Covid-19 global pandemic, workplace spirituality and the rise of spirituality-driven organisations in the post-digital era

PurposeDespite the growing importance of workplace spirituality, organisations have been reluctant to integrate spirituality into their workplaces; this paper discusses how to integrate spirituality into the workplace.Design/methodology/approachThis is a theoretical paper that builds its arguments on the synthesis of workplace spirituality and contemporary management paradigms.FindingsThe study argues that workplace spirituality is an extremely important driving force for the sustainable and healthy growth of any organisation; however, infusing workplace spirituality into companies in the industrial and digital eras would be a futile effort, as industrial organisations are built on an ethos highly incongruent with spiritual principles. Therefore, in the post-digital era, spirituality-driven organisations (SDOs) will emerge, marking the beginning of a true “spiritual paradigm” for business and human society at large. The study also elaborates on the characteristics of the post-digital era and the nature of SDOs.Originality/valueWorkplace spirituality has been a research topic for years but has never gained sufficient momentum. The Covid-19 global pandemic has made workplace spirituality a more pertinent issue on corporate agendas. Therefore, this paper provides the theoretical foundation to embed workplace spirituality in contemporary management thoughts and practices.

Surgical Robotics Systems for Deep Brain Neurosurgery

Robotics systems designed for surgical applications such as Neurosurgery, likely may need to implement synchronous communication in real time and asynchronous learning. It will likely primarily be oriented towards spatial imaging and 3D virtualization, various communication protocols, and calibration settings in order to perform optimal results. In regards to computation, it needs to be heavily fault tolerant in operation. It also needs to be aware of false positives. Likely a complex deep brain surgical robotics system would implement variations of brain mapping technology and may utilize topological neuroanatomy. Various technologies in regards to the mapping of the brain, visualization, robotics and mechatronics systems would need to be in place. This paper is to look at the sciences through a theoretical and conceptual process. This isn’t FDA reviewed for medical accuracy and is meant to warrant a theoretical paper where information is “as-is”. This will hopefully provide a blueprint for continuing research later on.

Surgical Robotics Systems for Deep Brain Neurosurgery

Robotics systems designed for surgical applications such as Neurosurgery, likely may need to implement synchronous communication in real time and asynchronous learning. It will likely primarily be oriented towards spatial imaging and 3D virtualization, various communication protocols, and calibration settings in order to perform optimal results. In regards to computation, it needs to be heavily fault tolerant in operation. It also needs to be aware of false positives. Likely a complex deep brain surgical robotics system would implement variations of brain mapping technology and may utilize topological neuroanatomy. Various technologies in regards to the mapping of the brain, visualization, robotics and mechatronics systems would need to be in place. This paper is to look at the sciences through a theoretical and conceptual process. This isn’t FDA reviewed for medical accuracy and is meant to warrant a theoretical paper where information is “as-is”. This will hopefully provide a bleuprint for continuing research later on.

Social Entrepreneurship: rethinking theoretical assumptions

Most of the Social Entrepreneurship (SE) literature derives its theoretical assumptions from the field of entrepreneurship in general, and more broadly, from modern economic theory. However, some thinkers notice significant gaps in existing theory and try to conceptualise SE incorporating some missing elements. In this theoretical paper, we explain the origins of contemporary SE concepts, analyse the significant contemporary SE works of leading thinkers and their theoretical assumptions. We also specify major shortcomings in existing concepts and demonstrate the possibility of filling gaps by realism, especially Aristotle’s philosophy. His distinctive realist view of human beings, including entrepreneurs, and his broader view on economics allows us to understand the essential nature of entrepreneurship, providing unique insights regarding the intellectual-volitional faculties of the social entrepreneur.

The Theoretical Perceived Transgressing Role and Identity of Contemporary Journalism: Revolution or Evolution?

Journalism as a definition emerged more than two centuries ago and became actively promulgated in the study of media by core Western countries. Meanwhile, this term is often interpreted too freely, the term and practice are transgressing in the 21st century. This is a theoretical paper that seeks to understand how the role of journalism and mass media have mutated and why as interpreted by scholars. On the one hand, it is followed with a lack of its complex essence is hindered by contemporary political, social, economic and technological challenges that occur in the way of its development. It is caught between the utopian and idealistic theoretical and conceptual projections that are intended to be the basis of its social capital and legitimacy and the practical dilemmas and hardships (economic and political) of the contemporary era that shift the profession away from the aforementioned ideals.

