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This paper aims to introduce a business model for eco-tourism residences based on Osterwalder’s canvas business model with a creative tourism approach. Despite of the significance of creative tourism and business model of eco-tourism residences, there is still a lack of sufficient attention to this issues in the literature. Moreover, regarding the growing tourism industry in Iran and the importance of creative tourism in cultural and adventure tourism, it is necessary to seek new ideas to improve service quality and the business owners’ knowledge of their industry. In this regard, this multiple case study research is conducted by semi-structured interviews with seven eco-tourism residence owners in Iran. Open and axial coding methods were adopted for data analysis. This research identifies the main components of nine blocks of the Osterwalder’s canvas business model for eco-tourism residences, including, value proposition, customer segments, customer relationships, channels, key resources, key activities, key partners, revenue streams and cost structure. The results of this study show that the supply factors of creative tourism framework including diversity of world cultures, the provision of unique culture, infrastructure, local crafts, hospitality, creative industries, cultural tourism resources, and more types of tourism are connected to the value propositions in the presented business model.

Background: Case management is one of the most frequently performed interventions to mitigate the negative effects of high healthcare use on patients, primary care providers and the healthcare system. Reviews have addressed factors influencing case management interventions (CMI) implementation and reported common themes related to the case manager role and activities, collaboration with other primary care providers, CMI training and relationships with the patients. However, the heterogeneity of the settings in which CMI have been implemented may impair the transferability of the findings. Moreover, the underlying factors influencing the first steps of CMI implementation need to be further assessed. This study aimed to evaluate facilitators and barriers of the first implementation steps of a CMI by primary care nurses for people with complex care needs who frequently use healthcare services. Methods: A qualitative multiple case study was conducted including six primary care clinics across four provinces in Canada. In-depth interviews and focus groups with nurse case managers, health services managers, and other primary care providers were conducted. Field notes also formed part of the data. A mixed thematic analysis, deductive and inductive, was carried out. Results: Leadership of the primary care providers and managers facilitated the first steps of the of CMI implementation, as did the experience and skills of the nurse case managers and capacity development within the teams. The time required to establish CMI was a barrier at the beginning of the CMI implementation. Most nurse case managers expressed apprehension about developing an "individualized services plan" with multiple health professionals and the patient. Clinic team meetings and a nurse case managers community of practice created opportunities to address primary care providers' concerns. Participants generally perceived the CMI as a comprehensive, adaptable, and organized approach to care, providing more resources and support for patients and better coordination in primary care. Conclusion: Results of this study will be useful for decision makers, care providers, patients and researchers who are considering the implementation of CMI in primary care. Providing knowledge about first steps of CMI implementation will also help inform policies and best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, hospitals around the world proactively or reactively developed and/or re-organized their governance structures to manage the COVID-19 response. Hospitals' governance played a crucial role in their ability to reorganize and respond to the pressing needs of their staff. We discuss and compare six hospital cases from four countries on different continents: Brazil, Canada, France, and Japan. Our study examined how governance strategies (e.g., special task forces, communications management tools, etc.) were perceived by hospital staff. Key findings from a total of 177 qualitative interviews with diverse hospital stakeholders were analyzed using three categories drawn from the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework on health systems resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: 1) delivering a clear and timely COVID-19 response strategy; 2) coordinating effectively within (horizontally) and across (vertically) levels of decision-making; and 3) communicating clearly and transparently with the hospital's diverse stakeholders. Our study gleaned rich accounts for these three categories, highlighting significant variations across settings. These variations were primarily determined by the hospitals' environment prior to the COVID-19 crisis, namely whether there already existed a culture of managerial openness (including spaces for social interactions among hospital staff) and whether preparedness planning and training had been routinely integrated into their activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building smart supply chains have attracted huge attentions from practitioners and academia, but not all initiatives are a success due to limited practical implications and theories guiding the selection of the appropriate innovation models. In light of this gap, according to the characteristics of smart supply chain, this study adopted a multi-case study approach with data collected through semi-structured interview and the data was analysed via mixed open coding and spindle coding. The research results indicated that both internal and external factors have critical impacts on the choice of an innovation model. Moreover, the application of smart technology and the market environment play a moderating role. Furthermore, manufacturing and distribution enterprises have different