An Economic Approach to the Psychology of Change: Amnesia, Inertia, and Impulsiveness

This paper models how imperfect memory affects the optimal continuity of policies. We examine the choices of a player (individual or firm) who observes previous actions but cannot remember the rationale for these actions. In a stable environment, the player optimally responds to memory loss with excess inertia, defined as a higher probability of following old policies than would occur under full recall. In a volatile environment, the player can exhibit excess impulsiveness (i.e., be more prone to follow new information signals). The model provides a memory-loss explanation for some documented psychological biases, implies that inertia and organizational routines should be more important in stable environments than in volatile ones, and provides other empirical implications relating memory and environmental variables to the continuity of decisions.Memory, inertia, amnesia, behavioral economics

Essays on Innovations in Public Sector Auditing

The current antecedents of innovation in the public sector, that is, the adoption of SDGs and the unprecedented technological advancements exert pressures on the Supreme audit institutions’(SAIs) current socio-technical system. This has led SAIs to adopt different strategies to maintain their relevance and improve the quality of their work and operations. This thesis investigated the different types of innovations currently happening in the SAIs environment and how SAIs are reacting to the demands of these changes. This exploratory work captured public sector audit innovation through the following three essays: The first essay focused on Digital Transformation (DT), investigated how SAIs approach, and interpret DT. In this regard, DT was investigated from a SAIs perspective. Due to it being a novel topic in public sector auditing research, a qualitative research method was adopted, this method was supported with expert interviews and archival and or document data. Key findings revealed that the definition of DT varies from SAI to SAI, and this variation resulted from the differences in the level of digital development in each country. SAIs applied reactive and, in some situations proactive change strategies were applied. In the reactive strategy, SAIs reacted to change induced by a situational demand while in the proactive strategy, they experiment with technologies in advance. Most of the SAIs applying proactive change strategy operates an innovation lab or an experimentation space(see Bojovic, Sabatier, and Coblence 2020; Bucher and Langley 2016; Cartel, Boxenbaum, and Aggeri 2019; Wulf 2000). As an impact on public sector auditing profession, the research addresses the popular narrative of SAI’s equating digitization or the use of digital technologies to Digital transformation. It reiterated the holistic nature of DT, by pointing at the risk involved when DT is tied solely to technology adoption strategy ignoring other aspects such as people, organizational structure, strategy, culture, etc.La trasformazione in corso dell'ambiente esterno delle Istituzioni Superiori di Controllo (ISC, Corte dei conti) sta modificando le esigenze di controllo e le aspettative dei vari stakeholders coinvolti. Infatti, questa trasformazione, innescato dai progressi tecnologici, dall'adozione degli Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile (OSS) e dalla trasparenza sta modificando il modo e gli strumenti con cui viene esercitata l’attività di controllo. Ciò ha portato le ISC a adottare diverse strategie ed a introdurre diverse innovazioni per mantenere la loro rilevanza e migliorare la qualità del loro servizio. Vari autori hanno evidenziato la necessità di indagare circa le implicazioni del cambio della strategia di controllo e dell’adozione delle varie innovazioni tecnologiche nelle ISC. Il lavoro di tesi contribuisce in questa direzione e indaga sulle varie innovazioni tecnologiche adottate dalle ISC e come questi Istituzioni hanno reagito alle pressioni esterne di cambiamento. La tesi adotta un approccio esplorativo e sviluppa tre diverse ricerche per rispondere alla domanda principale di ricerca. La prima ricerca si concentra sulla trasformazione digitale (TD), e indaga su come le ISC hanno affrontato e interpretato la TD. La metodologia utilizzata è di tipo qualitativo. Sono state effettuate varie interviste a esperti del settore a livello internazionale oltre all’analisi documentale degli archivi delle varie istituzioni analizzate. I risultati hanno mostrato una diversa interpretazione e percezione, tra le istituzioni oggetto dello studio, del concetto della TD, dovuta alle differenze di sviluppo digitale nei vari paesi analizzati. Inoltre, i risultati mostrano che le ISC hanno adottato strategie reattive di cambiamento e, in alcune situazioni, hanno adottato strategie proattive. Nel primo caso, che rappresenta la maggioranza dei casi analizzati, le ISC hanno reagito al bisogno ovvero quando si presenta una necessità di cambiamento. Mentre nel secondo caso, ovvero di strategia di cambiamento proattivo, le ISC hanno sperimentato le tecnologie in anticipo. La maggior parte delle Istituzioni che ha adottato strategie proattive di cambiamento gestisce un laboratorio di innovazione o uno spazio di sperimentazione (vedi Bojovic, Sabatier e Coblence 2020; Bucher e Langley 2016; Cartel, Boxenbaum e Aggeri 2019; Wulf 2000). Inoltre, la ricerca mostra come la digitalizzazione o l'uso delle tecnologie digitali vengono equiparati alla TD nelle ISC. Questo rischio di interpretazione del concetto si concretizza soprattutto, come mostrano i risultati, quando la TD viene legata esclusivamente alla strategia di adozione della tecnologia ignorando altri aspetti come le persone, la struttura organizzativa, la strategia, la cultura, ecc