Borys Grinchenko about regulation methods of creative inspiration

The article is a first attempt to tackle Borys Grinchenko’s theoretical paper “The Management of Inspiration” (1893) in the Ukrainian literary studies. The manuscript of Grinchenko’s paper is kept at the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Library of Ukraine named after V. I. Vernadsky. The subject of the research is the writer’s views on the psychology of creativity. The article aims to consider the theoretical views of the Ukrainian philosopher on the problem of inspiration as a special creative venue of the artists, writers or composers, the management of which can affect their productivity. The results of the study enable to detect the influence of both idealistic and positivist-oriented aesthetics in Grinchenko’s theoretical approach to the cultivated creativity. The Ukrainian philosopher is resolute in denying the idea of inspiration as a rapidly passing special state which cannot be managed for example by the writer. Nor does he accept the possibility of productive creativity only in the moments of emotional outburst or transcendence. Grinchenko develops coherently the idea that the ingenious writers systematically experienced inspiration relying on the skill, worked out over the years, to create at a fixed time. In his opinion, the timing for different types of activity allowed those writers to evoke special spirituality at certain hours, when aesthetic performance is the most productive. In his paper, B. Grinchenko insists on the need for each creator to handle the inspiration by means of the skillful management of creative process. The ideas of the Ukrainian philosopher on the possibility of managing writer’s insight keep with the Hegelian thesis of creative inspiration as a natural result of the artist’s hard work. B. Grinchenko regards inspiration as an animating force that can be set in motion by daily routine. Every writer’s moment of the highest revelation proceeds differently; its every stage can be differently time-bound. Yet Borys Grinchenko hopes that in the future the development of literary processes will lead most writers to a disciplined and manageable way of creativity. The ideas of Grinchenko’s paper on the bonding of inspiration and the titanic work of the writer are up-to-date.

Discourse on Pedagogy between Academy and the Public

This theoretical paper reviews the current theory about curriculum transformation and renewal in higher education in Africa and, in particular, South Africa. Although the findings are applicable to different universities, the pedagogical approach of North-West University will be the focus. The aim is to understand curriculum responsiveness pertaining to decolonisation and sustainable development that can align with the African Union’s proposed Agenda 2063. The epistemology is from a practical public theological paradigm. A single-system research method has been followed to integrate current research about tertiary education curriculum transformation with the latest practice theory. Three different aspects are explored, namely how Agenda 2063 is applicable to higher education in a post-colonial context, the fibre of human relations based on Nagy’s contextual theory, and the curriculum as a powerful tool for change. The paper concludes that lecturers and students can join forces in growing towards the Africa they want by active experiential student-centred pedagogy.

Developing Equitable Pedagogical Practices in Teacher Education: Considerations for Critical Transformative Perspectives in a North American Context

Teacher education programs may encourage their students to reflect upon their own school experiences through critical perspectives to develop equitable pedagogical practices for a better society. However, what are the implications of using critical perspectives? The purpose of this theoretical paper is to examine assumptions of using critical transformative approaches in teacher education for equity by addressing the following question: What issues between teacher educators and their students need to be considered when using a critical transformative learning approach to develop equitable pedagogical practices in a North American context? By framing critical and transformative learning as working with difficult knowledge and cognitive dissonance, I argue that teacher education courses need to create spaces that foster authentic dialogues to move beyond psychologizing to critical awareness for equity in education.

Why Does Cognitive Reserve Align With Modern Western Ideals of Success? Theoretical & Methodological Proposals

Cognitive reserve (CR) is a framework that investigates discrepancies between brain pathology and cognitive decline. In explaining why individuals with similar levels of brain pathology display different levels of functional impairment, CR research focuses on factors that resemble modern, Western ideals of success: greater education, professional achievement, a self-directed life, and physically and intellectually stimulating leisure time. This theoretical paper documents this alignment between CR and modern, Western ideals of success to hypothesize different mechanisms by which CR may operate. The focus in the CR literature has been on investigating and operationalizing the direct cognitive changes that come from intellectual cultivation, and the native abilities that are hypothesized to produce differences in both education and cognitive outcomes. This paper argues that an attention to CR’s relationship to current definitions of success presents alternative hypotheses about the mechanisms by which CR operates. Specifically, the paper outlines two potential mechanisms and frames alternative means of studying them: First, does the accrual of CR simply follow from being successful in conventional ways because of the material benefits of wealth and stability that success brings? Second, does a lack of success carry cognitive risks solely because of material deprivation, or are there additional psychosocial penalties that come from living a non-normative life—especially when that is not of one’s choosing? This paper proposes both cross-cultural and intersectional methods to begin to better understand the relationship between normative success and cognitive health.

Promises and challenges of Blockchain in education

Blockchain is arguably the next technology-mediated socioeconomic mega trend after the ongoing era of Net Neutrality and Big Data. This theoretical paper explores blockchain technology and its impacts on education. It is argued that we cannot take for granted that the network neutrality, popularized accessibility of the Internet and its influence on education will remain as we know it today. Blockchain promises, among others, a greater control over financing and investing in education, implementing instructional projects, a certification/accreditation system and learning. Education blockchain with its distributed ledgers would set novel standards of crypto-learning and crypto-administration that are acceptable across organizations and nations, enhancing thus the objectivity, validity and control of information without being compromised by socio-economic instabilities. The slow rate of adoption of blockchain technology in education reflects the rate in the fields of finance and management but, at the same time, it poses a few critical challenges such as lacking tangible incentives for technology maintenance or ‘blockchain mining’ (inward sustainability) coupled with a rather feeble orientation to collective development of education (outward sustainability).