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The article analyses certain forms of business support, including grant support at the expense of public funds. In the context of constant instability and uncertainty, businesses are actively seeking alternative financial resources to carry out their activities. One of these external sources is the attraction of funds from the state and local budgets. Such support is especially important for small and medium-sized businesses. In its turn, the State (through public authorities or specialised institutions), by providing financial (grant) support, has the right to require these companies to comply with the rules and fulfil additional obligations in the context of social behaviour. It is noted that the State does not currently make full use of these tools. Given the rather difficult situation of business, the author proposes to introduce a mixed model of corporate social responsibility in Ukraine, where the principle of voluntariness will be ensured (business will independently decide whether and to what extent to adhere to high standards of socially responsible behaviour), the State will create conditions for encouraging business to behave in this way, and on the other hand, the State will carry out stricter regulation of certain types of activities. Based on the results of the study, proposals have been developed to encourage business entities to implement the principles of socially responsible behaviour. It is noted that in grant competitions, the compliance of a potential grantee with high standards of good conduct is important. The author substantiates a change in approaches to the evaluation of project applications of business entities in grant competitions. It is proved that the state, through the grant support system, should give priority and further fund only projects of businesses that implement socially responsible behaviour. It is proposed to tighten the requirements for potential grantees who are to be supported at the expense of state and local budgets. The author emphasises the expediency of introducing a special mechanism for the selection of suppliers and service providers for grant recipients, which will take into account the established integrity policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale Aims and Objectives Method Results Conclusion HIV incidence has decreased in England by over a third since 2019. Despite the early success of HIV Pre‐Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in reducing HIV transmission in the United Kingdom, many people who could benefit from HIV PrEP do not yet know about it, or know how to access it.This paper presents the findings of the first England‐wide national peer‐to‐peer based diffusion model to disseminate information about PrEP. Ask Me About PrEP (AMAP) was a 5‐month pilot programme which commenced in November 2021. Volunteer mobilisers were encouraged to use their existing knowledge of their communities and geographical areas to assist them in discussing PrEP with their peers.12 enrolled mobilisers took part in three project evaluation focus groups between November 2021 and March 2022, and five AMAP project staff took part in one focus group in March 2022. Additionally, descriptive statistical analysis explored volunteer mobiliser recruitment to the AMAP project, demographical data of project staff and volunteer mobilisers, volunteer mobiliser attrition rates, and the project's impact.96 volunteers enrolled, completed training and volunteered as mobilisers. Thoroughout the project, mobilisers engaged their peers in 11,889 conversations about PrEP through individual conversations, online group conversations, online workplace educational events, and social media. The focus groups enabled key stakeholders to reflect on their experiences of the pilot programme. Four key themes were identified during the focus groups: motivations to mobilise and recruitment experiences; training, learning, and materials; mobilisation activity; and support and social networking.Our evaluation demonstrates that peer‐to‐peer diffusion models used to increase awareness of HIV PrEP in key unreached groups, offer an acceptable public health intervention model for volunteers and project staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the efficacy of a freely available arts-based intervention used to tackle Child Criminal Exploitation. A digital, interactive story (Cold Chips & Money) was used in school and youth settings in Hampshire, England with 1,451 young people aged 11–13 in 2021 as part of a project of the same name. Its use has continued since. I was and continue to be the Project Lead and oversaw the development of the story, the supporting resources and the evaluation framework. I worked with a project facilitator and evaluator throughout. Cold Chips & Money was designed to help students understand, recognise and manage external influence and pressure. The story and supporting resources which included a lesson plan and access to the project evaluation lead, enable professionals to have conversations with young people about how they can keep themselves safe, as well as how they can support one another to resist unwanted attention that might lead to exploitation. The resources relate directly to the PSHE Association Key Stage 3 Core Theme Relationships: Social Influence section R42–47. The development and use of the resources was planned to complement multi-agency work on Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines and had input from multiple professionals. Project evaluation evidenced a significant increase in awareness of county lines, and the issues surrounding it. Teachers stated that the interactive storytelling format was effective at and provided the opportunity to facilitate in-depth dialogue around the cause and effect of the decisions we make. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroindustrial projects developed by agroindustrial collective actions play a relevant social and economic role. However, cases of failure are frequent. This work proposes a model for the evaluation and selection of projects developed by cooperatives and rural associations, considering their particularities. The method is based on a conceptual framework developed after a literature review, later validated by a panel of experts. The model was applied to six real projects located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The results confirmed the technical feasibility of applying the method, allowing an ex ante and accurate prediction of which projects would have the greatest chance of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agile software development prioritizes customer satisfaction through the continuous delivery of valuable software. However, integrating user experience (UX) evaluations into agile projects remains a significant challenge. Existing proposals address specific stages that apply UX evaluation methods but do not fully consider UX artifacts or UX events for integrating user experience into agile processes. To address this gap and support teams, we propose FRAMUX-EV, a framework for evaluating UX in agile software development using Scrum. FRAMUX-EV introduces seven UX artifacts: (1) UX evaluation methods, (2) UX design system, (3) UX personas, (4) UX responsibilities and roles, (5) UX evaluation repository, (6) UX backlog, and (7) UX sprint backlog; and four UX events: (1) pre-planning UX meeting, (2) pre-review UX meeting, (3) weekly UX meeting, and (4) weekly user meeting. The first version of the framework was developed using a seven-step methodology with a qualitative approach. A survey of 34 practitioners validated the usefulness and ease of integration of FRAMUX-EV components, yielding positive results. These findings suggest the potential of FRAMUX-EV as an interesting proposal for integrating UX into agile software development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of any project depends on the stakeholder participation. There are many methods by which stakeholder participation is ensured in a project. