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This purpose of this paper is to explore the future of open universities (OUs), particularly in developing Asia, focusing on the potential risks associated with technological solutionism, or the popular belief that educational problems can be readily solved through technological means. This exploration is pertinent as the initial advantages that OUs once held have significantly diminished and competing higher education institutions worldwide are converging on a digital future.

The qualitative method of empathy-based stories (MEBS) was employed as the primary research method for drawing data from sampled OU teachers. The obtained data were parsed via textual analysis and the lens of critical discourses on technology and higher education.

The study shows that, in the future envisioned by the sampled OU teachers, students’ lack of privileged access to frontier technologies is no barrier to learning success. It also emphasises that learning outcomes have causality beyond technological determinism, and that educational problems, which OUs may deem as requiring technological solutions, are often non-technological in nature and require no technological fixes.

Critiques of techno-solutionism, such as the present study, are virtually absent in the context of OUs in developing Asia. For this very reason, this study is vital and serves as a guardrail while these OUs seek to reformulate their respective value propositions in the time of global digital convergence.

The purpose of this paper is to present the investigation of damage severity of reinforced concrete (RC) beam subjected to increasing fatigue loading using intensity of acoustic emission (AE) signal.

Together 17 RC beams with dimension of 150 × 150 × 750 mm were prepared. Third point loading fatigue test was performed based on load at the first crack (Pcr) and the ultimate static load (Pult). The frequency of 1 Hz was used with the increasing fatigue loadings, 0.5Pcr (P1), 0.8Pcr (P2), 1.0Pcr (P3), 0.2Pult (P4), 0.5Pult (P5) and 0.6Pult (P6). The damage severity of crack for each phase of loading allowed the identification of the crack modes of the beams, namely, Zone A (no significant emission), Zone B (minor), Zone C (intermediate), Zone D (follow-up) and Zone E (major).

The intensity analysis indicated clear trend with respect to crack propagation in the beam and, hence, can be used to monitor the crack occurrence in the beam.

The intensity analysis has been carried out for the beam subjected to increasing fatigue loading. The analysis was based on the AE data obtained from channel basis and located event.

We undertake a genealogical critique to undermine the very noble but hardly questioned implementation of inclusive education in Indonesia, less to identify dubious neo-colonial powers of particular groups, than to deconstruct ill-defined understandings of schooling as a process of ‘normalisation’ of the ‘abnormals’. We approach inclusive classes through Foucault's concept of Heterotopia, a space which is deviant from the norm. Instead of questioning inclusive education as a heterotopian way of schooling only, we contest regular schooling itself and the power normalisation. Along a second Foucauldian concept of Heterochronia we connect historical insights of seating Indonesian children at a regular school desks in 1920 with the training of children with special needs to be seated in Indonesian disability centres 2020. We argue that ‘normalisation’ as such can hardly be critiqued, because it is an existing social and institutional normality. But taking critique as a conflict between colonial, globalising and even humanitarian forces, enables a Foucauldian analysis of normalising technologies of education and of inclusive education in particular.

This study aims to explore the relationship between firm risk, capital structure, cost of equity capital and social and environmental sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic for companies listed on Tehran Stock Exchange.

To this aim, the information about 190 companies in 2014–2020 was retrieved to be analyzed. The total risk and systematic risk were used as the indicators of company risk; the industry-adjusted earnings price ratio (IndEP) and GORDON were used for the cost of equity capital. To measure social sustainability and environmental sustainability, the procedure suggested by Arianpoor and Salehi (2020) was used.

Underleveraged firms have had a lower total risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, while overleveraged firms have not had a higher risk during this time. In overleveraged firms, using systematic risk has a negative impact on social sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic. In overleveraged firms, using total risk and systematic risk has a significant negative impact on environmental sustainability in the pandemic. Besides, overleveraged firms have a lower cost of equity capital (IndEP) during COVID-19.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no similar study has so far examined the joint impact of COVID-19 and corporate risk on social and environmental sustainability and also the joint impact of COVID-19 and capital structure on the cost of equity. This study contributes to the related literature by providing corporations with insightful post-pandemic directions on capital structure decisions and social and environmental activities. Furthermore, this research and the relevant findings can help understand and develop social responsibility in Iran as a developing country.

