The Relevance of Teamwork in Software Startups

Software startups have a major role in the market challenging existing models and enabling the emergence of new technologies with high economic and social impact. This study aimed to explore this phenomenon by characterizing the processes and challenges that are placed in the software startups related to the workgroup in the entrepreneurial teams and in the context of their business activities. The study uses a qualitative approach through the realization of three case studies with Portuguese startups software. The study uses a qualitative approach through the realization of three case studies with startups software. The main results have demonstrated the high importance of human capital in these organizations that is leveraged through teamwork in teams formally established for this purpose, but above all, it is important to highlight the role that informal communication assumes in the growth process of these startups.

RFID Applications in Healthcare Systems From an Operational Perspective

This treatise centers on media management and entrepreneurship as the healthcare industry transforms legacy systems into lean strategies that leverage RFID-related technologies with solutions to lower cost for supply chain partners and simultaneously enhance patient value. These solutions include using barcodes as a backup to more advanced media management technologies, standardization in medical processes and automation, overcoming implementation and resistance considerations, and eliminating waste in hospital inventory management systems. Successful case studies are outlined to illustrate these principles in practice.

The God of Technology

Even though it's commonly presumed that the philosophies of religion and technology couldn't be more different from one another and therefore have little, if anything, to say to the other, this couldn't be further from the truth. In actuality, the philosophy of religion has a crucial role to play in uncovering some of our most important, taken-for-granted presumptions about technology. Indeed, there are important and interesting parallels between the three classic arguments for the existence of God and the justifications given for technology.

Using SSM to Approach Complex Problematical Situations in Learning, Teaching and Assessment Management

Chinese higher education has moved into a popularized and internationalization stage, which makes the traditional learning, teaching and assessment (LTA) management challenging and sometimes problematical. This paper introduces how to approach complex problematical situations in LTA management by using Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) at the Business College of the Beijing Union University (BCBUU) in China. Through this case study of seven years, the author made sense of and improved the problematical situations. It is found that SSM provides LTA managers with an innovative and fundamental methodology to appreciate otherwise seemingly unapproachable and unmanageable complex and ill-structured problem situations that they face. It is also proven that the case study of SSM in the context of LTA management in a Chinese college is practically effective.

Toward a Systemic Ontology

The aim of this article is to discuss whether it is possible to derive a coherent ontological proposal from the premises of systemic thinking. The author claims that systemic thinking is committed to pluralism both in epistemology and in ontology, because pluralism is a natural consequence of the systemic distinction of objects in different and irreducible levels of observation. Different levels of observation must be adopted when describing different systemic levels (the well-known sub-systems, systems, systems of systems). It is implied that different epistemologies are accepted, each having its own criteria and validation methods suitable for each level, and that there are irreducible ontological differences among entities. The study results are thus committed to ontological and epistemological pluralism. An interesting moral and social consequence of pluralism is a tolerant attitude towards different perspectives and cultures, that can easily be transformed into a general charity principle inspiring the regulation of multicultural societies.

Creating a Development Bank to Finance Affordable Housing in South Africa is a Timely Catalyst to Address Demand and Supply Challenges

The twin problems of affordability and accessibility that hamper the progress of housing in our country need to be addressed on a sustainable basis and the state needs to take on the role as a facilitator to create the enabling environment to encourage greater private sector participation. As a consequence, it is quite opportune to establish the Human Settlements Development Bank (HSDB). The mortgage finance affordability challenge is also attributable to key essential drivers, namely; house price index, disposable income, and the mortgage interest rates.

International Tourism Demand and Determinant Factor Analysis in Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, the goal is to position tourism as a key economic sector, since recently it has been identified as one of the major strategies of using tourism to alleviate poverty. Motivated by this need, the study sought to investigate the determinants of international tourism demand. Specifically, the effect of economic factors, tourist socio-demographic characteristics, political factors, and destination characteristics on international tourism demand in Ethiopia. The study used both longitudinal and cross-sectional research designs and panel data for economic variables from eleven countries for the period of only one month time as of (December 10th, 2018 to January 10th, 2019). Data was collected from the World Bank database, the United Nations Database, the International Monetary Fund Database and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism Statistics. Survey data was collected from individual tourists leaving the country by using questionnaires. The study used a dynamic panel regression model to determine the effect of economic factors on international tourism demand and a count data regression model to determine the effect of socio-demographic characteristics, political factors and destination characteristics on international tourism demand. The study results indicated that tourism price, travelling cost, trade openness and word of mouth effect were the main economic factors influencing international tourism demand in Ethiopia. The tourist's socio-demographic characteristics such as annual household income, age, and occupational status were found to significantly influence international tourism demand. The political factors composite index and destination characteristics composite index were also important determinants of international tourism demand. Taking into consideration of all these factors affecting tourism demand, the government and all the tourism stakeholders should work towards making Ethiopia's tourism product competitive, maintain reasonable prices, further develop the tourism infrastructure and offer quality services, along with the diversification of tourism products.

Prophetic Discourses and Power Shift in Ethiopian History

The main intention in this article is to critically analyze the role of prophecy for power shift in Ethiopia in history. Data collected from archives, traveler accounts, and history documents were critically analyzed. Critical historical discourse analysis was used as a framework and methodology of analysis. Interpretation, symbolization and operationalization of dreams, prophecies, and “told spiritual accounts” by prominent mystics and interpreters had been the critical turning-points of Ethiopians in history. Their role was consequential and influential. Royal families used to “invent, disseminate and operationalize” dreams, prophecies, and superstitious practices. Consequently, their instinctive wish for abundant fulfillment and power grant had been gained by “revelations” and “connections” of each interpretation with supernatural powers. To scale up the benefit, ecclesiastical intervention had been badly sought out. The prophetic discourses and ideologies had been very instrumental in Ethiopian theopolitics, sociocultural practices, and power use.

A Case for TIC

Trauma Informed Care (TIC) is an approach to human services based on the understanding that most people in contact with services are more likely to have experienced some level of trauma, adversity and loss and this understanding needs to be held by those involved so that it is may permeate service relationships and delivery. This article reviews TIC literature and introduces a case example outlining the successes and challenges of TIC implementation in practice, i.e. staff awareness, knowledge and skills, communication and quality of human interaction, wellbeing and resilience, organisational structures and artefact, measurement and monitoring for success. Insights from complexity and interpersonal neurobiology are interpreted in the context of facilitating TIC implementation, i.e. parallel safe-to-fail interventions, managing constraints and boundary conditions, monitoring change through trusted sensor networks, maintaining awareness development practices.

The Use of Systems Thinking, Systems Practice, to Elicit the Effectiveness of Cancer Support Services in the Southwest of England

This article summarises the findings of a systemic analysis of Living Well and Active's coordination and delivery of physical activity, health and well-being interventions for those living with cancer in the Southwest of England. The 16-month analysis was informed by cancer charities, consultants, healthcare professionals, local government officers, patients and physical activity health and well-being deliverers. Whilst the findings proved there were pockets of good practice such as interventions delivery, organisations were found to be operating in a fragmented way, were resource starved and struggling to make sense of the top-down imposed healthcare policy changes. This meant the cancer referral process only captured 1:10 cancer survivors who could be assisted on their pathway to normalisation. However, participants' conceptualised a different cancer referral process and a hub of practice similar to Living Well and Active to lead physical activity, health and well-being interventions, to improve the 1:10 cancer referral process.