Timing Legitimacy: Identifying the Optimal Moment to Launch Technology in the Market

How do managers time the launch of new technologies? Without actionable frameworks to ensure consumers and other stakeholders are ready, innovation releases remain a risky endeavor. Previous work on legitimacy has focused on stages following a product launch. However, launch timing concerns shared expectations of when actions should occur prior to launch. This conceptual article evaluates the alignment between firm and stakeholder expectations regarding launch timing. It proposes that the market timing of new technology launches is structured by two dimensions: firm-led coordination and stakeholders’ willingness to change. Combining these dimensions, the authors map four types of market timing situations managers can encounter: antagonistic, synergistic, flexible, and inflexible timing. Temporal legitimacy is achieved when a firm and its key stakeholders share timing norms about the ideal moments when activities should occur in a market process. The authors conceptualize proto-markets as prefacing the well-known market legitimacy stages. This article concludes with a detailed managerial decision tree on how to create the optimal technology product launch moment and avenues of future research on market timing beyond technology launches

Clinician Diagnostic Ratings and Countertransference Reactions Towards Grandiose and Vulnerable Narcissism

Background Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is known to comprise two distinct but connected phenotypes related to ‘grandiosity’ and ‘vulnerability’, respectively. While evidence suggests differing countertransference responses to narcissism subtype expression, no study has examined this using a qualitative methodology and explored associations with ratings of personality disorder severity. Method Mental health clinicians (N = 180, 67% female, age = 38.9), completed qualitative clinical reflections and ratings of overall personality disorder severity towards two hypothetical vignettes displaying pathological narcissism (‘grandiose’ and ‘vulnerable’ narcissism respectively), as well as a rating of attitudes towards patients in their routine practice who resemble these vignettes. Results Distinct qualitative themes were identified between narcissistic subtype, with grandiose narcissism evoking anger, lack of empathy and hopelessness, compared to sympathy, sadness and discomfort in vulnerable narcissism. In terms of diagnostic category, the grandiose vignette was predominately identified as ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ (97%), whereas the vulnerable vignette was a mixture of ‘depressive disorder’ (29%), ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ (24%), ‘trauma and stressor related disorders’ (21%) and ‘borderline personality disorder’ (21%). Attitude scores differed significantly between subtypes, with more negative attitudes towards narcissistic grandiosity than narcissistic vulnerability. The grandiose vignette was also rated as displaying more overall personality impairment, with an association observed between negative clinician attitude scores and increased ratings of personality disorder severity. Discussion Two potential pathways are outlined to interpret these findings. The first is that inordinate stigma towards narcissistic grandiosity negatively biases clinicians when working with these patients due to feelings of anger and frustration. The second is that clinicians are drawn to minimise pathology of vulnerable patients due to their feelings of sadness and empathy. We propose that effective diagnosis and psychotherapy for pathological narcissism rely on clinicians' ability to balance these two dilemmas and resist either extreme

Measurement invariance of the Death Literacy Index across Flemish Belgium, The Netherlands, and Sweden

Death literacy is a construct conceptualizing experience-based knowledge and skills for end-of-life care, which is operationalized as a six-factor model in the 29-item Death Literacy Index (DLI). The DLI has gained international interest, but its validity across countries is yet unknown. This cross-sectional study therefore assessed its measurement invariance (psychometric equivalence), across Flemish Belgium, the Netherlands, and Sweden. Translated and adapted country-specific DLI versions were developed and completed by 1516 participants in total. Results from a series of multigroup confirmatory factor analyses showed that the DLI met the conditions for configural, scalar, and metric invariance. The findings demonstrate that the DLI measures death literacy in an invariant (equivalent) way across the national samples without systematic contextual bias. Our study provides support for cross-national use of the DLI. Its potential as an appropriate instrument for comparing and evaluating impact of community competence-building interventions is discussed

Comparison of Anatomical and Indication‐Based Diagnostic Reference Levels (DRLs) in Head CT Imaging: Implications for Radiation Dose Management

Introduction: Many diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) in computed tomography (CT) imaging are based mainly on anatomical locations and often overlook variations in radiation exposure due to different clinical indications. While indication‐based DRLs, derived from dose descriptors like volume‐weighted CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product (DLP), are recommended for optimising patient radiation exposure, many studies still use anatomical‐based DRL values. This study is aimed at quantifying the differences between anatomical and indication‐based DRL values in head CT imaging and assessing its implications for radiation dose management. This will support the narrative when explaining the distinction between indication‐based DRLs and anatomical DRLs for patients’ dose management. Methods: Employing a retrospective quantitative study design, we developed and compared anatomical and common indication‐based DRL values using a dataset of head CT scans with similar characteristics. The indications included in the study were brain tumor/intracranial space‐occupying lesion (ISOL), head injury/trauma, stroke, and anatomical examinations. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Version 29. Results: The findings suggest that using anatomical‐based DLP DRL values for CT head examinations leads to underestimations in the median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile values of head injury/trauma by 20.2%, 30.0%, and 14.5% in single‐phase CT head procedures. Conversely, for the entire examination, using anatomical‐based DLP DRL as a benchmark for CT stroke DRL overestimates median, 25th percentile, and 75th percentile values by 18.3%, 23.9%, and 13.5%. Brain tumor/ISOL DLP values are underestimated by 62.6%, 60.4%, and 71.8%, respectively. Conclusion:The study highlights that using anatomical DLP DRL values for specific indications in head CT scans can lead to underestimated or overestimated DLP values, making them less reliable for radiation management compared to indication‐based DRLs. Therefore, it is imperative to promote the establishment and use of indication‐based DRLs for more accurate dose management in CT imaging

The Limits of Company Law in Saving Our Planet: Rethinking the future of the corporate purpose movement

