners or to support boundary spanners’ functions. When the intelligence level of interfaces is high or very high, boundary spanners design the interfaces and let them perform tasks autonomously. They are also sometimes employed to complement interfaces’ technological limitations and customers’ limited user ability. Research limitations/implications The industry contexts of the cases may influence the results. Qualitative case data has limited generalizability. Practical implications This study offers a practical tool for solution providers to effectively deploy boundary employees and digital technologies to offer diverse customized solutions simultaneously. Originality This study contributes to the solution business literature by putting forward a framework of boundary resource interactions in coordinating solution networks in a digital platform context. It contributes to the boundary spanning literature by revealing the shifting functions of boundary spanners and boundary interfaces.

BARRIERS TO THE ADOPTION OF NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES IN CONSTRUCTION: A DEVELOPING COUNTRY CONTEXT

The adoption rate of new technologies is still relatively low in the construction industry, particularly for mitigating occupational safety and health (OSH) risks, which is traditionally a largely labor-intensive activity in developing countries, occupying ill-afforded non-productive management resources. However, understanding why this is the case is a relatively unresearched area in developing countries such as Malaysia. In aiming to help redress this situation, this study explored the major barriers involved, firstly by a detailed literature review to identify the main barriers hampering the adoption of new technologies for safety science and management in construction. Then, a questionnaire survey of Malaysian construction practitioners was used to prioritize these barriers. A factor analysis further identified six major dimensions underlying the barriers, relating to the lack of OSH regulations and legislation, technological limitations, lack of genuine organizational commitment, prohibitive costs, poor safety culture within the construction industry, and privacy and data security concerns. Taken together, the findings provide a valuable reference to assist industry practitioners and researchers regarding the critical barriers to the adoption of new technologies for construction safety management in Malaysia and other similar developing countries, and bridge the identified knowledge gap concerning the dimensionality of the barriers.

Toward Video-Conferencing Tools for Hands-On Activities in Online Teaching

Many instructors in computing and HCI disciplines use hands-on activities for teaching and training new skills. Beyond simply teaching hands-on skills like sketching and programming, instructors also use these activities so students can acquire tacit skills. Yet, current video-conferencing technologies may not effectively support hands-on activities in online teaching contexts. To develop an understanding of the inadequacies of current video-conferencing technologies for hands-on activities, we conducted 15 interviews with university-level instructors who had quickly pivoted their use of hands-on activities to an online context during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on our analysis, we uncovered four pedagogical goals that instructors have when using hands-on activities online and how instructors were unable to adequately address them due to the technological limitations of current video-conferencing tools. Our work provides empirical data about the challenges that many instructors experienced, and in so doing, the pedagogical goals we identify provide new requirements for video-conferencing systems to better support hands-on activities.

Application of RFID Technology in Olusegun Oke Library, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso: Challenges and Future Prospects

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) offers tracking capability to locate equipment, supplies and people in real time, and provides efficient and accurate access to library transactions such as book search, security, inventory, borrowing and book return. The paper studied many aspects of the RFID application such as budgeting, purchase process, advantages and limitation of RFID technology, documentation and financial implication, challenges faced in initial stage and remedies. A structured questionnaire using descriptive survey method was designed to collect data. The study employed the method of quantitative research to gather an in-depth understanding of the nature of usage of RFID system among users of Olusegun Oke Library. The findings of the study revealed that RFID is functional and useful in such areas as speedy circulation, easy book identification, security of library materials and other value added services while the major problem to implementation include technological limitations, interference concerns, prohibitive costs and lack of global standards. The study concluded that orientation programme for all users for the RFID enabled is very much important.

Understanding the Design Elements Affecting User Acceptance of Intelligent Agents: Past, Present and Future

Intelligent agents (IAs) are permeating both business and society. However, interacting with IAs poses challenges moving beyond technological limitations towards the human-computer interface. Thus, the knowledgebase related to interaction with IAs has grown exponentially but remains segregated and impedes the advancement of the field. Therefore, we conduct a systematic literature review to integrate empirical knowledge on user interaction with IAs. This is the first paper to examine 107 Information Systems and Human-Computer Interaction papers and identified 389 relationships between design elements and user acceptance of IAs. Along the independent and dependent variables of these relationships, we span a research space model encompassing empirical research on designing for IA user acceptance. Further we contribute to theory, by presenting a research agenda along the dimensions of the research space, which shall be useful to both researchers and practitioners. This complements the past and present knowledge on designing for IA user acceptance with potential pathways into the future of IAs.

