There is a debate at the highest levels of government and civil society over whether the rise in fraud is a blip exacerbated by the pandemic or a more fundamental transformation (or flip) in the ...structure of crime. This paper examines this debate by exploring the social factors influencing the level of fraud. It does so by conceptualising these factors as a fraud field, offering a novel way to visualise and consider vulnerability through the broad categories of ‘threats’ and ‘safeguards’ which influence levels of fraud. In doing so it offers the first attempt to map the wide range of ‘forces’ that influence levels of fraud and produces a mathematical expression of this, which will provide a basis for further debate, refinement and research. The threats include the myriad of opportunities, the large population of fraudsters, and the range of human and technology enablers that support the fraudsters. The principal safeguards that resist the fraud threat are culture, the law and the defensive resilience of individuals and organisations. Using the fraud field and official crime statistics, the paper argues that the safeguards are so structurally weak that the fraud epidemic is not a blip, but an opportunistic flip from traditional acquisitive crimes. The forces influencing levels of fraud mean high volumes of fraud will continue at the current levels or even accelerate further, unless there is a collective national strategy to strengthen the safeguards.
Success of the 2030 Agenda is dependent on food safety as human development is not possible without universal access to safe food. Along with increasing trade, food safety has become a vital ...component of our sustainable future. Consequently, agro-food firms are under pressure to implement food safety standards (FSS) to reduce food borne illnesses, achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), improve competitive advantage and gain access to foreign markets. Compliance with FSS can be challenging but a prerequisite to export in foreign markets. Therefore, the study aims to map out the currently available research concerning factors that influence FSS implementation at firm level and the impact of FSS on firms’ export performance. We performed a systematic literature review covering 117 studies centered around four key themes: enablers, motives, barriers influencing FSS implementation at firm level, and impact of FSS on export performance. We also propose a conceptual framework to explain the relationships among various factors, FSS adoption, and export performance. The paper provides the first comprehensive review of factors influencing FSS implementation at firm level as well as the impact of FSS on export performance.
•SLR is performed on factors affecting FSS adoption and firms export performance.•Enablers are classified by using resource-based view and institutional theory.•FC, EMS, and MC can provide a meaningful profile to identify firms adopting FSS.•FMC and DMC have pronounce impact on FSS adoption and exports performance.•Barriers and motive categorized into three and four dimensions respectively.•A theoretical framework is provided to help firms implement FSS to export overseas.
We develop theory about how and when digital technologies enable new venture creation processes. We identify two fundamental properties of digital technologies—specificity and relationality—and ...develop propositions that link these properties to six enabling mechanisms: compression, conservation, expansion, substitution, combination, and generation. We use the linked properties and mechanisms to determine how and when in the venture creation process—from prospecting to developing to exploiting—digital technologies have enabled start-ups in the IT hardware sector and develop stage-dependent propositions about their sector-level effects. We conclude our theorizing by discussing its implications beyond digital technologies and the IT hardware sector.
Los estudiantes indígenas representan el 1% de la matrícula en el nivel superior en México. La exclusión de la que han sido objeto constituye un problema estructural en el que confluyen factores ...internos y externos al sistema educativo. En este trabajo, abordamos las barreras y facilitadores en los estudiantes universitarios de origen indígena. La investigación se basó en la etnografía colaborativa y para el trabajo empírico realizamos entrevistas a profundidad a un grupo de alumnos y alumnas indígenas de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). En sus testimonios, los jóvenes apuntan a tres tipos de barreras principalmente: económicas, académicas y actitudinales con consecuencias tanto en sus aprendizajes y logro educativo, como en sus posibilidades de sentirse incluidos en la universidad. No obstante, paralelamente, destacan la existencia de ciertos apoyos, tanto a nivel institucional como de parte de sus familiares, compañeros y profesores. Concluimos que la situación que viven las y los jóvenes de los pueblos originarios es compleja, debido a los múltiples obstáculos que tienen que sobrellevar, de ahí que sea necesario fortalecer las acciones institucionales para identificar las necesidades de las y los estudiantes y mejorar sus condiciones educativas.
This paper examines the phenomena of online crowdsourcing from the perspectives of both volunteers and the campaign coordinator of Tomnod – an online mapping project that uses crowdsourcing to ...identify objects and places in satellite images. A mixed-methods approach was used to study the enablers and barriers to participation, taking into consideration the whole spectrum of volunteers. The results show broad diversity in online volunteers, both in their demographics and the factors affecting their voluntary participation. The majority are older than 50 years and many – particularly the most active volunteers – have disabilities or long term health problems. The personal circumstances of participants are highlighted as a major factor affecting involvement in campaigns. Like many other platforms, altruism is a key motivator, yet many participants are more interested in the quality of their data and the impact it has on the ground. For many participants of online crowdsourcing campaigns, their involvement is strongly linked to the level of contact they have with campaign coordinators, both in the design of the platform and in providing feedback on the impact of their contributions.
•This study examines the participation of volunteers on an online crowdsourcing platform.•Core motivations for voluntary online crowdsourcing are largely altruistic.•Retirement, disability or long term health problems are major drivers for participation.•Feedback on the quality and impact of contributions is crucial in maintaining interest.•Effective communication between volunteers and site owner is strongly linked to appreciation of the platform.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) readiness enablers are crucial factors related to businesses in a developed or developing economy. With the help of machine learning (ML) approaches like extreme gradient ...boosting (XGBoost) regression, explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), and explainable boosting machine (EBM), we identify the enablers influencing AI readiness in business. We select 20 developed and 20 developing nations based on the data available from the World Bank, United Nations, and Stanford-Human-Centered AI data repositories. We initially identified 33 factors influencing AI readiness in business for both sets of countries. The XGBoost regression results imply that the AI readiness of developing countries is marginally more predictable than that of developed nations. The outcome of the XAI indicates that three influential AI readiness factors - scientific research output, internet infrastructure, and public consumption expense are common and behave similarly for both developed and developing countries. The research findings have significant practical implications for monitoring and augmenting the end-to-end AI ecosystem to leverage the true potential of digital transformation. Predictive modeling with adequate interpretation helps to identify the impact of the crucial levers of AI readiness in business.
