Digitalization of SMEs : an ecosystem-based perspective

Over the last decade, digital technologies have been able to strike disruptive changes in the contemporary business landscape and so affecting small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs have limited R&D, financial and human resources to invest in their digitalization process. In this research, we contextualize that SMEs can enhance their digitalization by collaborating with different actors of the ecosystem i.e., competing SMEs, higher education institutions (HEIs), co-creating with customers and utilizing support and facilitation activities provided by intermediary organizations. Therefore, our main research question is “How do SMEs enhance their digitalization through engaging with ecosystem-based dynamic collaborations?” To answer the research question, we conducted qualitative multiple case study research based on semi-structured interviews with the Northern Finland innovation ecosystem actors. The results confirm that ecosystem-based interactions enhance SMEs’ digital competencies, and digital orientation and help them in emerging technology adoption which eventually leads them to maintain competitive advantage and achieve business model innovation.©2022 International Society for Professional Innovation management, Lappeenranta University of Technology.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Digital Innovations and SMEs : a systematic literature review and future research agenda

Digital technologies are altering competitive grounds in the different sectors of the economy worldwide. Therefore, the research on digital technologies in business and management literature has observed an increasing trend. However, despite growing research on digital innovations in SMEs, we lack an understanding of SMEs' external knowledge and resources exploration and exploitation to build digital innovations. Therefore, this research synthesizes the literature on SMEs' knowledge and resources exploration and exploitation for developing digital innovations. By conducting a systemic literature review, we identified actors and collaborative mechanisms that help SMEs overcome their resource and technological knowledge limitations. Furthermore, with the help of existing literature, we also explain the exploitation process of externally acquired knowledge and resources into organizational internal digital innovation systems.© 2023 Authors.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

The Impact of Customer Trust on the Relationship between Religious Values and Adoption of Islamic Banking

This study investigated how managers in Islamic banks in Pakistan saw Islamic banking in connection to their own religious beliefs, customer trust, and other factors. The study's goal was to comprehend how managers' decisions to use financial services and products that adhere to Sharia law are influenced by their religious beliefs and how customer trust affects this relationship. Data was gathered using a quantitative research design, and it came from 146 managers of Islamic banks who responded to standardized surveys. Islamic banking acceptance, customer trust, and customer value measures were all included in the poll. To investigate the connections between the variables, descriptive statistics, and regression analysis were performed. The findings showed a strong positive correlation between managers' acceptance of Islamic banking and their religious principles. Sharia-compliant financial services were more likely to be adopted and promoted by managers with greater Islamic views. Additionally, the adoption of Islamic banking was further influenced by client trust, which appeared as a key moderator. The results underline how crucial it is for customers' trust and religious beliefs to influence managers' adoption of Islamic banking. The favorable influence of religious values on adoption decisions is strengthened by increasing consumer trust in Islamic financial institutions. This study contributes to a greater knowledge of the management perspective within the business and offers insightful information about the elements influencing the development of Islamic banking in Pakistan. &nbsp

Factors ssociated with complicated appendicitis: view from a low-middle income country

Introduction Factors associated with complicated appendicitis have been inconsistently identified. Moreover, studies are lacking from low and low-middle countries where access to surgical care is limited. Our objective was to identify factors predicting complicated appendicitis as diagnosed intraoperatively in a low-middle income country hospital. Methodology Retrospective case-control study of patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy from 01/2008 to 12/2015 was completed. Based on intraoperative diagnosis of complicated appendicitis, patients were divided into two groups; those with complicated appendicitis (CA) and those who had non-complicated appendicitis (NCA). CT scans were further reviewed to identify presence of appendicolith. Result Of the 442 patients included, 88 (20%) patients were in the CA group while 354 (80%) patients were in the NCA group. Patients in the CA group were older [CA vs. NCA: 34.6 ± 14 vs. 30.4 ± 11.5; p-value \u3c 0.001], had symptoms for longer duration [CA vs. NCA: 2 ± 1.2 vs. 1.5 ± 0.8; p-value: 0.001] and had a greater proportion of patients with appendicoliths [CA vs. NCA: 37 (42%) vs. 84 (23.7%); p-value: 0.001]. On multivariable regression analysis, patients with complicated appendicitis had greater odds of having appendicoliths (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.4-4.07; p-value \u3c 0.001) and symptoms for a longer duration (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.25-1.97; p-value \u3c 0.001). Conclusion Patients with complicated appendicitis had greater odds of having appendicoliths and symptoms for a longer duration. Further studies are warranted in low and low-middle income countries to gauge the impact delay in presentation and intervention has on appendicitis and its outcomes

Effectiveness of Digital Game Based Learning Strategy in Higher Educational Perspectives

