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Copyright of International Journal of Action Research is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The European Commission's current efforts to launch the largest proposal to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in history reflect the dire global plight of PFAS accumulation in the environment and their health impacts. While there are existing studies on PFAS research, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis that both covers the entire research period and provides deep insights into global research patterns, incentives, and barriers based on various parameters. We have been able to demonstrate the increasing interest in PFAS research, although citation numbers are declining prematurely. Policy regulations based on proving and establishing the toxicity of PFASs have stimulated research in developed countries and vice versa, with increasing emphasis on ecological aspects. China, in particular, is investing increasingly in PFAS research, but without defining or implementing regulations - with devastating effects. The separation of industrial and environmental research interests is clear, with little involvement of developing countries, even though their exposure to PFAS is devastating. It, therefore, requires increased globally networked and multidisciplinary approaches to address PFAS contamination challenges. [Display omitted] • Currently, China has the most publications, ahead of the USA and European countries. • Research focuses are strictly separated into ecological and material science topics. • Russia and Ukraine are among the frontrunners with a clear focus on materials science. • The focus in PFAS research is shifting toward ecological issues. • A national imbalance can be observed that leaves the low economies behind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global networking has been identified as an important method of enhancing health care education and services in the field of dentistry.1 The ability to share expertise, resources, knowledge, and experience to benefit all is highly desired among students, educators, health care professionals, and communities globally. Both our student and patient populations are dynamic societies that are becoming increasingly complex and facing growing needs and expectations, which is a constant challenge for educators and health care professionals to satisfy.2 The key question, stemming from the Global Networking (GN) workshop of the 2017 ADEE-ADEA Shaping the Future of Dental Education II meeting, was identified as, "How can dental educators around the world network to share ideas, experience, expertise, and resources to improve our curricula and teaching and learning environments for our educators, students, and communities that they serve?" The action plan devised by the GN workshop from the 2017meeting indicated two key steps in these early stages of setting up a global network: 1) "…grassroots participation for input and consumption of meaningful and needed content," and 2) "…advisors/consultants for organizational top-down guidance to define and maintain the global networking philosophy and platform…".1 The GN workshop of 2019 SFDE meeting aimed to deliver guidance and discussion with those experienced in engaging local communities from both a grassroots and an organizational approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The modern social, political and economic challenges of the Fourth Industrial revolution and development of the Network Society actualized the problem of maximizing of effectiveness of innovative policy analysis as one of the key factors of economic and political competitiveness of national states, regions, cities and urban agglomerations in Global World. Purpose of the article: The study focuses on the impact of networking on the effectiveness of national innovative development in the context of globalization. In this vein, the main ways of network interaction are considered and the network model of innovation policy is analyzed. Methods: Modern innovation policy is a synthesis of scientific, economic, industrial, and partly regional policy of the state, aimed at the formation and maintenance of an adequate institutional environment for the process of creating, disseminating and introducing innovations. Thus the key feature of the research methodology is the combination of the New Institutional Approach and the Network Theory. Findings & Value added: The study provides a detailed analysis of international experience in the field of open innovation and innovative development based on network interaction. Moreover, the authors present the classification of countries that are leaders in the process of building information (communicative) and network infrastructure. Particular attention is paid to issues of network interaction at the global level and the case of Russian innovation system in this context.

Abstract: The constant change of information and technology advancement as well as the impact of social media has radically changed the world and education and, in particular, the needs of students, organisations and disadvantaged communities who share the aim of training and providing quality healthcare services. Dental organisations and education centres around the world have recognised the importance of networking in delivering effective education to students, healthcare professionals and communities. Networking is one way to meet the challenges of delivering healthcare education and services. This can be achieved by sharing of resources, expertise, knowledge and experience to benefit all the stakeholders in healthcare delivery. The joint ADEE/ADEA Meeting in London on 8‐9 May 2017 has facilitated discussions amongst dental educators from all over the world during a workshop on “Global Networking: the how and why for dental educators.” The aim of this workshop was to determine how can dental educators worldwide network to share ideas, experience, expertise and resources to improve both the curricula and the teaching and learning environment. A pre‐conference survey was designed and implemented to identify the domains of interest and needs of participants. A structured questionnaire was administered, and this information was used to guide discussions on three main themes: curricula, faculty development and mobility of faculty and students. Four questions were then defined to help group leaders to frame discussions in the four working groups. The four groups engaged in parallel discussions, with the ideas recorded and collated by group leaders, which later served for the thematic analysis across the groups to draw the key points discussed. Overall, a great desire and potential to create a global networking to share and gain support and expertise at individual and organisational level was apparent and the working group has proposed an action plan, acknowledging that it requires great planning, effort and commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rajesh Tandon and Budd Hall, the UNESCO Co-Chairs in Community-Based Research have worked together on the theory and practice of participatory research since they first met in Caracas, Venezuela in 1978. This article is a conversation between the two of them that took place in New Delhi, India in 2015. It covers the creation of the concept of participatory research, a coming to awareness of the importance and power of local knowledge, the creation of the International Participatory Research Network and their thoughts on some of the challenges facing community and academic partners today. Of note is the fact that the early roots of participatory research were found in the global South, specifically in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Of further interest is the fact that for the first 20 to 25 years, participatory research was a discourse located almost entirely outside formal academic circles but rather in social movement structures and civil society circles.