focuses when choosing the innovation models. In this research, we developed a theoretical framework consisting of the factors influencing the choice of the innovation model, which can be used to guide enterprises to realise innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the manufacturing industry in China, the study explores factors that contribute to possible implementation gaps between companies' actual practices and the commonly recognized core quality management (QM) practices. In-depth interviews were conducted with production managers, quality managers, and executives of 11 manufacturing companies in China. The selected case companies vary by firm size, ownership, and markets they operate. Qualitative analysis was conducted using NVivo software program. When assessed in comparison with commonly recognized core QM practices, the case companies showed implementation gaps. The implementation gap refers to the lack of comprehensiveness of QM core practices implemented in an individual company against the benchmark practices. Moderate or large implementation gaps were found in seven out of 11 case companies. The study further explores the contextual and cultural factors that contribute to the QM implementation gaps. Case analysis identified that building of quality-centric culture plays a key role in closing the QM implementation gaps. Company ownership is another important indicator for the QM implementation gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of energy efficiency measures in companies is the key to a successful energy transition. To that end, companies should improve their energy efficiency and achieve energy savings. The aim of this paper is to present the current status of energy efficiency in companies based on selected cross-cutting technologies and to empirically investigate the implementation status of these measures. For this purpose, a multiple case study was conducted with 386 companies from different industries. The data basis of the case study was generated by means of questionnaires, interviews, and expert visits, and the data were collected within the framework of the Network of Regional Competence Centers for Energy Efficiency, an EU-funded project. A comparison of the potentials of companies with an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001 and companies without such a system was carried out on the basis of 12 cross-cutting technologies. Statistical evaluation methods and hypothesis testing of eleven hypotheses and nine expressions were used. Our case study showed that (1) the level of energy efficiency in companies is highly dependent on the measure considered. (2) Simple measures have lower potentials than more complex, cost-intensive measures. (3) A positive effect of energy management on energy efficiency in general and on individual measures such as lighting technology, energy monitoring, peak load management, and energy purchasing is empirically confirmed. Further studies should investigate the interaction and correlation of individual efficiency measures (e.g., investments and organizational measures in cross-cutting technologies) in companies to make more targeted statements about the companies' needs and to create efficient support programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Continuous software engineering practices are currently considered state of the art in software engineering (SE). Recently, this interest in continuous SE has extended to ML system development as well, primarily through MLOps. However, little is known about continuous SE in ML development outside the specific continuous practices present in MLOps. Aim: In this paper, we explored continuous SE in ML development more generally, outside the specific scope of MLOps. We sought to understand what challenges organizations face in adopting all the 13 continuous SE practices identified in existing literature. Method: We conducted a~multiple case study of organizations developing ML systems. Data from the cases was collected through thematic interviews. The interview instrument focused on different aspects of continuous SE, as well as the use of relevant tools and methods. Results: We interviewed 8 ML experts from different organizations. Based on the data, we identified various challenges associated with the adoption of continuous SE practices in ML development. Our results are summarized through 7 key findings. Conclusion: The largest challenges we identified seem to stem from communication issues. ML experts seem to continue to work in silos, detached from both the rest of the project and the customers.

ABSTRACTIn response to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, hospitals around the world proactively or reactively developed and/or re-organized their governance structures to manage the COVID-19 response. Hospitals’ governance played a crucial role in their ability to reorganize and respond to the pressing needs of their staff. We discuss and compare six hospital cases from four countries on different continents: Brazil, Canada, France, and Japan. Our study examined how governance strategies (e.g., special task forces, communications management tools, etc.) were perceived by hospital staff. Key findings from a total of 177 qualitative interviews with diverse hospital stakeholders were analyzed using three categories drawn from the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework on health systems resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic: 1) delivering a clear and timely COVID-19 response strategy; 2) coordinating effectively within (horizontally) and across (vertically) levels of decision-making; and 3) communicating clearly and transparently with the hospital’s diverse stakeholders. Our study gleaned rich accounts for these three categories, highlighting significant variations across settings. These variations were primarily determined by the hospitals’ environment prior to the COVID-19 crisis, namely whether there already existed a culture of managerial openness (including spaces for social interactions among hospital staff) and whether preparedness planning and training had been routinely integrated into their activities.

