A Systemic Approach for Designing Open Innovation Value Networks

The past two decades have seen a number of changes to the business and technological environment that have favored the rise of “open” collaborative innovation as alternative to the more traditional ”closed” models. The traditional view of innovation as a closed or proprietary system where new ideas are generated from an internal research group or an R&D department is being replaced by open innovation value networks in which enterprises collaborate in a variety of ways with third parties (including their competitors) to generate new or significantly improved products or services. In moving from “closed” to “open” innovation enterprises require; a new set of skills and tools to configure an open innovation value network, as well as, radical changes in their organizational structures in order to manage the complex web of relationships inherent in open innovation value networks. In this paper, we apply Systemic Enterprise Architecture Method (SEAM). SEAM offers a systemic conceptualization technique and a set of heuristics useful to analyze and design open innovation. In this paper, our method is illustrated with an example of open innovation in the computer industry. We show how enterprises can design open innovation value networks and identify the organizational structure required to better exploit the opportunities afforded by open innovation

Acute surgical wound-dressing procedure: Description of the steps involved in the development and validation of an observational metric

The aim of this study was to develop an observational metric that could be used to assess the performance of a practitioner in completing an acute surgical wound-dressing procedure using aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT). A team of clinicians, academics, and researchers came together to develop an observational metric using an iterative six-stage process, culminating in a Delphi panel meeting. A scoping review of the literature provided a background empirical perspective relating to wound-dressing procedure performance. Video recordings of acute surgical wound-dressing procedures performed by nurses in clinical (n = 11) and simulated (n = 3) settings were viewed repeatedly and were iteratively deconstructed by the metric development group. This facilitated the identification of the discrete component steps, potential errors, and sentinel (serious) errors, which characterise a wound dressing procedure and formed part of the observational metric. The ANTT wound-dressing observational metric was stress tested for clarity, the ability to be scored, and interrater reliability, calculated during a further phase of video analysis. The metric was then subjected to a process of cyclical evaluation by a Delphi panel (n = 21) to obtain face and content validity of the metric. The Delphi panel deliberation verified the face and content validity of the metric. The final metric has three phases, 31 individual steps, 18 errors, and 27 sentinel errors. The metric is a tool that identifies the standard to be attained in the performance of acute surgical wound dressings. It can be used as both an adjunct to an educational programme and as a tool to assess a practitioner's performance of a wound-dressing procedure in both simulated and clinical practice contexts

The aesthetic and cultural pursuits of patients with stroke

peer-reviewedTables to accompany this article on second fileGOAL: There has been an increasing interest in the arts in healthcare, with a suggestion that the arts and aesthetics can augment patient outcomes in stroke and other illnesses. Designing such programmes requires better knowledge of the artistic, aesthetic and cultural pursuits of people affected by stroke. The aim of this study was to obtain the insights of this group about the profile of arts and aesthetics activities in their lives as well as the influence of stroke on these aspects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients attending a stroke service were administered questions adapted from the Irish Arts Council’s 2006 questionnaire on participation in aesthetics and cultural pursuits, Information was also collected on stroke type and present functional and cognitive status. Thirty-eight patients were interviewed. Of these, twenty were inpatients in hospital at the time of the interview and eighteen were interviewed in an outpatient setting. FINDINGS: Popular activities included mainstream cinema, listening to music, dancing, attending plays or musicals and being outdoors. Many patients ceased these activities after their stroke, mostly due to health issues and inaccessibility. The majority of patients valued the importance of the arts in the healthcare setting. CONCLUSION: This study gives a perspective for the first time on the aesthetic and cultural pursuits of stroke patients prior to their stroke. It portrays a wide variety of cultural and leisure activities, and the cessation of these post-stroke. It revealed the restrictions patients felt on gaining access to leisure pursuits both while in hospital and following discharge.Acceptedpeer-reviewe

Community research report

University College Cork introduced its first Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) module in 2016. The module was funded and supported by Horizon2020 funding, specifically the EnRRICH project (Enhancing Responsible Research and Innovation through Curricula in Higher Education). The module is a 5-credit module for PhD students from all disciplines in the early stages of their PhD at University College Cork. Following two fruitful partnerships in the areas of social justice / equality, community family support services and older persons, there was a keen interested to explore partnerships in markedly different areas such as environmental sustainability. A dialogue ensued with CEF where the opportunity and feasibility to collaborate on the CBPR module was explored

