The level of outsourced tasks in IT and its dependence on selected explanatory factors

PURPOSE: The main aim of this article is to determine the impact of selected factors on the level of activities outsourced in the organization to IT outsourcing (ITO). This goal was achieved by building a structural model where the modeled value was the level of outsourced IT activities. Next, it was indicated the factors that have a stimulating and limiting effect on the modeled quantity, and to determine the level of influence. The model was tested on data from economic practice (large Polish organizations).DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A critical study by review literature and descriptive analysis method, with empirical and formal methods. For the collection of data, the research tool used is a questionnaire, statistical methods were applied to construct the research model and test the hypotheses with structural equations methodology.FINDINGS: The seven variables had an impact on the level of ITO. The stimulating effect had benefits of this service, reasons for using ITO (onshoring and offshoring), factors of a successful relationship with the service provider and factors determining the choice of an ITO service provider. The limiting effect had the risk factors of ITO (onshoring). The risk factors of ITO (offshoring) had a stimulating effect.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The model shows factors that have a stimulating and limiting effect on the level of ITO. This allows the management of an organization that uses ITO or has the intention to do so, and organizations that provide outsourcing services in the IT area, to pay attention to particularly important factors and to ignore factors that are not important.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: Construction of the structural model of the level of outsourced IT activities. Identification of factors that stimulate and restrict the level of outsourced IT activities, and determination of the level of impact of these factors on the modeled variable.peer-reviewe

A longitudinal analysis of IT outsourcing in large Polish organizations

PURPOSE: The purpose of the research was to determine the dynamics of the development of information technology outsourcing (ITO) in large organizations in Poland. The development of onshoring and offshoring was examined, the types and forms of services most commonly outsourced, the recipients of services within the organization, multisourcing, contract duration, method of payment, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on ITO, and the organization’s plans for ITO.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Longitudinal methods (extracting over time, mapping, visualization) were used. A diagnostic survey was used to collect data on ITO, the research tool was a survey questionnaire. Data was collected using the CATI (Computer Added Telephone Interview) method in the periods January-February 2016 and January-February 2021. Each time, 200 large organizations in Poland participated in the research. The research problem concerned the dynamics of ITO development in Poland. The research questions included the determination of the dynamics of ITO development assessed from the client's side, the types and forms of services that are developing most dynamically, changes in the features of outsourcing contracts, the exchange of enterprises regarding ITO and the impact of the pandemic on ITO activities.FINDINGS: The use of IT outsourcing in large organizations in Poland is growing, the rate of development dynamics by a big percent, especially in relation to offshoring. Outsourcing of more complex and business-critical activities and the use of cloud services are growing. Specialization and multi-sourcing are on the rise. Outsourcing contracts tend to be signed for a short period of time or the duration of the contract depends on the specifics of the project. However, there is a tendency to extend cooperation in outsourcing. The most common form of payment for services is a fixed price, although there is a trend towards other forms of payment. The COVID-19 pandemic had a weak but rather positive effect on the use of outsourcing. Companies plan to maintain the current relationship between internal and external services or expand ITO. These trends are expected to continue.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: ITO suppliers may be advised to specialize their services and offer a wider range. Customers – prudent supplier selection and multi-sourcing.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The trends in the development of IT outsourcing in large organizations in Poland and changes occurring in outsourcing contacts were determined.peer-reviewe

TRAÇOS CARACTERIZADORES DO CONSTITUCIONALISMO CONTEMPORÂNEO: UM DEBATE SOBRE NEOCONSTITUCIONALISMO(S)

O presente trabalho possui a premissa de verificar os traços que são determinantes da era do constitucionalismo contemporâneo e a construção do cenário para o surgimento do neoconstitucionalismo. O arcabouço jurídico (neo)constitucionalista emerge a partir da dialética acerca da temática no final do século 19. O método de abordagem utilizado para o presente estudo foi o dialético, por ser um fenômeno de contradição inerente à temática, bem como o método de procedimento histórico e comparativo e a técnica de pesquisa bibliográfica.