This study was aimed to investigate the teachers’ strategy used by the teachers in assisting their students to win story telling contests. The study employed the qualitative approach with multiple case study as the design. The teachers from five schools considered as the role model based on the number of their students’ achievement in storytelling contest were interviewed. The data were then analyzed by data condensation, data display and conclusion (Miles, Huberman, Saldana, 2018). The conclusion of the study illustrated that the preparation process conducted by those teachers were motivation through emphasizing the benefit of joining the storytelling contest, providing a role model of a successful storyteller, enabling the parents approach to strengthen the benefit of storytelling to the students, avoiding a winning oriented competition that put more burden to their shoulders, and facilitating internal competitions. Moreover, the result found that the coaching strategy used by the teachers were adjusting duration, reading the story, modelling, observing, and giving feedback. Lastly, the sources of storytelling model that the teachers used were also available.

This multiple case study aimed to investigate how digital reflective practice (DRP) influences the creative process of textile design students. Interviews were conducted with textile design instructors, heads of department, and students from four higher education textile design departments in Pakistan. The main themes elicited from the four case studies were teachers’ and students’ perceptions of DRP, challenges to its implementation, and prospects for DRP in the context of textile studio design. Digital technologies can improve students' creativity and comprehension of tasks in textile design studio courses through reflection. Furthermore, teachers can play a crucial role in helping students to utilise digital reflection technologies through mentorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the quality of emergency obstetric and newborn care provided to newly delivered women in rural Ghana. Methods: A multiple case study design, involving in-depth face to face interviews, was deployed to draw evidence from essential health providers, clients and caretakers. Data were further derived from non-participant observation by means of an observation guide and analysis of physical artifacts using the room-by-room walk-through tool. Data analysis followed Yin’s five phase process to case study analysis. Results: Quality of care was compromised by non-adherence to standard practices, inadequate monitoring, crude treatment procedures, lack of basic care needs and poor health providers' relational behaviours. Limited supplies of drugs, equipment and essential care providers further weakened the provision of quality emergency obstetric and newborn care. Conclusion: Inadequate supply of essential logistics and skill gaps on the part of health providers in some maternal and newborn care components adversely produced poor maternal and neonatal outcomes in rural Ghana. Elements of disrespectful care for women suggest violations of their rights in the maternal and newborn care encounter.

Background and objective: In this paper, we explore first-generation leadership succession in family businesses which, despite extensive literature on the subject, remains insufficiently understood. Our goal is to acquire new knowledge and understanding regarding this phenomenon with a view to making it more effective. Method: The basis of our research is a qualitative multiple case study that includes six medium-sized manufacturing family businesses. We conducted semi-structured interviews with incumbents, successors and family representatives, and analysed the data obtained using the content analysis method. Results: The data analysis and interpretation led to a definition of the category “The way ahead: the process of succession” along with descriptions of its nine elements that help answer three research questions. Conclusions: The research results show significant differences between the processes considered together with their uniqueness. While the need for succession planning and plan preparation is clearly expressed, no steps are taken due to the underestimation of its importance, the lack of both experience and relevant knowledge, often accompanied by emotional burdens that discourage planning. Contribution: The study contributes original insights and new knowledge concerning the leadership succession process, succession planning, and its implementation.