The revival of the corporate purpose debate has once again brought to the forefront the question of whose interests companies should serve. Purposes that focus on shareholder value are increasingly scrutinised in a world grappling with challenges like climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. While historically company law played a role in shaping corporate purpose by requiring companies to assume certain social responsibilities, this paper argues that it is unrealistic to expect modern company law to shift away from a shareholder orientation. Using English company law as an example, including recent cases such as BTI 2014 LLC v Sequana and ClientEarth v Shell Plc, this paper critically examines directors’ shareholder-oriented fiduciary duties, shareholders’ ultimate control, and other forces that reinforce such a focus. It finds that company law in its current form is not well equipped to address negative externalities or social harms. As a result, proposals like mandating a purpose clause or revising fiduciary duties are unlikely to be effective. The paper concludes that viable tools lie outside the traditional boundary of company law: regulatory regimes in areas such as consumer protection, employment, anti-discrimination, and environmental protection can more effectively impose obligations that ensure directors consider broader stakeholder interests in their decision-making. By shifting the focus towards these external legal frameworks, the paper attempts to guide scholars, commentators, and policymakers towards more effective strategies for promoting corporate responsibility in an era full of pressing global challenges

Migration intentions and influencing factors among clinical radiography students in 14 African countries: A quantitative survey

Introduction Understanding students' intentions regarding migration is crucial, as migration intentions are strongly correlated with future actions. This study aimed to evaluate the migration intentions of radiography students in Africa and assess the push and pull factors influencing their decisions. Methods This quantitative study employed an online cross-sectional survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted using Stata 13. For the students who confirmed their desire to migrate, an additional exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed using principal component analysis (PCA). Results A total of 614 students drawn from 14 African countries participated in the study, with a significant majority (93 %) expressing a desire to work in another country. The desire to fulfil self-aspirations was the most common push factor identified by students (Agree – 35.2 %, Strongly agree – 43.96 %; Overall - 79.16 %). In the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were identified, explaining 58.84 % of the variation in the data. These factors included social, Health System, economic, Political, and Professional factors. The opportunity to gain better clinical experience was the major pull factor identified, with 56.39 % of students strongly agreeing with this statement. Conclusion The potential emigration of future skilled healthcare professionals poses major ramifications for Africa’s healthcare workforce. Understanding these migration intentions could allow policymakers to develop strategies that improve local opportunities, strengthen healthcare facilities, and foster an environment that retains talent and stimulates career development in the region. Implication for practice Addressing the migration intentions of radiography students in Africa requires a proactive, multifaceted approach. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, African healthcare systems can more effectively retain future radiography professionals and enhance the sustainability of the workforce

Boundary Quantum Field Theories Perturbed by TT: Towards a Form Factor Program

Our understanding of irrelevant perturbations of integrable quantum field theories has greatly expanded over the last decade. In particular, we know that, from a scattering theory viewpoint at least, their effect is realised as a modification the two-body scattering amplitudes by a CDD factor. While this sounds like a relatively small change, this CDD factor incorporates a nontrivial dependence on the perturbation parameter(s) and alters substantially the high-energy physics of the model. This occurs through the introduction of a natural length scale and is associated with phenomena such as the Hagedorn transition. In this paper we discuss how all these features extend to boundary integrable quantum field theories and propose a construction for the building blocks of matrix elements of local fields. We show that the same type of building blocks are also found in the sinh-Gordon model with Dirichlet boundary conditions

A Novel Postgraduate Diversity in Medical Education (DiME) Leadership Programme

Background Reduced retention and progression amongst ethnic minority staff is severely disrupting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within healthcare with negative impacts on patient care. There is a lack of diversity in postgraduate leadership roles with systemic issues and insufficient support. To help address these issues at an individual level, we developed the Diversity in Medical Education (DiME) programme that aims to close the gap between ethnic minority individuals and training programme director (TPD) positions. Approach Over 6 months, the programme consisted of a series of learning days on action learning sets and effective meetings, mock interviews with associate deans, networking events, mentoring, access to coaching and subsequently forming a peer network. Participants were recruited from a wide range of primary and secondary care specialties and ethnic minority backgrounds. Evaluation A qualitative evaluation was undertaken. Lessons learned included providing protected time to participate in professional development, facilitating flexibility of opportunities and enhancing understanding and encouragement for individuals to progress as an ethnic minority leader. Interviews revealed programme benefits, barriers and challenges participants faced in reaching leadership positions and suggested recommendations to enhance DiME. Benefits included the development of technical and non‐technical skills, feeling valued and supported, and peer networking. Implications DiME is a novel postgraduate programme to support ethnic minority TPDs in overcoming barriers to leadership positions through building networks and sharing valuable skills. Systemic and institutional barriers impede ethnic minority individuals reaching senior leadership positions, yet this initiative provides a small step through the implementation of an innovative programme

GKF-PUAL: A group kernel-free approach to positive-unlabeled learning with variable selection

Variable selection is important for classification of data with many irrelevant predicting variables, but it has not yet been well studied in positive-unlabeled (PU) learning, where classifiers have to be trained without labeled-negative instances. In this paper, we propose a group kernel-free PU classifier with asymmetric loss (GKF-PUAL) to achieve quadratic PU classification with group-lasso regularisation embedded for variable selection. We also propose a five-block algorithm to solve the optimization problem of GKF-PUAL. Our experimental results reveals the superiority of GKF-PUAL in both PU classification and variable selection, improving the baseline PUAL by more than 10% in F1-score across four benchmark datasets and removing over 70% of irrelevant variables on six benchmark datasets. The code for GKF-PUAL is at https://github.com/tkks22123/GKF-PUAL