Supply chain resilience: mapping the knowledge domains through a bibliometric approach

PurposeThis paper aims to review the state-of-the-art of literature of supply chain resilience (SCR) and to map the SCR domain, so as to provide a launchpad for further knowledge development and dissemination.Design/methodology/approachCiteSpace as a bibliometric analysis software was used to systematically, comprehensively and accurately review the SCR-related literature and to then develop an SCR research map.FindingsThe results revealed the existing SCR publication base, domains, highly contributed publications, research hotspots, key milestones of SCR research development and a dynamic platform to integrate future research and development of SCR.Originality/valueThe scientific contribution to SCR knowledge is an accurate and quantitative SCR research map, including the related SCR publication base, domains, pillars, hotspots, evolution and future trends. The methodology and the findings can be generalised to many other fields. Besides, the proposed SCR research map could be frequently updated by injecting future findings from similar studies to fill any residual or newly emerging research gaps. Moreover, the results could inspire further new knowledge creation in the SCR domain, identify future research demands in this field and ultimately boost the performance of global SCs by triggering smart and sustainable practices.

Clinician-researcher’s perspectives on clinical research during the COVID19 pandemic

Objectives The outcome of well-performed clinical research is essential for evidence-based patient management during pandemics. However, conducting clinical research amidst a pandemic requires researchers to balance clinical and research demands. We seek to understand the values, experiences, and beliefs of physicians working at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to inform clinical research planning. We aim to understand whether pandemic settings affect physician comfort with research practices, and how physician experiences shape their understanding of research in a pandemic setting. Methods A survey tool was adapted to evaluate familiarity and comfort with research during a pandemic. A cross-sectional, online questionnaire was distributed across Canadian research networks early in the COVID-19 outbreak. The survey was administered between March 11th and 17th, 2020, during a time of local transmission but prior to the surge of cases. We aimed to recruit into the survey physicians in infectious disease and critical care research networks across Canada. Results Of the 133 physician respondents, 131 (98%) considered it important to conduct clinical research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents were more accepting of adaptations to the research process in during a pandemic compared to in a non-pandemic setting, including conducting research with deferred consent (χ2 = 8.941, 95% CI: -0.264, -0.085, p = 0.003), using non-identifiable observational data with a waiver of consent with a median score of 97 out of 100 (IQR: 79.25–100) vs median 87 out of 100 (IQR: 63–79) (95% CI: -12.43, 0.054, p = 0.052). The majority felt that research quality is not compromised during pandemics. Conclusions Physicians consider it important to conduct research during a pandemic, highlighting the need to expedite research activities in pandemic settings. Respondents were more accepting of adaptations to the research process for research conducted during a pandemic, compared to that conducted in its absence of a pandemic.

Towards Implementation of Big Data Concepts in a Pharmaceutical Company

Nowadays, big data is a widely utilized concept that has been spreading quickly in almost every domain. For pharmaceutical companies, using this concept is a challenging task because of the permanent pressure and business demands created through the legal requirements, research demands and standardization that have to be adopted. These legal and standards’ demands are associated with human healthcare safety and drug control that demands continuous and deep data analysis. Companies update their procedures to the particular laws, standards, market demands and regulations all the time by using contemporary information technology. This paper highlights some important aspects of the experience and change methodology used in one Macedonian pharmaceutical company, which has employed information technology solutions that successfully tackle legal and business pressures when dealing with a large amount of data. We used a holistic view and deliverables analysis methodology to gain top-down insights into the possibilities of big data analytics. Also, structured interviews with the company’s managers were used for information collection and proactive methodology with workshops was used in data integration toward the implementation of big data concepts. The paper emphasizes the information and knowledge used in this domain to improve awareness for the needs of big data analysis to achieve a competitive advantage. The main results are focused on systematizing the whole company’s data, information and knowledge and propose a solution that integrates big data to support managers’ decision-making processes.