The value creation potentials of blockchain technology have attracted significant attention from academia and industry. To address how blockchain technology could impact value creation at the business level, this study adopted an inductive multiple case study approach. As part of this focus, fifty-five (55) cases were selected based on maximum-variation and theoretical sampling methods. Selected cases were investigated by conducting with-in case analysis, constant comparative analysis, cross-case analysis, and synthesis and thematic analysis methods. Initially, potential sources of value creation were explored and then the business model innovations were examined to exploit pre-identified value drivers. The findings revealed that blockchain has five potential sources of value creation, including access domain extension, cost reduction, reinforcement and enrichment, new business practices, and social base enrichment. Further, several business model innovations were proposed based on the data-driven exploration to help practitioners exploit identified opportunities or value drivers. This study not only applies the current body of strategic, economics and entrepreneurship knowledge in a new field, but it also adds conceptually and empirically to the current body of blockchain literature. Furthermore, business practitioners could increase their understanding of blockchain's opportunities to address current business challenges, make operations more efficient, foster innovation, and co-create value with stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organizations today exploit IT to achieve business value and competitive advantages; it is the disruptive effect of digital transformation. However, investing in IT without proper control and governance over enterprise IT (GEIT) can expose organizations to cyber-risks and IT project failures. This problem affects both multinationals and small organizations. In particular, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) struggle to implement IT-governance also due to the complexity of the standard IT-governance frameworks. In this study, five case studies were conducted with five manufacturing companies in Italy whose headquarters are located in the Lombardy region to investigate the potential benefits for IT practitioners of using the COBIT 2019 Design Toolkit, an Excel spreadsheet that facilitates the development of a governance system. The results are encouraging, the IT practitioners appreciated the COBIT 2019 Design Toolkit to map the IT resources and issues, prioritize the most important governance and management objectives, and align business and IT strategy. However, some criticalities emerged, for instance, the limited prescriptive power of the tool and the language, which is sometimes difficult to understand for IT practitioners. It should also be noted that current IT-governance implementation in Italian manufacturing SMEs appears to be very limited. Further, it should be highlighted that this study was using COBIT 2019 before ISACA issued "COBIT for Small and Medium Enterprises Using COBIT 2019" which could already have a positive impact on the level of comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We advance the understanding of how student emotions relate to their learning of socioscientific issues (SSI). Studies have tended to examine how students' positive and negative emotions about an issue contribute to their learning. However, this approach overlooks the fact that students may have different emotions about different objects (i.e., stakeholders, phenomena, the status quo, and the future) within an issue. In this study, we examined students' patterns of emotion objects with respect to the extent of their conceptual change from a reductionist view to a systems view of obesity. Using a multiple case study design, we tracked the emotion objects of four purposefully selected university students, who demonstrated either significant change or minimal change in their view of obesity. Data were collected over a 12‐week general education course on obesity and 6 months after the course, and included weekly reflective journals and delayed postcourse interviews. We found that students with different extents of conceptual change had distinguishable sets of emotion objects. For example, the emotion objects of students with significant conceptual change included obese people and the food industry. Furthermore, their emotions were more often moral in nature. These findings suggest that moral emotions are an integral part of SSI learning. We make two contributions to the literature. First, we identify the need to attend to and specify emotion objects as key variables in future research on emotions. In practice, teachers should consider strategies that help students attend to the emotion objects that matter for SSI learning. Second, we identify stakeholders as key emotion objects in SSI learning. The expression of moral emotions about stakeholders coincided with conceptual change to a systems view. This implies that future research and the practice of SSI learning should pay attention to students' moral emotions about stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the practice of academic advising in North America has existed since the colonial era, it is only within the past century that an organized movement to shape the field has taken root. Most of the literature seeking to clarify the role, purpose, and function of academic advising is restricted to the United States. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore academic advising practices at four Ontario higher education institutions in terms of types of advising, institutional advising model, and roles and responsibilities of advisors. Through document analysis and interviews with advising personnel at four Ontario institutions, our analysis illuminates the state of academic advising in Ontario and offers recommendations for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective: In this paper, we explore first-generation leadership succession in family businesses which, despite extensive literature on the subject, remains insufficiently understood. Our goal is to acquire new knowledge and understanding regarding this phenomenon with a view to making it more effective. Method: The basis of our research is a qualitative multiple case study that includes six medium-sized manufacturing family businesses. We conducted semi-structured interviews with incumbents, successors and family representatives, and analysed