scholarly journals Evaluating the impact of interdisciplinary research: A multilayer network approach

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELISA OMODEI ◽  
MANLIO DE DOMENICO ◽  
ALEX ARENAS
Keyword(s):  
Policy Decision ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Scientific Policy ◽  
Multilayer Network ◽  
Interdisciplinary Work ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

AbstractNowadays, scientific challenges usually require approaches that cross traditional boundaries between academic disciplines, driving many researchers towards interdisciplinarity. Despite its obvious importance, there is a lack of studies on how to quantify the influence of interdisciplinarity on the research impact, posing uncertainty in a proper evaluation for hiring and funding purposes. Here, we propose a method based on the analysis of bipartite interconnected multilayer networks of citations and disciplines, to assess scholars, institutions, and countries interdisciplinary importance. Using data about physics publications and US patents, we show that our method allows to reward, using a quantitative approach, scholars and institutions that have carried out interdisciplinary work and have had an impact in different scientific areas. The proposed method could be used by funding agencies, universities and scientific policy decision makers for hiring and funding purposes, and to complement existing methods to rank universities and countries.

Fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making to identify the order of establishing temporary logistics hubs during disaster response

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajali Maharjan ◽  
Shinya Hanaoka
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Group Decision Making ◽  
Disaster Response ◽  
Group Decision ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Numerical Illustration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the importance of the order of establishment of temporary logistics hubs (TLHs) when resources (mobile storage units used as TLHs) are limited and to present the development and implementation of a methodology that determines the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making. Design/methodology/approach It employed a decision support system that considers multiple decision makers and subjective attributes, while also addressing the impreciseness inherent in post-disaster decision making for ordering the establishment of TLHs. To do so, an optimization model was combined with a fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making approach. A numerical illustration was performed using data from the April 2015 Nepal Earthquake. Findings The results showed the location and order of establishment of TLHs, and demonstrated the impact of decision makers’ opinions on the overall ordering. Research limitations/implications The study does not discuss the uncertain nature of the location problem and the potential need for relocation of TLHs. Practical implications This methodology offers managerial insights for post-disaster decision making when resources are limited and their effective utilization is vital. The results highlight the importance of considering the opinions of multiple actors/decision makers to enable coordination and avoid complication between the growing numbers of humanitarian responders during disaster response. Originality/value This study introduces the concept of the order of establishment of TLHs and demonstrates its importance when resources are limited. It develops and implements a methodology determining the order of establishment of TLHs to support post-disaster decision making.

Methods for mapping the impact of social sciences and humanities—A literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Budtz Pedersen ◽  
Jonas Følsgaard Grønvad ◽  
Rolf Hvidtfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Methodological Pluralism ◽  
Social Sciences And Humanities ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This article explores the current literature on ‘research impact’ in the social sciences and humanities (SSH). By providing a comprehensive review of available literature, drawing on national and international experiences, we take a systematic look at the impact agenda within SSH. The primary objective of this article is to examine key methodological components used to assess research impact comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each method. The study finds that research impact is a highly complex and contested concept in the SSH literature. Drawing on the strong methodological pluralism emerging in the literature, we conclude that there is considerable room for researchers, universities, and funding agencies to establish impact assessment tools directed towards specific missions while avoiding catch-all indicators and universal metrics.

scholarly journals Public Transfers and Domestic Violence: The Roles of Private Information and Spousal Control

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo J Bobonis ◽  
Melissa González-Brenes ◽  
Roberto Castro
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Private Information ◽  
Spousal Abuse ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Transfer Programs ◽  
Female Partners ◽  
Public Transfers ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

We study whether transfer programs in which funds are targeted to women decrease the incidence of spousal abuse. We examine the impact of the Mexican Oportunidades program on spousal abuse rates and threats of violence using data from a specialized survey. Beneficiary women are 40 percent less likely to be victims of physical abuse, but are more likely to receive violent threats with no associated abuse. This evidence is consistent with a model of decision-makers' interactions with asymmetric information in the male partner's gains to marriage, who can then use threats of violence to extract rents from their female partners. (JEL D82, J12, J16, K42, O15, O17)

Trends and Perspectives of PRC's Energy Policy Making Institutions and Policies

2009 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-124
Author(s):  
Chulwon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Energy Policy ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Policy Decision Making ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
The Impact