NMR hyperpolarization techniques of gases

Nuclear spin polarization can be significantly increased through the process of hyperpolarization, leading to an increase in the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments by 4–8 orders of magnitude. Hyperpolarized gases, unlike liquids and solids, can often be readily separated and purified from the compounds used to mediate the hyperpolarization processes. These pure hyperpolarized gases enabled many novel MRI applications including the visualization of void spaces, imaging of lung function, and remote detection. Additionally, hyperpolarized gases can be dissolved in liquids and can be used as sensitive molecular probes and reporters. This Minireview covers the fundamentals of the preparation of hyperpolarized gases and focuses on selected applications of interest to biomedicine and materials science

Co-creación en línea: estudio piloto comparativo sobre polonia, ucrania y España

The article presents the process of co-creation on the Internet as an innovative method of product and service innovation development by modern companies. The aim of the article is to present the process of co-creating products on the Internet based on desk studies and own pilot surveys conducted on respondents from three countries: Poland, Ukraine and Spain. The research methods included: desk research, online diagnostic survey in three countries, and statistical methods. The hypothesis is made that the participation of contributors is higher for longer traditions of using the Internet and availability of the Internet in a given country. The main respective hypothesis, which has a high degree of generality, could not be confirmed by the analysis of the rather limited amount of data collected through the survey. To properly test this hypothesis, a considerably wider sample would have been required. However, specific hypotheses have been confirmed or partially confirmed. On the basis of deliberations, author’s division of the online co-creation process into stages was also presented. The conclusions provide recommendations for entrepreneurs intending to engage their clients in products and services co-creation on the Internet and the opportunities for further research.El artículo presenta el proceso de co-creación en Internet como un método innovador de desarrollo de innovación de productos y servicios por parte de las empresas modernas. El objetivo del artículo es presentar el proceso de co-creación de productos en Internet a partir de estudios documentales y encuestas piloto propias realizadas con encuestados de tres países: polonia, ucrania y España. los métodos de investigación incluyeron: investigación documental, encuesta de diagnóstico en línea en tres países y métodos estadísticos. la hipótesis es que la participación de los contribuyentes es mayor para las tradiciones más largas de uso de Internet y la disponibilidad de Internet en un país determinado. la principal hipótesis respectiva, que tiene un alto grado de generalidad, no pudo ser confirmada por el análisis de la cantidad bastante limitada de datos recopilados a través de la encuesta. para probar adecuadamente esta hipótesis, se habría requerido una muestra considerablemente más amplia. Sin embargo, las hipótesis específicas han sido confirmadas o parcialmente confirmadas. Sobre la base de las deliberaciones, también se presentó la división del autor del proceso de co-creación en línea en etapas. las conclusiones proporcionan recomendaciones para los empresarios que intentan involucrar a sus clientes en la co-creación de productos y servicios en Internet y las oportunidades para futuras investigaciones

Generations of the development of it outsourcing in Poland

Generacja rozwoju outsourcingu informatycznego w Polsc

Photophysics and Release Kinetics of Enzyme-Activatable Optical Probes Based on H‑Dimerized Fluorophores on Self-Immolative Linkers

A series of activatable optical probes for the model enzyme penicillin G amidase based on intramolecular formation of non-fluorescent H-dimer between two identical dyes were synthesized. The probes are based on a self-immolative linker, which allows positioning both dyes in close spatial proximity to ensure efficient quenching of probes with absorption and fluorescence emission in the near-infrared (NIR) range. A detailed photophysical investigation of the novel optical probes led to a revision of a previously anticipated quenching mechanism and revealed their potential for optimizing the performance of activatable probes based on H-dimer formation. A kinetic analysis indicated that the fluorescence progress curves can be used to qualitatively extract enzyme kinetic parameters

Chiral, J‑Aggregate-Forming Dyes for Alternative Signal Modulation Mechanisms in Self-Immolative Enzyme-Activatable Optical Probes

Enzyme-activatable optical probes are important for future advances in cancer imaging, but may easily suffer from low signal-to-background ratios unless not optimized. To address this shortcoming, numerous mechanisms to modulate the fluorescence signal have been explored. We report herein newly synthesized probes based on self-immolative linkers containing chiral J-aggregate-forming dyes. Signal modulation by formation of chiral J-aggregates is yet unexplored in optical enzyme probe design. The comprehensive characterization of the probes by absorption, CD, fluorescence, and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy revealed dye–dye interactions not observed for the free dyes in solution as well as dye–protein interactions with the enzyme. This suggested that J-aggregate formation is challenging to achieve with current probe design and that interactions of the dyes with the enzyme may interfere with achieving high signal-to-background ratios. The detailed understanding of the interactions provided herein provides valuable guidelines for the future design of similar probes