the data obtained using the content analysis method. Results: The data analysis and interpretation led to a definition of the category "The way ahead: the process of succession" along with descriptions of its nine elements that help answer three research questions. Conclusions: The research results show significant differences between the processes considered together with their uniqueness. While the need for succession planning and plan preparation is clearly expressed, no steps are taken due to the underestimation of its importance, the lack of both experience and relevant knowledge, often accompanied by emotional burdens that discourage planning. Contribution: The study contributes original insights and new knowledge concerning the leadership succession process, succession planning, and its implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The logistics activities of sterile instruments are both labour- and cost-intensive. Automating sterile instrument transportation offers an excellent opportunity to reduce staff members' responsibilities and time committed to that task. With recent technological advances in material handling, autonomous mobile robots offer an innovative solution for transporting sterile instruments, especially in dynamic environments such as hospitals. However, hospital planners need guidance in deciding when to apply which material handling systems to achieve optimal performance. This study uses a multiple case study to map sterile instrument logistics and evaluate the transportation performance of material handling systems in terms of flexibility, productivity, quality/service, and costs. Applying contingency theory and analysing the relationships between material handling systems and hospital characteristics, we contribute with a strategic fit framework showing the ideal states to achieve high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to introduce a business model for eco-tourism residences based on Osterwalder's canvas business model with a creative tourism approach. Despite of the significance of creative tourism and business model of eco-tourism residences, there is still a lack of sufficient attention to this issues in the literature. Moreover, regarding the growing tourism industry in Iran and the importance of creative tourism in cultural and adventure tourism, it is necessary to seek new ideas to improve service quality and the business owners' knowledge of their industry. In this regard, this multiple case study research is conducted by semi-structured interviews with seven eco-tourism residence owners in Iran. Open and axial coding methods were adopted for data analysis. This research identifies the main components of nine blocks of the Osterwalder's canvas business model for eco-tourism residences, including, value proposition, customer segments, customer relationships, channels, key resources, key activities, key partners, revenue streams and cost structure. The results of this study show that the supply factors of creative tourism framework including diversity of world cultures, the provision of unique culture, infrastructure, local crafts, hospitality, creative industries, cultural tourism resources, and more types of tourism are connected to the value propositions in the presented business model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the robotic restaurant experience of travellers around the world and understand the components of robotic restaurant experience. Design/methodology/approach – Travellers who had experienced a robotic restaurant were purposefully selected as a sample group for the study. As the robotic restaurants are limited around the world, multiple case study method has been chosen to gather richer data. A user-generated content technique which is a form of qualitative case study method has been benefited to gather data from travellers’ reviews. Findings – The results reveal a model of components of robotic restaurant experience that include six main themes: attraction for kids, robotic system, memorable experience, ambience related attributes, food related attributes (economic value and gastronomic aspects) and deficiencies (in robotic system, in ambience related attributes and in food related attributes). Originality/value – This paper is one of the first to investigate the robotic restaurant experience of travellers around the world. Moreover, it contributes to the research on restaurant experience and offers a model of components of the robotic restaurant experience.

Abstract Purpose Mental health care transitions are increasingly prioritized given their potential to optimize care delivery and patient outcomes, especially those focused on the transition from inpatient to outpatient mental health care. However, limited efforts to date characterize such mental health transition practices, especially those spanning multiple service setting contexts. Examination of key influences of inpatient to outpatient mental health care transitions across care contexts is needed to inform ongoing and future efforts to improve mental health care transitions. The current work aims to characterize multilevel influences of mental health care transitions across three United States-based mental health system contexts. Methods A comparative multiple case study design was used to characterize transition practices within the literature examining children’s, non-VA adult, and VA adult service contexts. Andersen’s (1995) Behavioral Health Service Use Model was applied to identify and characterize relevant distinct and common domains of focus in care transitions across systems. Results Several key influences to mental health care transitions were identified spanning the environmental, individual, and health behavior domains, including: community capacity or availability, cross-system or agency collaboration, provider training and experience related to mental health care transitions, client care experience and expectations, and client clinical characteristics or complexity. Conclusions Synthesis illustrated several common factors across system contexts as well as unique factors for further consideration. Our findings inform key considerations and recommendations for ongoing and future efforts aiming to plan, expand, and better support mental health care transitions. These include timely information sharing, enhanced care coordination and cross setting and provider communication, continued provider/client education, and appropriate tailoring of services to improve mental health care transitions.

