Does Diversification Strategy Play An Eminent Role In The Current Turbulence Of Digital Economy: A Strategic Approach

Most industry players are dubious whether current digital technology is strongly affecting the long traditional demand and supply economy while scholars believe that companies need to have valuable and unique resources, excellent and agile capabilities, and the capacity of aligning their core competencies to lead the industry and therefore sustaining its competitive advantage. Companies are fighting with the aggressive movements by their competitors in the changing markets and facing very dynamic full of surprises environmental turbulence. We reveal the Environment Serving Organization concept helps companies to be well prepared in advance and applicable at all turbulence levels when the overall economy is at high uncertainty. By exploring diversification based on Ansoff Growth Matrix and using the regression and mediation models, this is one of the first papers that investigates the Environmental Turbulence level as a probable mediator in the intense relationship between diversification strategy and strong firm performance.

Emotional Responses and Perceived Relative Harm Mediate the Effect of Exposure to Misinformation about E-Cigarettes on Twitter and Intention to Purchase E-Cigarettes among Adult Smokers

There is a gap in knowledge on the affective mechanisms underlying effects of exposure to health misinformation. This study aimed to understand whether discrete emotional responses and perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes versus smoking mediate the effect of exposure to tweets about the harms of e-cigarettes on Twitter and intention to purchase e-cigarettes among adult smokers. We conducted a web-based experiment in November 2019 among 2400 adult smokers who were randomly assigned to view one of four conditions of tweets containing different levels of misinformation. We fitted mediation models using structural equation modeling and bootstrap procedures to assess the indirect effects of exposure to tweets through perceived relative harm of e-cigarettes and six discrete emotions. Our findings support that exposure to tweets about harms of e-cigarettes influence intention to purchase e-cigarettes through perceived relative harm, discrete emotional responses, and serially through emotional responses and perceived relative harm. Feeling worried, hopeful, and happy mediated the effects of condition on intention to purchase e-cigarettes. Feeling scared, worried, angry, and hopeful mediated the effects serially through perceived relative harm. Affective responses and perceived relative harm following exposure to misinformation about e-cigarette harm may mediate the relationship with intention to purchase e-cigarettes among adult smokers.

Youth in Residential Care: A Cross-Sectional Mediation Analysis of Youth’s Perceptions of Their Social Images, Self-Representations, and Adjustment Outcomes

Individuals’ perceptions of their social images [i.e., meta-representations (MR)] and perceived stereotyping threat create involuntary stress responses that may affect important outcomes, such as self-esteem, academic achievement, and mental health. This study aimed to (1) analyze the indirect associations between residential care youth’s MR and their psychological adjustment (i.e., externalizing and internalizing problems) through their self-representations (SR) and (2) test the moderating role of youth’s age and residential unit size in those associations. A sample of 926 youth aged between 12 and 25years old filled out self-report questionnaires regarding their representations about how people in general perceive them (i.e., MR) and their SR. Residential care professionals filled in the socio-demographic questionnaires and the Child Behavior Checklist. Data were analyzed through multiple mediation models and moderated mediation models. Results showed that (1) youth’s behavioral MR were indirectly associated with higher internalizing and externalizing behavior through higher levels of behavioral SR and (2) youth’s emotional MR were associated with higher internalizing problems through higher emotional SR, but also with lower internalizing problems through lower levels of behavioral SR. These results emphasize the importance of stimulating positive SR, by showing that they can be a protective factor for youth in residential care.