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) is an approach that is used by many development projects to incorporate knowledge and opinions of the stakeholders, especially the beneficiaries, in various stages like planning, implementation, and evaluation. This paper documents a PRA exercise done by trained social work students to evaluate a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects implemented in India. Apart from highlighting the process of conducting PRA, this paper sheds light on the possibility of using participatory methods like PRA to assess CSR projects in India, which ensures the inclusion of the perception of beneficiaries. The research adopted a case study approach, and the participants were the beneficiaries of CSR projects in the community. Qualitative feedback was also taken from 20 participants to understand the advantages of using participatory tools in the performance evaluation of CSR. The group discussions, in-depth interviews and PRA techniques were adopted to gather data. The findings underline the relevance of social work professionals in CSR initiatives and also the role of PRA in empowering the beneficiaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective project management is crucial for the successful completion of construction projects, including the construction of a dormitory at SMA Muhammadiyah 3 Tulangan. Challenges such as design changes, adverse weather conditions, and limited labor resources impact the project's progress. The Earned Value Method is used to monitor project performance by analyzing indicators like BCWS, BCWP, ACWP, SV, CV, SPI, and CPI. This analysis shows that the project initially experienced delays and exceeded budget costs, but the situation improved significantly over time. Despite weekly variations in costs, the project remained on a financially manageable track. The conclusion from this analysis is that while the project faced time delays, cost performance remained under control. Recommendations for improvement include more thorough planning, better resource management, and quicker responses to changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fuzzy, intuitionistic, and neutrosophic sets are the primary focus of the review investigation under the extension concepts. The significance and use of triangular shape for data representation are investigated. For modelling and expressing ambiguous or complex data, the triangle shape is a useful tool due to its simplicity and computational efficiency. Further study involves the tool of the operations research technique i.e., Network Analysis that helps in implementing and developing using the fuzzy extension principle. Critical Path Method (CPM) & Project Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) plays a major part in the field of network in various decision-making scenarios using the real-life applications. In this comprehensive study, the insights of understanding extended fuzzy using the CPM/PERT under various applications are reviewed and analyzed for the future advancements in making more accurate and optimum results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we reflect on a decade of using the Kirkpatrick four‐level model to evaluate a multifaceted evaluation capacity building (ECB) initiative. Traditionally used to assess business training efforts, the Kirkpatrick model encourages evidence to be gathered at four levels: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. We adapted these levels to fit the context and information needs of the EvaluATE project, an ECB initiative funded by the National Science Foundation. As members of the external evaluation and project teams, throughout the article we describe how each level was modified and translated into evaluation questions. Our adapted Kirkpatrick levels are implementation and reach, satisfaction, learning, application, and impact. Using these adapted Kirkpatrick levels to ground our evaluation challenged us to integrate multiple data sources to tell a comprehensive story that served the information needs of the project team and the funder. Overall, we found the Kirkpatrick model to be practical, accessible, and flexible, allowing us to capture the multidimensional aspects of the ECB initiative. However, there are opportunities to enhance the utility of the Kirkpatrick framework by integrating other evaluation approaches, such as culturally responsive and equitable evaluation and principles‐focused evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data Envelopment Analysis is applied to a sample of IT projects. The application is based on a discussion concerning the choice of inputs and outputs in the case when the units being evaluated are projects. This discussion takes into account various understandings of project success and thus project desired outputs, as well as the ambiguity and a strong situation dependence concerning the choice of project inputs, understood as variables that should be minimized. The sample consists of over 80 IT projects implemented in Poland. The applied DEA model has permitted to identify the projects that clearly stand out from the rest of the sample as less efficient. Their analysis made it possible to draw conclusions on the choice of inputs and outputs. A set of indications on the context-specific choice of inputs and outputs were formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a group of rapidly growing technology-based entrepreneurial enterprises have emerged in China, playing an increasingly important role in the national economy. However, small and mediumsized technology startups have low profitability and high risk, making it difficult to obtain sufficient funds from traditional financing channels. At present, research on venture capital evaluation mainly focuses on the evaluation of projects before venture capital, and empirical methods are mostly used to study the promoting effect of venture capital on performance after investment, ignoring the issue of continuous evaluation after investment. The performance evaluation of risk investment in small and medium-sized high-technology venture enterprises is MADM. In such study, the generalized weighted geometric Bonferroni mean (GWGBM) technique is illustrated for MADM under single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs). We begin by constructing the single-valued neutrosophic number GWGBM (SVNNGWGBM) operator, followed by the introduction of the MADM based on this