•This study identifies AI readiness enablers for developed and developing countries.•XGBoost and explainable AI techniques identify the AI readiness enablers.•AI enablers are mostly different for developed and developing countries.•Scientific research output, internet infrastructure, and public consumption expense are common.
Blockchain technology has been growing in importance and acceptability over the past few years. Yet, there is limited empirical research on the organizational and technology specific factors that ...play a critical role in driving its adoption in the supply chain. The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive framework for blockchain adoption in the supply chain by identifying the enablers and empirically evaluating their interdependencies and impact on adoption. 20 enablers of blockchain adoption in the supply chain are identified using an extensive literature review and theoretical lenses from the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory and the business technology adoption model developed by Iacovou, Benbassat and Dexter (1995). In the confirmatory phase, we employ the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method to extract logic from data collected from 37 French experts about the impact of the enablers and their interdependencies. Our paper extends the multi-theoretic empirical studies to blockchain technology and identifies the enablers of blockchain adoption from technological, organizational, supply chain and external environment perspectives. Regarding the importance of the categories of enablers, we find that the relative advantage of the technology and the external pressure are the most prominent categories of enablers that impact blockchain adoption in the supply chain. Our analysis also shows the important causal role on adoption of the potential of blockchain to reduce transaction cost, the consumer interest in traceability data and the establishment of a regulatory framework for blockchain usage.
•20 enablers of blockchain adoption in the supply chain are identified.•An integrated approach based on the diffusion of innovation and business technology adoption model is used.•The prominence and interrelationships between different blockchain adoption enablers are established.•Insights on enhancing blockchain adoption in the supply chain are given.
Although guidelines long have recommended objective pulmonary function testing to diagnose asthma and COPD, many primary care patients receive a clinical diagnosis of asthma or COPD without objective ...testing. This often leads to unnecessary treatment with associated incremental costs and side effects and delays actual diagnosis.
What are the barriers and enablers to lung function testing for asthma, COPD, or both in primary care?
We searched the literature for qualitative and quantitative studies reporting barriers, enablers, or both to in-office or out-of-office lung function testing for diagnosing asthma, COPD, or both in primary care. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and full texts, assessed methodologic quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and extracted data from included studies. Identified barriers and enablers were categorized using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF), applying a pre-established coding manual.
We identified 7,988 unique articles, reviewed 336 full-text articles, and included 18 studies in this systematic review. Of these 18, 12 were quantitative, three were qualitative, and three used mixed methods. All 18 addressed in-office testing and 11 also addressed out-of-office testing. Barriers and enablers overlapped for asthma and COPD, and in-office and out-of-office settings. We identified more reported barriers (eg, lack of knowledge of the usefulness of spirometry) than enablers (eg, skills for performing reliable spirometry). Barriers mapped to nine (of a possible 14) TDF domains (for both in-office and out-of-office settings). Enablers mapped to three domains for in-office testing and five domains for out-of-office testing.
Barriers to objective testing for airway disease in primary care are complex and span many theoretical domains. Correspondingly, a successful intervention must leverage multiple behavior change techniques. A theory-based, multifaceted intervention to address underuse of diagnostic testing for asthma or COPD now should be developed and tested.
Abstract Question What are the attitudes, barriers and enablers to physical activity perceived by pregnant women? Design In a systematic literature review, eight electronic databases were searched: ...AMED, CINAHL, Embase, Joanna Briggs Institute, Medline, PsycInfo, SPORTDiscus (from database inception until June 2016) and PubMed (from 2011 until June 2016). Quantitative data expressed as proportions were meta-analysed. Data collected using Likert scales were synthesised descriptively. Qualitative data were analysed thematically using an inductive approach and content analysis. Findings were categorised as intrapersonal, interpersonal or environmental, based on a social-ecological framework. Participants Pregnant women. Intervention Not applicable. Outcome measures Attitudes and perceived barriers and enablers to physical activity during pregnancy. Results Forty-nine articles reporting data from 47 studies (7655 participants) were included. Data were collected using questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. Meta-analyses of proportions showed that pregnant women had positive attitudes towards physical activity, identifying it as important (0.80, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.98), beneficial (0.71, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.83) and safe (0.86, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.92). This was supported by themes emerging in 15 qualitative studies that reported on attitudes (important, 12 studies; beneficial, 10 studies). Barriers to physical activity were predominantly intrapersonal such as fatigue, lack of time and pregnancy discomforts. Frequent enablers included maternal and foetal health benefits (intrapersonal), social support (interpersonal) and pregnancy-specific programs. Few environmental factors were identified. Little information was available about attitudes, barriers and enablers of physical activity for pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus who are at risk from inactivity. Conclusion Intrapersonal themes were the most frequently reported barriers and enablers to physical activity during pregnancy. Social support also played an enabling role. Person-centred strategies using behaviour change techniques should be used to address intrapersonal and social factors to translate pregnant women’s positive attitudes into increased physical activity participation. Registration PROSPERO CRD42016037643. Harrison AL, Taylor NF, Shields N, Frawley HC (2018) Attitudes, barriers and enablers to physical activity in pregnant women: a systematic review. Journal of Physiotherapy 64: 24–32
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