Objective
Although anecdotal evidence indicates the effectiveness of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) social-distancing policies, their effectiveness in relation to what is driven by public ...awareness and voluntary actions needs to be determined. We evaluated the effectiveness of the 6 most common social-distancing policies in the United States (statewide stay-at-home orders, limited stay-at-home orders, nonessential business closures, bans on large gatherings, school closure mandates, and limits on restaurants and bars) during the early stage of the pandemic.
Methods
We applied difference-in-differences and event-study methodologies to evaluate the effect of the 6 social-distancing policies on Google-released aggregated, anonymized daily location data on movement trends over time by state for all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 6 location categories: retail and recreation, grocery stores and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residences. We compared the outcome of interest in states that adopted COVID-19–related policies with states that did not adopt such policies, before and after these policies took effect during February 15–April 25, 2020.
Results
Statewide stay-at-home orders had the strongest effect on reducing out-of-home mobility and increased the time people spent at home by an estimated 2.5 percentage points (15.2%) from before to after policies took effect. Limits on restaurants and bars ranked second and resulted in an increase in presence at home by an estimated 1.4 percentage points (8.5%). The other 4 policies did not significantly reduce mobility.
Conclusion
Statewide stay-at-home orders and limits on bars and restaurants were most closely linked to reduced mobility in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas the potential benefits of other such policies may have already been reaped from voluntary social distancing. Further research is needed to understand how the effect of social-distancing policies changes as voluntary social distancing wanes during later stages of a pandemic.
PurposeThis study attempts to gain insight into what factors influence individual behavior towards the adoption of telemedicine application during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The ...research model incorporates two well-known theories namely the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and DeLone and McLean information success model to examine individual behavior towards the adoption of telemedicine application.Design/methodology/approachThe research design of this study is based on quantitative research approach. During research survey, 350 valid responses were received from Pakistani citizens and examined to understand citizen's behavior towards the adoption of telemedicine applications. The research model was empirically tested with the latest statistical approach namely variance-based structural equation modeling (VB-SEM).FindingsThe results of the structural equation modeling have revealed that altogether performance expectancy, social influence, effort expectancy, facilitating condition, habit, hedonic motivation, price values, information quality, system quality and service quality explained 77.9% variance in determining user behavior towards adoption of telemedicine application. The predictive relevance of the research model was found substantial in measuring user behavior to adopt telemedicine applications. The research framework is further extended with moderating role of perceived severity between the relationship of user intention and actual usage behavior. Results confirmed that the positive relationship between intention to adopt telemedicine health application and usage behavior will be stronger when perceived severity is higher.Practical implicationsTheoretically, this study integrates extended UTAUT2 and DeLone and McLean information success model and contributes to e-health literature. Practically, this research suggests that by improving user performance expectancy and effort expectancy, managers and healthcare professionals can boost user confidence towards the adoption of telemedicine applications.Originality/valueThis study is unique as it integrates the extended UTAUT2 with DeLone and McLean information success model and perceived severity to investigate user behavior towards adoption of telemedicine application during COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the integration of theories contributes to information system literature in the context of the adoption of telemedicine applications.
A minor deviation in wind speed causes large deviation in the output power of wind turbine because of cubic bond association between these two parameters. Therefore, a precise assessment of wind ...resource over any site is considered of paramount significance. The investigations associated with the wind resource assessment have been proved of immense help for installation of different wind energy technologies such as nano, micro, small, medium, and large scale for wind energy generation. In order to provide a detailed information regarding the research in wind resource assessment a comprehensive literature review encompassing the different techniques, methodologies involved in development of wind power projects, and uncertainties associated with wind resource assessment as well as the preliminary assessment methodologies have been presented in this work. The advanced computational models namely wind atlas analysis and program, WindPro, computational fluid dynamics, and geographical information system are most frequently used software tools for mapping, modelling and annual energy estimation for a single or multiple wind turbines by considering the local conditions such as topography, surrounding obstacles, orography, and surface roughness based on the on-site measurements for a particular site. In addition, the statistical methods for short and long term data analysis, vertical wind speed profile, numerical weather prediction models, optimization of existing wind resource, and scope of hybrid wind energy systems have been delineated in this paper. Furthermore, current review presents a complete approach with reference to all the facets of the present status of research in the area of wind resource assessment worldwide.