technique. Subsequently, we provide an illustrative example that evaluates the performance of risk investment in small and medium-sized high-technology venture enterprises, supplemented by some comparative analyses to demonstrate the SVNNGWGBM technique. The principal contributions of this research are highlighted: (1) The maximizing deviation method is employed to derive the weight; (2)The GSVNNWBM technique is developed, setting the stage for the introduction of MADM methods based on GSVNNWBM technique; (3) Numerical example is presented that focuses on the performance evaluation of risk investment in small and medium-sized high-technology venture enterprises, along with a comparative decision analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet of Things (IoT) Development Training at Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e aims to address challenges in tracking search and rescue teams and enhance educational tools. This training is designed to provide an in-depth understanding of IoT technology and its applications in operational and educational contexts. The methods used include theoretical sessions, hands-on practice, and project evaluation. The evaluation results show a significant increase in participants' knowledge levels: understanding of IoT concepts increased from 40% to 85%, knowledge of IoT applications rose from 35% to 80%, the ability to use IoT devices improved from 30% to 75%, and skills in developing IoT systems advanced from 25% to 70%. The success of this training reflects the positive impact of IoT technology in enhancing participants' skills, potentially bringing long-term benefits to both fields discussed at Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel methodology for estimating metallurgical copper recovery, a critical feature in mining project evaluations. The complexity of modeling this nonadditive variable using geostatistical methods due to low sampling density, strong heterotopic relationships with other measurements, and nonlinearity is highlighted. As an alternative, a copula-based conditional quantile regression method is proposed, which does not rely on linearity or additivity assumptions and can fit any statistical distribution. The proposed methodology was evaluated using geochemical log data and metallurgical testing from a simulated block model of a porphyry copper deposit. A highly heterotopic sample was prepared for copper recovery, sampled at 10% with respect to other variables. A copula-based nonparametric dependence model was constructed from the sample data using a kernel smoothing method, followed by the application of a conditional quantile regression for the estimation of copper recovery with chalcocite content as secondary variable, which turned out to be the most related. The accuracy of the method was evaluated using the remaining 90% of the data not included in the model. The new methodology was compared to cokriging placed under the same conditions, using performance metrics RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and R2. The results show that the proposed methodology reproduces the spatial variability of the secondary variable without the need for a variogram model and improves all evaluation metrics compared to the geostatistical method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Religación: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades is the property of Religacion: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades 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.)

Copyright of Journal of Distance Education (1672-0008) is the property of Zhejiang Open University 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.)

With the emerging large- and medium-sized engineering projects, prominent project delivery methods make sense in terms of cost, risk, management, and schedule. Among these, the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) method stands out due to its adaptability for growing scale and complexity projects. This study compares the IPD method with other methods, emphasizing its benefits in large- and medium-sized projects and introducing the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) model to analyze IPD's adaptability quantitatively. By conducting a matrix calculation of eighteen second-level indicators, this study derived weight values for four first-level indicators: Cost control, Risk control, Management control, and Schedule control. These first-level indicators were then used to formulate the total evaluation index calculation. Based on this foundation, we verified the calculations using a case study in Fujian. Implementing the IPD method led to a lower cost than the Owner's Representative method and a one-year schedule acceleration. The FAHP model introduced in this study offers a novel and objective approach for adaptability analysis of the IPD method in large- and medium-sized engineering projects, coupling decision theory into project management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry faces significant challenges in measuring and assessing performance effectively. Conventional methods of measuring construction performance have become less effective, prompting a need to adopt non-financial performance measurements. This shift acknowledges the shortcomings of relying solely on financial performance measurement systems. As a result, there has been a substantial increase in research and focus on non-financial performance measurement systems in recent decades. This study focuses on analyzing performance measurement practices and key performance indicators (KPIs) in the construction industry, specifically at the project level. By examining 146 relevant articles, the study offers a thorough overview of various aspects of project performance. In addition to the traditional dimensions of the project management triangle (cost, time, and quality performance), the study emphasizes the importance of considering other dimensions. These include stakeholder performance, safety performance, technology utilization performance, value performance, environmental impact performance, and the application of maturity models. By incorporating these additional KPIs, a more comprehensive and holistic evaluation of project performance can be achieved. This study's findings make notable contributions to the methodological framework of performance measurement in construction projects. By consolidating diverse research sources, the study offers valuable guidance for future research in the field of project performance. Moreover, it provides insights into selecting suitable performance measurement methods, empowering practitioners to effectively assess and manage project performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrethroid bednets treated with the synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) offer the possibility of improved vector control in mosquito populations with metabolic resistance. In 2017–2019, we conducted a large-scale, cluster-randomised trial (LLINEUP) to evaluate long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) treated with a pyrethroid insecticide plus PBO (PBO LLINs), as compared to conventional, pyrethroid-only LLINs across 104 health sub-districts (HSDs) in Uganda. In LLINEUP, and