Ethical frameworks for quality improvement activities: An analysis of international practice

Purpose: To examine international approaches to the ethical oversight and regulation of quality improvement and clinical audit in healthcare systems. Data sources: We searched grey literature including websites of national research and ethics regulatory bodies and health departments of selected countries. Study selection: National guidance documents were included from six countries: Ireland, England, Australia, New Zealand, the United States of America and Canada. Data extraction: Data were extracted from 19 documents using an a priori framework developed from the published literature. Results: We organised data under five themes: ethical frameworks; guidance on ethical review; consent, vulnerable groups and personal health data. Quality improvement activity tended to be outside the scope of the ethics frameworks in most countries. Only New Zealand had integrated national ethics standards for both research and quality improvement. Across countries, there is consensus that this activity should not be automatically exempted from ethical review, but requires proportionate review or organisational oversight for minimal risk projects. In the majority of countries, there is a lack of guidance on participant consent, use of personal health information and inclusion of vulnerable groups in routine quality improvement. Conclusion: Where countries fail to provide specific ethics frameworks for quality improvement, guidance is dispersed across several organisations which may lack legal certainty. Our review demonstrates a need for appropriate oversight and responsive infrastructure for quality improvement underpinned by ethical frameworks that build equivalence with research oversight. It outlines aspects of good practice, especially The New Zealand framework that integrates research and quality improvement ethics

An international perspective on definitions and terminology used to describe serious reportable patient safety incidents: A systematic review

Objectives: Patients are unintentionally, yet frequently, harmed in situations that are deemed preventable. Incident reporting systems help prevent harm, yet there is considerable variability in how patient safety incidents are reported. This may lead to inconsistent or unnecessary patterns of incident reporting and failures to identify serious patient safety incidents. This systematic review aims to describe international approaches in relation to defining serious reportable patient safety incidents. Methods: Multiple electronic and gray literature databases were searched for articles published between 2009 and 2019. Empirical studies, reviews, national reports, and policies were included. A narrative synthesis was conducted because of study heterogeneity. Results: A total of 50 articles were included. There was wide variation in the terminology used to represent serious reportable patient safety incidents. Several countries defined a specific subset of incidents, which are considered sufficiently serious, yet preventable if appropriate safety measures are taken. Terms such as “never events,” “serious reportable events,” or “always review and report” were used. The following dimensions were identified to define a serious reportable patient safety incident: (1) incidents being largely preventable; (2) having the potential for significant learning; (3) causing serious harm or have the potential to cause serious harm; (4) being identifiable, measurable, and feasible for inclusion in an incident reporting system; and (5) running the risk of recurrence. Conclusions: Variations in terminology and reporting systems between countries might contribute to missed opportunities for learning. International standardized definitions and blame-free reporting systems would enable comparison and international learning to enhance patient safety

Broadening out the working footprint of a cabled seabed observatory using an interconnected surface buoy, and examining the potential to achieve similar utility from a stand-alone buoyed platform