Aims and objectives To identify how nurse leaders view and experience the opportunities offered by one of the largest global nursing organisations Sigma Theta Tau International. Background Worldwide, nursing leadership is challenged with addressing the complex issues impacting on care delivery. International nursing organisations are a means to bring together individuals to promote leadership and scholarship for nursing practice to promote patient safety and quality care. The newly established all-England chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International is a recent addition to the society in terms of nurse leadership in Europe, as such faces challenges as it establishes its identity and seeks to interpret the organisational vision: to advance world health through nursing leadership and scholarship. Moving forward, members views were sought on the goals of the chapter and how they may be enacted. Design In July 2013, all chapter members at that time had been nominated on the basis of achievement in nurse leadership; all were invited to participate in an online survey. The online questionnaire contained a series of closed and open questions. Results Most respondents joined because they believed in the vision and networking opportunities Sigma Theta Tau International provides. Three themes were extracted from the data: the value of networking and communication, leadership and the development of culturally sensitive organisations and the need for shared scholarship for nursing practice. Conclusion Findings indicate the growth of effective leadership at all levels of nursing could be harnessed through successful collaboration and keen support for robust connections between practice and education to promote quality care. Relevance to clinical practice Whilst challenging, globalisation presents an opportunity for a nursing society such as Sigma Theta Tau International to work collaboratively to address healthcare issues. A nursing society that explores and resolves its own complex issues by actively promoting leadership and collaborative scholarship reveals a potential to empower the profession to share our collective solutions towards enhancing clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Production networks need to be constantly adapted so companies can handle the introduction of new products, tap the opportunities of new markets or significantly save costs. Especially cost reductions require an adequate way to predict the cost effects of network adaptions such as product allocations or location decisions. However, studies show that a high amount of network adaptions have been reversed after a short period of time because expected cost savings could not be realized. One reason for this is that simplistic cost estimations are still common in industrial practice since literature approaches are often too complex or require too much effort to apply them. The approach presented in this paper tackles the problem of the low applicability of existing cost models. It is based on a set of three guiding principles: source-specific, objective-oriented and valid. The approach is source-specific because it includes a resource-based cost modeling method that is used to evaluate the operational costs for each product within the network. Objective orientation is achieved by a flexible aggregation method that enables to define the level of detail necessary for a given decision situation. The validity of the cost model, a crucial element for decision makers, is created through a method that allows for calibrating and adjusting the model with standardized cost information. The result of the presented approach is a comparison of unit costs as well as a net present value calculation for a given decision situation. An exemplary application shows how the approach can be used as a support for designing the future production network of a company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globalisation of the market generates unprecedented over-supply well in excess of the market potential. This oversupply thus becomes a structural factor of development. In open markets, global competition has set new rules (manufacturing delocalisation, global distribution players, competitive imitation, instable and non-loyal consumption) which have significantly scaled down the model of economic development based on the isolated small and medium sized enterprise without global networking relations. Instead they emphasise the importance of a robust national development policy based on the ‘identity of the industrial system’, in other words on precise ‘intangible macro-system factors’.

Copyright of Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology. Organization & Management / Zeszyty Naukowe Politechniki Slaskiej. Seria Organizacji i Zarzadzanie is the property of Silesian Technical University, Organisation & Management Faculty and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper discusses social work in South Africa in relation to increasing levels of emigration and the resultant service shortages that the country seems unable to meet. A context for the discussion is first provided so that the multi-faceted implications of a post-Apartheid South Africa may be appreciated. The paper examines the role of social work education and training in meeting the challenges posed by service shortages and in promoting relevancy in an ever changing socio-political landscape. Recommendations include re-curricularization, improved working conditions and global networking in order that developed and developing countries can work together to deal with workforce shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decade the globally networked digital technologies that operate within the realm of the internet have encouraged academicians and educators the world over to communicate, collaborate, and share knowledge. They have stimulated the creation of transgeographic educational initiatives which broaden the opportunities of learners and are an effective means of eradicating ethnocentrism, xenophobia, and cultural divides. The construction of transgeographic learning communities within the unmapped virtual forest of the internet requires an organized and systematic approach. Success is dependent on committed participants; a shared learning platform; a clear understanding of purpose; extensive student and instructor preparedness towards technology usage; exemplary curricula; a central focus for investigation; interaction with experts; extensive opportunities for intellectual discourse; and collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to offer an independent examination of a successful technology-dependent transgeographic learning project that serves as a model from which to base future projects. The Summer Ecosystems Experience for Undergraduates (SEE-U) is available to colleges and university students worldwide, operating at three geographically distinct locations concurrently. The program includes global networking, GPS and GIS usage, a shared investigative focus, real-time interactions, data collection, a globally networked geo-referenced digital database that was specifically created for this project, data manipulation, online lectures, bulletin board discussions, Web-based office hours, links to relevant resources, expert presenters, online demonstration videos, networked simulations, collaborative research, and a series of student presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]