similar trials in Tanzania, PBO LLINs were found to provide greater protection against malaria than conventional LLINs, reducing parasitaemia and vector density. In the LLINEUP trial, we conducted cross-sectional household entomological surveys at baseline and then every 6 months for two years, which we use here to investigate longitudinal changes in mosquito infection rate and genetic markers of resistance. Overall, 5395 female Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from 5046 households. The proportion of mosquitoes infected (PCR-positive) with Plasmodium falciparum did not change significantly over time, while infection with non-falciparum malaria decreased in An. gambiae s.s., but not An. funestus. The frequency of genetic markers associated with pyrethroid resistance increased significantly over time, but the rate of change was not different between the two LLIN types. The knock-down resistance (kdr) mutation Vgsc-995S declined over time as Vgsc-995F, the alternative resistance mutation at this codon, increased. Vgsc-995F appears to be spreading into Uganda. Distribution of LLINs in Uganda was previously found to be associated with reductions in parasite prevalence and vector density, but here we show that the proportion of infective mosquitoes remained stable across both PBO and non-PBO LLINs, suggesting that the potential for transmission persisted. The increased frequency of markers of pyrethroid resistance indicates that LLIN distribution favoured the evolution of resistance within local vectors and highlights the potential benefits of resistance management strategies. Trial registration: This study is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN17516395. Registered 14 February 2017, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17516395. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Well-built housing limits mosquito entry and can reduce malaria transmission. The association between community-level housing and malaria burden in Uganda was assessed using data from randomly selected households near 64 health facilities in 32 districts. Methods: Houses were classified as 'improved' (synthetic walls and roofs, eaves closed or absent) or 'less-improved' (all other construction). Associations between housing and parasitaemia were made using mixed effects logistic regression (individual-level) and multivariable fractional response logistic regression (community-level), and between housing and malaria incidence using multivariable Poisson regression. Results: Between November 2021 and March 2022, 4.893 children aged 2–10 years were enrolled from 3.518 houses; of these, 1.389 (39.5%) were classified as improved. Children living in improved houses had 58% lower odds (adjusted odds ratio = 0.42, 95% CI 0.33–0.53, p < 0.0001) of parasitaemia than children living in less-improved houses. Communities with > 67% of houses improved had a 63% lower parasite prevalence (adjusted prevalence ratio 0.37, 95% CI 0.19–0.70, p < 0.0021) and 60% lower malaria incidence (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0.40, 95% CI 0.36–0.44, p < 0.0001) compared to communities with < 39% of houses improved. Conclusions: Improved housing was strongly associated with lower malaria burden across a range of settings in Uganda and should be utilized for malaria control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 360 degree feedback evaluation method is a multidimensional, comprehensive assessment method. Evaluators may hesitate among multiple evaluation values and be simultaneously constrained by the biases and cognitive errors of the evaluators, evaluation results are prone to unfairness and conflicts. To overcome these issues, this paper proposes a consensus-based 360 degree feedback evaluation method with linguistic distribution assessments. Firstly, evaluators provide evaluation information in the form of linguistic distribution. Secondly, utilizing an enhanced ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator, the model aggregates multi-source evaluation information to handle biased evaluation information effectively. Subsequently, a consensus-reaching process is established to coordinate conflicting viewpoints among the evaluators, and a feedback adjustment mechanism is designed to guide evaluators in refining their evaluation information, facilitating the attainment of a unanimous evaluation outcome. Finally, the improved 360 degree feedback evaluation method was applied to the performance evaluation of the project leaders in company J, thereby validating the effectiveness and rationality of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disruptions in malaria control due to COVID-19 mitigation measures were predicted to increase malaria morbidity and mortality in Africa substantially. In Uganda, long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are distributed nationwide every 3–4 years, but the 2020–2021 campaign was altered because of COVID-19 restrictions so that the timing of delivery of new nets was different from the original plans made by the National Malaria Control Programme. Methods: A transmission dynamics modelling exercise was conducted to explore how the altered delivery of LLINs in 2020–2021 impacted malaria burden in Uganda. Data were available on the planned LLIN distribution schedule for 2020–2021, and the actual delivery. The transmission model was used to simulate 100 health sub-districts, and parameterized to match understanding of local mosquito bionomics, net use estimates, and seasonal patterns based on data collected in 2017–2019 during a cluster-randomized trial (LLINEUP). Two scenarios were compared; simulated LLIN distributions matching the actual delivery schedule, and a comparable scenario simulating LLIN distributions as originally planned. Model parameters were otherwise matched between simulations. Results: Approximately 70% of the study population received LLINs later than scheduled in 2020–2021, although some areas received LLINs earlier than planned. The model indicates that malaria incidence in 2020 was substantially higher in areas that received LLINs late. In some areas, early distribution of LLINs appeared less effective than the original distribution schedule, possibly due to attrition of LLINs prior to transmission peaks, and waning LLIN efficacy after distribution. On average, the model simulations predicted broadly similar overall mean malaria incidence in 2021 and 2022. After accounting for differences in cluster population size and LLIN distribution dates, no substantial increase in malaria burden was detected. Conclusions: The model results suggest that the disruptions in the 2020–2021 LLIN distribution campaign in Uganda did not substantially increase malaria burden in the study areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the importance of the Research Ethics Committees (CEP) in the context of the Brazilian North Region, formed by the Amazon rainforest, which is occupied by traditional populations and those constituted by migratory currents. This study aims to analyze the bioethical implications arising from the activities of CEPs in the ethical evaluation of research projects and their essential role in protecting vulnerable populations. The authors seek to highlight the importance