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Blended learning is a relatively new e-learning method that combines traditional classroom learning with computer-mediated instruction. Its roots can be traced back to the 1840s when Sir Isaac Pitman sent tasks to his students on postcards for evaluation. It represents a new way of teaching, employing modern technologies and the online environment, whilst simultaneously emphasizing the importance of traditional teaching methods and personal contact between students and teachers. Blended learning has proven to be an effective way to combine scheduled and self-paced classwork, ensuring its better accessibility and flexibility.
This article discusses the implementation and effectiveness of a blended-learning course designed to train communication skills in students studying healthcare-related programmes at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of the University of South Bohemia, Czech Republic. The course uses a combination of face-to-face instruction, individual student work, and multimedia online materials. It is divided into modules specific to the student's field of study, such as nursing, nutritional therapy, and civil protection. Each module includes theoretical and practical sections, and the course covers communication skills with seniors, adults, children, and disabled clients. A questionnaire survey was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the course and student satisfaction in order to obtain feedback for further development and improvement of the course. The data obtained from the survey were analysed using descriptive statistics and the Gini index. The results show that the blended-learning course was effective in training communication skills and reducing the number of failures.

PurposeThe paper aims at addressing the following research questions: does institutional quality improve countries' environmental efficiency? And which pillars of institutional quality improve countries' environmental efficiency?Design/methodology/approachBy specifying a directional distance function in the context of stochastic frontier method where GHG emissions are considered as the bad output and the GDP is referred as the desirable one, the work computes the environmental efficiency into the appraisal of a production function for the European countries over three decades.FindingsAccording to the countries' performance, the findings confirm that high and upper middle-income countries have higher environmental efficiency compared to low middle-income countries. In this environmental context, the role of institutional quality turns out to be really important in improving the environmental efficiency for high income countries.Originality/valueThis article attempts to analyze the role of different dimensions of institutional quality in different European countries' performance – in terms of mitigating GHGs (undesirable output) – while trying to raise their economic performance through their GDP (desirable output).HighlightsThe paper aims at addressing the following research question: does institutional quality improve countries' environmental efficiency?We adopt a directional distance function in the context of stochastic frontier method, considering 40 European economies over a 30-year time interval.The findings confirm that high and upper middle-income countries have higher environmental efficiency compared to low middle-income countries.The role of institutional quality turns out to be really important in improving the environmental efficiency for high income countries, while the performance decreases for the low middle-income countries.

In the new educational modeling applied today, there are different learning styles and tools. There are three main learning styles that are the most well-known. These are learning by living, learning by teamwork and learning by guide. However, with the development of new technologies, new learning processes have also begun. New technologies are called electronic means by which information is processed numerically. Examples of these processes are the presentation, storage, transfer, production, transportation and transformation of numerical information. Computers and the Internet are used for the transport and processing of information, disks and CD-ROMs are used for storage and research. Digital video and audio are an environment in which information is presented in a different and flexible way. The new media flexibly processes information in a symbolic way. Thanks to this function, the behavior of a system can be expressed graphically, textually or numerically. By making such a model interactive, it is possible for the user to change the values in the model and the behavior of the system. Computers are now becoming important elements in many educational environments. A few years ago, it was the opinion that installing any computer in a school would solve many educational problems. However, both teachers and students question the role of information technologies in education. Even if writing is used for situations such as information searching and browsing, chatting, whether these tools really improve students' learning remains an unanswered question Decently. Key Words: New Learning, Remote Passive Learning, Distributed Interactive Active Learning

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate how customer relationship management (CRM) implementation affects internal capital allocation efficiency, the efficiency with which a firm allocates its capital across its business segments.


Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a statistical regression method to analyze a sample of 801 unique firms in the USA from COMPUSTAT and the Computer Intelligence database. This analysis examines the relation between CRM implementation and internal capital allocation efficiency and identifies the conditions under which firms benefit more from CRM implementation. They also use instrumental variables (IVs) to address endogenous concerns with a two-stage least squares (2SLS) model.


Findings
The authors find that CRM implementation is positively related to internal capital allocation efficiency. The results are robust to the 2SLS analysis with IVs. This positive relation is more pronounced for firms with effective internal control and for those operating in highly competitive markets.


Practical implications
The research implies that that CRM can have a significant cross-functional effect on corporate financing and budgeting. This also suggests that when chief marketing officers plan marketing initiatives and implement CRM, they should communicate to chief financial officers not only the direct effect but also the indirect strategic benefits of such initiatives to a firm.


