Algorithms and venture investment decisions: better, fairer or biased?

PurposeThis paper is a rejoinder to the work of Blohm, Antretter, and colleagues recently published in both Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice and Harvard Business Review titled “It's a Peoples Game, Isn't It?! A Comparison Between the Investment Returns of Business Angels and Machine Learning Algorithms” and “Do Algorithms Make Better – and Fairer – Investments than Angel Investors?”, respectively.Design/methodology/approachWhile we agree with authors of prior scholarship on the importance of counteracting human biases, honing expert intuition and optimizing the odds of success in investment decision-making contexts, in the spirit of open academic discourse, this paper respectfully challenges some of the underlying assumptions concerning algorithmic bias on which prior work is based.FindingsInvesting remains part art and part science, and while algorithms may begin to play a more significant role in investment decision-making, human intuition remains hard to imitate. In both people and in algorithms, sources of bias remain both implicit and explicit and often have systemic roots, so more research continues to be needed to fully understand why algorithms produce potentially biased outcomes across a wide array of contexts.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to our collective understanding on the use of algorithms in making investment decisions, highlighting the fact that bias exists in humans and algorithms alike, even when the best of intentions are present.

REVISÃO DE FORMA SISTEMÁTICA DO DESIGN THINKING APLICADO EM DISPOSITIVOS MÉDICOS

Objetivo: Analisar estudos baseados na aplicação do Design Thinking envolvendo dispositivos médicos para discutir a importância das necessidades dos usuários na resolução de problemas relacionados às tecnologias em saúde. Design⏐Metodologia⏐Abordagem: Neste artigo é apresentada uma revisão de forma sistemática da literatura, através do método Systematic Search Flow (SSF), por meio de uma pesquisa nas bases de dados Scopus, IEEE, Pubmed e Scielo. Foram encontradas 161 publicações segundo os critérios de busca e as palavras-chaves definidas. Por fim, foram selecionados seis artigos para a análise dos resultados. Resultados: Os resultados da revisão de forma sistemática mostraram diversas possibilidades de aplicação do Design Thinking no desenvolvimento de dispositivos médicos, desde em dispositivos de classe de risco mais elevado, até mesmo em equipamentos menos complexos, para uso domiciliar, e software para aporte clínico para melhorar a experiência de recém-nascidos, crianças, quanto também para auxiliar o envelhecimento saudável de idosos. Originalidade⏐Valor: O desenvolvimento de novas soluções tecnológicas centradas nos usuários e voltadas para a saúde permitem a aplicação do Design Thinking; especialmente aquelas que envolvem dispositivos médicos para melhorar a segurança e a qualidade das tecnologias de saúde para os usuários, proporcionando melhor usabilidade e compreensão do contexto atual dessas tecnologias na perspectiva dos usuários. Referências Abookire, S., Plover, C., Frasso, R., & Ku, B. (2020). Health Design Thinking: An Innovative Approach in Public Health to Defining Problems and Finding Solutions. Front Public Health, 8(459). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7484480/ Altman, M., Huang, T. T., & Breland, J. Y. (2018). Design Thinking in Health Care. Prev Chronic Dis. Ayah, R., Ong'ech, J., Mbugua, E. M., Kosgei, R. C., Waller, K., & Gathara, D. (2020). Responding to maternal, neonatal and child health equipment needs in Kenya: a model for an innovation ecosystem leveraging on collaborations and partnerships. BMJ Innov, 6. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjinnov-2019-000391 Brown, T. (2008). Design Thinking. Harvard Business Review. Brown, T. (2010). Design Thinking - Uma metodologia poderosa para decretar o fim das velhas ideias (Traduzida - 2017 ed.). Starlin Alta. Ferenhof, H. A., & Fernandes, R. F. (2016). Desmistificando a revisão de literatura como base para redação científica: método SFF. Revista ACB, 21(3). https://revista.acbsc.org.br/racb/article/view/1194 Flewwelling, C., Easty, A., Vicente, K., & Cafazzo, J. (2014). The use of fault reporting of medical equipment to identify latent design flaws. J Biomed Inform. Jiang, J., Liu, T., Zhang, Y., Song, Y., Zhou, M., Zheng, X., & Yan, Z. (2017). Design and development of an intelligent nursing bed - a pilot project of "joint assignment". Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc, 38–41. https://doi.org/10.1109/EMBC.2017.8036757 Marko-Holguin, M., Cordel, S. L., Voorhees, B., Fogel, J., Sykes, E., Fitzgibbon, M., & Glassgow, A. (2019). A Two-Way Interactive Text Messaging Application for Low-Income Patients with Chronic Medical Conditions: Design-Thinking Development Approach. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6658312/ Organização Mundial da Saúde. (2020). Dispositivo Médico - Definição Completa. Organização Mundial da Saúde. https://www.who.int/medical_devices/full_deffinition/en/ Poncette, A.-S., Spies, C., Mosch, L., Schieler, M., Weber-Carstens, S., Krampe, H., & Balzer, F. (2019). Clinical Requirements of Future Patient Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit: Qualitative Study. JMIR Med Inform, 7. https://doi.org/10.2196/13064 Rodziewicz, T. L., Houseman, B., & Hipskind, J. E. (2020). Medical Error Prevention. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499956/ Shepherd, M. (2004). Clinical Engineering Handbook (1st ed.). Elsevier Academic. Sherman, J., Lee, H. C., Weiss, M. E., & Kristensen-Cabrera, A. (2018). Medical Device Design Education: Identifying Problems Through Observation and Hands-On Training. Des Technol Educ, 23, 154-174. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6759072/ Tosi, F., & Rinaldi, A. (2017). Design and Usability of the Next Medical Devices for the Home Care. The Design Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/14606925.2017.1352722 Van der Cammen, T. J., Albayrak, A., Voûte, E., & Molenbroek, J. F. (2016). New horizons in design for autonomous ageing. Oxford Academic, 46, 11-17. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afw181