of ethics committees in the Amazon and their importance face the modern bioethical values that can contribute to the preservation of one of the most valuable and diverse environments on earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In decision analysis, expected utility of discounted cash flows is the traditional approach to incorporate risk aversion into the evaluation of a project. The choice of discount rate as well as the convergence with the beta-adjusted approach from finance have always been in question. To address this gap, we adopt a risk-sharing setup in which investors have both treasuries and the stock market as alternatives to the project. For a full utility analysis of all the investor's capital, we provide a unique discount rate that allows setting the horizon at the termination of the project. For a traditional analyst who conducts expected utility of discounted cash flows and ignores the capital not allocated to the project, we recommend an adjusted discount rate that compensates for double-counting the systematic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Occupational Health and Safety system enforces the continual improvement culture in industries for much safer processes and zero injuries. The Quality Management System also enforces the same philosophy of continual improvement within the processing system for zero defects, hence a high productivity rate. Good quality products always result from good Overall Equipment Effectiveness; hence, Process Re-Engineering is essential for the good functioning of machinery. This research is based on Integrated Management System requirements in terms of problem-solving, especially the opportunities that arise within Quality nonconformances, Safety Incidents, as well as Process Engineering related breakdowns. This study aims to develop a troubleshooting system that evaluates continual improvement projects. The method used to develop the troubleshooting system is based on Total Quality Management, where lean principles are combined with kaizen concepts and quality standards. The proposed troubleshooting system is separated into three development phases: the first phase is for recording the details of the fault that has been raised, where one will record full details of the nonconformance, the time and date, validation of the nonconformance by the lab test or any other form of validation depending on the nature of the problem as well as the details of the location of the problem. The second phase is for problem classification, whether it is a quality nonconformance, Safety incident, or engineering-related breakdown. The deeper root cause analysis is performed by an application of lean techniques, which are the eight types of waste, Five Whys and Ishikawa analysis. The eight types of waste identify the type of waste contributed by the problem, the Five Whys analysis assists in finding the reason for the problem occurrence, and the Ishikawa analysis classifies the problem accordingly, which assists the analyst in identifying the area to focus on for problem-solving. The third phase is for a database system and an application of the kaizen philosophy by evaluating continual improvement projects as well as status reports on the permanent solutions to the faults. The proposed troubleshooting model was applied in a case study company to upgrade the problem-solving model that the company was using which was assisting for corrective and preventive action. The study resulted in drastic improvements; hence, continual improvement projects were evaluated within the problem occurrences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of public projects by organizations requires professionalization of their evaluation methods. The research objective is to identify the key criteria for project evaluation that go beyond the "project triangle." The following problem was formulated: whether ex post evaluation of the project taking into account parameters of the "design triangle" is not an oversimplification in the context of uniqueness of design solutions that significantly affect civilization and technological development of societies in terms of global. The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, 109 completed projects were evaluated using the quantitative method. The quantitative method was used to evaluate the projects. In the second stage, on the basis of the project-evaluation results, the key criteria for ex post evaluation of project implementation were analyzed using the Hellwig's correlation method. It was shown that for the proper ex post evaluation of project implementation, it is necessary to supplement criteria with strategic and societal effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on evaluating modular house construction projects, which is a critical segment within sustainable building practices. Despite the significant advantages of modular construction, such as enhanced resource efficiency and reduced environmental impact, existing research often overlooks its unique attributes and constraints. Our objectives were to identify crucial parameters for a comprehensive evaluation of modular construction, particularly emphasizing sustainability, and to explore how an advanced conversational AI tool, ChatGPT, can assist in modular building assessments. We employed the Delphi method to define these parameters and integrated ChatGPT to develop a robust assessment methodology. This approach allowed us to harness AI-driven insights to enrich the evaluation process. Our findings suggest that ChatGPT delivers high-quality results comparable to those produced by experts in modular building assessments. ChatGPT formulated a detailed description of the evaluation scale for each criterion, effectively outlining the guidelines for evaluating modular house projects. To illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed methodology, we applied it to a real-world modular house project in Lithuania, demonstrating how this approach can significantly contribute to advancing sustainable construction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between monitoring and evaluation (M&E), project implementation management system (PIMS) for financial monitoring, and project performance within the framework of the resource-based view (RBV), dynamic capabilities, and knowledge management theory. It focuses on non-profit projects in a developing context, particularly in countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Developmental assistance and non-profit projects have an important role to play in the economic performance of developing countries. The research highlights the significance of understanding factors influencing project performance in non-profit projects in developing countries such as BiH. The findings indicate that both M&E and PIMS for financial monitoring significantly influence three key knowledge management processes - knowledge internalization, knowledge accumulation, and knowledge transfer and integration, which in turn positively influence project performance. The study underscores the importance of synergy between M&E, PIMS, and knowledge management for enhancing project performance, offering valuable insights for policymakers, donors, the international community, and academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to evaluate the impact of the Planning Department, Monitoring as well as Evaluation (DPME) in South Africa's Government Department. DPME is one of the South African Government establishments, brought in the year 2010, with the aim to ensure continuous improvement in service delivery in South African government departments through performance monitoring and evaluation. Planning, monitoring, and evaluation are some of the finest ways to make sure a project is carried out according to the plan and produces the desired results and effects. As previously mentioned, the purpose of the Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Assessment is to enable, affect, and promote efficient planning, monitoring, and evaluation of government programs targeted at enhancing outcomes, the impact on society, and the delivery of services. The focus of this article will be on the water supply, which is a common municipality service delivery in particular municipalities. A qualitative research approach will be employed. Data gathering will be based on yearly reports, observed reports on the water supply in the localities, and even quick conversations with the locals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing companies operate in a complex environment and need efficient manufacturing processes to remain competitive. Therefore, evaluation methods are essential for decision makers when selecting manufacturing innovation projects (MIPs). However, most approaches are not suitable for strategic use and do not consider all relevant evaluation dimensions. To address this issue, this work presents an approach to evaluate and select MIPs holistically, considering potential, effort, and risk. The approach enables the analysis of the strategic impact of an MIP using a fuzzy expert system, and further evaluates the implementation effort and risk using a combination of the Analytical Hierarchy Process and the Exponential Risk Priority Number. The approach was developed using the results of a systematic literature review and expert-based methods. Finally, the approach was validated in an industrial case study and enabled a transparent evaluation of the strategic potential, effort, and risk of two MIPs, leading to informed project selection.

Background: Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the first-line treatment for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Maintaining adherence to CPAP in the long term is a clinical problem, and numerous factors have been identified that impact adherence. Although fully remote diagnostic and CPAP services were frequently utilised during the COVID-19 pandemic for patients with OSA, long-term adherence data have not been published. The aim of this service evaluation project was to describe the long-term adherence to CPAP. We also analysed factors that are associated with it. Methods: two-hundred and eighty patients diagnosed with OSA and set up on CPAP remotely during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of routine clinical practice were analysed. Results: One-hundred and seven patients (38%) were fully adherent to CPAP at 24 months, determined by at least 4 h of usage on at least 70% of the days. Of the factors analysed, body mass index, disease severity, driving status and the presence of depression were related to long-term adherence (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: with the likelihood of future pandemics similar to COVID-19, our data provide evidence that fully remote pathways for management of patients with OSA can be designed and be sustainable with good long-term adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the effectiveness of novel models of care in community-based settings is critical to achieving hepatitis C elimination. We conducted an evaluation of a hepatitis C model of care with financial incentives that aimed to improve engagement across the hepatitis C cascade of care at a sexual health service in Cairns, Australia. Methods: Between March 2020 and May 2021, financial incentives were embedded into an established person-centred hepatitis C model of care at Cairns Sexual Health Service. Clients of the Service who self-reported experiences of injecting drugs were offered an AUD 20 cash incentive for hepatitis C testing, treatment initiation, treatment completion, and test for cure. Descriptive statistics were used to describe retention in hepatitis C care in the incentivised model. They were compared to the standard of care offered in the 11 months prior to intervention. Results: A total of 121 clients received financial incentives for hepatitis C testing (antibody or RNA). Twenty-eight clients were hepatitis C RNA positive, of whom 92% (24/28) commenced treatment, 75% (21/28) completed treatment, and 68% (19/28) achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). There were improvements in the proportion of clients diagnosed with hepatitis C who commenced treatment (86% vs. 75%), completed treatment (75% vs. 40%), and achieved SVR (68% vs. 17%) compared to the pre-intervention comparison period. Conclusions: In this study, financial incentives improved engagement and retention in hepatitis C care for people who inject drugs in a model of care that incorporated a person-centred and flexible approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Business & Projects / Revista de Gestão e Projetos is the property of Revista de Gestao e Projetos 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 purpose of this paper is to present research related to the analysis and evaluation of the applicability of project maturity models in organizations conducting research projects, and to propose a project maturity model that could be used in such organizations. The subject of the mixed research undertaken was how to measure the project maturity of organizations conducting research projects (using university as an example). The following research steps were performed: a literature review, empirical research, and a synthesis of the obtained knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of IT projects and their impact on critical business processes has increased in recent years. A successful project is therefore an important goal in the client-consultant relationship. Current research shows that the fitness of a project management approach determines the overall success of a project, which makes the evaluation in the beginning of a project even more crucial. Consultancies and companies alike face the challenge of finding the right project management approach to guide IT transformation projects at an early stage. This research aims to bring transparency to the decision-making process of evaluating a project management approach based on an explorative study. Experienced experts from the consulting side were interviewed to facilitate an understanding of which factors are the most important to consider in this process. Our findings suggest that the decisive factors are client characteristics in terms of Agility Expertise, Flexibility or Security Need, Openness to Change and Governance Structure , in combination with project settings, like the rigidity of scope, budgeting model or project lifecycle status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a