CURRENT TRENDS IN RESEARCH INFLUENCING ITS SCIENTIFIC VALUE

Abstract- Research primarily focusses on pursuing in-depth knowledge for the progress of the science and society. Publishing the work is crucial for its communication among the scientific community and to the public. Conducting the research demands extensive time and effort but the entire struggle goes futile unless the work got published in a reputed journal. A researcher confronts many such dilemma as the appraisal of his effort depends upon the quality of conducting and publishing the work. Current setting demands increasing publication for professional accreditation and upgradation of research profile pressurizing authors which results in many ethical lapses in their works. This paper intends to highlight such lapses commonly seen in current research practices. The match between the study design and the research objectives, various components like sample size, methods of recruiting participants against inclusion and exclusion criteria and allocating the subjects to different groups, time period for collecting data or conducting the study, enlisting the confounding variables influencing the results, maintenance of data transparency and arriving at conclusions without considering the alternatives have considerable impact over its credibility. Improper execution of the work could affect its replicability and such negligence in research influences its quality making the entire work insignificant. Summary - The current academic and research settings have forced the scholars and researchers to conduct extensive research for increasing their publications and upgrading their research profile. This led to many works with uncertain credibility, reflected in the execution of the study as well as with its publication. This article points out a few among such works from different aspects which could influence the result of the study. Such trends in research is making the whole resource and time futile and the entire work insignificant.

Fast Logic Function Extraction of LUT from Bitstream in Xilinx FPGA

This paper presents a fast method to extract logic functions of look-up tables (LUTs) from a bitstream in Xilinx FPGAs. In general, FPGAs utilize LUTs as a primary resource to realize a logic function, and a typical N-input LUT comprises 2N 1-bit SRAM and N – 1 multiplexers. Whereas the previous research demands 2N exhaustive processing to find a mapping rule between an LUT and a bitstream, the proposed method decreases the processing to 2N by eliminating unnecessary processing. Experimental results show that the proposed method can reduce reversing time by more than 57% and 85% for Xilinx Spartan-3 and Virtex-5 compared to the previous exhaustive algorithm. It is noticeable that the reduction time becomes more significant as a commercial Xilinx FPGA tends to include a more tremendous number of LUTs.

Objectivity, Value Neutrality, Originality, and Ethics in Legal Research

Discipline in thinking, attitude, approach, and action in the course of research activity is the topic of the third chapter. Objectivity as a major concern of legal research demands that the researcher develops views on the basis of relevant reasons and shuns irrelevant ones. Examining every question with care, thoroughness, and reason by relating to truth and welfare brings objectivity. Value neutrality is another mindset a researcher should enshrine. Impartiality and sincerity in commitment to truth are its features. But constitutional values influence the decision-making process. Originality is another virtue that should be deliberately cultivated by reflecting over the questions and introspecting about the outcomes. The chapter takes up the issues of ethics in legal research, its evolution, need, and reach, and the researcher’s ethical obligation towards informers, society, funders, and fellow researchers. Why and how to avoid plagiarism and how to develop independent thought is also discussed in the chapter.

Moving beyond the first response phenomenon

Purpose In Sweden, the care of older people and people with disabilities is increasingly carried out by informal carers, often family members, who are unpaid and outside a professional or formal framework. While there is an increasing awareness of the role of carers within service systems and their own needs for support, their involvement in research is underexplored. The purpose of this paper is to explore carers’ views and experiences of involvement in research and development (R&D) work. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative study was conducted, consisting of 12 individual interviews with carers from different local Swedish carer organizations. Findings Core findings included carers’ discussions of the perceived challenges and benefits of their involvement in research, both generally and more specifically, in the context of their involvement in the development of a national carer strategy. Research limitations/implications Limitations included the relative lack of male carer participants and the convenience sample. Practical implications Authentic carer involvement in research demands a high level of engagement from researchers during the entire research process. The provided CRAC framework, with reference to the themes community, reciprocity, advocacy and circumstantiality, may help researchers to understand and interpret carer involvement in research and provide the prerequisites for their involvement. Originality/value There is a dearth of studies that systematically examine carer involvement in research. This paper attempts to redress this gap by providing a nuanced analysis of carer involvement in R&D work from the perspective of carers themselves.

Conclusion

Given the confluence of a vast body of research about urban China and the heated debates about urban theory, revisiting Park seems at first glance like an untimely, limiting tactic for setting a research agenda. Taking Park as a starting point does not, however, dictate rules about speaking in his terms, nor does it require a re-treading of the Los Angeles School critiques of his work. Rather, it can be a valuable way to review the research on urban China in order to situate this work within greater theoretical issues. This concluding chapter reflects on the general issues of exceptionalism and methodology haunting the research on urban China. It suggests that rather than a research agenda like the one Park outlines in his essay on “The City,” perhaps the future of research demands a reconsideration of approach.