Digital transformation is a process in which organizations use technology as an essential resource to improve performance and increase market reach and results.

This research aims to verify how dynamic capabilities are configured for the development of strategies and processes necessary for digital transformation. To this end, qualitative research of an exploratory nature was carried out, operationalized through in-depth individual interviews with a semi-structured approach with managers who occupy leadership positions, in addition to a documentary survey of the internal records of the analyzed organization. In data analysis, the content analysis technique was used.

The main results of the research showed that the dynamic capabilities configured in sensing, seizing and reconfiguring contribute to leveraging digital transformation in the business studied through the reformulation of strategies to integrate and coordinate the implementation of new routines, investments in technological and human resources and actions to change culture with a focus on digital transformation considering the company’s stakeholders.

This transformation affects business models, products, services and processes, as well as the review of strategies, organizational structures and management concepts.

The purpose of this research is to identify the effect of transformational leadership and transactional leadership on task performance, as well as the mediating role of psychological empowerment.

A questionnaire survey was sent to 177 academic staff in a Public University in Malaysia. The data were analysed using SmartPLS 3.2.9.

The results show that only psychological empowerment is positively associated with task performance. Unexpectedly, transformational leadership and transactional leadership have no direct effect on task performance. However, there is an indirect positive relationship between leadership styles and task performance, whereby this relationship is mediated by psychological empowerment. Furthermore, both leadership styles positively influenced psychological empowerment.

This study was conducted among academicians from Public Universities in Malaysia using two types of leadership styles. Therefore, it is recommended for future study to include academician from private universities and also to consider more leadership styles dimensions. The finding of this study shows that R² was 35.3% for psychological empowerment; according to Cohen (1988), this percentage indicates substantial predictive accuracy in explaining psychological empowerment. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to explore other factors.

Empowered employees were highly responsible, put extra work effort and creative in doing their jobs, which tends to increase their performance at work. It is also found that psychological empowerment has the highest and largest effect, contributing to task performance (f² = 0.389).

The inconsistencies of the previous studies' results provide evidence and opportunities for this study to review by including the mediating variable of leadership styles and task performance relationship.

This study assesses postreplanting oil palm farming risks, analyzes seed procurement parameters, investigates seed institutions' performance factors and develops a framework for improved sustainability.

Incorporating data from 219 smallholder farmers in designated replanting areas, our study comprehensively evaluates seed supply performance, examining the roles of stakeholders and identifying potential risks in seed management. We assess these risks using the Risk Priority Number (RPN) methodology and Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) techniques.

The results show that the timing and quantity of oil palm seed supply have a relatively small impact on postreplanting failure risk. To mitigate this risk, focus on monitoring seed purity using high-quality Tenera oil palm-type seeds and early detection technology. Encourage seed-producing cooperatives to become legal seed producers for an inclusive system and consider smallholders' variety preferences.

This study’s significance lies in its comprehensive assessment of the risks associated with oil palm replanting on smallholder plantations, detailed analysis of critical parameters in seed procurement, investigation into the performance of palm oil seed institutions across various dimensions and development of a strategic framework to strengthen inclusive seed institutions for sustainable oil palm farming. This strategy holds valuable potential for the development of oil palm in Indonesia, particularly in expediting the smallholders' replanting program.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-10-2023-0811

Responding to the need for exploration of psychological predictors influencing innovation, this study aims to examine the impact of psychological ownership (PO) in employee innovation behavior (EIB) with a focus on psychological empowerment (PE) and employee resilience (ER) as mediators.

Data was collected from full-time employees working in travel agencies and five-star hotels in Egypt. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling analysis was performed on 409 valid responses.

The findings of this study revealed PO has a positive effect on EIB. Such relationship is partially mediated by PE and ER.

Theoretically, this study offers valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms that elucidate how PO influences employees' innovation behavior and resilience, while aligning with the principles of self-determination theory.