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foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alireza Sedighi Fard

Purpose This study aims to compare many artificial neural network (ANN) methods to find out which method is better for the prediction of Covid19 number of cases in N steps ahead of the current time. Therefore, the authors can be more ready for similar issues in the future. Design/methodology/approach The authors are going to use many ANNs in this study including, five different long short-term memory (LSTM) methods, polynomial regression (from degree 2 to 5) and online dynamic unsupervised feedforward neural network (ODUFFNN). The authors are going to use these networks over a data set of Covid19 number of cases gathered by World Health Organization. After 1,000 epochs for each network, the authors are going to calculate the accuracy of each network, to be able to compare these networks by their performance and choose the best method for the prediction of Covid19. Findings The authors concluded that for most of the cases LSTM could predict Covid19 cases with an accuracy of more than 85% after LSTM networks ODUFFNN had medium accuracy of 45% but this network is highly flexible and fast computing. The authors concluded that polynomial regression cant is a good method for the specific purpose. Originality/value Considering the fact that Covid19 is a new global issue, less studies have been conducted with a comparative approach toward the prediction of Covid19 using ANN methods to introduce the best model of the prediction of this virus.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Huma Sikandar ◽  
Umar Haiyat Abdul Kohar

Purpose There is a growing trend of open innovation (OI) in small and middle enterprises (SMEs) these days, yet the implementation of OI in SMEs is a challenge because of their financial and resource constraints. This study aims to identify and analyze the past trends, barriers and outcomes and major factors influencing the implementation of OI in SMEs. Design/methodology/approach This review is based on 40 published articles from the Scopus database. It selects highly cited papers published from 2010 to 2019. The PRISMA statement template is used to explain the overall process of selection and rejections of the relevant articles. Findings The study contributes in two ways. First, through a comprehensive literature review, the authors highlight the overall development of the concept of OI in the literature over the past 10 years and highlight the findings of the significant studies. Second, the authors provide detailed representations of the OI literature by calculating yearly publications and identifying the SMEs which mostly implement OI practices, journals that publish a relevant article, OI-related publications in different disciplines and geographical locations in which most of the OI studies have been conducted. The study also reveals the most cited articles, journals and authors. Originality/value The authors conclude this paper with the argument that although much research has been done in the OI field, still there is a need to establish tools, models and methods that could facilitate SMEs in OI, especially for developing economies.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sriyanto Sriyanto ◽  
Muhammad Saeed Lodhi ◽  
Hailan Salamun ◽  
Sardin Sardin ◽  
Chairil Faif Pasani ◽  
...  

Purpose The study aims to examine the role of health-care supply chain management during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cross-section of 42 selected sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Design/methodology/approach The study used cross-sectional robust least square regression for parameter estimates. Findings The results confirmed the N-shaped relationship between the health-care logistics performance index (HLPI) and COVID-19 cases. It implies that initially HLPI increases along with an increase in COVID-19 cases. Later down, it decreases COVID-19 cases by providing continued access to medical devices and personal protective equipment. Again, it increases due to resuming economic activities across countries. Practical implications The continuing health-care supply chain is crucial to minimize COVID-19 cases. The international support from the developed world in providing health-care equipment, debt resettlement and resolving regional conflicts is deemed desirable to escape the SSA countries from the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value The importance of the health-care supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic is evident in the forecasting estimates, which shows that from August 2021 to April 2022, increasing the health-care supply chain at their third-degree level would reduce coronavirus registered cases. The results conclude that SSA countries required more efforts to contain coronavirus cases by thrice increasing their health-care logistics supply chain.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bee Choo Yee ◽  
Abdullah Mohd Nawi ◽  
Tina Abdullah