The modified couple stress theory (MCST) is used to capture size effect on dynamic response in multiple-layer microbeams in the present article. Governing equations of the system are obtained based ...on the MCST and using Hamilton’s principle. The natural frequencies of the multiple-layer microbeam are calculated using the analytical method. Then, the results of the natural frequencies are presented with respect to different values of the system parameters such as the geometric layers and also the dimensionless material length-scale parameter. The results show that the material length-scale parameter values and also the length, width, and thickness of each layer are extremely effective on the vibration characteristic of the multiple-layer microbeams.
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the empirical literature on organizational resilience. The goal consists of identifying and understanding the indicators used to evaluate organizational resilience ...and instigating the development of indicators to assess resilience in other areas, such as project management and critical infrastructure.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of recent empirical studies is conducted to collect information on the indicators used to assess organizational resilience.
Findings
A range of interrelated indicators aiming to measure organizational resilience in two dimensions is shown in this literature review: awareness and adaptive capacity. Awareness is the ability of an organization to assess its environment and interpret the changes in its surroundings, both now and in the future, to be proactive and better manage possible disruptive events. On the other hand, adaptive capacity is the organization’s capacity to transform its structure, processes, culture, etc. for recovering once faced with a disruptive event. Awareness forms the main base of the organization’s adaptive capacity.
Originality/value
Organizational resilience contributes to the safe development of the built environment. This concept helps organizations to cope with disruptions. However, little research has been conducted on the indicators to assess organizational resilience, in different fields. Moreover, these indicators’ credibility is based on empirical studies.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of geometry on the energy absorption of aluminum tubes with different cross-section and the effect of combined bitubular tubes to absorb more ...energy under axial crushing. In the experimental part, aluminum tubes with circular and square cross-section were prepared and then the quasi-static tests with static loading rate were performed and the load-deflection diagrams in each test were obtained. A numerical model is proposed based on finite element analysis to simulate the collapse process considering the non-linear responses due to material behavior, contact and large deformation. The comparison of numerical and experimental results showed that the present model provides an appropriate procedure to determine the collapse mechanism, crushing load and the amount of energy absorption. The validated finite element model was then used for the parametric studies, in order to determine the effect of the geometry factors such as combined substitution of bitubular tubes, multi-cell reinforced and flat end-capped on the energy absorption. The primary outcome of the study is new research information which will facilitate the design of thin-walled tubes as energy absorbers in crushing applications.
•Experimental and numerical investigation of collapse behavior of aluminum tubes with different cross-section.•The effect of replacing square and circular tube in combined bitubular tubes.•The effect of end-capped of combined bitubular tubes.•The effect of multi-cell enforcement of combined bitubular tubes.
We study the market for a risky asset with uncertain heterogeneous valuations. Agents seek to learn about their own valuation by acquiring private information and making inferences from the ...equilibrium price. As agents of one type gather more information, they pull the price closer to their valuation and further away from the valuations of other types. Thus they exert a negative learning externality on other types. This in turn implies that a lower cost of information for one type induces all agents to acquire more information. Private information production is typically not socially optimal. In the case of two types who differ in their cost of information, we can always find a Pareto improvement that entails an increase in the aggregate amount of information, with a higher proportion produced by the low-cost type.
Purpose
This study aims to investigate employee behavior toward work engagement with an integrative research framework that combines human resource practices, employee psychological empowerment and ...well-being. Moreover, the moderating effect of transformational leadership is tested between employee engagement at workplace during crisis such as COVID-19 and sustainable employment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study empirically investigates research framework with 353 responses retrieved from employees working in private sector organizations. The data were collected through structured, closed-ended questionnaires. For inferential analysis, structural equation modeling approach has been used. To test the predictive power of the research framework, blindfolding procedure Q2 is incorporated.
