The digital economy is an alternative to the traditional economy, an area of the future on which investment and R&D efforts are focused both by European forums and by Member States, which have ...understood the importance of the domain with the onset of the pandemic crisis. The aim of the research is to analyze and predict, on the one hand, the impact of digitalisation on EU Member States’ economies by means of the three scenarios for the evolution of the digital component of the economy for the horizon 2025 (the baseline scenario, the high growth scenario and the challenge scenario), and, on the other hand, the Member States’ ability to achieve the targets proposed by these scenarios. The analysis covers the period 2013-2025 and quantifies the dynamics of the digitalisation phenomena and processes based on dedicated statistical analyses (frequency series analysis, application of the unicriterion critical probability test, application of the Enter method, performing Pearson correlation tests) by means of the IBM-SPSS 25 software. The purpose of this research is the provision of relevant solutions to decision makers in the development of digitalisation. The study highlighted the placing of the results in favourable scenarios, the current trend regarding digital economy evolution, and presented the most likely scenario to be achieved in terms of knowing the provider offer and the needs of service users. The topicality of the study targets a new approach on the foundations of financial allocations for the sustainable development of the digital economy needed in the current conditions of the global crisis and of the pandemic for the implementation of digital economy development policies. A novelty of this research is the conceptualization, validation and testing of an econometric model capable of quantifying the realism of the scenarios proposed by the European Union regarding the development of the digital economy.
In the past decade, digitalisation has gained the attention of both professionals and academics. Investors are increasingly taking into account information on firm digitalisation in their ...decision-making. However, this information is poorly captured through corporate disclosure. A scarcity of this information has further increased its value in investment choices. Dissemination of information about digitalisation can be a signal that companies send to investors with the hope of a positive effect on firm value. Despite its relevance, there are no studies on the relationship between information about digitalisation and firm value. This study aims to fill this gap by analysing the impact of the information about digitalisation provided directly or indirectly by companies through their website on firm value. The regression analysis, conducted on a sample of 114 international firms, shows the existence of a positive relationship, demonstrating how information about digitalisation is a means for companies to increase their value.
The objective of this cross-sectional survey was to assess the integration of digital technology within dental practices, specifically in patient management and treatment approaches.
A survey ...questionnaire was distributed to dentists working in the private sector of Rabat. To enhance the response rate, the participants were provided with the option to respond either online or through postal means. The survey was mailed in March 2023 and answers were collected till the end of June 2023.
The survey results indicated that most dentists (98%) owned a personal computer, with 70% of them using it for personal and professional purposes. Regarding online presence, 40% of dental offices had a homepage, whereas a smaller proportion (10%) used social media platforms. Additionally, 24% of the dentists used specialised dental software, distinct from the administration software, for patient treatment and planning. Moreover, in 15% of the dental practices, a chairside CAD/CAM system was available for use.
Based on the survey findings, most of the dentists (97%) surveyed reported either the lack awareness of artificial intelligence applications in dentistry or have not used it for diagnosis or treatment planning.
Production digitalisation is a significant factor in the development of mechanical engineering that triggers countries and regions’ economic growth. Implementing digital integration at industrial ...enterprises implies that production operations are linked through a corporate information system. The paper aims to develop and test a method for assessing the economic effect from digital integration at mechanical engineering enterprises. Methodologically, the study rests on the theories of production organisation and integration as well as the main postulates of the concept of industrial digitalisation. The study applies methods of econometric modelling. The evidence base is the information about the activities of one of the Ural macroregion’s largest mechanical engineering enterprise – Production Association “Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant named after E. S. Yalamov” (UOMZ). The paper systemitises ideas about the essence of the economic effect from digital integration. The case of the enterprise is used to identify the level of specific costs in this process and to forecast their changes depending on different factors using econometric modelling. The value of the findings consists in broadening the scientific and practical understanding of the economic effects brought about by industrial digitalisation.
Although major developments in the field of regenerative medicine have been made, osteoarthritis (OA) remains one of the major illnesses of our day. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been suggested ...as a potential therapy for OA. The clinical success of MSCs has been mixed with several successful phase I and II trials and some phase III trials questioning the efficacy of MSCs as a treatment for OA. These mixed results are partly is attributed to the high degree of biologic variability and lack of standardisation across the manufacturing process of MSCs. MSCs derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) might address some of the heterogeneity derived from donor-to-donor variability. On the manufacturing side, automation is a key technology to increase standardisation and improve iMSC manufacturing in cell quality and manufacturing efficiency.
In the EU project AutoCRAT the systems Autostem and StemCellDiscovery are combined to a fully-automated system for the manufacturing of iPSCs, differentiation to iMSCs and chondrocytes, as well as MSC derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). The Autostem system was previously developed for automated bioreactor-based MSC expansion and subsequent fill-and-finish. For AutoCRAT it was adapted to allow manufacturing of iMSCs and iMSC derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). Similarly, the StemCellDiscovery was developed for plate-based MSC cultivation and microscopic evaluation. This system was adapted to allow for iPSC cultivation and differentiation of iPSCs to iMSCs and chondrocytes.