Originality/value
The authors reveal a previously overlooked aspect of marketing accountability by suggesting marketing's impact on internal capital markets. They also enrich the body of literature on CRM benefits by showing a cross-functional benefit from marketing to finance (or capital allocation).

AbstractCancer disease is one of the main causes of death in the world, with million annual cases in the last decades. The need to find a cure has stimulated the search for efficient treatments and diagnostic procedures. One of the most promising tools that has emerged against cancer in recent years is machine learning (ML), which has raised a huge number of scientific papers published in a relatively short period of time. The present study analyzes global scientific production on ML applied to the most relevant cancer types through various bibliometric indicators. We find that over 30,000 studies have been published so far and observe that cancers with the highest number of published studies using ML (breast, lung, and colon cancer) are those with the highest incidence, being the USA and China the main scientific producers on the subject. Interestingly, the role of China and Japan in stomach cancer is correlated with the number of cases of this cancer type in Asia (78% of the worldwide cases). Knowing the countries and institutions that most study each area can be of great help for improving international collaborations between research groups and countries. Our analysis shows that medical and computer science journals lead the number of publications on the subject and could be useful for researchers in the field. Finally, keyword co-occurrence analysis suggests that ML-cancer research trends are focused not only on the use of ML as an effective diagnostic method, but also for the improvement of radiotherapy- and chemotherapy-based treatments.

This paper is based on a review of Walter Sisulu University documents and the researcher's five-year lecturing experience in the WSU Department of Fashion's Fashion Design Programme (FDP). The paper was inspired by the department's inability to plan, implement, and oversee operational strategies to meet the FDP's missions and vision statements, which negatively impacted the programme's portability and cost. I found that academic staff were unable to further their qualifications or produce research despite being given eight hours per week to spend on research or qualification development. The WSU FDP also overspends the money in the students' materials accounts. The FDP has too many subjects, negatively affecting its graduation rates since 2008. I further found that the introduction of computer-aided design as a teaching and learning strategy would cut Creative Design II & III and Technical Drawing II & III expenditure by R175 022 compared to the 2015 costs. The FDP bought machinery in 2009 that was costly for the university and yet remains unused due to space and power limitations. The FDP could financially contribute more meaningfully to WSU's stability and viability if the FDP were offered a spacious building and could develop and implement an extended programme. I conclude this paper by making recommendations for how WSU can improve the FDP, meet the FDP's mission and vision statements, and strengthen its viability.

Received: 9 February 2023 / Accepted: 17 June 2023 / Published: 5 July 2023

The world has witnessed a technological revolution that has impacted almost all spheres of life. Technology is transforming the way people interact and do their everyday activities. This technological revolution has also transformed the teaching and learning space; now, the effectiveness of traditional teaching method is being challenged. However, technological advances are not universally available leading to a phenomenon called digital divided. In the classroom, empirical evidence has revealed a discrepancy between teachers and learners concerning ownership and use of technological devices. In some cases, teachers have more computer skills than learners; in other cases, learners are embracing technology more than their teachers. This disparity may serve to inhibit rather than facilitate learning. The constructivist paradigm was applied to enhance the dependability of the data and the credibility of the inferences drawn from the data. Purposive sampling technique facilitated select of information-rich participants or teachers who were able to give a detailed account of the digital gap phenomenon in schools. Structured interviews and focus group sessions were used to capture the livid experiences and perspectives of the teachers. Diffusion of innovation theory, technological acceptance model and technological pedagogical content knowledge framework were also used to explain the level of technology acceptance in schools. The findings of the study pointed towards the existence of the digital divide with learners embracing technology much faster than the teachers. Younger teachers were reported to be interested in the use of technology more than long-serving teachers. The paper presents solutions aimed at reducing the digital gap.

Eye-tracking based usability testing and User Experience (UX) research are widespread in the development processes of various types of software; however, there exist specific difficulties during usability tests of three-dimensional (3D) software. Analysing the screen records with gaze plots, heatmaps of fixations, and statistics of Areas of Interests (AOI), methodological problems occur when the participant wants to rotate, zoom, or move the 3D space. The data gained regarded the menu bar is mainly interpretable; however, the data regarded the 3D environment is hardly so, or not at all. Our research tested four software applications with the aforementioned problem in mind: ViveLab and Jack Digital Human Modelling (DHM) and ArchiCAD and CATIA Computer Aided Design (CAD) software. Our original goal was twofold. Firstly, with these usability tests, we aimed to identify issues in the software. Secondly, we tested the utility of a new methodology which was included in the tests. This paper summarizes the results on the methodology based on individual experiments with different software applications. One of the main ideas behind the methodology adopted is to tell the participants (during certain subtasks of the tests) not to move the 3D space while they perform the given tasks at a certain point in the usability test. During the experiments, we applied a Tobii eye-tracking device, and after the task completion, each participant was interviewed. Based on these experiences, the methodology appears to be both useful and applicable, and its visualisation techniques for one or more participants are interpretable.