The future direction of China's approach to energy policy making is, of course, difficult to predict. This is due not only to the opaque and fragmented nature of Chinese energy policy decision-making, but also to the fact that energy policy is a new topic for China's leaders and the individuals they rely on for advice to master that impinges on the interests of actors throughout the Chinese bureaucracy. The wide range of participants in the energy policy debate indicates that more diversified views on it probably reach the top leadership. The impact of the multiplicity of opinions is two-fold. It can result in more informed decision-making, but it can also delay the process as decision makers must assess a larger number of competing and sometimes contradictory views.

scholarly journals The Impact of E-Commerce Sales on Capacity Utilization

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 499-516
Author(s):  
Xuechang Zhu ◽  
Hui Shang ◽  
Zhen Dai ◽  
Bin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Utilization ◽  
Process Innovation ◽  
Manufacturing Firms ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Mediated Moderation ◽  
Moderation Model ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

This study aims to examine the relationship between e-commerce sales and capacity utilization in China, with process innovation being the mediator and product focus being the moderator. A mediated moderation model was developed and tested using data from 804 Chinese manufacturing firms as well as two-stage least squares regression analysis. The results reveal that the relationship between e-commerce sales and capacity utilization is negative; while process innovation mediates this relationship. Furthermore, product focus not only moderates the relationship between e-commerce sales and capacity utilization, but also moderates the relationship between process innovation and capacity utilization. These findings are useful for decision-makers when formulating e-commerce sales strategies and focusing on process innovation that will help them achieve higher capacity utilization. This paper contributes to existing research by validating process innovation as mediator and product focus as moderator between e-commerce sales and capacity utilization.

scholarly journals What is the impact of patient recruitment on offshoring of clinical trials?

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Kermanimojarad
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
The United States ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Main Driver ◽  
Key Driver ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract The issue of globalization of research is receiving considerable attention due to the increasing number of offshored R&D activities from the United States, Europe, and Japan. This paper explores this phenomenon and provides a model to analyze the factors that will likely contribute to a global transformation of clinical trials. By identifying the main characteristics of clinical trials, I aim to clarify the main driver of the relocation process of clinical research. I reviewed the relevant published articles to address the research questions. The results of this study challenge the traditional thinking of cost-related factors as the major reason for offshoring cilinical trials and show the importance of the recruitment of human subjects in trials. Consequently, this paper suggests that “recruitment crisis” in home country as the main contribution and a key driver to offshore R&D activities, has been underestimated by previous studies. In particular, this study provides policy-decision makers with a new insight into the development issue surrounding the pharmaceutical industry.

scholarly journals Diversity, Disparity and Territorial Resilience in the Context of the Economic Crisis: An Analysis of Rural Areas in Southern Spain

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1743 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Sánchez-Zamora ◽  
Rosa Gallardo-Cobos
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Natural Capital ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Composite Indices ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Programming Period ◽  
The Impact

This paper analyses territorial resilience in rural Andalusia, Spain, after the impact of the recent economic crisis and identifies the factors associated with the highest recovery rates in different contexts and territories. To this end, we developed a methodology that incorporates the heterogeneity and diversity of rural territories and uses composite indices calculated using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in order to measure levels of resilience and identify the factors that impact recovery in rural counties. The results reveal how different aspects of economic, social, human, and natural capital promote resilient territorial dynamics in rural Andalusia. These results provide useful information for political decision-makers in the design of public policies, especially at a time like the present when the EU is immersed in debate on the reform of rural development policies for the next programming period beyond 2020.

scholarly journals Estimating Destination of Bus Trips Considering Trip Type Characteristics

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soongbong Lee ◽  
Jongwoo Lee ◽  
Bumjoon Bae ◽  
Daisik Nam ◽  
Seunghoon Cheon
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Estimation Accuracy ◽  
Travel Patterns ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Stage Estimation ◽  
The Impact

