Living Theory Action Research: A Methodology for Improvement in Practice and Generation of Knowledge in Education

This paper will provide an overview of the philosophical premises, the generation of research questions, data collection and analysis process, potential ethical issues, and quality of inference of living theory action research methodology. Based on the ontological value that everyone has knowledge within themselves, living theory action research considers knowledge to be the creation from evaluation and reflection as part of actions to improve educational practices. This paper suggests a way to move ahead with living theory action research by shedding light on the significance of multimedia use and the role of educational influence in its methodology to communicate the meanings of expression of embodied values and for the validation process. This paper aims to help emerging educational action researchers understand living theory action research as an innovative methodology to address the gap between values and practical implementation for action researchers.

The Five Biggest Factors Challenging Startups in Nepal

There are a variety of factors that pose challenges for start-ups globally. These challenges vary based on the country, region, or economy of operation. Research identified the challenges start-ups face depending on whether start-ups were established in developed or undeveloped countries. However, few research studies have been conducted in Nepal. Hence, the purpose of this study was to examine the top five factors that hindered start-up formation or posed difficulty for the growth of start-ups within Nepal between 2017 to 2020. The primary data was collected using a mixed method using purposive sampling consisting of an in-depth interview followed by a survey with entrepreneurs and experts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Nepal. The authors administered an in-depth interview with open-ended questions and then conducted key informant interviews. Throughout the interviews, the five major issues identified as hindering start-ups were human capital, finance, support system, policy, and marketing.

Psychotherapists Working in Private Practice During a Pandemic: A Literature Review

Psychotherapists in private practice provide services to an ever-growing client population. The 2020 novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic was a catalyst for emerging and exasperated mental health concerns among the U.S. population. The result was an increase in demand for services and private practitioners stepping up to meet this growing need. Little is known about the psychotherapists who embark on independent practice and less is known about the nuances of practicing during a global pandemic. The aim of this review was to exhaust the literature on private practice psychotherapy and the practice of psychotherapy during COVID-19, synthesize the findings, report on themes in the literature, and provide recommendations for future lines of inquiry. Themes from this review included the impact of COVID-19 on public mental health, telemental health, private practice shifts, and private practice careers.

Iterative Minimum Viable Product Approach to Implementing AI, RPA, and BI Solutions

Breakthrough technologies can be considered as exponentially disruptive to organizations across industries within the last few decades of the 21st century, as they have significantly altered the way their business units or customers operate. Artificial Intelligence related cognitive technologies are some of the latest disruptive solutions currently being adopted by organizations. Organizational leaders may feel both the pressure and excitement of adopting such nascent technology quickly and at scale. However, due to organizational knowledge gaps of nascent solutions, transformative large-scale initiatives have a higher risk of negative impact on failure to implement. On the other hand, an iterative approach allows for the implementation to occur in smaller amounts and leaves room for incorporating feedback and lessons learned in future iterations, thus mitigating the risks involved with the undertaking. This article breaks down the nascent field of advanced cognitive technologies into three main categories based on their business use cases: process automation, cognitive insights, and cognitive engagement. It then explores implementing this technology in each of its three categories through the lens of a popular iterative product lifecycle management approach (i.e., the Minimum Viable Product) to reduce the risk of failure or other negative impacts on an organization adopting cognitive solutions.

Predictive Value of Estimated Beta

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is widely used in corporate finance to assess expected returns of securities and return on equity, and beta, a measure of systematic risk, is a component of the CAPM equation. Previous studies appear not to have addressed whether beta as a stand-alone metric allows individual investors to effectively assess returns relative to the market, and this study aims to address this. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) reflecting a range of expected volatilities relative to the S&P 500 index were selected. Betas of XLK (Technology sector), XLE (Energy sector), XLU (Utilities sector), and XLY (Consumer Staples sector) were estimated by regressing their weekly returns over five years against those of the S&P 500 index. Three five-year periods were used (ending in 2005, 2010, and 2015). The betas largely conformed to anticipated values with the exception of that of XLY which was surprisingly greater than the market beta. Estimated and observed betas were compared using a two-tailed paired T-test and no difference was found, suggesting that estimated beta is statistically a good proxy for actual beta. In practical terms though, there were relatatively large variances in several instances between estimated and observed betas, and this could be a concern for investors. Returns using estimated beta and actual returns were also compared over one, two, three, four, and five years with regard to the three five-year periods. Significant variation was observed for expected minus observed returns both in sign and magnitude. A two-tailed paired T-test suggested there was a difference between returns using estimated beta and actual ones over the three five-year periods for all funds except XLE. The observations suggest betas are volatile and individual investors should incorporate additional metrics to forecast returns relative to the market.

Soft Skills and IS/IT Project Management: A Case Study of Nepalese IS/IT Professionals

There is an increasing focus on managing and executing Information System/Information Technology (IS/IT) projects with geographically and culturally dispersed teams. Best practices, theories, and a body of knowledge on managing projects have been well-established, but there is a limited understanding of Nepal's multi-cultural IS/IT project management dynamics. In this study, we conducted a purposive survey to determine the soft skills that are given significance by the Nepalese IS/IT professionals working in a multicultural environment. The first three preferred essential skills identified by the survey are communication, team building, and leadership skills. In contrast, the respondents perceived trustworthiness and organizational effectiveness as the least essential soft skills for IS/IT projects. Among the emerging soft skills, capacity for analysis and synthesis and critical thinking skills were considered highly essential for IS/IT projects. Work ethic and ability to work in an international context came second and third, respectively. We expect our findings to help Nepali IS/IT project managers understand which soft skills are valued most in their respective workplaces in the various phases of project management.

