Gender differences in the aims and impacts of research

This study uses mixed methods – classical citation analysis, altmetric analysis, a survey with researchers as respondents, and text analysis of the abstracts of scientific articles – to investigate gender differences in the aims and impacts of research. We find that male researchers more often value and engage in research mainly aimed at scientific progress, which is more cited. Female researchers more often value and engage in research mainly aimed at contributing to societal progress, which has more abstract views (usage). The gender differences are observed among researchers who work in the same field of research and have the same age and academic position. Our findings have implications for evaluation and funding policies and practices. A critical discussion of how societal engagement versus citation impact is valued, and how funding criteria reflect gender differences, is warranted.

Digitization and Sustainability

Digitization and sustainability are two mega-trends. There are a lot of opportunities and threats discussed. However, a compiled and industry-wide analysis of SWOTs is missing. After a review of the literature on digitization and sustainability and compiling a SWOT table, a concept map is developed for visualizing key topics in light of digitization and sustainability. In addition, for illustrating unconscious knowledge, two exemplifying systemic structural constellations are presented in this context as well. The results show immense tensions between sustainability and digitization, but also offer progressive patterns. In light of a development towards sustainability, digitization is both boon and bane and often needs a clear analysis of all relevant issues and a careful handling in order to be progressive. Digital transformation requires a precise and honest value basis and sustainability added value. Therefore, societal progress and strict law regulation will be needed.

New visions for sustainability during a pandemic Towards sustainable wellbeing in a changing planet

Sustainability has been evolving in tandem with societal progress, and as humankind advances, the vision and quality of sustainable development will also change, and most likely in ways that are as yet unpredictable. Sustainability might be incrementally achieved through the integration of economics with biology, philosophy, and neurology. It might also be realized by enhancing our knowledge, our sense and appreciation of environmental beauty and by qualitative and authentic improvements of places, especially tourism destinations. At the end, changes in the physical world only come through changes in human mentality and consciousness. In recent decades, the human mind has been producing exponential changes, though some of these have been delivered in perhaps less than desirable directions. Sustainability, in this sense, is an unending process of moving toward positive outcomes, defined by shifting human beliefs, desires, knowledge, and experiences. Health concerns have always prevented the desires and myths of traveling, but COVID 19 is also precluding the needs of moving.

Introduction

This chapter discusses why it is time to re-think how we value and address our health in a complex and interdependent world. As the final pages of this book were being drafted, the COVID-19 pandemic had already claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world. At the time of writing, the first wave has receded in some countries and lockdowns begin to ease, livelihoods of whole nations have been left in the balance and economic and societal progress has been halted or even reversed. The dependency of the global economy upon the health of its citizens has been laid bare by COVID-19. The prosperity and happiness of communities and nations has been devastated by illness, and the fragility of society has been clearly revealed. Worse still, the glaring inequalities in lived experiences have translated into shocking differences in survival rates among different communities.

Competitive productivity and the challenge of metastasis under rising societal complexity

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to locate the concept of competitive productivity (CP) within a general theory of societal progress and include new thinking on the challenge of obstacles to be met at certain stages.Design/methodology/approachThe approach is to review the key literature dealing with economic growth and rising societal achievement and to refine out concepts that offer understanding of the dynamics commonly involved, taking illustrative examples from different societies and seeking overall common denominators that appear within the historical processes.FindingsNew understandings of societal progress, using complex adaptive systems theory applied to cities and industrial districts, indicate that two forces are at work to release new positive forms of energy into society. Economies of scale work via the laws of fractal geometry to yield sublinear growth of energy. More intense social interaction works within the core of the society in a different way to yield superlinear growth. These two forms of energy release can feed off each other beneficially in conditions where, as with CP, the forces of competition can work with forces driving efficiency, in conditions where societal order can be supported by appropriate cultural norms.Research limitations/implicationsA wide literature across several disciplines is brought to bear on the very complex question. Some of the theories are new but very well anchored. It is consequently possible to suggest a pattern of multi-determinants able to match the reality and to foster nuanced comprehensive analysis.Practical implicationsImpacts on policy of foreign direct investment and joint venture management.Social implicationsEmphasis on the roles of societal virtues in establishing the cooperativeness needed for CP.Originality/valueFew studies bring together so many disciplinary perspectives into a complete argument.

Corporate Social Responsibility Programs and Community Perceptions of Societal Progress in Bangladesh: A Multimethod Approach

Grounded on stakeholder theory and contemporary corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature, this study aims to investigate the broad categories of CSR programs (CSRPs) of scheduled banks and nonbanking financial institutions of Bangladesh Bank (the central bank of Bangladesh). This study also attempts to build the relationship between CSRPs and community perceptions of societal progress. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the data collected from primary and secondary sources. The findings of this study show that CSRPs positively influence community perceptions of societal progress. The results of this study will have significant practical implications on societal progress and future research on CSR and community development.