The aim of the paper is twofold. First, it addresses the delicate issue of divisor obsolescence within Non-financial Defined Contribution (NDC) pension schemes. It suggests a method to measure the impact of this obsolescence, referring to the Swedish mechanism of diversifying divisors by birth cohort. Given the serious impact of divisor obsolescence on the fairness and sustainability of NDC systems, the paper also proposes possible solutions to limit this impact. The second aim is to analyze the shortcomings of the Italian system in the light of the challenge to NDC architecture resulting from the obsolescence of divisors. The first anomaly is the current mechanism of periodical revision of the divisors, which prevents Italian workers from planning their retirement on the basis of definite and unchanging information. The second is the extremely wide retirement age range due to the existence of seniority pensions: this needs to be replaced by a small retirement age range with a sufficiently high and rigorous lower bound. Finally, the paper focuses on the need for all NDC systems to compute new divisors based on a much lower frontloading rate, as has recently been done in Norway. It finally suggests that the severe reductions in the replacement rates implied by a lower 'frontloading' can be avoided by either removing the survivors benefit from the old-age scheme or by giving workers the option to choose it 'at their own expense', as in the second pillar.

Context Artificial intelligence algorithms are beneficial for automating the monitoring of threatened species. Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) is an endemic disease threatening Australia's Tasmanian devil. The disease is a cancer that can be transmitted from one devil to another during social interactions. Cameras and trapping techniques have been employed to monitor the spread of the disease in the wild. The use of cameras allows for more frequent monitoring of devils than does trapping, but differentiating wounds from tumours in images is challenging, and this requires time and expertise. Aim The purpose of this work is to develop a computer vision system to assist in the monitoring of DFTD spread. Method We propose a system that involves image segmentation, feature extraction, and classification steps. U-net architecture, global average pooling layer of pre-trained Resnet-18, and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were employed for these purposes, respectively. In total, 1250 images of 961 healthy and 289 diseased (DFTD) devils were separated into training, validation, and testing sets. Results The proposed algorithm achieved 92.4% classification accuracy for the differentiation of healthy devils from those with DFTD. Conclusion The high classification accuracy means that our method can help field workers with monitoring devils. Implications The proposed approach will allow for more frequent analysis of devils while reducing the workload of field staff. Ultimately, this automation could be expanded to other species for simultaneous monitoring at shorter intervals to facilitate broadened ecological assessments.

AbstractNetworks like those of healthcare infrastructure have been a primary target of cyberattacks for over a decade. From just a single cyberattack, a healthcare facility would expect to see millions of dollars in losses from legal fines, business interruption, and loss of revenue. As more medical devices become interconnected, more cyber vulnerabilities emerge, resulting in more potential exploitation that may disrupt patient care and give rise to catastrophic financial losses. In this paper, we propose a structural model of an aggregate loss distribution across multiple cyberattacks on a prototypical hospital network. Modeled as a mixed random graph, the hospital network consists of various patient‐monitoring devices and medical imaging equipment as random nodes to account for the variable occupancy of patient rooms and availability of imaging equipment that are connected by bidirectional edges to fixed hospital and radiological information systems. Our framework accounts for the documented cyber vulnerabilities of a hospital's trusted internal network of its major medical assets. To our knowledge, there exist no other models of an aggregate loss distribution for cyber risk in this setting. We contextualize the problem in the probabilistic graph‐theoretical framework using a percolation model and combinatorial techniques to compute the mean and variance of the loss distribution for a mixed random network with associated random costs that can be useful for healthcare administrators and cybersecurity professionals to improve cybersecurity management strategies. By characterizing this distribution, we allow for the further utility of pricing cyber risk.