Assessment Of Efficacy of Lab-Based Learning In Enhancing Critical Thinking And Creative Thinking Among Learners

With technological innovations happening at workplaces, 21st century organizations demand competencies in thinking creatively and critically. These two skills will potentially help prospective employees become confident individuals, concerned citizens, self-directed learners, and active professionals. In this context, it becomes imperative to overhaul the lecture-based and banking model of the traditional pedagogical approach in order to impart such skills among undergraduate and graduate students. To address this issue, a lab-based teaching-learning method focused on problem-solving and design thinking was introduced at OAMK Labs in Finland. This study assesses the efficacy of lab-based learning in enhancing creativity and critical thinking among students from engineering, management, and science backgrounds of Kathmandu University, Nepal. The study was conducted in a workshop setting using a randomized control trial (RCT) where participants were divided into control and treatment groups. Participants in treatment group took part in a design thinking workshop that applied lab-based learning pedagogy, while those in the control group were given some reading material on improving creativity and critical thinking. Standard tests on both critical and creative thinking in a pre- and post-stages were administered to both groups. Data was analyzed using standard Difference-in-Differences technique. The results showed that while the level of critical thinking improved significantly, among the learners in treatment group alone, the creativity level in the post-stage increased significantly among learners in both groups. Results validated the efficacy of lab-based teaching-learning in addressing the need for critical and creative thinking skills among learners. Keywords: critical thinking, creativity, lab based learning, innovation, higher education, Difference-in-Differences

Leadership in Marriage and Family Therapy Programs is Under-Explored: A Thematic, Narrative Overview

Institutions of higher education rely on identified leaders to continue the mission of the organization, hire and retain quality faculty and staff, and sustain and further develop vigorous academic programs that retain students and prepare graduates to enter the work force. Discipline specific departments are subject to many demands and resources are pulled in different directions. As a result, the body of literature on leadership in higher education is robust and diverse. However, research on leadership in graduate marriage and family therapy programs is paltry in addressing if a relationship exists between leaders and student capacity to employ skills in a field focused on relationships. This study was a thematic, narrative overview. An exhaustive search of literature was conducted over the span of four years. Articles were assessed for relevance and appropriateness, organized by theme, and the findings were consolidated and are presented within this article. The three identified themes were: leadership in higher education, rigor in marriage and family therapy programs, and leadership in marriage and family therapy programs and other mental health fields. Gaps were identified in the literature and include the role of leadership style identification and self-exploration, the extent to which program leaders interact with students, and how the relationship between administrators and students impacts the development of field related skills. Keywords: leadership, higher education, marriage and family therapy, MFT programs, relational

Capital Market Linkage to Economic Growth in Nepal

This article examines the causal relationship between capital market development and economic growth in Nepal using annual time series data from 1994-2019. Total market capitalization is used as a proxy of secondary market development and the total public issue of securities in a particular year is taken as an indicator of primary market development. Using the Johansen cointegration test and vector error correction method (VECM) in regression analysis, the study reveals that capital markets in Nepal are supporting economic growth through efficient fundraising, efficient allocation of resources, fair price determination and liquidity. The findings from this study conclude that there is a unidirectional causality running from capital market development to economic growth in both the long-run and short-run. However, this study found no support for causality running from economic growth to the capital market. Therefore, the findings from this study recommend policies that increase the reach of the capital market to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and individual investors. Keywords: capital market, market capitalization, primary market, economic growth, Nepal

Discussion and Implications for Practice: Women Student Veterans and their Sense of Identity, Belonging, and Voice in Writing Courses and through Writing Assignments

Given the lack of published research on women student veterans as a group separate from men student veterans and the unique needs of women student veterans, individual attention needs to be paid to women student veterans. This qualitative study used feminist critical theory to examine the experiences of women student veterans during their transition process from the military to higher education regarding identity, belonging, and voice in connection with writing courses and writing assignments. Real-time in-depth narrative interviews were conducted with seven current or former women student veterans located across the United States. Analysis of the interviews revealed superordinate themes. These three superordinate themes were 1) military influence: lifestyle transition, identity, and writing; 2) peer connections in writing courses; and 3) writing instructor influence. The findings informed by the superordinate themes included women student veterans sometimes have difficulty transitioning from military writing to academic writing, women student veterans need peer connections in the writing classroom, and writing instructors hold much influence over belonging and voice for women student veterans. These findings led to three recommendations for future practice. The first recommendation was that writing workshops focusing on the differences between military writing and academic writing should be held for women student veterans by individual colleges and universities. The second recommendation was colleges and universities can establish and maintain writing groups for women student veterans in which they write and share narratives and poetry reflective of their military and other life experiences. The third recommendation was writing instructors should be trained on providing women student veterans with individualized attention and supportive feedback. Keywords: women student veterans, writing courses, identity, belonging, voice