Artificial intelligence and creative activities inside organizational behavior

Purpose This study aims to investigate about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) (man machine relationship) regarding organizational behavior. The aim of this research paper is to analyze whether the current AI is used also to replace man in “creative” activities. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on a qualitative and explorative approach. It is made a review of the literature with “Scopus” and “Web of Science” databases. The research fields are AI, organizational behavior, man-machine relationship and creativity. Findings Analyzing whether the intensive use of AI in organizational behavior can replace human work in creative activities. Research limitations/implications The connection of AI with creative activities within the organization is only just beginning. For this reason, other sources, like Harvard Business Review, public reports and professional papers found on the internet have been considered. The most important limitation of this paper is that all the results presented here do not concern a single case study. Practical implications In this paper, there are some examples that can show the use of AI in creative activities; however, this does not complete the situation facing companies in any sector because the AI technologies used within enterprises are constantly evolving. It is possible to continue to do research in this field. Originality/value The paper is meaningful because highlights the development of AI toward creative activities typically of human resources. It is also interesting because it analyzes the exploratory use of AI in increasingly human work, generating positive and negative externalities.

Book review: Irene Yuan Sun, The Next Factory of the World: How Chinese Investment is Reshaping Africa

Irene Yuan Sun, The Next Factory of the World: How Chinese Investment is Reshaping Africa, Harvard Business Review Press, Massachusetts, 2017, 211 pp., ₹1717.83.

An analysis of productivity app strengths: An environmental scan

BACKGROUNDIn recent years, productivity apps have become the most commonly used apps. While some may feel productivity apps work solely as a result of the placebo effect , productivity apps have been shown to have three major benefits: accountability, assessment, and improvement. Stress levels were especially reduced in the two meditation groups as opposed to the muscle relaxation group . Furthermore, there has been reported evidence on the effectiveness of app-based meditation and mindfulness in reducing stress and increasing productivity for users.METHODSIn order to answer the research question, published articles from ProQuest, Business Source Premier and Web of Science were used. Additionally, Harvard Business Review was also used as a source of grey literature. Information was collected in order to determine the strengths of competing productivity apps and how they could limit or be applied to the Felicity App. The research was reviewed based on screening tools that assessed validity and relevance. Included studies were published within Asia, North America, Australia, or Europe, and were either quantitative, qualitative, randomized controlled trial (RCT), surveys, experiments with participants, or academic studies. Study screening and extraction were completed independently among two authors. Disagreements following reconciliation between the two authors were settled by a third author.RESULTSThe selected articles discuss information including methods of improving productivity, mobile-based interventions that are effective at improving either overall health or productivity, and techniques that may be applicable to the Felicity App as a mobile-based intervention.CONCLUSIONThe results show that the Felicity App can improve user outcomes by integrating features from other applications.