This talk reports on the evaluation of this automated solution using a direct comparison of automated versus manual cultivation of iMSCs and iPSCs in terms of efficiency and cell quality. More importantly, it compares manual and automated differentiation of iPSCs to iMSCs. This comparison clearly illustrates the automated system is highly capable in the cultivation of iPSCs and iMSCs. The morphology and fold expansion of iPSCs and iMSCs manufactured in an automated setting is comparable to the manual cultivation. The immunofluorescence and flow cytometry results confirm the automated system is capable of manufacturing high-quality iPSCs and iMSCs. Comparing automated and manual differentiation of iPSCs to iMSCs illustrates the capabilities of the AutoCRAT system in manufacturing of iPSC derived cell therapies. The data presented here highlights the importance of automation for the standardised and transparent manufacturing of cell therapies.
Small and medium enterprise (SME) digitalisation involves the reinforcement, modification, and renewal of business models with the help of digital technologies. It is widely considered imperative for ...SMEs to stay relevant in the digital age. Yet, little is known about the conditions under which SME digitalisation improves the performance of SMEs in the IS literature. Guided by the SME literature, we postulate that the business value of SME digitalisation - based on its impact on improving financial firm performance - is dependent on two factors that are particularly relevant to SMEs due to their smallness and flexibility: radical orientation and organisational rigidity. Using data from multiple waves of surveys in 2019-2020 and archival financial data from Dutch SMEs, we demonstrate that the positive impact of SME digitalisation on performance improvement strongly depends on SME characteristics. SMEs who are oriented towards radical change and are more rigid are disadvantaged and attain lower returns on SME digitalisation.
This paper develops an approach to evaluating designs for digitalisation interventions in purchasing and supply management (PSM), and identifies some fundamental design principles for such ...interventions. A set of advanced technologies for digitalisation and a theory-based set of seven value drivers for PSM are identified for the proposed grid to facilitate the design of applications and interventions for digitalising PSM. The grid relates the digital technologies to the PSM value drivers in a matrix-like manner, allowing the structured consideration of the space defined by these two dimensions. The proposed approach to the strategic evolution of digitalisation in PSM is tested and its utility is demonstrated in analyses of practitioner literature and multiple case-study-based perspectives on PSM digitalisation. Two fundamental design principles relating to the use of the grid, or to the filling of its space, are set out, thus the research provides new theoretical perspectives on the design of advanced forms of PSM digitalisation. The proposed grid may be used in application design, communicating current and future states of PSM digitalisation to stakeholders, and specifically in developing a future-oriented strategy with a digitalization element for the PSM function.
•A grid, linking digital technologies with PSM value drivers is proposed.•Two fundamental design principles are stated for designing digital interventions.•We provide theoretical perspectives on the design of advanced digitalization of PSM.•The grid is useful in designing, communicating and strategizing digitalization in PSM.
This article takes stock of the early years of Kriminologie – Das Online-Journal | Criminology – The Online Journal, one of the first open access-only journals for criminology. It details ...the creation of the journal, offers an overview of achievements thus far as well as considerations on how to ensure the journal’s long-term future. We also look at the findings of an online survey and examine the unique challenges of publishing an open access journal.
•The study explored the determinants of satisfaction with the use of AI-based digital assistants.•The study examined the impact of satisfaction on individuals’ productivity and job ...engagement.•Performance expectancy, enjoyment, intelligence, social presence and trust determine satisfaction.•Satisfaction is strongly related to productivity and job engagement.
Digital assistants based on artificial intelligence (AI) have been increasingly used in contexts beyond home-oriented services to support individuals in carrying out work-related tasks. Given the lack of empirical evidence on this fast-developing area, this paper aims (1) to explore the factors which can lead to individuals' satisfaction with the use of technology, and (2) to examine the impact of satisfaction on productivity and job engagement. The model was tested using 536 responses from individuals who used digital assistants for work purposes. Results showed that performance expectancy, perceived enjoyment, intelligence, social presence and trust were positively related to satisfaction with digital assistants. Satisfaction with the digital assistants was found to correlate with productivity and engagement. The findings contribute to the literature focusing on the use of AI-based technology supporting and complementing work tasks. They also offer practical recommendations as to how digital assistants could be used in the workplace.
The purpose of this paper is to carry out some reflections on the possible (and in some ways hoped for) automation of the employment relationship and contract, examining recent technological ...evolution, with particular regard to blockchain and smart contracts. The functioning, merits and demerits of both of the aforementioned IT protocols will be examined, assessing whether it is actually possible to conceive of a complete automation of the employment relationship, and the digitisation of all the documentation relating to it through blockchain and smart contracts. And above all, whether such an outcome is a true revolution or not.
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