Statistical Mediation Analysis for Models with a Binary Mediator and a Binary Outcome: the Differences Between Causal and Traditional Mediation Analysis

Mediation analysis is an important statistical method in prevention research, as it can be used to determine effective intervention components. Traditional mediation analysis defines direct and indirect effects in terms of linear regression coefficients. It is unclear how these traditional effects are estimated in settings with binary variables. An important recent methodological advancement in the mediation analysis literature is the development of the causal mediation analysis framework. Causal mediation analysis defines causal effects as the difference between two potential outcomes. These definitions can be applied to any mediation model to estimate natural direct and indirect effects, including models with binary variables and an exposure–mediator interaction. This paper aims to clarify the similarities and differences between the causal and traditional effect estimates for mediation models with a binary mediator and a binary outcome. Causal and traditional mediation analyses were applied to an empirical example to demonstrate these similarities and differences. Causal and traditional mediation analysis provided similar controlled direct effect estimates, but different estimates of the natural direct effects, natural indirect effects, and total effect. Traditional mediation analysis methods do not generalize well to mediation models with binary variables, while the natural effect definitions can be applied to any mediation model. Causal mediation analysis is therefore the preferred method for the analysis of mediation models with binary variables.

Relationships between Freezing of Gait Severity and Cognitive Deficits in Parkinson’s Disease

Freezing of gait (FOG) is one of the most debilitating motor symptoms experienced by patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), as it can lead to falls and a reduced quality of life. Evidence supports an association between FOG severity and cognitive functioning; however, results remain debatable. PD patients with (PDFOG+, n = 41) and without FOG (PDFOG–, n = 39) and control healthy subjects (n = 41) participated in this study. The NIH toolbox cognition battery, the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the interval timing task were used to test cognitive domains. Measurements were compared between groups using multivariable models and adjusting for covariates. Correlation analyses, linear regression, and mediation models were applied to examine relationships among disease duration and severity, FOG severity, and cognitive functioning. Significant differences were observed between controls and PD patients for all cognitive domains. PDFOG+ and PDFOG– exhibited differences in Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS) test, interval timing task, and MoCA scores. After adjusting for covariates in two different models, PDFOG+ and PDFOG– differed in both MoCA and DCCS scores. In addition, significant relationships between FOG severity and cognitive function (MoCA, DCCS, and interval timing) were also found. Regression models suggest that FOG severity may be a predictor of cognitive impairment, and mediation models show the effects of cognitive impairment on the relationship between disease severity and FOG severity. Overall, this study provides insight into the relationship between cognitive and FOG severity in patients with PD, which could aid in the development of therapeutic interventions to manage both.

Efektivitas Mediasi dalam Penanganan Perceraian di Pengadilan Agama Ponorogo

Every civil case in court must be resolved through mediation first. As technology develops, PERMA No. 1 of 2016 concerning mediation provides an option for parties who cannot attend in-person to carry out audio-visual mediation. The purpose of this study was to find out how the implementation and effectiveness of direct and audio-visual mediation in the settlement of divorce cases in PA Ponorogo and what factors were supporting and inhibiting its effectiveness. This is an empirical study that employs a qualitative approach. data collection techniques use observation, interviews, and documentation, while the analysis uses inductive analysis. From this study, it was concluded that in divorce cases in PA Ponorogo, direct mediation was more effective than audio-visual. Factors supporting the effectiveness of direct mediation are the ability of a mediator and a reliable legal representative; the existence of legal awareness; the existence of good faith; and the existence of legal knowledge of the parties. Then there are the supporting factors of audio-visual mediation, which are adequate facilities, informative and educative communication of attorneys to their clients, good faith and legal knowledge of the parties, and the agreed schedule. While the inhibiting factors of the two mediation models are the panel of judges' policies, inadequate facilities, time zone differences, and the emotions of the parties.

Mediation analysis methods used in observational research: a scoping review and recommendations