Purpose The sudden pandemic of COVID-19 has caused disruptive innovation in all areas of business including education. Despite the educators’ and students’ acceptance and readiness in the new normal, the traditional face-to-face (FTF) public speaking has been shifted to online courses to suit the current needs. This study aims to examine whether there were differences between online and FTF pubic speaking in the students’ anxiety level, speech performance, as well as their perceptions of the challenges in the implementation of online public speaking courses as a potential to disruptive innovation. Design/methodology/approach This pilot study was a mixed method research that involved a purposive sampling of two groups of 39 students in higher education. The instruments used were questionnaires of self-report anxiety, speech performance test and observation. Findings The findings show that the students preferred the traditional FTF rather than the online mode for public speaking courses. The challenges of internet connection and the lack of a live audience were their main concerns in online public speaking. It also provides a potential for disruptive innovation that could take into consideration of a live audience in university online courses. Originality/value This study provides the potential of public speaking course as a disruptive innovation. This brings implications for the innovators, marketers and educators to think of the online courses/programmes that can be best implemented while embracing the changes and the new normal of COVID-19 brings for student learning.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Krupskaya ◽  
Katia Oliveira Pina

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS), to understand how they implement their service development (SD) processes and how these processes are related to their knowledge bases (KB) as not enough studies have focussed on the understanding of KIBS heterogeneity, by analysing the nature and essence of these firms’ activities. Design/methodology/approach The work adopts the case study approach involving 12 KIBS firms with different KB according to Bjorn Asheim and colleagues’ “synthetic, analytical, symbolic model”, which identifies synthetic, analytical and symbolic primary KB. Findings The research results showed how the SD processes are systemised in KIBS companies depending on the KB. The proposed empirical method for defining KB confirmed the assumed existence of a new type or subtype of KB for legal companies “Compliance/Interpretive”. Research limitations/implications Further research, based on a larger number of companies, is needed to confirm or complement the results of this research, as well as to find more methods to define and evaluate KB on an empirical basis. Practical implications The correct classification of the applied KB can help a company to create effective processes for developing innovative services, while understanding of knowledge dynamic in general – to organise a working process that corresponds to employees’ needs and is more adaptable to the changes in society. Originality/value The study proposed a new empirical method for defining and evaluating KB in KIBS companies based on their SD processes. This study makes a significant contribution to research by identifying knowledge-integration practices needed to enhance innovation performance.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey B. Kulikov

Purpose The purpose of this paper is the foresight of new forms of intellectual activity in society. Design/methodology/approach This research examines the ways of predicting the development of intellectual activity. To reveal the topic, the author uses semiotics and the method of building possible worlds. The author explores intellectual activity in terms of sign systems. From this angle, the logic of the narrative expresses the order of the organization of intellectual activity. This approach reveals the connections between images of possible worlds and decision-making methods. Findings The author conceptually outlines the forms of intellectual activity in a globalized society. A globalized society is a complex of political, economic, cultural and scientific ties that spread throughout the world. The foresight of new forms of intellectual activity allows conceptually sketching the practical use of proper decision-making methods. These methods involve the use of artificial machine intelligence, collective intelligence, etc. Forms of intellectual activity are related to the worldbuilding that cause the development of culture through the development of knowledge. The description of forms of intellectual activity shows a promising way of humanitarian research in a globalized society. Research limitations/implications The research implies technological metaphors related to the history of culture and the role of intellectual activity in it. Practical implications The author examines the practical possibilities of applying traditional humanities for the development of new forms of intellectual activity in a globalized society. Social implications In the social space, exposing the effectiveness of traditional humanities helps to assess the consequences of using intellectual activity in practice. Originality/value The originality of this research is associated with the identification of links between the conceptual provisions of semiotics and the method for building possible worlds.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javad Zahedi ◽  
Mahdi Salehi ◽  
Mahdi Moradi

Purpose This paper aims to identify, classify and rank the contributing factors to financial resilience. Design/methodology/approach The present study is of a mixed-method and significant contributing factors have been identified after analyzing and reviewing the literature on resilience and financial resilience. These factors were classified and ranked using the analytic hierarchy process method. This paper operationalizes the concept of financial resilience. Findings The study results show that consistency in production and sales, access to a reliable supply chain, management ability to environmental adaptability, regional dimension and social support from the government’s side are among the determining factors in financial resilience at the market level. Some elements such as flexibility, risk identification, income, foreign exchange benefits, innovation in presenting goods and services, firm size and responsiveness of partners and beneficiaries inside and outside the organization are among the leading contributing factors at the organization level and management manner. Finally, the staff’s efficiency in using organization resources, shareholder staff and learning culture in the organization are among the main contributing factors to financial resilience under the staff’s influence. Originality/value The study results may give managers direction to evaluate companies’ resilience, especially in the emerging economy; besides, it improves the literature on the topic.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samer Al-Shami ◽  
Mohammed Hariri Bakri ◽  
Hayder Adil ◽  
Abdullah Al Mamun