Inhibitors to Business Model Change Realization: Evidence from the European niche banking market.

The concept of business model offers several views on what it means and how it serves to enhance value capture, creation and delivery of an organization. However an organization which have experienced continuous growth, fails to realize the necessity for change. Moreover when the “wake up” call for change occurs, some factors, as the authors identify as inhibitors, severely hinders the urge to move towards change. There might be some underlying issues or rather challenges behind the creation/emergence of an inhibitor, but how does that translate when the competitive landscape shifts and a change in the existing business model becomes a necessity

Sustainable cities: challenges of an integrated planning approach

This paper will identify specific planning conditions that arise when planning aims at sustainable development. First, attention will be paid tosocio-ethical attitudes toward sustainability issues and to the reasons why much of the sustainability debate deserves an urban focus. Then, specificplanning conditions will be discussed in relation to cities, such as a multiple actor situation, inertia in urban adjustment processes, and asegmentation in planning institutions. Furthermore, the paper will focus on economic behaviour in urban areas using urban sustainability as a broadframe of reference and emphasizing an increasing competition between cities. Then, attention will shift to urban policy in the field of environmentalquality control (urban ecology). A necessary condition for the development of integrated planning for urban sustainability is the development of urbanenvironmental data systems. Attention will therefore, focus on the so-called CBD structue of such information systems (Core - Basic - Distinct data) and the key factors for the success of such systems. The paper proceeds with a discussion of particular data needs in view of Environmental ImpactAssessment. The paper will conclude with the essentials and challenges of an integrated planning approach, major obstacles to such an approach, and aninventoryof directions where some progress already has been achieved

PREDICTORS OF READINESS TO INITIATE INSULIN THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES WHEN ORAL MEDICATIONS FAIL TO CONTROL HYPERGLYCEMIA

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) has reached epidemic levels worldwide during the past two decades. It affects nearly 26 million adults in the U.S. Advances in both the treatments for T2DM and guidelines for its optimal management are extensive. Despite these advances, barely half of type 2 diabetics achieve recommended glycemic targets. Specific Aims: The specific aims were to: Describe the available research on clinical inertia and interventions that have been implemented to reduce it. Analyze various behavioral theories that explain and predict self-care practices in diabetes in order to develop a conceptual model on which to base an investigation of predictors of readiness to initiate insulin therapy in type 2 diabetics. Determine predictors of readiness to initiate insulin therapy in patients with T2DM when oral medications fail to control hyperglycemia using the conceptual model based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a framework. Results: A review of research articles published from 1990 to 2010 concluded that clinical inertia of primary care providers treating T2DM resulted in a majority of patients experiencing unnecessary chronic uncontrolled hyperglycemia. Behavioral theories were analyzed for their ability to predict self-care behaviors in type 2 diabetics. A conceptual model was developed based on the major constructs of SDT in order to guide the design of study to investigate predictors of readiness to begin insulin therapy in T2DM. Finally, a descriptive, correlational study was performed to determine readiness to initiate insulin therapy in patients with T2DM when oral medications fail to control hyperglycemia. Results of the study revealed that participants who had a friend or family using insulin were 5.5 times more likely to rate their readiness to initiate insulin as high than those who had neither (p=.020). In addition, those with greater negative beliefs and attitudes toward insulin therapy were more likely to rate their readiness to initiate insulin as low (p=.012). A majority (58%) of participants rated their readiness to begin insulin therapy as immediate if it would give them better control over their hyperglycemia. The study also confirmed findings from previous studies that clinical inertia was present in this setting

