Does Board Collective Suitability Affect Performance and Risk? Evidence from European Banks

This paper analyzes the features of the boards of large listed European banks and their degree of “collective suitability” as formalized by the Capital Requirements Directives (CRD4) and evaluates whether closer proximity to the collective suitability regulatory paradigm affects banks’ performance, risk and risk-adjusted performance. We leverage Self-Organizing Maps (SOMs) to analyze board features and suitability (i.e. competence, diversity, independence and time commitment) jointly as a multifaceted, non-linear combination of all board variables, rather than evaluating the single variables individually as in the mainstream literature. Using a hand-collected dataset based on numerous features of boards of directors, we find that European banks’ boards can be classified in four different board archetypes characterized by different degrees of collective suitability. Our findings also suggest positive relationships between the degree of collective suitability and performance, risk-adjusted performance, and risk, confirming that the regulatory provisions on governance are going in the right direction, enhancing effective and prudent management.

More Than Content: Training Peer Leaders in Mentoring Leadership

Training peer leaders to mentor students is an essential component of any peer-led team learning training program. This training method article begins by establishing a definition of mentoring and describing its theoretical underpinnings. Piagetian disequilibrium is one component of why mentoring is effective because interpersonal interaction efficiently assists students in learning how to deal with mental discomfort and grow intellectually from it. A four-part theoretical definition of the components of mentoring serves as the theory base for our training curriculum: (1) psychological and emotional support, (2) goal setting and career paths, (3) academic subject knowledge support, and (4) existence of a role model. In translating theory into practice, we train leaders to follow five key tenets as mentors: (1) be a learning coach, not a tutor, (2) create a trusting environment among your team members, (3) assist students in learning how to learn from feedback, (4) assist students in learning time management skills, and (5) meet with students one-on-one periodically to provide personalized academic and social support. The time commitment to training by a peer leader is 35 hours per semester via a combination of pre-semester training, in-semester group training, and in-semester one-on-one training. Practical suggestions on how to train leaders are provided.

Considerations of providing patent and trademark assistance services at one's library

PurposeThe authors' goal in writing this article was to provide background information and detailed considerations to assist those wishing to provide patent and trademark assistance at their libraries. The major considerations include staffing, spaces and resources, with the time commitment from the staff being the most significant.Design/methodology/approachThis paper combined the experiences of an author relatively new to patent and trademark librarianship with one who has years of experience. These were used in tandem with knowledge gained from a decade of attendance at annual week-long seminars at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as well as by way of a comprehensive literature review.FindingsThe main commitment needed in providing patent and trademark services to the public is not money but the investment of time, which includes professional development, staffing, teaching classes and workshops, outreach and consultations.Originality/valueThe information in this paper should serve as guidance to anyone new to providing patent and trademark services within their libraries, including those at Patent and Trademark Resource Centers (PTRCs), Patent Information Centres (PATLIBs) and beyond. Although articles have been published on various aspects of intellectual property (IP) and libraries, a comprehensive guide to providing patent and trademark services has yet to be published.

An Examination of the Relationships of Liaison Librarians and Academic Departments, Based Upon the Experiences of Librarians at a New Zealand Academic Institution

<p>The objective of this research was to examine how liaison librarians interacted with their academic departments, and what factors impacted on their interaction. Interviews were conducted with twelve liaison librarians at an academic institution and documents such as web pages were examined. Among the techniques employed by liaison librarians were emails, newsletters, creation of course resource web pages, provision of teaching sessions and personal visits to departments. Librarians concentrated on different techniques in response to perceptions of what worked for the academic department. As librarians became established in their role they needed to balance the need to liaise with the significant time commitment involved in the delivery of the service. Liaison librarians regarded personal contact as extremely important to establishing and maintaining relationships. This could be difficult the further the liaison librarian was physically located from a department. Some librarians saw the standardization of procedures across the library system offered a barrier to the personal service they offered to academics. The small sample interviewed cannot be regarded as being applicable to all liaison librarians in all academic institutions. However, the study is a beginning point, and further research in this neglected area is needed.</p>

An Examination of the Relationships of Liaison Librarians and Academic Departments, Based Upon the Experiences of Librarians at a New Zealand Academic Institution