Bayesian hypothesis testing framework that allows for the assessment of evidence collected during a clinical trial about the cost-effectiveness of a healthcare technology. The model exploits a Bayesian updating rule that makes the link between the evidence collected in clinical research and the expected payoffs of adoption to the healthcare system. The framework takes into account the cost of decision errors in the payoff function, allowing the decision maker to compute the cost of taking a decision when evidence is far from the optimal decision triggers. We show, using a real-world cost-effectiveness study based on clinical trial evidence, how rules derived from a sequential adaptive design approach can lead to quicker decisions when compared to the value of information decision framework. Our application shows that a sequential approach has the potential to lead to quicker decisions, higher payoffs, and better health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What variables indicate whether a small or medium enterprise (SME) applying for financing from a development bank is a good loan candidate? Structural equation modeling applied to a set of variables can provide the necessary insights. This paper analyzes 407 SMEs that applied for development loans in Pichincha Province, Ecuador. Rather than specific economic/financial quantitative variables often used in credit scoring models, we employed qualitative variables to study creditworthiness. The structural equation methodology can verify whether a client is creditworthy based on company management, product characteristics, and contextual market aspects. Another key contribution is the finding that an entrepreneur's personal/professional traits are the primary determinant for granting this type of loan. The results have theoretical and practical implications that could enhance the limited empirical research in this field to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of highway microgrids is evolving into a new highway energy system that integrates "Source-Network-Load-Storage". This paper provides a comprehensive evaluation of expressway microgrids from the perspective of transportation and energy integration. An index model is set up that considers the economy, technology, and environment. The grey evaluation method, on the strength of analytic hierarchy process–entropy weight method, shows that the integrated microgrid of "source-network-load-storage" promotes energy sustainability, supply reliability, and sustainable environmental development. When compared to different evaluation methods for microgrid planning schemes, our method yields the highest score of 0.9127, indicating superior results. This approach is suitable for the multicomponent evaluation system of expressway microgrids and allows for scientifically evaluating microgrid planning schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract While the concept of project success remains largely open nowadays, we introduce here the Phoenix phenomenon, namely a project being both a success and a failure. Our analysis of an automotive vanguard project exhibits key characteristics of a Phoenix phenomenon: the very innovative and ambitious nature of the project; a project management approach that hybridizes causal innovative project development and effectual approaches; the strategic and operational capacity of the company to recover and valorize after the initial failure; and the learnings from and the achievements of the project in renewed scenarios. We conclude that project evaluation must now combine retrospective and prospective assessments methods to evaluate both achieved outcomes and potentialities of a project. Keywords project evaluation, success and failure, innovative development, effectual approach, causal approach, Phoenix phenomenon, serendipity, exaptation process, prospective assessment, retrospective assessment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Finance Letters / Maliye Finans Yazıları Dergisi is the property of Maliye Finans Yazilari Yayimcilik Ltd. 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.)

In this study, a customized version of a less-preferred methodology in decision-making processes, i.e., the interval type-2 fuzzy ORESTE (IT2F-ORESTE), is proposed, and its effectiveness for selecting the most viable projects is demonstrated. The findings are evaluated against those of fuzzy TOPSIS, which is among the most preferred methods, to provide evidence that the proposed method achieves comparable and even superior results. To this end, multicriteria decision-making studies conducted between 2016 and 2021 were examined. Subsequently, 30 automotive manufacturing projects were evaluated over seven criteria using the fuzzy TOPSIS and customized IT2F-ORESTE methods. The results revealed that IT2FORESTE assigned the highest ranks to projects with high earning potential, low cost, low number of operations, and high production capacity, whereas fuzzy TOPSIS failed to select the best project. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to utilize this new IT2F-ORESTE method in project evaluation within the automotive industry and demonstrate its superiority over that of conventional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EPC (Engineering, Procedure, Construction) refers to the implementation of "procurement, construction, and design" for a certain project, which has a very similar meaning to general engineering contracting. The general contracting mode of EPC is that the construction enterprise, as the owner, contracts the construction project to the general contracting enterprise in a direct form. The engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation is looked as the multi-attribute decision-making (MADM). The triangular fuzzy neutrosophic sets (TFNSs) is more suitable for expressing uncertain information during the engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation. Grey relational analysis (GRA) method is a very active branch of grey system theory, whose basic idea is to determine whether the connections between different sequences are close based on the similarity of the geometric shapes of sequence curves. In this paper, the triangular fuzzy neutrosophic number GRA (TFNN-GRA) method is put up under triangular fuzzy neutrosophic sets (TFNSs) with completely unknown weight information. The information entropy is employed to obtain the weight values under TFNSs. Then, commenting GRA method with TFNSs, the TFNN-GRA is designed and the decision steps for MADM are constructed. Finally, a numerical example for engineering procurement construction project quality evaluation was given and some comparative analysis is employed to verify the advantages of TFNN-GRA method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 17 Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) initiatives have widely been implemented at both local and national levels throughout Malaysia. At local level, the impact evaluation of these initiatives is required to be carried out to validate its effectiveness of these community-based projects (CBPs) for their beneficiaries. In 2023, Selangor, the sole state in the Central two region, underwent impact evaluations for 19 community-based