A look into the past and future: theories within supply chain management, marketing and management

Purpose Although supply chain scholars have acknowledged the fundamental disruptive changes experienced by today\u2019s supply chains and the ensuing novelty of the research problems worthy of investigation, they have primarily relied on a limited number of theories to help explain the phenomena of interest. The purpose of this paper is to use a systematic literature review to address this gap and propose additional theories that supply chain researchers can use to help address novel supply chain phenomena, such as those caused by technological disruptions. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a systematic literature review to examine the studies published over the last 10 years in six of the top supply chain management journals (411 articles) and six of the top marketing and management journals (1,214 articles). Findings First, the findings show that 15 theories have been relied upon by over 95 per cent of the studies within supply chain management that use formal theories. Second, the authors identify the most frequently used theories within marketing and management (217 theories). Third, as space limitations make it impossible to offer a rich description of each of the 217 theories, the authors identify 30 theories that they considered to be the most salient to supply chain research and suggest areas where supply chain scholars can apply these theoretical lenses. Originality/value The research effort allowed the authors to map the current use of theories within the field to gain a better understanding of what other theories could augment the body of theories used within supply chain management. Thus, the current study is a \u201cone stop shop\u201d that supply chain scholars can consult when in a quandary about what theoretical lens to utilize

Economic Geography and the Evolution of Networks

An evolutionary perspective on economic geography requires a dynamic understanding of change in networks. This paper explores theories of network evolution for their use in geography and develops the conceptual framework of geographical network trajectories. It specifically assesses how tie selection constitutes the evolutionary process of retention and variation in network structure and how geography affects these mechanisms. Finally, a typology of regional network formations is used to discuss opportunities for innovation in and across regions.evolution, network trajectory, evolutionary economic geography, social network analysis, innovation

Improving Provider A1C Testing Frequency Adherence to Recommended Diabetes Guidelines

The Appalachian region of the United States has a high prevalence of diabetes, placing residents with diabetes at risk for physical, psychological, social, and financial burdens. To compound the issue, primary care providers often do not adhere to the guidelines established by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) regarding the recommended frequency of testing hemoglobin A1C in patients with diabetes. Lewin\u27s planned change theory guided the project. The purpose of this project was to measure the knowledge of the primary care providers before and after an educational intervention covering the ADA guidelines for A1C monitoring and testing and to assess compliance with the guideline. The 12 volunteer participants were medical doctors, physician assistants and family nurse practitioners who served as primary care providers for a rural health clinic. Results of the educational presentation and the pre- and posttests indicated that providers improved in their knowledge of the ADA guidelines for prevention and management of diabetes. Providers identified 9 reasons that patients were not compliant with follow-up for A1C monitoring, including lack of provider knowledge of the guidelines, distance to travel to the clinic, delayed lab results, forgetting to keep appointments, bad weather, no transportation, lost orders for labs, fear that the A1C will be elevated, and fear of having more medications added to their treatment plan. This project has the potential to promote positive social change by raising awareness among providers of the need for regular monitoring of hemoglobin A1C and following the ADA guidelines for the treatment and management of diabetes. In so doing, the project may reduce the complications of diabetes for patients in the community