This thesis describes the extensive study and analysis of a cabled seabed observatory connection and examination of the potential to achieve similar utility from a buoyed observatory system. The study then broadens out to investigate the potential to extend the utility afforded from a buoy to meet the demands of a challenging end user: The example chosen being the long-term real-time remote piloting of a resident Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Current ocean observational systems have been identified as being inadequate by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), needing urgent improvement. In response, this research is driven by the requirement to extend observations over a broader footprint, using lower cost upcoming technologies to increase system capacity. This need for expansion led to a thorough examination of the current capabilities of ocean observation technologies, identifying areas where additional research is required. The findings highlight the divide between shore-connected cabled facilities and autonomous platforms in relation to energy availability, communications capabilities and spatial/temporal footprint. This necessitates a need for examination as to how this gap can be bridged. The design and build of a bespoke interconnector, linking the seabed Cabled End Equipment (CEE) at the Galway Bay Cabled Observatory to an adjacent surface buoy made it possible to examine the true differences in terms of data availability, energy and power delivery between the two platforms. Elements of the CEE utility were then extended (broadened out), including communication with adjacent infrastructure. This connection allowed analysis of data from the cable and the buoy to set the bar for what a standalone observatory would be required to equal. A study is then conducted to determine how lower-cost deep-field functionality could be realised, based on the analysis of the results from the cabled connection. A hybrid communications system (HF and Satellite) is proposed, in tandem with a triple hybrid (‘tribrid’) energy generation system (wind, wave and solar), and modelled outputs are presented using meteorological and oceanographic data from Galway Bay. The outputs were tested against the requirements of a challenging end user, i.e. teleoperation of a resident ROV with real time video relay, low latency requirements and requisite power. The work concludes that low latency remote presence ROV control is theoretically achievable on a remote platform, using energy generation, storage and communications system as described. Further in situ trials are required in future work to validate this across a range of operational conditions in the ocean

Intercultural Events in Schools and Colleges of Education

Abstract included in text

Den sociala och miljömässiga påverkan av litium utvinningen i litiumtriangelländerna : En litteraturstudie med politisk ekologi och miljörättvisa perspektiv

The extraction of lithium, a crucial mineral for the production of batteries in the rapidlyexpanding electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors, has gained significant attention due toits environmental and social implications. This thesis provides a comprehensive literature reviewon the environmental and social challenges associated with lithium extraction from the LithiumTriangle countries, namely Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, through the lens of political ecology.Drawing upon a wide range of scholarly articles, reports, and case studies, this research examinesthe complex interplay between ecological dynamics and sociopolitical factors in the context oflithium extraction. The literature review explores key themes including land use conflicts, waterscarcity and pollution, indigenous rights and participation, governance and regulation, and globalmarket dynamics. The literature review reveals that lithium extraction in the Lithium Trianglecountries presents various environmental challenges. These include the large-scale use of waterresources, potential water contamination from mining activities, and the disruption of fragileecosystems. From a political ecology perspective, the review highlights the power dynamics andpolitical-economic structures that shape the governance of lithium extraction. It criticallyanalyzes the role of multinational corporations, government policies, and international marketforces in influencing the environmental and social outcomes of lithium mining operations.Furthermore, the review emphasizes the importance of recognizing and incorporating theperspectives and rights of local communities and indigenous groups in decision-makingprocesses. By adopting a political ecology perspective, it underscores the need for sustainable andsocially just approaches to lithium mining that prioritize environmental conservation, communityengagement, and equitable distribution of benefits. The findings of this literature review caninform future research, policy development, and advocacy efforts aimed at promoting responsibleand inclusive practices in the lithium industry.Lithium utvinning, en nyckelkomponent i elbils- och förnybar energisektorns framväxt, haruppmärksammats för dess påverkan på miljö och samhälle. Denna avhandling utför enomfattande litteraturgenomgång om miljö- och samhällsutmaningar vid litiumutvinning i LitiumTriangel-länderna: Argentina, Bolivia och Chile. Genom att analysera en bred samlingvetenskapliga artiklar, rapporter och fallstudier utforskar studien det komplexa samspelet mellanekologi och sociopolitisk vid litiumutvinning. Litteraturgenomgången utforskar centrala ämnensom markkonflikter, vattenbrist och föroreningar, ursprungsbefolkningars rättigheter ochdeltagande, styrning och globala marknadskrafter. Resultaten avslöjar miljöutmaningar vidlitiumutvinning i Triangel-länderna, inklusive vattenanvändning, förorening ochekosystemstörningar. Genom ett politiskt ekologiskt perspektiv belyser översikten maktstruktureroch påverkan från multinationella företag, regeringspolitik och internationella marknadskrafter.Översikten understryker även vikten av att inkludera lokalbefolkningens ochursprungsbefolkningars perspektiv och rättigheter i beslutsprocesser. Studien främjar hållbara ochrättvisa tillvägagångssätt för litiumutvinning och visar att resultaten kan påverka framtidaforskning, policyutveckling och påverkansarbete för ansvarsfulla och inkluderande metoder inomlitiumindustrin.