projects (CBPs) funded and monitored by the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia - Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG). Employing a mixed-method approach integrating qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the evaluations drew data from project documents (including proposal, monthly and final reports), focus group discussion (FGDs) and site visit observation. Findings gathered from solution providers, project beneficiaries and evaluators observation were triangulated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of the solution projects based on the three dimensions namely i) Economic-Social-Environment (Ec-S-Ev) Solutions, ii) Return on Value (ROV) Dimension, as well as iii) Impact Evaluation (IE) on 6 domains. The domains include Deep (Personal), Clear (Skills), Wide (Network), High (System), SDGs, and Gender. In the analysis of (Ec-S-Ev) solution, this paper emphasis on income generation which showcases the significant need for economic empowerment and promoting sustainable livelihoods to tackle poverty, especially urban poverty. Finding highlights 18 projects focused on providing economic solution through CBPs and two dimensions namely Deep, and Clear recorded high mean scores than the other four dimensions measured in this impact evaluation exercise. This research contributes to the field of project impact evaluation and provides valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and organizations striving to create sustainable development and uplift communities in Malaysia and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncovering neutrinoless double beta decay (0ν2β) is crucial for confirming neutrinos' Majorana characteristics. The decay rate of 0νββ is theoretically uncertain, influenced by nuclear matrix elements that vary across nuclides. To reduce this uncertainty, precise measurement of the half-life of neutrino-emitting double beta decay (2ν2β) in different nuclides is essential. We have launched the PIKACHU (Pure Inorganic scintillator experiment in KAmioka for CHallenging Underground sciences) project to fabricate high-purity Ce-doped Gd3Ga3Al2O12 (GAGG) single crystals and use them to study the double beta decay of 160Gd. Predictions from two theoretical models on nuclear matrix element calculations for 2ν2β in 160Gd show a significant discrepancy in estimated half-lives, differing by approximately an order of magnitude. If the lower half-life estimation holds true, detecting 2ν2β in 160Gd could be achievable with a sensitivity enhancement slightly more than an order of magnitude compared to prior investigations using Ce-doped Gd2SiO5 (GSO) crystal. We have successfully developed GAGG crystals with purity levels surpassing previous standards through refined purification and selection of raw materials. Our experiments with these crystals indicate the feasibility of reaching sensitivities exceeding those of earlier studies. This paper discusses the ongoing development and scintillator performance evaluation of high-purity GAGG crystals, along with the anticipated future prospects of the PIKACHU experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to produce a project-based learning (PjBL) course model that combines with the Think–Pair–Share (TPS) strategy and to determine its effectiveness in improving the creative thinking skills of education students. The sample of participants comprised 100 students from a university in Bangkok, Thailand. Five main elements comprised the PjBL-TPS course: 1. Project Preparation (including an introduction, pairs formation, and an understanding of the project); 2. Project Pair Cooperation (including discussion, knowledge framework development in pairs, practice analysis, brainstorming, and pair feedback); 3. Project Production (including its development, testing, refinement, and presentation); 4. Project Evaluation (including giving feedback on the work of the other pairs); and 5. Project Conclusion (including reflecting on the overall experience of the project). The results show that, in their post-course exercises, the students displayed enhanced creativity in all areas of creative skills (involving fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration). The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher creativity levels compared to the control group. In addition, the post-course assessments of the self-perceived creativity improvements of the students revealed that, post-course, most of the students perceived improvements in every aspect of their creativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examinations of culture and cultural responsiveness within evaluations have gained traction, successes and challenges working with Latino/a/e communities have been well‐documented, and considerations for working with this community have been put forth. However, evaluation literature examining culturally responsive evaluation (CRE) and social justice approaches within Latino/a/e contexts is still relatively nascent. In this article, we reflect upon an evaluation of a project at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao. We present three key lessons learned. (1) Having the right evaluation team is critical. There is a need for team members with evaluation expertise and cultures and lived experiences similar to those of the participants. (2) Developing an understanding of the context is an important and continuously evolving task. (3) Culturally commensurate instruments and reports are a non‐negotiable aspect of culturally responsive evaluation work within Latino/a/e communities. We conclude with actionable strategies when working in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shares lessons learnt through a partnership project, the Blue Light Programme, by presenting a discussion of key themes inherent in building collaborations between academia and policing. With a focus on sharing experiences with the partnership project, where the academics took the role of a critical friend as part of the project team, the paper explores the balances with meeting both academic and practical considerations. The article explores connecting cultures within the research project and provides insights into partnership approaches with policing and other emergency services. The article purposely does not present results of the partnership project but explores the balance and relationships built between organisations. Presenting wider contextual references on policing culture, the reality of insider and outsider perspectives, the benefits and challenges arising through the role of critical friends in collaboration projects are explored. As critical friends, there was an acknowledgement of the dynamism between the services in the project, its collectiveness in practice, where the project team were able to use the critical friends as a supporting role, one which placed integrity and good methodological practice as the forefront in project evaluation between academia and policing. The paper concludes with observations on moving forward with partnership roles, and the ways to achieve shared goals, where paths enhancing collaborative working can align despite often coming from two different directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]