In recent years, local governments have been using transportation card data to monitor the use of public transport and improve the service. However, local governments that are applying a single-fare scheme are experiencing difficulties in using data for accurate identification of real travel patterns, policy decision support, etc. because the information on alighting stops of users is missing. This policy limits its functionality of utilizing data such as accurate identification of real travel patterns, policy decision support, etc. Various studies to overcome this limitation have been conducted in South Korea and other countries to develop es-timation methodologies of alighting stops. Even existing studies introduce an advanced method, we found the margin for better accuracy by combining various estimation methodologies for estimating alighting stops. This study reviewed previously conducted studies to classify data with missing alighting stop information into trip types and then applied an appropriate alighting stop estimation methodology for the characteristics of each trip type by stage. The proposed method is evaluated by utilizing transportation card data of the Seoul metropolitan area and checked the accuracy for each standard of allowable error for sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, the number of trips, accuracy, and valid tag rate were checked for each type to examine the need for classifying the trip types. Finally, our evaluation also examines the impact of classifying trip types on estimation accuracy. The evaluation criteria are accuracy of the number of trips and valid tag rate. The analysis shows that the stage-by-stage estimation methodology based on the trip type proposed in this study can es-timate users’ destinations more accurately than previous studies. Furthermore, based on the construction of nearly 100% valid tag data, this study differs from prior studies.

scholarly journals Influencing Holistic Health Policy

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1544-1552
Author(s):  
Erica Bell
Keyword(s):  
Health Policy ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Policy Decision ◽  
Holistic Health ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Relevant Research ◽  
Funding Agencies ◽  
Definition Of

Beliefs that health policy-making is an inherently ‘ideological’ or ‘irrational’ process appear to have worked to prevent researchers from developing better understandings of the kind of evidence that does work to influence policy. Without a model of policy-making that positions policy decision-makers as capable of being informed by specific forms of evidence that speak to policy contexts, it is difficult for research to begin to shape health policy. Recent years have seen the development of a research industry that focuses on developing and describing research approaches for shaping health and social services policy. This analysis paper offers a highly selective overview of generic features of policy-relevant research for holistic health. It aims to support efforts to develop better evidence for health policy by exploring elements of the genre of policy-relevant research, particularly as it applies to the challenges of holistic health policy-making. First, it offers a conceptual definition of holistic health policy-making, as well as research evidence for this kind of policy making, identifying some of the generic features of policy-relevant research. Second, it outlines some of the key practices for delivering sound evidence for health policy, in ways that highlight the salient differences between doing research for holistic health policy, and doing academic research in health. The paper concludes with directions for developing better evidence for holistic health policy-making that question the assumptions of quality which often inform elite funding agencies, calling for their diversification.

From rivers to retailers: using cross-sector stakeholder engagement to broaden dissemination and guide future research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Stanton ◽  
Paul Kay ◽  
Rachel Gomes ◽  
Matthew Johnson ◽  
Jason Weeks
Keyword(s):  
News Media ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Research Impact ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Environmental Research ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Plastic Pollution ◽  
Pollution Problem ◽  
The Impact

<p>Concern for the fate and impacts of plastic waste has motivated cross-sector engagement with the environment and society’s impact on it. Though efforts to minimise plastic pollution should not be discouraged, it is important that such efforts do not exacerbate the environmental impacts associated with plastic alternatives; acknowledge that plastic <em>per se</em> is not the root of the plastic pollution problem; and recognise that environmentally conscious consumption is a privilege not currently afforded to all. Cross-sector communication and cooperation can maximise the impact of plastic pollution research and are vital tools in ensuring research can inform positive change. Here we report on the use of stakeholder engagement spanning UK industry, government, not-for-profit organisations and academia to share knowledge, motivations and priorities, in order to broaden research impact beyond academia.</p><p>Informed by our own work, microplastic researchers at the University of Nottingham hosted a cross-sector workshop to recognise evidence requirements, focus key questions, highlight misunderstandings and ultimately identify knowledge gaps across multiple sectors. This engagement identified key areas for improvement from the scientific community in order to better inform and engage decision makers. These included: a need for greater clarity from the scientific community as to the extent of the plastic pollution problem; communication of the implications of methodological inconsistencies in the science that informs industry; and the importance of placing the impacts of plastic pollution within the context of broader environmental quality for non-scientific stakeholders.</p><p>This workshop and engagement led to outputs that included: the writing of a policy brief; the writing of an opinion article on the topic of plastic pollution with authors from not-for profits, the wastewater industry and government organisations; and the public dissemination of these activities through press releases, articles for The Conversation, and their reproductions in UK news media. These outputs are designed to guide and inform individuals, industry, decision makers, and future research.</p><p>Concern for the problems posed by plastic pollution presents a generational opportunity for science to inform industries, governments and consumers, and enthuse their environmental action beyond plastic pollution. Our work highlights the value of considering, and where feasible engaging with, these stakeholders with environmental research from conception to dissemination.</p>

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