Expert Assessment of Prioritized Determinants For a Smarter Grid Through The Lens of Residential Demand Response: The Case Study of Ontario, Canada

In recent years, smart grids have attracted considerable attention. However, despite the promising potential of the technologies encompassed within such systems, their adoption has been slow, geographically varied, and in the context of residential demand response, often subject to public scrutiny. The heterogeneous evolution of the smart grid is not only the product of technological limitations but is additionally sensitive to socio-political considerations prevalent at the national or provincial level. Through expert interviews that were conducted in Ontario, Canada, this study provides insights into which smart grid factors are considered as most important for its development, and also what are the drivers, inhibitors, benefits, and drawbacks that a smart grid provides and / or entails, placing particular emphasis on residential demand response programs. The constructs scrutinized were adapted from previous studies, and the information collected was analyzed following the procedure of the Grounded Delphi Method. The findings indicate that a consensus was reached, in that smart grids pave the way for increased demand flexibility and loss reductions, though these are contingent on measures being implemented regarding the creation of investment opportunities, engagement of consumers, and ensuring the security of private data. Relevant policy implications and research recommendations are also explored.

Ten Open Questions about Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures

Laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) are a simple and robust route for the nanostructuring of solids that can create various surface functionalities featuring applications in optics, medicine, tribology, energy technologies, etc. While the current laser technologies already allow surface processing rates at the level of m2/min, industrial applications of LIPSS are sometimes hampered by the complex interplay between the nanoscale surface topography and the specific surface chemistry, as well as by limitations in controlling the processing of LIPSS and in the long-term stability of the created surface functions. This Perspective article aims to identify some open questions about LIPSS, discusses the pending technological limitations, and sketches the current state of theoretical modelling. Hereby, we intend to stimulate further research and developments in the field of LIPSS for overcoming these limitations and for supporting the transfer of the LIPSS technology into industry.

Intron dynamics reveal principles of gene regulation during the maternal-to-zygotic transition

The maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT) is a conserved embryonic process in animals where developmental control shifts from the maternal to zygotic genome. A key step in this transition is zygotic transcription, and deciphering the MZT requires classifying newly transcribed genes. However, due to current technological limitations, this starting point remains a challenge for studying many species. Here we present an alternative approach that characterizes transcriptome changes based solely on RNA-seq data. By combining intron-mapping reads and transcript-level quantification, we characterized transcriptome dynamics during the Drosophila melanogaster MZT. Our approach provides an accessible platform to investigate transcriptome dynamics that can be applied to the MZT in non-model organisms. In addition to classifying zygotically transcribed genes, our analysis revealed that over 300 genes express different maternal and zygotic transcript isoforms due to alternative splicing, polyadenylation, and promoter usage. The vast majority of these zygotic isoforms have the potential to be subject to different regulatory control, and over two-thirds encode different proteins. Thus, our analysis reveals an additional layer of regulation during the MZT, where new zygotic transcripts can generate additional proteome diversity.

Digital optimization of car’s hinged components

The purpose of this work is to reduce the weight of the car’s hinged structures (front and rear doors, tailgate and lock reinforcements) by using various types of optimization which involve removing material, changing thicknesses, and topography from parts (topology, topography, parameter and multivariate) as well as the interpretation of optimization results for specific types of production while maintaining the rigidity and strength characteristics. This technique is necessary to reduce the time for product development and reduce the cost of manufacturing parts. This study addressed the issue of the maximum possible weight reduction while meeting all the requirements (strength calculations, stiffness calculations, modal analysis, analysis of resistance to external loads, local rigidity of the door attachment points - strength loadcases, stiffness loadcases, modal, denting, IPI) and technological limitations (Envelope requirements, casting technology). The final design solution was required to contain visible changes from the original structure, meet performance requirements, and obtain a feasibility study from the production department.

Micro-Directives and Computational Merger Review

AI technologies can improve upon the current system of merger notification and review. Predictive technologies—such as supervised machine learning—combined with unprecedented growth in data will provide antitrust agencies with the opportunity to better refine the law and the review process. Such technologies will build upon how antitrust agencies already model and predict the likely consequences of mergers. Here, we explore how such predictions can reduce both the over-inclusiveness and under-inclusiveness inherent in the current system of merger notification and review. We explore the possibility of a more automated system of merger review. We argue that the greatest hurdle to the adoption of such a system is not feasibility, technological limitations, or the availability of data. Rather, the greatest hurdle is the difficulty in pinning down a precise and translatable ex ante objective that such an algorithm would optimize.