<p>The objective of this research was to examine how liaison librarians interacted with their academic departments, and what factors impacted on their interaction. Interviews were conducted with twelve liaison librarians at an academic institution and documents such as web pages were examined. Among the techniques employed by liaison librarians were emails, newsletters, creation of course resource web pages, provision of teaching sessions and personal visits to departments. Librarians concentrated on different techniques in response to perceptions of what worked for the academic department. As librarians became established in their role they needed to balance the need to liaise with the significant time commitment involved in the delivery of the service. Liaison librarians regarded personal contact as extremely important to establishing and maintaining relationships. This could be difficult the further the liaison librarian was physically located from a department. Some librarians saw the standardization of procedures across the library system offered a barrier to the personal service they offered to academics. The small sample interviewed cannot be regarded as being applicable to all liaison librarians in all academic institutions. However, the study is a beginning point, and further research in this neglected area is needed.</p>

Texting as an Advising Communication Tool: A Case Study of Receptivity and Resistance

Texting has been identified as a tool that has the potential to enhance informational exchanges between academic advisors and students. We use focus group and survey data from a recent texting intervention to assess student and advisor receptivity to texting as a new mode of communication. The data reveal that most students immediately saw the benefits of this new tool. In contrast, advisors initially were very skeptical of its value. They raised concerns about having a voice in the content of the messages and the time commitment that would be needed to respond to students’ texts. Over time, this feedback led to modifications in the texting protocol and, in turn, advisors came to view texting as an important mechanism for improving communication with students. Our study ends with a discussion of texting best practices within the context of academic advising.

Motivators and barriers to research participation for individuals with cerebral palsy and their families

Objective(s): Our objective was to investigate the motivators and barriers associated with the individual or family decision to participate in cerebral palsy research. Based on this information, we offer suggestions to increase the likelihood of participation in future CP studies. Methods: A digital survey was administered to stakeholders affected by cerebral palsy across the US. Our analysis focused on variables related to personal interests, travel, and study-specific elements. Statistical tests investigated the effects of responder type, cerebral palsy type, and Gross Motor Function Classification System level on travel and study-specific element variables. Recommendations were informed by responses reflecting the majority of respondents. Results: Based on 233 responses, we found that respondents highly valued research participation (on average 88.2/100) and compensation (on average 62.3/100). Motivators included the potential for direct benefit (62.2%) and helping others (53.4%). The primary barriers to participation were schedule limitations (48.9%) and travel logistics (32.6%). Schedule limitations were especially pertinent to caregivers, while individuals with more severe cerebral palsy diagnoses reported the necessity of additional items to comfortably travel. Conclusions: Overall, we encourage the involvement of stakeholders affected by cerebral palsy in the research process. Researchers should consider offering flexible study times, accommodating locations, and compensation for time and travel expenses. We recommend a minimum compensation of $15/hour and a maximum time commitment of 4 hours/day to respect participants' time and increase likelihood of research participation. Future studies should track how attitudes toward research change with time and experience.

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Endoscopy in Ulcerative Colitis

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are disorders that cause chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The two most common forms of IBD are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Imaged by high-definition video-camera via the colonoscope, the mucosa of the colon is recorded and examined by the endoscopist. Endoscopy is the gold standard method of discerning the disease severity and the treatment outcome in patients with UC. Determining the severity and the extent of the disease is important in guiding the management. This is challenging due to inter-individual variation, subjectivity in reporting endoscopic scores, and human time commitment. To address these concerns, computational aids via artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to the processing of endoscopy data. In this editorial, the authors provide an overview of AI use in the endoscopic assessment UC activity and severity.

Ecosystem services assessment tools for regenerative urban design in oceania

Tools that spatially model ecosystem services offer opportunities to integrate ecology into regenerative urban design. However, few of these tools are designed for assessing ecosystem services in cities, meaning their application by designers is potentially limited. This research reviews and compares a range of ecosystem services assessment tools to find those that are most suited for the urban context of Oceania. The tool classification includes considerations of type of input and output data, time commitment, and necessary skills required. The strengths and limitations of the most relevant tools are further discussed alongside illustrative case studies, some collected from literature and one conducted as part of this research in Wellington, Aotearoa using the Land Utilisation and Capability Indicator (LUCI) tool. A major finding of the research is that from the 95 tools reviewed, only four are judged to be potentially relevant for urban design projects. These are modelling tools that allow spatially explicit visualisation of biophysical quantification of ecosystem services. The ecosystem services assessed vary among tools and the outputs’ reliability is often highly influenced by the user’s technical expertise. The provided recommendations support urban designers and architects to choose the tool that best suits their regenerative design project requirements.