Purpose Previous studies equated information technology (IT) with the notion of effective resources. ITs improved firms’ competitive advantage and innovativeness. Yet, far fewer studies investigated types of IT competencies that corresponded to innovation capabilities, particularly in developing countries. The aim of this paper is to provide an investigation concerning the types of IT competencies and examine their influence on the innovation capabilities across high-tech firms. Design/methodology/approach A survey was randomly distributed to 274 respondents across four main sectors of Malaysian high-tech firms. The main sectors were electric and electronic, aerospace, computers and office machinery and pharmaceuticals. A structural equation model, Amos, was used to analyse data. Findings Three findings were surmised. First, IT competencies driven by IT infrastructure, alignment, management affected high-tech firms’ innovation capabilities. Second, absorptive capacity (AC) partially determined the relationship between IT infrastructure and IT alignment and innovation capabilities. AC also determined the relationship between IT management and innovation capabilities. The significance of IT competencies in the improvement of innovation capabilities was presented as a key predictor in bolstering high-tech manufacturing firms’ competitive advantage. Originality/value Two points on novelty were presented. First, by conceptualising IT competencies from resource-based theory (RBV), a shift in understanding RBV was presented. Second, alternative key predictors concerning how IT competencies could improve aspects of AC and innovation capabilities were presented.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajasshrie Pillai ◽  
Shilpi Yadav ◽  
Brijesh Sivathanu ◽  
Neeraj Kaushik ◽  
Pooja Goel

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the use of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technology and its barriers in human resourcemanagement (HRM) for Smart HR 4.0 and its impact on HR performance. Design/methodology/approach The research has been conducted using the grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 122 senior HR officers of national and multi-national companies in India after the extensive literature review. NVivo 8.0 software was used for the analysis of the interview data. Findings I4.0 technology is used for HRM functions by HR professionals. It is revealed that Smart HR 4.0 that emerged from the I4.0 technology has leveraged the HR performance. It is also found that usage barriers, traditional barriers and risk barriers affect the use of I4.0 technology in HRM. Originality/value A model is developed using the grounded theory approach for HR managers to understand the impact of I4.0 on HRM. This study reveals the barriers affecting the use of I4.0 technology in HRM. It also provides the model for HR performance that emerged through the use of I4.0 technology in HR and Smart HR 4.0. The research delivered key insights for the HR professionals, marketers of HR technology and technology developers.


foresight ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Kui Hu ◽  
Daisy Mui Hung Kee

Purpose This paper aims to deliberate the significant impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It also discusses SMEs’ practical approaches to capitalise on the renewed opportunity in the new normal by expanding their businesses regionally and globally. This paper also discusses the tactical and strategic interventions SMEs need to take to charge forward. Design/methodology/approach The resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) is used to explain how SMEs develop a sustainable competitive advantage in the new normal. The resource-based view focuses on the link between strategy and firm internal resources. Drawing from the resource-based view of the firm, internal analysis of the resources that are regarded as sources of competitive advantage controlled by the SMEs is imperative in today’s business environment. Based on the resource-based view theory, this paper focuses on reinventing SME’s strategies in the new normal to foster sustainability. Findings Post-COVID-19 pandemic, SMEs must essentially be dynamic, forward-looking and transformational in capturing the regional and global markets’ opportunities. They need to sharpen their internal competencies and realign their effective business strategy in seizing the vast opportunities in the international markets. Practical implications How SMEs respond to COVID-19 has important implications for subsequent performance in the new normal. This study focuses on the different potential SMEs’ reactions to COVID-19 and how their strategy affects SMEs performance and fosters sustainability in the new normal. Social implications The sustainability of SMEs is critical for the nation’s socio-economy. This study offers a holistic view of how SMEs respond to their challenges and help them choose the right business options. Originality/value This paper’s contents are solidly based on accumulated evidence, observation and critical arguments on the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that caused numerous challenges faced by the SMEs, with a specific focus on SMEs operating in Malaysia.


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