BackgroundPerformance-based financing (PBF) is promoted to improve the quality and quantity of healthcare services in low-income countries. Despite the complexity of the intervention, little attention has been given to studying its unintended consequences. Our objective is to increase evidence on the unintended consequences of PBF in Burkina Faso. MethodsUsing the diffusion of innovations theory, we conducted a multiple case study. The cases were 6 healthcare facilities in two districts. Between April 2015 and 2016, we collected data through 101 semi-structured interviews, discussions, observations, and documents. We conducted thematic analysis using a hybrid deductive-inductive approach. Secondary data was used to illustrate the evolution of reported services. We conducted a cross-case synthesis to identify the results arising independently from more than 1 case.ResultsA desirable unintended consequence of PBF was that 3 facilities limited the sale of non-prescribed medication to encourage patients to consult. Undesirable unintended consequences were found in the majority of facilities including fixation on measures rather than on underlying objectives, the pursuit of narrow and less relevant performance indicators, gaming, and teaching trainees improper practices. Providers in all facilities deliberately manipulated medical registers and documents, such that the reported quantity and quality of care differed from what was actually delivered. While most participants indicated that PBF was more advantageous than previous practices, the long payment delays were a source of dissatisfaction and demotivation across all facilities. Dissatisfaction also emerged in relation to the distribution of subsidies and the non-attribution of quality points for services delivered by certain staff considered “unqualified” in guidelines. Results in many facilities revealed suboptimal planning, a perception of the intervention as “budgetivorous,” as well as tensions related to the principle of managerial autonomy.ConclusionPBF led to numerous unintended consequences that could undermine the intervention’s effectiveness. The findings contribute to a more comprehensive picture of the consequences of implementing PBF. Policy-makers can use the results of this study to devise effective strategies before, during and after the implementation of the intervention to minimize undesirable unintended consequences and promote desirable ones.

In recent years, Video-based Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (VSCMC) has been applied in EFL education for young Chinese learners. VSCMC teaching, as distinctive from face-to-face teaching, brings numerous planning challenges for teachers using technology. Research has shown that teacher beliefs significantly affect lesson planning for technology integration. However, teacher beliefs towards VSCMC specifically have been insufficiently studied in the field of EFL education for young learners. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how teacher beliefs influence lesson planning regarding VSCMC teaching. Semi structured interviews were conducted with six Chinese teachers of young EFL learners. The results indicated that participants had transitional pedagogical beliefs, strong self-efficacy beliefs, and a complex set of value beliefs towards VSCMC teaching. Accordingly, these beliefs motivated them to teach in VSCMC settings in particular ways and influenced their lesson planning processes in terms of determining learning objectives, designing course content, and choosing teaching methods.

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), amid recent shifts in science curriculum, call for students to learn science through the practices of scientists and engineers (science and engineering practices, or SEPs). SEPs, related to inquiry learning, are ways students learn science content by doing science. Students have varied experiences learning science and engineering practices, including exposure in the classroom, from media, and in science fairs. Using a qualitative, multiple case study design, we analyzed public school educators’ and middle and high school students’ (ages 12–18) interview transcripts about learning through the science and engineering practices. Findings demonstrate that students learn different aspects of science and engineering practices during both in school and out-of-school science learning. Several transcending themes emerged from our interview data leading to recommendations for educators. Specific science and engineering practices might be better leveraged to introduce students to scientific research, students saw themselves as scientists leading to development of science identity while learning through SEPs, the relevancy of their work drove student learning, and resiliency was important during many of their learning experiences.