Every pandemic has a silver lining

“They (pandemics) are the original social and political disruptors, and sometimes that can be really positive” Brown (2020) in University of Hawai'i News. Most active teachers, in the past year, have taught both in-person and on-line. Using the Cynefin Framework, a decision-making framework which is based in complexity science (Snowden & Boone, 2007, p.70), I examine the pedagogical changes made by teachers in the emergency teaching situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. When using the Cynefin Framework, issues facing an organization can be categorized in one of five possible contexts, simple, complicated, complex, chaotic and disorder, depending upon the severity of the disruption. In a regular classroom most disruptions would be in the simple or complicated context and teachers will solve those problems by making decisions based on prior practice. In the complicated contexts, the same teachers may seek advice from senior teachers, or experts, to solve situations. A problem in the complex context would require the teacher or administrator to find an emerging path through the situation. The disruption I am examining is, according to Brown, the original disruptor—a pandemic, namely COVID-19 which caused school instruction to move from face-to-face to emergency on-line teaching. While much of the beginning on-line teaching began in a chaotic context, that is not the only category that is identified by use of the Cynefin Framework. With data drawn from three interviews given by teachers or administrators recorded on YouTube for the Global Teacher Prize dating from March 2020 forward, I examine how both teachers and schools are changing their use of technology. I look at changes and modifications to pedagogy that the teacher has instituted and have determined work. I will then determine if the change is primarily beneficial for the teacher, student, or another party—uncovering the silver linings and innovations in the ways that teachers have changed their use of technology and their pedagogy during the emergency on-line teaching of COVID-19. Reference Snowden, D. J., & Boone, M. E. (2007). A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making. Harvard Business Review, 1–25. University of Hawai'i News. https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2020/04/07/covid19-vs-spanish-flu/

Some Approach in Assessing Information Technology Policies in Our Mining Industry under the Impact of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (Case study: Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group – Vinacomin)

Since 1997, the mining industry has paid attention to develop information-technology (IT) components at sectoral and enterprise levels. However, due to various reasons, including the interest of business and sector leaders as well as limited resources, IT in the mining industry is still on a small scale, in which it has not yet linked to a network and had a shared database, and is therefore not shared. Under the impact of Industry Revolution 4.0, to develop the IT field as an essential tool to promote the technologies of the 4.0 technology component, a systematic policy combination is needed. This article is responsible for meeting that demand of the IT field of Vietnam's mining industry. Keywords Industry 4.0, IT, IT policy. References [1] K. Schwab, The Fourth Industrial Revolution: What It Means and How to Respond, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-what-it-means-and-how-to-respond/, 2015.[2] Forschungsunion, Acatech, Recommendations for implementing the strategic initiative INDUSTRIE 4.0, Final report of the Industrie 4.0 Working Group, April 2013.[3] J.H. Leavitt, L.T. Whisler, Management in the 1980’s, Harvard Business Review, 1958-11.[4] National Assembly of Vietnam, Law on information technology (No. 67/2006/QH11), June 29, 2006 (in Vietnamese).[5] National Association directing the compilation of encyclopedias (Vietnam), Vietnamese encyclopedia, Hanoi, Vietnam, 1995 (in Vietnamese),[6] Wikipedia, Thomas Kuhn, https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Kuhn, 2019.[7] V.C. Dam, Scientific research methodology Science and Technics Publishing House, Hanoi, Vietnam, 1999 (in Vietnamese).

Open space office: A review of the literature and Hong Kong case studies

BACKGROUND: Open plan or open space office has become increasingly popular but those who promote the concept selfdom refer to health studies or workers’ perceptions of a change in office layout towards an open space arrangement. OBJECTIVE: To review the literature on open plan or open space office layouts in terms of facilities management (FM) with users’ perception in mind and to obtain opinions of users of open space offices of for a better appreciation of the FM issues. METHODS: A literature search of research papers from 2007 in journals using the keywords “open plan office” and “open space office” plus “health”, first in the titles then in the text, was carried out. Thirty-two of those papers, accessible by the authors’ institutions, were consulted together with 5 other works in the Harvard Business Review. The review consulted but excluded papers and reports published or sponsored by commercial firms that were in favour of open space layouts. Case studies were conducted by face to face meetings in confidence with workers in the middle managements of twelve Hong Kong organisations known as friends to two of the authors. Problems as seen by staff are reported and discussed. RESULTS: The literature review reveals that apart from writing that promotes the use of an open plan office layout, a host of scientific works point to the problems of perceived dissatisfaction with such a layout, the nature of the dissatisfaction tending to depend on the actual design. Most workers interviewed disliked the new style open plan layouts, which points to the necessity of consulting workers when such changes are contemplated, as well as monitoring the results of the change once it is in place whether against workers’ wishes or with their support. There is a need for a number of facility arrangements in making a change to open plan that ensures that worker needs for proper lighting, privacy, and indoor health will be met. CONCLUSIONS: If the aim of a change to an open plan arrangement is to promote collegial communications in office, the study sheds light on the extent to which such arrangements may not in practice be suitable for achieving the aim. It follows that further, more specifically sociological studies of workers’ job satisfaction and emotional health in open plan office settings would be worth doing.