Background Mediation analysis methodology underwent many advancements throughout the years, with the most recent and important advancement being the development of causal mediation analysis based on the counterfactual framework. However, a previous review showed that for experimental studies the uptake of causal mediation analysis remains low. The aim of this paper is to review the methodological characteristics of mediation analyses performed in observational epidemiologic studies published between 2015 and 2019 and to provide recommendations for the application of mediation analysis in future studies. Methods We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for observational epidemiologic studies published between 2015 and 2019 in which mediation analysis was applied as one of the primary analysis methods. Information was extracted on the characteristics of the mediation model and the applied mediation analysis method. Results We included 174 studies, most of which applied traditional mediation analysis methods (n = 123, 70.7%). Causal mediation analysis was not often used to analyze more complicated mediation models, such as multiple mediator models. Most studies adjusted their analyses for measured confounders, but did not perform sensitivity analyses for unmeasured confounders and did not assess the presence of an exposure-mediator interaction. Conclusions To ensure a causal interpretation of the effect estimates in the mediation model, we recommend that researchers use causal mediation analysis and assess the plausibility of the causal assumptions. The uptake of causal mediation analysis can be enhanced through tutorial papers that demonstrate the application of causal mediation analysis, and through the development of software packages that facilitate the causal mediation analysis of relatively complicated mediation models.

Social Cohesion Strengthens Compliance With COVID-19 Restrictions: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study

Background: Although citizens in countries worldwide took coordinated steps to support collective public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, the processes that encourage citizens to adhere with COVID-19 restrictions are not fully understood. Method: A three-wave study with a sample of Irish citizens (N Wave 1 = 1,800) was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to examine the effect of national trust on individual and normative compliance with COVID-19 restrictions directly or indirectly through social cohesion. Two longitudinal mediation models were tested. Results: In the first model, national trust significantly and positively predicted social cohesion, which in turn significantly and positively predicted personal compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. The second model showed a similar pattern, whereby national trust significantly predicted social cohesion, which in turn predicted normative compliance with the restrictions. Conclusions: National trust and social cohesion both work to promote adherence to COVID19 guidelines.

Keys to learning Physical Education during confinement (Claves para aprender Educación Física durante el confinamiento)

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between learning physical education competence, teachers´ competence and students' motivation in quarantine. A primary goal of physical education is to develop competence in physically literate individuals with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary for a physically active lifestyle. Guided by the teachers´ competence and expectancy-value and interest motivation theories. Method: 686 high school students (297 male and 390 women) from 17 Spanish regions of different social classes and level of instruction, provided data on expectancy beliefs and perceived knowledge of learning competence of physical education, intrinsic motivation, and teachers’ competence. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a simultaneous multiple regression model. To determine the best predictor of each subscale of the learning competence of physical education four parallel mediation models were examined. The mediation models were conducted to test “simultaneous mediation by multiple variables” Results: It was found that teacher competence was a significant predictor of knowledge transference (b = .42, s.e.= .02, p < .001), mediated by psychological needs competence, autonomy, and relatedness. The standardized regression coefficient for this path is .42. The total indirect effect was significant (.17, CI [.13, .21]). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that teacher competence was a significant predictor of learning physical education competence mediated by psychological needs competence. Students' beliefs about success in physical education have a limited influence on the teachers´ competence and knowing how to attend to the basic psychological needs of the students, in confinement. Resumen. El propósito de este estudio es identificar la relación existente entre el aprendizaje en educación física, la competencia de los docentes y la motivación de los estudiantes durante la cuarentena. Han participado 686 estudiantes de secundaria (297 hombres y 390 mujeres), con diferente clase social y nivel de instrucción, todos ellos proporcionaron datos sobre el conocimiento percibido del aprendizaje en educación física, la motivación intrínseca respecto a sus necesidades psicológicas básicas y la competencia de los profesores. Los datos se analizaron mediante estadística descriptiva y un modelo de regresión múltiple simultánea. Para determinar el mejor predictor de cada subescala del aprendizaje de educación física se examinaron cuatro modelos de mediación paralelos. Los modelos de mediación se realizaron para probar la “mediación simultánea por múltiples variables”. Se encontró que la competencia docente fue un predictor significativo de la transferencia de conocimiento (b = .42, se = .02, p <.001), mediada por necesidades psicológicas competencia, autonomía y relación. El coeficiente de regresión estandarizado fue .42. El efecto indirecto total fue significativo (.17, IC [.13, .21]). Este estudio demuestra que la competencia docente fue un predictor significativo del aprendizaje de la educación física mediado por las necesidades psicológicas básicas de los estudiantes en el confinamiento.