Findings
Statistical findings indicate that HR compensation, HR training, opportunity enhancing, motivation enhancing, psychological well-being and empowerment have explained substantial variance (R2 = 67.5%) in employee work engagement during crisis. Concerning with sustainable employment, the transformational leadership and work engagement have shown significant variance (R2 = 20.6%) in determining sustainable employment. Moving further psychological empowerment has revealed maximum effect size (f2) to determine employee engagement behavior at work place during pandemic crisis. The blindfolding procedure Q2 has exhibited substantial power to predict employee work engagement and sustainable employment during crisis such as COVID-19 pandemic.
Practical implications
This study has several contributions to theory and practice. Theoretically, this study develops an integrative research framework with the help of human resource practices and employee psychological factors such as employee well-being and empowerment. Therefore, practically, this research suggests that factors such as opportunity enhancing, transformational leadership and employee psychological empowerment need managerial attention to increase employee engagement at workplace and sustainable employment during pandemic crisis.
Social implications
With the growing concerns of layoff during pandemic crisis, employees have shown lack of interest at workplace because of psychological fears. Nevertheless, this study has established that policymakers could enhance employee engagement at workplace and sustainable employment during crisis by redesigning HR practices and improving employee psychological well-being and empowerment. In addition to that, employee psychological well-being and empowerment are considered healthy factors for human beings and nurture society at large.
Originality/value
This research is original as it establishes an integrative research framework grounded in HR practices, employee psychological empowerment and employee psychological well-being to investigate employee behavior at work place during crisis such as pandemic. In addition to that, this study has enriched leadership literature by examining the moderating effect of transformational leadership between employee work engagement and sustainable employment.
This case-control study analyzes disruptive ransomware attacks against hospitals in California from 2014 to 2020 and emergency department (ED) and inpatient admissions in attacked and nearby ...hospitals.
IMPORTANCE: Given high rates of opioid-related fatal overdoses, improving naloxone access has become a priority. States have implemented different types of naloxone access laws (NALs) and there is ...controversy over which of these policies, if any, can curb overdose deaths. We hypothesize that NALs granting direct authority to pharmacists to provide naloxone will have the greatest potential for reducing fatal overdoses. OBJECTIVES: To identify which types of NALs, if any, are associated with reductions in fatal overdoses involving opioids and examine possible implications for nonfatal overdoses. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: State-level changes in both fatal and nonfatal overdoses from 2005 to 2016 were examined across the 50 states and the District of Columbia after adoption of NALs using a difference-in-differences approach while estimating the magnitude of the association for each year relative to time of adoption. Policy environments across full state populations were represented in the primary data set. The association for 3 types of NALs was associated: NALs providing direct authority to pharmacists to prescribe, NALs providing indirect authority to prescribe, and other NALs. The study was conducted from January 2017 to January 2019. EXPOSURES: Fatal and nonfatal overdoses in states that adopted NAL laws were compared with those in states that did not adopt NAL laws. Further consideration was given to the type of NAL passed in terms of its association with these outcomes. We hypothesize that NALs granting direct authority to pharmacists to provide naloxone will have the greatest potential for reducing fatal overdoses. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Fatal overdoses involving opioids were the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were nonfatal overdoses resulting in emergency department visits and Medicaid naloxone prescriptions. RESULTS: In this evaluation of the dispensing of naloxone across the United States, NALs granting direct authority to pharmacists were associated with significant reductions in fatal overdoses, but they may also increase nonfatal overdoses seen in emergency department visits. The effect sizes for fatal overdoses grew over time relative to adoption of the NALs. These policies were estimated to reduce opioid-rated fatal overdoses by 0.387 (95% CI, 0.119-0.656; P = .007) per 100 000 people in 3 or more years after adoption. There was little evidence of an association for indirect authority to dispense (increase by 0.121; 95% CI, −0.014 to 0.257; P = .09) and other NALs (increase by 0.094; 95% CI, −0.040 to 0.227; P = .17). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Although many states have passed some type of law affecting naloxone availability, only laws allowing direct dispensing by pharmacists appear to be useful. Communities in which access to naloxone is improved should prepare for increases in nonfatal overdoses and link these individuals to effective treatment.
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