Objective: This study was to characterize the goat production units of the central mountain area of the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Disign/methodology/approach: A multiple case study was carried out taking into consideration socioeconomic aspects, type of forage, goat feeding, reproduction, improvement, and health. Results: The results showed that goat and cheese production account for 50-100% of the producers' income. The forages grown and the type of goat feed used in the production units of the mountain area are: King grass, CT-115, maralfalfa, giant star grass, alfalfa, and corn. Animal reproduction is carried out by controlled mating and births take place at the beginning and end of each year. Flocks do not exceed 150 heads; the predominant breeds are Saanen and Alpine. The average daily production of milk ranges from 16 to 90 L, with a production of 0.75-3 L milk animal-1 day-1. Study limitations/implications: None Findings/conclusions: The activity is family-based and involves cultivation, animal management, and milk and artisanal cheese production. Further studies are required to confirm individual milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aims to analyze the elements and practices used in hackathons for software development and how they contribute to the success of the events. Design/methodology/approach: Through a qualitative and exploratory approach, a multiple case study was used to analyze two hackathon events in Brazil and Canada organized by a multinational technology company. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Data analysis was conducted using content analysis. Findings: The results illustrate that the participation of people with different profiles and knowledge is important for hackathon results. The support provided to participants and the choice of the proposed challenge affect participants' perception of the event and the solutions developed. Research limitations/implications: As this is a multiple case study of a qualitative nature, it is infeasible to establish generalizations based on the results, and it is only possible to present evidence and proposals based on the specific cases. Practical implications: Proposed best practices to be followed in organizing hackathons, specifically in the context of software development. Originality/value: Few studies treat the subject of hackathons, and rarer still consider different countries to analyze the enabling elements based on different structures and their contributions to innovation. The development of hackathons as an alternative for innovation in the software area is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies show that actors who are directly involved with science, technology and innovation (STI), such as scientists and managers, are more likely to participate. Therefore, policy documents, as an important guiding factor, need to emphasize the engagement of various stakeholders. On the other hand, due to the need for innovative models in public engagement, social innovation has provided new ways to promote it. Therefore, this study aims to strengthen public engagement in STI policies through social innovation in Iran. In order to data gathering, questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and literature review were used in different stages of the research. In the first step, after interviewing experts on the dimensions and components of public engagement in STI, in the context of macro-policy documents, a model was extracted using thematic analysis and fuzzy delphi techniques. Then, in the second step, this study identified the statements related to public engagement in STI in macro-policy documents using quantitative content analysis, and thus the degree of attention to public engagement in STI macro-policy documents was determined. In the next step, this study sought to find solutions to its weaknesses in STI by examining the opinions of knowledgeable people about public engagement methods. Then, these solutions were evaluated in terms of their relevance to the Iranian context and social innovativeness, and finally, the selected solutions were ranked by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research has been published on pedagogical approaches for online courses across traditional, theory-based curricula within business, education, and health care. However, there has been less research on pedagogical approaches for online courses within trade or professional disciplines, like journalism, which require high levels of authentic or experiential learning. The transactional distance between instructors and students, campus spaces and students, and students and students, create different challenges for developing collaborative experience and industry-specific skills. If faculty do not receive training on now to handle these challenges, both students and programs can suffer. Viewed through the Online Human Touch and TPACK frameworks, this qualitative multiple case study explored how four journalism and mass communications (JMC) programs approach the training and support of full-time and part-time faculty to teach online. Results include single case descriptions and cross-case analyses. Data analysis revealed non-mandatory training opportunities, instructional design support, and sustained efforts by administrators and staff to increase faculty buy-in to the efficacy of online learning. Implications are discussed for JMC educators offering, or considering offering, online courses, certifications, or degree program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the German organic agri-food sector involves citizens through different community financing models. While such models provide alternative funding sources as well as marketing opportunities to SMEs, they allow private investors to combine their financial and ethical concerns by directly supporting the development of a more sustainable food system. Due to the low level of financial intermediation, community financing is characterized by close relations between investors and investees. Against this background, we apply the proximity concept from economic geography to explore spatial and relational aspects of community financing in the German organic agri-food sector. Based on a qualitative multiple case study approach, we find that the relevance of proximity is twofold. While different forms of proximity between SMEs and their potential investors are key success factors, proximity is also considered as one desired outcome of community financing. Furthermore, our results reveal that the extent to which SMEs rely on particular proximity dimensions distinguishes two different approaches to community financing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]