Introduction. The subject of this study is the social characteristics of the police constables of the Perm province in 1889. The purpose of the article is to trace the evolution of the personnel of the police constables in 1878–1889. Methods and materials. To achieve this goal, the method of prosopographic research was used (drawing up a collective portrait of a Perm police constable in 1889 based on a computer database). Analysis. During the study, it was found that representatives of tax-paying estates predominated among the police constables, the proportion of officials gradually decreased. Most future policemen graduated from military service as non-commissioned officers. 15% of them served as clerks in the army. The number of police constables who had only home education has significantly decreased. According to the data of the Shadrinsk district, the average age of the police constable was 33, much younger than in 1878. According to this list, the social composition of the police was quite variegated, with the dominance of representatives of the peasant class. For 10 years, the personnel of police constables had been almost completely renewed. The average length of service of the police constables was 3.6 years. Results. It was concluded that from 1878 to 1889 the education of the non-commissioned officers improved, and the retired and indefinite leave recruits were replaced by non-commissioned officers who had served on the draft. Thus, from 1878 to 1889, the motivation for service, the professionalism and stability of the cadre of police constables improved significantly.

The geomechanical model is proposed and the technology of numerical simulation is developed. Carried out computer simulation of the geomechanical state of the being undermined repeatedly rock massifs of the 3rd potash level of the Starobin deposit taking into account its structural and strength features, as well as the technological schemes of the primary mining. The regularities of the stress-strain zones formation in the undermined rock mass containing mined out mine workings and inter-panel pillars were determined. It is shown that the stability of the workings located in the undermined areas significantly depends on the time passed since the primary mining and on the location of the workings in the massif relative to the location of the primary mining operations. It is determined that the most dangerous for repeated mining are the areas of generalized shear, since the processes of rock mass movement and failure are most likely to be active in these areas. In the areas of generalized compression, the processes of compaction of caved rock take place. As a consequence, after a considerable period of time, the state of the rock massif in these areas can be treated as approximating to the natural state, without additional structural failures. In such areas, the effective mechanical characteristics of the rock massifs are practically restored. Therefore, the greatest stability of mine workings will be achieved when they are placed in the area of generalized compression stress state in the zone of caved, compacted rocks of the mined out roadways and faces.

The transfer of complex knowledge and skills is difficult, often requiring intensive interaction and extensive periods of coworking between a mentor and mentee, which is particularly true in apprenticeship-like settings and on-the-job training. This paper studies a context that quintessentially describes this type of learning: the academic laboratory. I focus on ways a change in the attention of a principal investigator, moving to entrepreneurship, may influence knowledge transmission and skill development by examining the relationship of this change with their PhD students' scientific productivity and careers. To do so, I rely on novel restricted-access data encompassing faculty and PhD students in computer sciences, engineering, and the life sciences who were active at an elite U.S. research university from 2001 to 2017. The results suggest a substantial negative association between a professor's entrepreneurial activity and the short- and long-run publication output of the PhD students they train. Furthermore, I detect a decrease in students' likelihood of becoming professors themselves but an increase in their likelihood of working for consulting firms on graduation. Finally, I provide evidence suggesting that changes in trainee development are the most feasible drivers of the results rather than changes in trainee research orientation, selection, or life cycle effects. Funding: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation [NSF SciSIP Dissertation Improvement Grant 1933387]. The author thanks the Harvard Business School Division of Research and Faculty Development for further financial support. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2022.1633 .

PurposeAlong the coronavirus pandemic, huge business challenges are facing as a result of collapsing customer demand and organisational significant changes supported by digital development, while the increasing social and environmental needs involve business and individuals. The authors argue that this trend is modifying organisational and market logic, replacing them with values and practices linked to community-based models. The present work aims to study the impact that smart working (SW) has on the worker, seen both as a member of the organisation and the social community.Design/methodology/approachThe study data were collected from a computer-assisted web interview administered in 2020 to public employees working for health agencies across the Campania region, in South Italy. To test the conceptual model, partial least squares-structural equation modelling is used. Considering the abductive soul of the research, the study represents a pilot survey that will deliver stochastic results to be subsequently replicated in all Italian health agencies.FindingsThe results of the research highlighted how the evolutionary dynamics of SW employees tend towards a reconceptualisation of workspaces, a redefinition of time and emotions and a better balance between work and personal life, thus creating a greater space for social and community aspects and determining a greater involvement in their working life.Originality/valueThis research introduces a new win-win logic in the labour market, one capable of generating advantages for people, organisations and the entire social system by allowing workers to better reconcile working times with their personal needs and with flexibility demands coming from companies.