Digital game-based learning strategy is now widely used in various fields such as education, marketing and advertising. This learning strategy has attracted great attention from scholars and practitioners in recent years due to its effectiveness in various educational fields. As more research studies favored the constructive impact of games on the learning process, more and more investigators are dedicated to developing digital educational games to enhance learning skills for 21st century requirements. The objectives of the current investigation were: to present a comprehensive and systematic review of the literature of previous studies on the effectiveness of digital game-based learning strategy in a higher educational context; to report the role of various adult learning theories in digital game-based learning strategy; to highlight some barriers and their solutions in digital game-based learning strategy. A total of 20 previous studies on digital game-based learning strategy in higher educational perspectives published from 2008-2021 were selected by inclusion and exclusion criteria for conducting this investigation. The results of the current investigation revealed that digital game-based learning strategy has deep effects on the learning skills of the learners in higher educational perspectives. The digital game-based learning strategy is a better option for the improvement of engagement of learners towards learning and critical thinking skills

Recent Advances in Seed Enhancements

Seed quality is vital to sustainable crop production and food security. Seed enhancements include physical, physiological and biological treatments to overcome germination constraints by uniform stands, earlier crop development and better yields. Improved germination rates and seedling vigour are due to reduced emergence time by earlier start of metabolic activities of hydrolytic enzymes and resource mobilization. Nutrient homeostasis, ion uptake, hormonal regulation, activation of antioxidant defence system, reduced lipid peroxidation and accumulation of compatible solutes are some mechanisms conferring biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. Several transcription factors for aquaporins, imbibitions, osmotic adjustment, antioxidant defence and phenylpropanoid pathway have been identified. However, the knowledge of molecular pathways elucidating mode of action of these effects, reduced longevity of primed or other physical and biological agents for seed treatments and market availability of high-quality seeds are some of the challenges for scientists and seed industry. In this scenario, there is need to minimize the factors associated with reduced vigour during seed production, improve seed storage and handling, develop high-tech seeds by seed industry at appropriate rates and integrate agronomic, physiological and molecular seed research for the effective regulation of high-quality seed delivery over next generations

Hepatoprotective effect of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L (chick peas) against carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in rats

Purpose: To determine the hepatoprotective potential of ethanol extracts of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L. (chick peas). Methods: Hepatotoxicity was induced in rats using oral administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). The rats were then orally administered different doses of the ethanol extracts of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L. for 21 days. Oxidative stress parameters and hepatoprotective profiles were determined in serum samples using standard procedures. The effect of the treatments on liver histology was also determined. Results: Administration of extracts of desi and kabuli cultivars of Cicer arietinum L. to CCl4 treated rats at a dose of 300 mg/kg resulted in a significant (p ≤ 0.05) decrease in oxidative stress parameters, whereas catalase activity significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05); on the other hand, ALT and AST levels were decreased significantly (p ≤ 0.05), when compared to the control group. Conclusion: High doses of Cicer arietinum L (desi and kabuli cultivars) seem to have hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects on CCl4-induced toxicity in rats. This finding underscores the therapeutic importance of Cicer arietinum L. as a plant with hepatoprotective properties. Keywords: Cicer arietinum, Phenolics, Hepatotoxicity, Chick peas, Catalas

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective: To determine the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in our population Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted at medical out-patient Department, Services Hospital, Lahore; from September 2014 to March 2015. All the patients having chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) were included. COPD was defined as the patients having a ratio of “forced expiratory volume in one second” (FEVI) to “forced vital capacity” (FVC) below 70% and having no improvement in FEVI after bronchodilator. Severity GERD was categorized as per episodes of symptoms. Information regarding the frequency of GERD was collected via study proforma. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.  Results:  Overall 100 cases were studied; their mean age was 47.54+3.62 years. Out of all 90% were males and 10% were females. Frequency of GERD in patients with COPD reveals 33%, followed by 03% study subjects had mild GERD, 7% had moderate, 11% had severe and 12% had very severe symptoms of GERD, while 67% had no nay symptoms of GERD. Conclusion: In the conclusion the frequency of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was found to be 33.0% among COPD subjects.

Leukocytosis: Predictor of Radiological and Neurological Outcome of Patients of Traumatic Brain Injury Presented to Jinnah Hospital, Lahore

Background/Objective: Catecholamines and cortisol cause raised TLC (total leukocyte count) and brain inflammation after injury. We found out that weather leukocytosis is predictive for radiological and neurological outcome in patientswith TBI presenting to JHL.Materials and Methods: Blood samples of patients (n = 100) were collected on presentation in the emergency room, after 72 hours and on the 5th day for TLC count.CT Brain was obtained on presentation in emergency, after 72 hours and on the 5th day. The progression of imaging findings on CT scan were assessed and compared with TLC count. The outcome of these patients was assessed according to the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale.Results: TLC after TBI is raised initially and then it declined afterwards in mild and moderate TBI, but remained on the upper limit in moderate TBI. In severe TBI, TLC was raised initially and then it progressed to higher limits afterwards.These results showed that there is a strong relation between TLC and TBI.Regarding the association between radiological assessment and severity of injury along with raised TLC, it was observed that the patients having EDH had raised TLC along with expansion of hematoma, while patients with contusions, T-SAH (traumatic sub-dural hematoma) SDH had TLC on upper limit, but there was no significant resolution of radiological severityConclusion: WBC count can be used as a predictor of radiological outcome, as it was found that patients with severe head injury had raised TLC. TLC count can be used to assess the severity of injury and prognosis